Laser Focus

A whole class for eyes, ears and stillness — attention trained like a muscle, one funny distraction at a time

Kids martial arts
Kids 5–9 · Any art
45 min
8–20 kids (helper useful above 14)
1 coach
Effort 2/5
Full mat area
focus
listening
discipline
character

The MatPlans curriculum teamBJJ black belts & coaches · 12+ yrs on the mat

Kit: Mats, 8 spot markers, 2 hand targets or pads, a stopwatch or phone timer

Warm-up8 min

Bow In & Opposite Coach

Setup: Bow in on spot markers, then stay on them in the grid, everyone facing you. Explain the week in one line: this week we train the muscle between our ears.

How it works: Warm up with Opposite Coach: whatever you call, they do the opposite — 'jump' means squat, 'fast feet' means slow-motion feet, 'loud kiai' means silent kiai with the fiercest face in Ireland. Start with two opposite pairs, add more as they warm up. Mix in normal calls they must obey straight — the sorting is the workout. Anyone caught out grins, does two frog jumps, and plays on.

Rounds: Finish with the silent fist freeze — the stop signal should be sharpest on focus week.

What to say

“Thinking before moving is the rep — a half-second pause before they move means it's working.”
“Catch the listeners: 'Liam waited, checked, then moved — that's a black-belt brain.'”
“Keep your face straight on the tricky calls; your grin is a spoiler.”

Easier

One opposite pair only, called slowly with a big pause.

Harder

Three opposite pairs plus normal calls mixed in, delivered fast.

Drill10 min

The Distraction Gauntlet

Setup: Class in two lines on spots, holding their art's guard stance. You and a helper become the distractions. Rule one, said clearly: distractors never touch anyone, ever.

How it works: The class holds stance, eyes locked on a spot on the far wall, while you wander the lines being ridiculous — silly walks, terrible jokes, pretending to find spiders, asking them what they had for dinner. Statues score a point for their line every ten seconds they hold: still feet, still face, eyes never following you. Laughing is human — a giggler resets their stance and rejoins; the line only loses the point if the FEET move. Three rounds, harder each time, then swap: the class distracts YOU while you hold stance, and they discover how strong your wall-spot is.

Rounds: 3 rounds of 45–60 seconds, then one round of class-versus-coach.

What to say

“Give the eyes a job first — 'pick your spot on the wall before I start' is the whole trick.”
“Feet are the score, faces are free — this keeps it kind for the gigglers.”
“When they distract you, narrate your focus: 'I can hear you, I'm choosing my spot instead.'”

Easier

Shorter holds, distractions from the front only, giggles cost nothing at all.

Harder

Hold the crane one-leg balance through the gauntlet, or answer maths questions while never moving the feet.

Ask the class: The secret taught out loud: focus is not having no distractions — it is choosing your spot anyway.

Drill12 min

Target Eyes

Setup: Lines facing you, then pairs with a hand target between them. The teaching idea fits in one sentence: the eyes arrive before the technique does.

How it works: Teach target-first striking: pick the exact spot on the pad, stare a hole in it, THEN send the technique — punch or kick, your art's basics. Drill it in the air first on a three-beat count: eyes, breathe, strike. Then pairs: the holder shows the target flat and calls a number from one to four — one is a jab, two is a cross, three is a front kick, four is the blocker's choice announced first. Striker must look, name the spot out loud in round one, then strike. Round two drops the naming; round three, the holder moves the target between calls so the eyes have to hunt it down first.

The technique, step by step

Pick the exact spot on the target with your eyes.
One small breath while the eyes lock.
Send the technique to that spot and nowhere else.
Recover to guard, eyes still on target.

Common mistakes

Striking while still looking at the holder's face — eyes on the spot, not the person.
Rushing the breath beat — the pause is where the accuracy lives.

What to say

“Eyes, breathe, strike — three beats, in that order, every rep.”
“Holders present the pad flat and still, then move it ONLY between reps.”
“One perfect rep out loud: 'watch Ella's eyes lock on before her hand moves.'”

Easier

Numbers one and two only, target held still all round.

Harder

Two-number combos called at once — 'three, one' — struck in order without a pause.

The rest of this lesson is free — along with 3 more this week.

MatPlans curriculum team

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