Martial Arts World News Magazine - Volume 22 | Issue 1

INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE
The Value of Failure, Part 2
by Grandmaster Tim Mccarthy
Of course, in class, not every technique will be perfect.
During practice, we offer constructive criticism to help the student
improve. I believe in
positive instruction using
the PIR method: Praise,
Instruct, Result.
For example, “Nice front
kick! If you raise your knee a
little higher, you’ll kick a little
higher.”
I praise the student,
instruct on how to improve the
technique, and motivate
him by predicting
the result.
Another opportunity is in
tip testing. Tip tests serve several
purposes. First of all, for those with a
short attention span (most kids in the 21st
century), it provides an immediate goal to
work toward. Younger, lower-ranking children
may have a hard time working toward a new
belt that is three or four months away. They can
more easily focus on a tip test that is happening
in the next week or two.
Second, it provides practice
under pressure. They know
they can pass or fail, so they
feel the pressure and get
practice performing under
pressure.
Third, it provides an
opportunity to fail and
learn. Students should
fail tip tests often so they
get used to failing and
recovering. With failure they should get an opportunity for private
help and instruction, plus an opportunity to tip test again
in a day or two. They learn to fail and recover, and
learn that failure is a
necessary step on
the road to success.
They’re also
better prepared
for the belt test
because they
know they have all
the skills.
As I have
often said in
this column,
most of us are
not training
soldiers for
the battlefield.
We’re training children, moms, accountants,
and other everyday people who
may not be strong enough when they
come to us, but who count on us to help
them become stronger.
We need to structure our schools using
failure at the right times to help them learn to
bounce back from mistakes and use feedback
to improve, but never to encourage them to quit
because we asked them to do more than they
are ready to do.
Step by step, belt by belt, we can help them
become stronger physically and emotionally until
they’ve truly earned their black belts in technique,
character, and indomitable spirit.
Nothing breeds success like success.
GRANDMASTER TIM MCCARTHY is a 9th degree black belt and is a martial
arts educator with a master’s degree in education. He has been instrumental in developing two
industry-changing programs, plus has directed and been featured in hundreds of martial arts videos
and webinars.
92 MARTIAL ARTS WORLD NEWS VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 1
Photograph by SerhiiBobyk