# Teaching Sensitivity

- Link: https://brianejohns.com/2016/11/28/blog-teaching-sensitivity/
- Published: 2016-11-28T08:37:00-05:00
- Author: Brian Johns

## Teaching one-step techniques and flow drills alone is not enough. One-step techniques are a great gateway to teaching more complex techniques, and flow drills serve as an introduction to “the flow.” However, neither, by themselves, sufficiently teaches sensitivity. 

What do I mean by sensitivity? In a nutshell, it is feeling your opponent’s energy
and responding accordingly without freezing. One of the aims of sensitivity training
is to eliminate or reduce the “freeze point” as much as possible.

If you are not able to view the video, click [here](https://youtu.be/L6RNk8zzpVU).

How do I teach sensitivity? Admittedly, this is a work in progress. However, the
method that I have chosen, for the time being, is similar to the video above. In
the above video, I demonstrated four counters to Dref’s various check hand actions
in the [slap off/pull off drill](https://youtu.be/GkfpV9WjPWw)[.](https://web.archive.org/web/20161220083744/https://youtu.be/GkfpV9WjPWw)

Once the students have learned these three or four counters, I will direct their
training partners to mix their responses to elicit the correct responses. Most of
my students will initially freeze as they try to recall the proper response to their
opponent’s actions. The more they practice, the smaller the freeze point becomes.
The bonus is that many of them have fun with this and turn it into a game as they
increase the exchanges’ speed.

Once the three or four basic counters become automatic, I will add more, usually
one at a time, to increase the difficulty level, not to mention the fun!

As indicated above, this is just another tool in my teaching toolbox.  My classes
have recently moved toward a mixture of flow drills and sensitivity training rather
than a one-step technique. Further, I have added elements of other flow drills when
extracting techniques from a flow drill. In other words, I’m mixing and matching
parts of different flow drills. The possibilities are endless, but the bottom line
is tons of fun for the students!

Since moving to Canada in June of 2007, I’ve come a long way as a teacher, and this
necessarily means exploring the art and finding ways to impart the information in
an effective, interesting, and fun way while retaining the practical self-defense
aspects of the art. I’ve gone down some dead ends, teaching-wise. But those dead
ends were blessings in disguise as they pushed me in different directions and led
me to where I am now. I’m currently happy with the class format I have developed
through trial and error. Make no mistake about it, I will probably tinker with the
current approach (flow drills, sensitivity training, and mixing/matching) for awhile.
In any case, I’m constantly evaluating my teaching and often thinking of ways to
teach more effectively. All part of the evolution of being an instructor!

## Have you had a similar teaching journey? Let’s hear about it!

## Additional Reading

 * [Flow Drills vs. Techniques](https://brianejohns.com/2016/10/04/blog-flow-drills-vs-techniques/)
 * [Go With The Flow!](https://brianejohns.com/2015/04/13/blog-go-with-the-flow/)
 * [4 Ways To Set Up Your Opponent](https://brianejohns.com/2021/05/31/blog-4-ways-to-set-up-your-opponent/)
 * [The Downside of “Going With The Flow”](https://brianejohns.com/2023/01/17/blog-the-downside-of-going-with-the-flow/)
 * [Friday Recommendation #19](https://brianejohns.com/2023/09/08/friday-recommendation-19/)

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