Trying to deal with a know it all in class.

[LastFrontierFighter]

Hello, I'm an amateur MMA fighter who happens to teach wrestling at a small gym that I do not want to disclose the details of for various reasons.

So as I had previously stated, I teach wrestling . It's mostly for our Jiujitsu focused guys and our MMA fighters that I mainly took on due to myself being the most experienced wrestler by a long shot in our gym. I'm not a world class coach or ambassador of the sport by any means, but I do know my stuff especially cnsidering the group of guys I'm teaching. I only wrestled in NAIA after high school to give an indicator of my ability.

It's all been going well for quite a few months, and I genuinely enjoy teaching wrestling to people, having started my coaching career originally with youth teams and middle schoolers when I was younger.

However lately there is a new guy that has showed up at our gym. He's as green as can be and his only experience is with wrestling. At Jiujitsu class he's the dude who resists during drills and will try to crank when he's drilling a new sub. We have been working with him on that and he's doing slightly better day by day.

However, when he comes to wrestling class/practice, it has to be all about him. How he would do it, or how his coaches taught him how to do this setup or that shot. Remember how I said that this guy's only experience with combat sports was wrestling? Turns out he wrestled from 6th grade to 10th grade. So he didn't start until junior high and didn't even finish through high school.

This doesn't stop him from putting in his two cents every time I try to explain something. I've asked him numerous times to stop and let me do my job, but he just won't listen. Now, if he was actually a really good wrestler, I would respect his opinions a bit more and would even let him help teach if he had something to teach. Thing is, he sucks at wrestling, the sport that is his supposed base. He gets worked by our other fighters and Jiujitsu guys during live wrestling. Don't even get me started with how much I rag doll him when I get the chance.

I guess all I'm trying to ask is, how can I make this guy stop? He's constantly questioning the techniques I teach, even when I make a note that I modify something for MMA or submission grappling. Likewise he tries to tell the others he has a better way to do it, and even when no one is listening, he still just does things his own way even to the deterrence of others. Again I don't mean to claim I'm a great coach, but this guy doesn't have a clue what he is talking about.

TL;DR How do you guys that are coaches and instructors deal with a know it all student? How can I make them stop toxic behaviors in the training room?

 

[j123]

Hello, I'm an amateur MMA fighter who happens to teach wrestling at a small gym that I do not want to disclose the details of for various reasons.

So as I had previously stated, I teach wrestling . It's mostly for our Jiujitsu focused guys and our MMA fighters that I mainly took on due to myself being the most experienced wrestler by a long shot in our gym. I'm not a world class coach or ambassador of the sport by any means, but I do know my stuff especially cnsidering the group of guys I'm teaching. I only wrestled in NAIA after high school to give an indicator of my ability.

It's all been going well for quite a few months, and I genuinely enjoy teaching wrestling to people, having started my coaching career originally with youth teams and middle schoolers when I was younger.

However lately there is a new guy that has showed up at our gym. He's as green as can be and his only experience is with wrestling. At Jiujitsu class he's the dude who resists during drills and will try to crank when he's drilling a new sub. We have been working with him on that and he's doing slightly better day by day.

However, when he comes to wrestling class/practice, it has to be all about him. How he would do it, or how his coaches taught him how to do this setup or that shot. Remember how I said that this guy's only experience with combat sports was wrestling? Turns out he wrestled from 6th grade to 10th grade. So he didn't start until junior high and didn't even finish through high school.

This doesn't stop him from putting in his two cents every time I try to explain something. I've asked him numerous times to stop and let me do my job, but he just won't listen. Now, if he was actually a really good wrestler, I would respect his opinions a bit more and would even let him help teach if he had something to teach. Thing is, he sucks at wrestling, the sport that is his supposed base. He gets worked by our other fighters and Jiujitsu guys during live wrestling. Don't even get me started with how much I rag doll him when I get the chance.

I guess all I'm trying to ask is, how can I make this guy stop? He's constantly questioning the techniques I teach, even when I make a note that I modify something for MMA or submission grappling. Likewise he tries to tell the others he has a better way to do it, and even when no one is listening, he still just does things his own way even to the deterrence of others. Again I don't mean to claim I'm a great coach, but this guy doesn't have a clue what he is talking about.

TL;DR How do you guys that are coaches and instructors deal with a know it all student? How can I make them stop toxic behaviors in the training room?

put him with the aggressive teammates and "beat" it out of him. You have control of the class so you can arrange who pairs up at the end. He questions techniques and tries to make you look bad in front of the class, demo it on him. If he feels he can get away with this, he'll continue to do so. Establish order on your end, so the class structure doesn't fall apart.

Is he hurting and injuring new guys?

 

[NateTx4112]

Flat out call him out when he puts his 2 cents in with "That's nice when you teach your wrestling class, you can teach it your way. This is my class and this is how we are doing it today." Don't give him a chance to respond, just go back into the technique like he doesn't exist.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

I used to be one... I was a fucking pain in the ass when I was a white belt... fucking idiot I was. Eventually he'll realize no one is really asking is pov, so he'll shut up...

 

[Zefram Cochrane]

put him with the aggressive teammates and "beat" it out of him. You have control of the class so you can arrange who pairs up at the end. He questions techniques and tries to make you look bad in front of the class, demo on it. If he feels he can get away with this, he'll continue to do so. Establish order on your end, so the class structure doesn't fall apart.

This^. I assume this is standard procedure in most clubs and the coach can always step in himself to dish out a good sized slice of humble pie. The guy will either get tired of his own act or quit training. In all cases it's a win, because this kind of characters are detrimental for the class as a whole.

 

[LastFrontierFighter]

He isn't injuring people, at least not in wrestling, there was a few guys that won't roll with him during Jiujitsu however. This is pretty funny because he complains about his own injuries that happened years ago. He's just obnoxious and has been avoiding those who smash him. I'm usually pretty loose about who pairs up with each other, but I might have to change that with your guys' advice.

He's only wrestled with me live twice. On the feet I just kept picking him up in singles and double legs, putting him down gently enough. His only shot attempt was a far single from his back leg. Then on the ground I started bottom and would basically just hit a quick hip heist and Olympic roll him to his back just to dick around.

However a few of my guys might be willing to go harder with him if I give them the okay. God knows a few of them would love to.

 

[TheMood]

Have you tried talking to him one on one about interrupting your classes?

 

[Dirty Holt]

I have a thing I do with guys like this. Pretty embarrassing and they eventually stop.

I ask them to come up and show the move they are talking about, then I give them just enough defense when they are showing their move in front of everyone to where they either go to their back, or they look extremely awkward and do not score. Usually the group laughs at them, and they stop giving input because they realize that when they give input, they will get called up to show it, and they will look like an ass. Much more effective than beating them up 1 on 1.

 

[jack36767]

He isn't injuring people, at least not in wrestling, there was a few guys that won't roll with him during Jiujitsu however. This is pretty funny because he complains about his own injuries that happened years ago. He's just obnoxious and has been avoiding those who smash him. I'm usually pretty loose about who pairs up with each other, but I might have to change that with your guys' advice.

He's only wrestled with me live twice. On the feet I just kept picking him up in singles and double legs, putting him down gently enough. His only shot attempt was a far single from his back leg. Then on the ground I started bottom and would basically just hit a quick hip heist and Olympic roll him to his back just to dick around.

However a few of my guys might be willing to go harder with him if I give them the okay. God knows a few of them would love to.

Holt said it best like usual

If I can keep my mouth shut during some of the "wrestling" I've seen taught at a couple schools I've trained or dropped in at being actually somewhat qualified to comment, this jack wagon certainly can..

Ugh people like him always make the most psycho wrestling youth parents, they're insecure and feel like bitches because they quit. So they try to compensate for it by living through their kid. And because they "wrestled" and won the JV/Middle school bumfuck super duper tourney in 9th grade... they think they're qualified to both coach their kid and try to correct you based off watching YouTube or going to a camp. Its always the parents who wrestled a little bit but not in any way high level that tend (not always) be the most psycho in my experience

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

theres always that one guy. try to humble him in a safe way. maybe the other students should talk to him and say hey shut up already your technique is shit. or theres always the door if hes that disruptive to the class.

 

[Daniel Fox]

Kick him out of the class, if it is someone else gym, tell him he can stay at the gym, but he can't come to the wrestling class. He is disruptive and disrespectful.

 

[Codger]

Pull him aside and have a word in his shell-like.

 

[Russky]

TL;DR How do you guys that are coaches and instructors deal with a know it all student? How can I make them stop toxic behaviors in the training room?

Imagine that you have a 3-year-old kid in front of you and act like you would do with a child.

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

Have you tried talking to him one on one about interrupting your classes?

Fucking this. Communication is the number 1 leg up you can give yourself both in the gym and life in general

 

[lechien]

Just talk to him about it. Tell that after 3 strikes, he is out. Also advise your employer.

 

[Daniel Fox]

According to the first post by the TS "I've asked him numerous times to stop and let me do my job, but he just won't listen." It looks like it is time for him to leave.

 

[SubmissionarY]

Be as passive aggressive as possible, never under any circumstance say what you're actually thinking. When you roll live make sure you play extremely dirty and aggressive. Only pair him with people outside his league. Make his life miserable and then say thank you for his advice to confuse him. With a little luck you should destroy him mentally and physically.

 

[Striderxdj]

Tell him to STFU or GTFO.

 

[Grrrr]

Holt said it best like usual

If I can keep my mouth shut during some of the "wrestling" I've seen taught at a couple schools I've trained or dropped in at being actually somewhat qualified to comment, this jack wagon certainly can..

Ugh people like him always make the most psycho wrestling youth parents, they're insecure and feel like bitches because they quit. So they try to compensate for it by living through their kid. And because they "wrestled" and won the JV/Middle school bumfuck super duper tourney in 9th grade... they think they're qualified to both coach their kid and try to correct you based off watching YouTube or going to a camp. Its always the parents who wrestled a little bit but not in any way high level that tend (not always) be the most psycho in my experience

Don't want to derail this thread....but we had a youth dual this past Saturday and state tournament on Sunday. The horrible attitudes from some parents, coaches, and young wrestlers was saddening. I'm far from the perfect dad but when my youngest(11) lost in the finals I hugged him because he was upset. Told him we will go back to the practice room and work on some things and get him next time.

Anyhow, sorry for the derail TS.

 

[mooner100]

Just ragdoll him.