Archive for the 'karate games' Category

New karate game for kids

Published on June 15, 2011 in karate games. 4 Comments Tags: .
Here’s a quick game you can use for your younger karate kids, that they’ll love, but at the same time helps with developing reaction time, attention and technique.

It’s based off the kids’ game “Red light, green light” and it works like this…

The game is broken into three 60 second rounds, with each more difficult than the previous. Students spread out on the tatami, and must perform the action associated with the command you call.

GREEN LIGHT – students walk around randomly, being careful not to bump into each other.

YELLOW LIGHT – students continue to walk around but now must be extra cautious and hold their hands up in a fighting guard, looking around for danger.

RED LIGHT – students  must stop immediately, step forward into zenkutsu dachi (forward stance) with kiai, and quickly do the specified technique/combination you decide before the round starts.

If a student does the wrong action or wrong technique, they get 5 pushups, knee jumps or whatever you decide.

At the end of each round praise your students, give them a clap, 5000 points or whatever you do to keep the game fun and students interested.

And be sure to use the compounding teaching principle with each round, making the time between commands shorter and the combinations more complex.

Like this kids karate game? There are more here…

Karate Poison Ball (Karate Game)

Published on February 17, 2009 in karate games. 0 Comments

If there is one karate game that my kids classes love more than any other it’s Karate Poison Ball…

This game soars like an eagle above all other games – no other comes remotely close to producing the level of exhilaration kids feel when I tell them it’s time for “Poison Ball”.

Quite often the first thing young kids will ask me as soon as they walk into class is “Are we going to play Poison Ball today, Sensei?”

My response is often, “We’ll see. If you’re good we might play it at the end of class.”

And yet this game is really nothing more than dodge ball / poison ball with a karate twist.

Here’s how it works…

Karate Poison Ball

Students spread out in the middle of the floor with you standing at one end.

Choose an assistant instructor or a senior student to stand at the other end.

Your job is to get the kids “out” by throwing the ball at them and hitting them. If the ball misses all students or is returned to the other end of the room, it’s your assistant’s turn to throw the ball.

Your students’ job is to not get hit by either moving and avoiding it, or punching the ball away.

If the ball hits any other part of their body; if a student picks up the ball to give it back to you; if a student kicks the ball; or if it hits their belt or uniform at all; or if you think that their “punch” didn’t resemble a karate technique, then they’re out!

Students who are out take a seat at the end of the room out of the way and cheer for the remaining kids.

Two more things to note:

- Use a plastic air filled ball.

- Play this game at the end of class as a reward for a job well done.

Yes, it’s ok to bribe your students at the start of class by letting them know what’s in store when their good. If they don’t behave, do 200 punches in shiko dachi instead. You’ll quickly see a shift in how your class responds.

The notion of this simple game has the power to move mountains, change behaviors for the better and send your kid’s class home happy.

Enjoy,

Jason

Karate Games – The Listening Game

Published on November 3, 2008 in karate games. 0 Comments

A great way to warm up your karate student’s minds and bodies is of course to issue challenges and use games, particularly with younger students.

This is one of my favorite karate games that’ll challenge both your kids and adult classes.

It’s called “The Listening Game”.

I’m not sure where it came from originally, but it’s one that I did years ago with my instructor and still use today with my classes.

Here’s how it works.

Students face a partner so that they make 2 lines across the center of the room.

There are 5 commands…

“Ichi” = students must squat down

“Ni” = students must stand up

“San” = students must turn around 360 degrees once

“Change” = students must change position with their partner

“Run” = students must either run to the side of the room behind them, or back to the middle depending on their position


You call the commands and your students must perform the corresponding action as quickly as they can. The game begins when you say, “The game has begun”. And tell them it finishes when you say “The game has ended.”

Call the commands with plenty of time between each, to give your students a chance. As soon as somebody makes a mistake, they are eliminated from the game and take a seat to the side. The last person remaining is declared the winner.

When the game begins make it easy so students can get used to the commands and actions.

Then after 30 seconds or so, increase the difficultly with the following ideas.

- call the commands with less time between each so the game becomes faster

- call multiple commands in one hit – eg. Ichi, Ni, Run

- when your students are in the squat position, call “Ichi” (the squat position command), and you’ll almost always get someone to stand up. Try the same from the stand position, by calling “Ni” and you’ll get someone to squat.

- ask your students to relax and sit down

- throw in regular commands and karate terminology to add confusion with the following examples:

“Down” instead of “ichi”

“Up” instead of “ni”

“Switch” instead of “change”

“Spin” instead of “san”

etc.

- what else can you think of?

Points to note…

1) Make the game fun. Laugh and enjoy it.

2) When someone makes a mistake, reinforce the commands so they learn by saying, “There’s no down there is only what?” and your class should answer “Ichi”.

3) When students mess up and perform a command that’s not one of the 5 commands, you can then ask them, “What’s the game called???” and “How many commands!??”

The Listening Game is supposed to be an enjoyable warm-up game for all ages, so teach it that way.

Of course if you want a bunch of more ideas for class check out my 125 Dynamite Drills which has a ton of karate drills and exercises for keeping your classes fresh and students motivated.

Until next time…

What’s the game called?