5 Ways To Elevate Your Martial Arts Training Videos
Covid-19 has completely altered the way schools are delivering training to their students. Instructors in 2020 were forced to find innovative ways to keep their students engaged with martial arts in the digital space, with online training courses being one of the most popular.
Here are 5 things you can do to take your online training content to the next level.
1. Do your research.
Although it may seem all to easy — set up the camera, hit record and off you go — pre-recording training videos are worlds apart from a live class. Without the natural ambiance created by students in the room and the opportunities to interact, they can quickly become awkward and lacklustre.
Use the abundance of free videos on YouTube. Watch content from a variety of creators in both the martial arts sector and fitness in general. Take note of how they format their videos, editing, lighting, and most importantly, the elements that make their videos engaging. Keep all these things in mind when creating your training videos.
2. Have a plan.
Experienced content creators (and Benjamin Franklin) will all tell you the same thing — by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Storyboard your entire video and go through it a couple of times before you get to the filming stage. If you aren’t used to being filmed then it will likely be uncomfortable at first — knowing what you are meant to be doing will go a long way to ease the nerves.
3. Talk more then you normally would.
It isn’t necessary to script out everything you are going to say word for word, but it is advisable that you structure out what you are going to speak about. Divide the video up into sections and write down a few key points for each. Remember that students will not have the advantage of being able to ask you to do something again or see the nuances in movements, so you will need to explain things in more detail than normal. You want to avoid there being long periods of silence, so talk during the actions — for example, if the video includes a block of push-ups, count down as they are being done or give pointers on form.
4. Frame your shot.
A wide, front angle shot will cover most of your bases, however, for some moves or exercises it might not be the best and this is where research comes in handy. Say you are filming a training video for grappling — go to YouTube and search ‘grappling training videos’. Filter by highest rated and watch a handful to get an idea of what filming angles will give the best display of the moves you are teaching.
5. Gather your equipment.
Filming on smartphones has come leaps and bounds in the last few years, so there is no need to run out and buy a fancy camera. Invest the money in a few extra bits of kit such as a smartphone tripod and a lapel microphone. If the space you are filming has a large window set up with it to one side of you and place a mirror on the opposite side and voilà! Studio lighting on a budget.
By following these steps, you are guaranteed to create high value content that your students can enjoy from the comfort of their homes. Now — lights, camera, action!
Struggling with how to deliver online training content to your students? Martialytics can help with that! Get in touch with us to discuss how our Study feature can help you deliver content to your students (www.martialytics.com).
