Another mistake is to emphasise too much speed/power and not technique. So what you get is a bunch of people punching/kicking/striking & shouting all at the same time, all running through their combinations, half doing the techniques and stances. Students cannot assimilate techniques if they are pushed all the time, their punches/kicks/strikes, will lose their efficiency if their stances are not correct, either too high, low; long; short; narrow or too wide.

One cannot give 100% for an entire lesson (1 hour, or 2) without some breaks. He/she will start with 100%, then as the strength and stamina start to leave them, they will give only 80%; then 60% to 40% until they will be just like zombies, moving without real understanding of what they are doing.

They all try to run before they can walk, falling into bad habits such as high stances; short techniques; rushing through the various combinations in Kata (formal exercise) not taking into consideration timing and focus; facial expression and above all breathing properly.

There is a tendency to be the fastest one in the class, the one to finish before the rest, the one to Kiai (shout) first. They know little (if anything at all) about the hip motion, twisting/thrusting the hips just before completion of blocks/kicks & strikes.  Instructors shouldn't spend too much time in trying to make their students' fitter. Fitness is a personal matter.

The capacity of the body to react properly to the brain's commands is closely related to the fitness /strength/stamina & co-ordination that a person has. Consequentially if a person is tired, his/her body will not react properly to the brain's commands, missing the point in training completely.  So please reconsider your way of teaching because in the long run you will lose many students due to distress caused by their inability to follow classes.

I have seen many brown/black belts who had to re-learn their Kihon (basic-techniques) and Katas in order to try their next grading. In the majority of cases, the achievements of this and that Instructor rather than his/her ability to teach will attract a person who is interested in learning Karate. My former boxing coach for instance used to be KO. In the first couple of rounds (because he had what you call a glass chin) but that didn't stop him becoming one of the best coaches in Italy.  Being a champion of some sort doesn't guarantee the quality of that instructor. There are so many that have won absolutely nothing in their careers as competitors but their teaching ability are indisputable.  

Why don't we have martial arts taught in schools as part of their curriculum? After all it is there that bullies develop into the *hooligans* of today, the thugs who we try to tackle when it's too late. I think it is better to prevent this by teaching them respect/discipline at an early age.

It is not important to interpret techniques/Katas the way I do. Use your own imagination (I say) keeping in mind that with a shorter or taller person, my application may be of lesser use. So spend one third of your training time practising Kihon; one third practising Kata, and the remaining third applying them in your Kumite.

Karate-kas should train keeping in mind that their opponents' safety is of paramount importance. After all, an injured partner wouldn't respond too well to an attack made by you, making the fight unreal and less productive for the both of you.

There is plenty to be learned from Kihon and Kata. Things like timing; strategy; combinations and ways to move in order to achieve your goal (scoring on your partner) creating openings in your opponents guard with a feint; or opening your own guard to tempt your adversary.

I saw too many people gaining too little from the aforementioned and self appointed *Karate instructors. If one wants to improve Kihon/Kata and kumite, one must break down stances/techniques and practice them over and over again, in order to be assimilated by the brain, as routine movements of the body (like walking and breathing)

After a while when a certain smoothness has been achieved, one should venture into making combinations (very simple at first) only punches or kicks/strikes. Do repeat them meticulously; include some work on the Makiwara (punching board) and/or on the punching bag.  When those techniques start to be performed with certain ease, one should try combining punches/strikes and kicks. Working by your self in front of a mirror, then try them with a partner, to give those techniques credibility.  Then try them moving in all directions, adding one technique at a time, and practising them as before. Start at a low pace and progress to a faster one after some time. The secret is to keep on practising your Kihon and Katas diligently. I teach with plenty of demonstrations and explanations. My motto is "if you walk slowly, you will go a long way".

A very important factor in the teaching of any class, is the pace at which one teaches. If this is too fast students will not be able to assimilate the techniques/combinations that the Sensei is trying to teach. Kicking/punching and striking (in general) is done with the whole body, and not merely with your arms/legs. Very important also are the eye intensity and the strategy behind every fight, with or without a partner (as in katas) Instructors should time their classes with more care, giving breaks every 5 to 8 minutes, using them to stretch. Techniques should be repeated slowly 10 to 20 times, then 5 to 10 times at a faster pace, followed by their applications if that is possible.

Breaks should serve the purpose of regaining breath and strength back, in order to give 100% of your mental and physical capacity. If a student is relaxed and has warmed-up properly, his/her ability to assimilate new techniques/combinations, will be much higher then if he/she is tired and breathing heavily.  I take special care in trying to explain the how and why of techniques, but I am also quick in adding that those are my personal views, dictated by my own training experience, taking into consideration my height/weight strength and my way of thinking.  I try to make my senior students use their own brain in the interpretation of moves from Katas, and their applicability.  I always ask my senior students to teach Kihon and Katas to lower grades in order to test them and prepare them for grading and competitions alike. Find time to practice both Katas and Kihon and you will find kumite much easier in the long run.  Each and every karateka should work his/her way towards suppleness: strength and stamina.

Instructors should make their students aware of the risks of injuries caused by poor stretching, and the lack of being fit.  Fitness should be related to the stamina required in long training sessions and/or competitions, but above all to self-defence situations in which being tired could lead to an injury or (in some cases) death.

One of the most difficult tasks that we Karate instructors face is to raise good mannered Karate-kas and not champions in street-fighting. Create if possible, a new person, a calmer (and able to talk his/her way out of trouble) and more efficient human being, and in the case of junior Karate-kas, raise the future adults, who one day might run their countries. Most instructors don't understand that they are responsible for those children's future, and depending on their teaching the students will grow-up to be better people and law-abiding citizens. Or not. So adjust your classes accordingly.