Episode 220: Coaching Coaches, with Nathan Weston

PODBEAN  -  APPLE  -  SPOTIFY

Nathan Weston is a lifelong martial artist and fencer, who discovered HEMA in his thirties and never looked back. He teaches KDF longsword (and assorted other things) at Athena School of Arms in Boston. he’s in charge of instructor training for the HEMA Alliance, where he’s developed a program based on the principles of ecological dynamics. As part of this program, he runs instructor development workshops both online and in person. He also competes regularly in a few different weapons (and occasionally wrestling).

Nathan has ended up running a couple of clubs, so we talk about the personality type required to start and run a club.

We then talk about how the ecological approach to martial arts training gives students a lot more credit for what they’re capable of than traditional approaches. We go on to discuss lots of aspects of fencing training, including whether it’s better to stuff a sock with another sock or a golf ball and hit someone with it.

We also discuss how to teach people to become coaches, and whether online teaching works for this.

Useful links:

·         HEMA Alliance instructor training: https://www.hemaalliance.com/instructor-certification-general-information

·         People can also contact Nathan directly at nathan.weston@hemaalliance.com

·         Rob Gray's books: https://perceptionaction.com/book/ "How We Learn to Move" is probably the one to start with.

Episode Outline

Nathan Weston's Background and Early Martial Arts Journey

• Guy Windsor introduces Nathan Weston, a lifelong martial artist and fencer who discovered historical martial arts in his 30s.
• Nathan shares his early martial arts journey, starting with karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his teenage years.
• He discusses his involvement in college fencing, eventually becoming the club's leader.
• Nathan talks about his transition to grad school and his brief hiatus from fencing, during which he explored other martial arts like capoeira and bag gua.

Transition to Historical Martial Arts and SCA Fencing

• Nathan describes his return to fencing in the Boston area and his initial struggles with the social scene of adult recreational fencing.
• He mentions his involvement in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) and his introduction to rapier fencing.
• Nathan discusses the informal nature of SCA fencing and his efforts to introduce more structured training.
• He highlights his involvement with the Athena School of Arms and his eventual leadership role in the club.

Challenges and Growth of the Athena School of Arms

• Nathan talks about the challenges of running a martial arts club, including administrative tasks and the need for a dedicated team.
• He mentions the club's growth and the importance of having a supportive board of directors.
• Nathan discusses the club's move to a new location and the benefits of being close to public transportation.
• He shares his experience of stepping down as president to focus on teaching and other responsibilities.

Introduction to Ecological Dynamics in Martial Arts Training

• Guy Windsor and Nathan discuss the concept of ecological dynamics in martial arts training.
• Nathan explains that ecological dynamics is a theory of motor learning and control that models the athlete and their environment as one system.
• He highlights the importance of information movement coupling and the role of environmental constraints in shaping movements.
• Nathan contrasts ecological dynamics with traditional motor learning theories and the concept of muscle memory.

Practical Applications of Ecological Dynamics in Fencing

• Nathan elaborates on the practical applications of ecological dynamics in fencing, emphasizing the importance of representative practice environments.
• He discusses the limitations of solo training and the need for dynamic practice environments to develop effective fencing skills.
• Nathan explains the concept of representativeness and its role in skill transfer from practice to actual fencing.
• He shares his experiences with different training methods, including games and drills, and their effectiveness in developing fencing skills.

Balancing Choreography and Representative Practice

• Nathan and Guy discuss the role of choreography in historical martial arts training and the need to balance it with representative practice.
• Nathan emphasizes the importance of teaching students to fence rather than just teaching them choreography from books.
• They discuss the use of forms as a way to memorize and practice the system but stress the need for students to understand the underlying principles.
• Nathan highlights the challenges of setting up representative drills and the importance of coaching to ensure effective training.

The Role of Games in Fencing Training

• Nathan and Guy explore the use of games in fencing training as a way to create representative practice environments.
• Nathan explains how games can be designed to focus on specific tactical problems and develop holistic fencing skills.
• They discuss the benefits of games in creating a competitive yet supportive training environment.
• Nathan shares examples of games he uses in his classes to teach students various fencing techniques and strategies.

Adapting Training Methods to Student Needs

• Nathan and Guy discuss the importance of adapting training methods to the needs and goals of individual students.
• Nathan emphasizes the need for flexibility in training to accommodate different learning styles and preferences.
• They talk about the role of coaching in helping students develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in fencing.
• Nathan shares his experiences with different training methods and the lessons he has learned from his students.

The Importance of Emotional Context in Training

• Nathan and Guy discuss the role of emotional context in fencing training and its impact on performance.
• Nathan explains how the pressure of competition can affect a fencer's performance and the importance of training under similar conditions.
• They discuss strategies for managing the emotional aspects of training, including the use of games and competitive environments.
• Nathan shares his experiences with different training methods and the lessons he has learned from his own competitive experiences.

Thoughts and Future Directions

• Nathan and Guy reflect on the key points discussed in their conversation and the practical applications of ecological dynamics in fencing training.
• They discuss the importance of continuous learning and the need for ongoing research and development in martial arts training.
• Nathan shares his vision for the future of the Athena School of Arms and his plans for expanding and improving their training programs.
• They conclude with a discussion on the importance of community and collaboration in the martial arts world.

Bullshit Theory of Martial Arts

• Guy Windsor introduces the concept of "bullshit theory" in martial arts, explaining that every training modality has some element of bullshit.
• Nathan Weston agrees and discusses the importance of recognizing where the bullshit lies in different training modalities.
• Guy Windsor elaborates on the bullshit in fencing training, such as helping a partner improve a technique rather than trying to defeat them.
• The discussion highlights the importance of knowing where the bullshit is and having enough training modalities to overcome it.

Representativeness in Training

• Nathan Weston introduces the idea of representativeness, emphasizing that not all bullshit is equal and some aspects are more important than others.
• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston discuss the importance of information relationships, action fidelity, and emotional context in training.
• Nathan Weston explains the concept of affordances and how they influence actions in martial arts.
• The conversation covers the nesting of affordances and how different training activities can be scored on various aspects of representativeness.

Sock Fighting and Training Modalities

• Nathan Weston discusses the benefits of sock fighting as a training activity, noting its low action fidelity but good information and emotional context.
• Guy Windsor agrees that sock fighting can be a fun and effective way to prepare students for more serious training.
• Nathan Weston mentions developing even sillier variations of sock fighting to help new students feel less nervous.
• The discussion highlights the importance of being mindful of trade-offs in training and using theory to guide practice.

Teaching Online vs. In-Person Workshops

• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston discuss the challenges of teaching online, noting that actual teaching skills cannot be imparted over Zoom.
• Nathan Weston explains that in-person workshops are better but that online workshops can still be useful for providing theory and inspiration.
• Guy Windsor shares his experience of running online classes and the importance of Q&A sessions for addressing specific problems.
• The conversation covers the logistics of running online workshops and the importance of having a clear metric for measuring teaching improvement.

Hema Alliance Instructor Training Certification Program

• Nathan Weston explains the Hema Alliance instructor training certification program and its curriculum of basic teaching concepts and skills.
• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston discuss the challenges of certifying instructors online and the importance of having a defined curriculum.
• Nathan Weston mentions the logistics of submitting a video of a group class for certification and the scoring rubric used.
• The conversation highlights the importance of professional training for instructors and the need for a systematic approach to teaching.

Ecological Dynamics and Teaching

• Guy Windsor asks Nathan Weston about his interest in ecological dynamics and how he stumbled upon it.
• Nathan Weston explains that the interest grew during and post-Covid, with instructors thinking more about their teaching and sharing ideas online.
• The conversation covers the importance of having a theory to guide teaching practice and the benefits of professional training for instructors.
• Nathan Weston recommends the books of Rob Gray as a starting point for understanding ecological dynamics.

Aging in Hema and Physical Training

• Nathan Weston discusses the challenges of aging in Hema and the importance of maintaining physical fitness to continue fencing.
• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston talk about the benefits of attribute training and the importance of integrating physical training with skill development.
• Nathan Weston mentions the idea of starting a blog about his experience of maintaining physical fitness in his 40s.
• The conversation highlights the importance of consistent effort in physical training and the benefits of having a dedicated space for training.

Vision for a Permanent Hema Training Centre

• Nathan Weston shares his vision of setting up a permanent Hema training centre for intensive training and teacher development.
• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston discuss the logistics of running such a centre and the importance of having a dedicated space for training.
• The conversation covers the potential benefits of having a centre that runs regular seminars and teacher training programs.
• Nathan Weston mentions the inspiration from intensive training experiences and the need for a more sophisticated set of problems to solve.

Final Thoughts and Future Plans

• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston discuss the practicality of setting up a permanent Hema training centre and the need for funding.
• Nathan Weston mentions the importance of having enough instructors and students to support such a centre.
• The conversation covers the potential benefits of having a centre that runs regular training programs and teacher training seminars.
• Guy Windsor and Nathan Weston express their interest in exploring this idea further and finding ways to make it a reality.