Teaching Milestone

 Recently I reached a milestone in jiujitsu that had only somewhat to do with belt rank: I helped instruct in a class for the first time! 

Technically, this is something that you can do at blue belt, provided that you can get out of work early enough and come to help teach the children’s class. Well, I can’t get out of work early enough consistently enough to do that so that’s out. So the next level of teach is teaching the adult class. We normally have enough black belts and brown belts at our school to cover down on that during our regular classes. This leaves Sunday’s class that specifically teaches blue and white belts about the techniques you learn to become purple belt. 

Because I haven’t provided enough caveats, technically I have been asked to help stand in as an instructor for this Sunday class. Twice, but I was given direction to not provide instruction per se, just guide the people there since I was the most senior person in the room. This time, with Steve’s (head instructor’s) blessing, I was asked to give instruction on a technique in front of a group of about 20 people.

I will admit to being a little nervous but honestly, not that nervous. I was grateful for the chance to once again be in front of people instructing something I had been learning for the last 5 years or so; the times I’m asked to be in front helping people in such a capacity seems to be thin these days. I got through the technique by first expressing gratitude and telling the class how time flies and it seems like yesterday I didn’t know any of this stuff…just keep coming to class, it will all make more sense in due time…and off I went!

If you care, the technique was hip bump sweep. I care, but I’m just happy and grateful to be given the opportunity to help and teach again. I’m still trying to figure out what the heck it is I want to do when I grow up but I keep coming back to know that helping people is something I seem to be good at and it’s something I enjoy.