Paddle Drills

Hello,
I need to incorporate more paddle drills into our class time, and the standard drills are getting stale. Does anyone have any unique and challenging drills to share?

Pilsung,
Lee

Well first we'd have to know which ones you currently use.

There are so many to choose from it would be hard to pick just a few. I will however throw a couple in but won't get too technical since you may already do them.

1. One on One - Instructor holds paddles and he will set a time depending on belt color; or however long he feels. He will attack or withdraw and you must react accordingly. He will hold it in positions where you need to ax kick, back kick, doubles, roundhouse, cut kick, back roundhouse, etc. If you use the same kick over and over then he will keep you there until you try something else. When finished then 10 speed kicks on each side to finish you off. You are not to hold back anything and go for broke from the beginning.

2. Drills across the dojo with a partner where you practice all skills.

3. One person holding two paddles and people lined up in front of them. Go from basic kicks to more advance kicks switching the holders out.

4. Half the class holds one paddle and they line up. The other half have to speed kick all the way through for a set number 5-10 and then holders switch side and repeated. Then holders become kickers and kickers become holders.

5. Speed/technique drills - Pyramid kicking - Roundhouse one side then the other, then roundhouse twice on one side and repeat for the other ... working your way up to 10 per side and then down again. Then step roundhouses, double kicks, cut kicks, etc.

These are just a few that I can think of quickly.

With the paddle drills, should any attempt be made to pad the paddles? Or is there a specific type of paddle to use, it's just that looking at my local outdoor shop, those paddles would really hurt if you wacked them with a naked foot. I must admit I've never done these in class, but they sound rather intriguing. Maybe something to do with a mate, outside of the Dojo?

Tim, here is what our paddles look like.

http://www.martial-art-shop.co.uk/sports/images/detailed/d_86.jpg

They are meant for technique rather then power. They do have a wooden spine and if you hit that then OUCH! The double padded ones are better then the single padded ones, though we have some of these as well but they don't get used too much. We have to replace these from time to time as the wooded spine can be broken and they can get worn down so that the padding isn't effective anymore.

Doing some paddle drills I over extended to reach one ... plus I had a ego going on because I was on top of my game and my Instructor had made more then one comment about good technique, strength and speed. I then started powering through them and extending to reach one I then hyperextended my knee and tore my ACL. Surgery very shortly.

haha, I blame Oldman for me not understanding what you meant by paddles that cartoon was just plain misleading! Okay, I've used 'flippy-floppy pads' (as we call them ) before, my favourit drills aren't so much power based, more balance + technique - I like the quick moving turning kicks, aiming for body shots and for combos of lots of kicks.

Cheers for clearing that one up Dereck.And it was enlightening to hear of yet another one of your mishaps! Another thing to watch out for

And hence why I am the king of pain. Someday I'm sure I will learn. Now you can more then understand about adapting. I knew that they were for technique but I was on top of my game that day in July and my Instructor noticed to and said so a couple of times out loud for all to hear and my head got big and I pushed harder and faster and stronger and then "snap"! No pain ... no swelling. My partner and I looked at each other as she had heard it too, as had others. I felt fine and went to continue and fell flat on my butt as my leg gave out. I knew I was done right there. Ah the memories.

All but one person in the class holds a paddle and makes a circle around the kicker, the kicker then sets the distance for the holders as so they can do a series of round kicks on by pivoting on one foot, the key is to pivot and not move the grounded foot. You can start by allowing the kicker to put their foot down after every kick, but the challenge comes when they complete the drill by not putting it down. Do one foot then the other, rotate kickers until everybody has done the drill. Works best with 8-10 people.

VDJ