How many of you take notes

[The Boar Man]

On another thread a poster asked what he could do to enjoy and get the most of a seminar. Several people replied (myself included) that he could take notes about what was covered. I did a search and didn't see this topic covered (please forgive me if it has and I didn't do the search right) and it wasn't so I thought I would throw it out.

1) How many of you take notes, for MA class, at seminars etc. etc.

2) How detailed do you get and do you find it helping you later on.

3) What do you use them for?

4) Any ideas on how to take them.

Just curious. At many of the seminars I've been to I always see a couple of people writing things down, I just wondered how many of the people here at MT take them.

Mark

[bignick]

personally, i don't...the only seminar's i usually attend are judo seminars...and i don't think i'm really at the level where i would get much out of taking notes...i just try to absorb as much as possible...although i know some people that do take notes or video tape....

[Paul B]

Personally, I am trying to concentrate what is being shown. I don't see how notes could help me at a Hapkido seminar. Too many techniques thrown (get it?)at you and if you blink twice you've missed it. No time for it,anyway.


I will say that I have noticed people sitting on the edge of the mat taking notes,but I don't know what they were looking for. Quotes? Philosophy? All the ones that I have been to were like..."Do this,this,then this,if you want to,add this....go have fun!" And you maybe picked up one of the ten techniques you were shown.

[Kenpodoc]

I take notes during seminars. Usually brief notes during the seminar and afterwards I try to review everything in more detail and record it. Obviously motion is sometimes difficult to transcribe on paper. The notes allow me to review material after the seminar and to recall material years later when I remember that I saw something but can't quite remember the details.

Jeff

[jfarnsworth]

It's a must to take notes in our art!

[MJS]

On another thread a poster asked what he could do to enjoy and get the most of a seminar. Several people replied (myself included) that he could take notes about what was covered. I did a search and didn't see this topic covered (please forgive me if it has and I didn't do the search right) and it wasn't so I thought I would throw it out.

[quote]1) How many of you take notes, for MA class, at seminars etc. etc.

Not so much during class now, but always at seminars/camps


2) How detailed do you get and do you find it helping you later on.

Due to the amount of material that is usually taught, there really isn't much time to get too detailed. Short hand notes, and then afterwards, go into more detail. There have been times after the seminar where I've looked at what i've worte down and been like, "What the hell does this mean??" LOL! In addition, I've also video taped the material with a partner following the seminar while it was still fresh in mind.


3) What do you use them for?

As a ref. at a later time.


4) Any ideas on how to take them.

Keep 'em short and sweet while at the seminar. Again, go into detail later on. I've seen people draw diagrams, stick figures, etc. Whatever helps at the time I guess!

Mike

[pete]

It's a must to take notes in our art! that's more a matter of opinion and personal preference rather that "a must".

i will take some notes at seminars, but not on the mat. my preference is to make best use of mat time to get the feel, and to jot down a few key points either on breaks or after class, maybe on the train heading home. i'd rather practice the material a few more times for repetition than write stuff down.

my notes are generally more key points and options, rather than a step by step "how to". but that's just me... i know guys that write everything down in full detail and others who don't even own a pen!

it's really up to the individual...

pete

[chinto01]

I take notes at almost every class I attend. I also keep a log of things that I taught at class that night. While it is impossible to go to a seminar and expect to retain everything I would say bring another with you so that you both may take notes and share them after. 2 sets of eyes are better than one. When I attended classes in okinawa this summer video was not allowed. So we had to take notes. Infact we were encouraged to. Even with 3 people doing this we did not get everything. I also encourage my students to bring notebooks to class and jot things down as we go as I also prohibit the use of video cameras during class.

[Gin-Gin]

I write down what we covered in class that night before I go to bed (if it was new material), and definitely take notes at seminars/camps. My clipboard with notebook paper is kept in my gear bag, and right after the seminar I write down what was covered in my own shorthand. If I get permission, I usually stay and watch the Advanced class and take notes on what they did. The few times I did not take notes (or was not allowed to take them) I regretted, because after a couple of weeks I forgot the material and could only remember pieces of it. Taking notes has helped me enormously over the past few years, and I can't recommend it strongly enough! :ultracool

[fyn5000]

I never have time in class to take notes, but I try to write down some notes that evening or the next morning. I try not to wait too long before writing things down.

fyn

[TonyM.]

Always. The second time my students don't is their last class.

[Drac]

I always take notes...I attended a Combat Hapkido seminar in Halafax Nova Scotia last year and if all the photos taken they posted a picture on their website of me taking notes..

[Xequat]

Every once in a while, I'll sit down and go through all of my material and write out descriptions of it, but not during class. If I go to a seminar, I'll ask questions and learn everything I can, then go home and write it down, but for my class material, I can always ask questions at the next class. But I do like to keep some record for posterity. If I ever break a leg or something, and can't practice, I don't want to forget my material. Plus, I imagine it's hard to keep a bunch of stuff in your head when you get up a few levels into the blackbelt ranks.

My notes are usually just refreshers, though. because I learned the intricacies in class. For example...bow, double shuto, punch, hit-kick, elbow. I won't usually explain how to bow or where to place an attack in my notes because I can figure that out as I practice. Stick figures are good, but so is a $20 webcam. Just retain the material until you get home and then record it while it's fresh.

[Feisty Mouse]

Most of the time when I've seen people taking notes at seminars, it is people who are instructors, or at least very familiar with the system. As a beginner, I don't think I knew where to start with all the information. I think it's more helpful or makes more sense for someone who already has an idea of the overall system, or has seen a number of techniques before - then they can start piecing things together.

It seems like it doesn't hurt to take notes, whatever level you are, though.

[Fight with attitude]

1) How many of you take notes, for MA class, at seminars etc. etc.

Only when I have time and care enough.



2) How detailed do you get and do you find it helping you later on.

I get as detail as can be...most classes I could probably write a few pages but I do foget a lot of things and it becomes only a few paragraphs.

It does help me later on because I can read it over and over again and play it in my head...it's not nearly as good as being in class but it does help.



3) What do you use them for?

To study how to do moves...once I got that down I will write about how I can do the move without people countering me.



4) Any ideas on how to take them.

Learn the move step by step. Write down what your are doing right and wrong. Ask yourself, why am I doing it wrong? After you can do the move start trying to figure out why people are countering or escaping. Throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks..e.g "I did have a few guys just drive forward when I went for the triangle...hmmm I'm thinking I should put my hands on his shoulders and push him back until I can get my feet on his hips then do the triangle..or put one foot on the hip and do kind of a rubber guard.."...when I try this new things it's important to review what worked and what didn't work...if it did work how can you make it better? Why did it work? Can you go to another submission if the guy escapes? etc..basicly I ask myself a lot of questions mostly how's ? and why's ? then I try to figure out the answer.

[gyaku-zuki queen]

i haven't really been to any seminars, but whenever i go for training not in my regular dojo, i soak up as much as i can when i'm training, and when i'm done training and usually on the trip back home i go over everything ive done that day(s) and write down all of the pointers that i know i'll want to look into in the future for training. (helps remember)

[The Boar Man]

Good replies!

For myself years ago I started taking notes and here's some of the reasons.

1) To give credit where credit is do. I remember the 1st Dan Inosanto seminar I went to, he was very good in telling us who taught him what and where this drill came from. This way word wouldn't get back to his instructors that he was taking credit for things they taught etc. etc. Which leads to the 2nd reason.

2) Early on I believed in all of the hype about learning techniques that had been passed down for generations through generations etc. etc. So I wanted to pass on techniques information etc. etc. to my future students (early on I decided that I would at sometime teach someone so I prepared for it). This mainly started to occur (become a priority) to me when I starting teaching for the college I was going to as a brown belt.

Which led me to be somewhat of a purist in teaching and use whatever I could in self defense/sparring practice etc. As time went by and I was again a student in a school I got into it more by writing down what we did in class so I could in time learn to structure class.

3) When I started to attend seminars in Thai boxing, Kenpo and such I wrote my notes to remember what we did so I could take something away from the seminar. Later on it was to learn all I could in the different FMA systems that I checked out.

4) When I was training at my instructor's dojo (at his private dojo at his house) all we generally did was fight. So I wrote notes on how I fought and what I needed to wortk on with the other opponents/students their strengths and weaknesses and such. Looking back on those now they are some of my favorite notes to read since they describe what was going on for me during that time in my life 10-17 years ago.

So over time my notes have taken on different roles for me. Sometimes they tended to be a journal of how I need to improve and other strengths and weaknesses. Other notes tend to show me how to teach and structure classes. And then others such as the one's I now take for seminars tend to be in depth how to do something, technical material. Which have formed the basis for what I teach now.

My notes now have been typed into my computer for use in handouts, curriculumns, future manuals (this one I have been working on now for 7 years and it never ends since I never stop learning new stuff), and such.

It's gotten to be a pretty big project now, but I stil enjoy it.

Just rambling
Mark

[clapping_tiger]

I think taking notes is a must! I have 3 notebooks I use. The first one (the big thick one), is for my art. Whenever I learned a new technique, form, stance, punch, theory, or whatever. I would write it down right after class. If I had to I would review it with my instructor to make sure I took everything down right. The second one is for weapons drills I have learned so I can go back and refresh my memory on any drills I may have questions on. The third one is creative stuff I came up with on my own, Technique combinations, striking combos, blends, stuff like that. You may not remember everything you were taught or thought of, but being able to refer back to your notes is a big help. My notes are pretty detailed, everything is broken down step by step, and many have diagrams.

[Gin-Gin]

I think taking notes is a must! I have 3 notebooks I use. The first one (the big thick one), is for my art. Whenever I learned a new technique, form, stance, punch, theory, or whatever. I would write it down right after class. If I had to I would review it with my instructor to make sure I took everything down right. The second one is for weapons drills I have learned so I can go back and refresh my memory on any drills I may have questions on. The third one is creative stuff I came up with on my own, Technique combinations, striking combos, blends, stuff like that. You may not remember everything you were taught or thought of, but being able to refer back to your notes is a big help. My notes are pretty detailed, everything is broken down step by step, and many have diagrams.
That's awesome, Clapping Tiger!! You set a great example for the rest of us. :asian:


When I was training at my instructor's dojo (at his private dojo at his house) all we generally did was fight. So I wrote notes on how I fought and what I needed to wortk on with the other opponents/students their strengths and weaknesses and such. Looking back on those now they are some of my favorite notes to read since they describe what was going on for me during that time in my life 10-17 years ago.

Absolutely, Boar Man! I forgot to mention in my previous post that not only does taking notes help me learn, but when I look back at them I not only see the material, but the memories of that seminar/camp, what rank I was at the time, & what I was going through at the time in regards to training. Like Mr. John Sepulveda says, it's all about making memories!! :)

[Paul Genge]

I have been through periods where I have taken note and those where I have not. At the moment it is the later of these, but at some point this may change again.

The advantages of note taking or video taping are as follows.

1. They provide a stimilus for remembering the techniques or drills covered in the course and the feeling of carrying them out.

2. You can force yourself through the experiential learning cycle by writing notes after the class. By this I mean that those of us who do not ponder the why and wherefore of the material we have been shown are forced to do so.

3. Video is great because it captures the event as it happened and not how you imagined it to happen.

I am sure there are other advantages, but here are some of the disadvantages.

1. You spend all your time behind the camera and not training.

2. You write down things wrong in your notes because at the time you did not understand them or you remembered them incorrectly when you got time for note taking.

3. Your notes become something that you cannot deviate from.

4. You become a collector of footage or notes and the application of the art becomes less important that obtaining the next piece of information or footage. This is definately something that plagues the Bujinkan martial arts.

I have found that if using notes as part of my training it is as important to write about how I felt during the class and my performance, as it is to document the drills or techniques.

Paul Genge
http://www.russianmartialart.org.uk

[Aaron Little]

When I attend a seminar I always try and take notes in short hand during breaks and during lunch. That night I go back over my notes and fill in the blanks. It also gives me something to do on the plane if it was a seminar I had to fly to.



When I teach a seminar I list a pen and a notebook in the required equipment list and I give students time to take notes through out the day.

[The Boar Man]

I have been through periods where I have taken note and those where I have not. At the moment it is the later of these, but at some point this may change again.

The advantages of note taking or video taping are as follows.

1. They provide a stimilus for remembering the techniques or drills covered in the course and the feeling of carrying them out.

2. You can force yourself through the experiential learning cycle by writing notes after the class. By this I mean that those of us who do not ponder the why and wherefore of the material we have been shown are forced to do so.

3. Video is great because it captures the event as it happened and not how you imagined it to happen.

I am sure there are other advantages, but here are some of the disadvantages.

1. You spend all your time behind the camera and not training.

2. You write down things wrong in your notes because at the time you did not understand them or you remembered them incorrectly when you got time for note taking.

3. Your notes become something that you cannot deviate from.

4. You become a collector of footage or notes and the application of the art becomes less important that obtaining the next piece of information or footage. This is definately something that plagues the Bujinkan martial arts.

I have found that if using notes as part of my training it is as important to write about how I felt during the class and my performance, as it is to document the drills or techniques.

Paul Genge
http://www.russianmartialart.org.uk

Paul

Good post> I too have taken times off from writing notes and such, however the longer I have been in the MA the more I have taken. Plus when I'm at work on break or when things are slow, then I work tend to work on them. How the points that you have brought up.

On your disadvantages.
1) On spending time behind the camera, most of the VTing I did was at seminars after the instruction period, or at my instructor's dojo the next time I could get together with my workout partner to film what we (I) went over at the seminar.

2) After years of practicing the FMA my early notes had some errors in them. Over time I've corrected and modify them to reflect what my current understanding on the technique is.

3) I agree with you here as I have found myself trapped by this same thing. However in going over my notes and seeing how things connect together and such it helps to see the totality of the systems (connectiveness for lack of a better term).

4) I agree with you here as well, as it applies to me. I know nothing about the system you mention here.

However after X amount of time in the MA I can't figure out how someone who has trained or practiced or experienced (by way of seinars or extra outside training) different arts can effectively remember details of those different arts without some sort of notes, VT (record of some kind), enough so that you can actually learn from them. The MAs are to vast.

thanks for you post
Mark

[KajuMom]

I take notes after a class or lesson in which I learned new techniques, then re-write them into longer, more detailed notes when I get home. I'm sort of embarrased to admit this, but I actually type mine into the computer, print them out and put them in a binder, inside plastic sleeves. I get teased once in a while by other students but usually they're the first ones to take a glance at the binder when I have it out during practice time. :)

We have a lot to memorize, and writing down techniques and forms helps me remember them, visualize them, and also enables me to practice when I'm not at the school. I even took my notebook on a 3-week vacation to Hawaii this summer.

When we test for our black belt (at least a year away for me), we have to show a notebook that contains all the techniques, forms, etc. that we learned.

[Dronak]

All I've had are group classes, so that's what I'm going on. I usually don't take notes during the class itself, unless I've got a bit of extra time (like the teacher went to teach another group of students) and really want to make sure I get something down on paper right away. Most of the time I'd just keep it all in mind and then write it down as soon as I got home. I'd try to write out all of the moves in the form(s) we learned so that I'd have a record of them. I'd put as many details as I needed to be able to remember the move later. But I would rely a bit on memory to know, for example, that "sweep/block/grab" means a particular type of action we used very regularly. I usually use the notes as reminders of the moves or form when I can't remember something. How to take them though depends on how well you learn. People suggested that I draw pictures and I think I saw some classmates do that, but I write things out in words, describing things like the hand/arm and foot/leg motions, stance changes, what type of strike (e.g., vertical palm) or kick (e.g., heel kick) is used. I think you need to figure out what works best for you and go with that.

[pete]

best notes to take: names, phone #'s and email addresses of potential training partners, and the instructor giving the seminar.

[Gary Crawford]

When I started teaching seminars I insisted my students take notes,but that took up so too much time and for me to cover all the material I intended to cover,I had to go way longer than I was suppost to and many of the students had planes (or comitments)for things to do afterwards and had to leave,so those students didn't get all the material.I decided in interest of my time and the students that notes won't be taken during the seminar and I video every seminar and offer a copy to the students for only what it costs me to create the video.That has worked extremely well.So far,100% have bought the videos.This has been good in another way.I have taught one seminar at a school that I never expected to teach at.One of the seminar students showed the video to some of his freinds who were a students at a school that expressed no interest when I phoned their instructor over a year before.Next thing I knew,their instructor called me and schedualed.I think the videos keep people interested in the material long after the seminars.

[Drag'n]

I often use the 1 hour train trip home from the dojo to take down notes about the nights training.eg:
Step by step explanations of techniques and combinations, sometimes with illustrations.
lesson plan
Any points my instructor made about certain techniques, strategies, my weaknesses, or areas I need to work on etc....
Then I use the train time going to the dojo to go over previous notes so its fresh in my mind.If there was something I wasn't sure of in my note taking I make a point of finding it out and repeating it till I remember.
Often when I go back over old notes I'll find important points that I've forgotten and think "Oh thats right, I have to work on that!"
Also I find when my level improves, I sometimes forget what it was like as a beginner. I think having this kind of a record will be extreamly usefull when I start teaching.
At the same time I have to be carefull not to be too relient on notes or get too caught up in theory.After all notes can be lost or destroyed.(my wife nearly tore them up after a recent disagreement!)
The most important thing is to train hard and internalise everything so it becomes a part of you.Notes can be a great aid in the process.

[Kenpodoc]

When I started teaching seminars I insisted my students take notes,but that took up so too much time and for me to cover all the material I intended to cover,I had to go way longer than I was suppost to and many of the students had planes (or comitments)for things to do afterwards and had to leave,so those students didn't get all the material.I decided in interest of my time and the students that notes won't be taken during the seminar and I video every seminar and offer a copy to the students for only what it costs me to create the video.That has worked extremely well.So far,100% have bought the videos.This has been good in another way.I have taught one seminar at a school that I never expected to teach at.One of the seminar students showed the video to some of his freinds who were a students at a school that expressed no interest when I phoned their instructor over a year before.Next thing I knew,their instructor called me and schedualed.I think the videos keep people interested in the material long after the seminars.
Great idea. I find that I learn best from those seminars that I can vieo tape. I doubt that tapes will do anything but build interest in a good instructor. Learning from a tape is arduous and hit and miss. Reviewing with a tape is satisfying and fun. I wish that everyone woulddo this. I wouldn't mind giving the instructor a little profit on the tape also, they earn it.
Jeff

[The Boar Man]

I take notes after a class or lesson in which I learned new techniques, then re-write them into longer, more detailed notes when I get home. I'm sort of embarrased to admit this, but I actually type mine into the computer, print them out and put them in a binder, inside plastic sleeves. I get teased once in a while by other students but usually they're the first ones to take a glance at the binder when I have it out during practice time. :)

We have a lot to memorize, and writing down techniques and forms helps me remember them, visualize them, and also enables me to practice when I'm not at the school. I even took my notebook on a 3-week vacation to Hawaii this summer.

When we test for our black belt (at least a year away for me), we have to show a notebook that contains all the techniques, forms, etc. that we learned.

KajuMom

I use to take my notes after class during lunch/dinner and rest breaks at work. Many nights when things were slow and I had down time I would camp out in the cabin of the aircraft I was working on and write down what we did at class that night (I was working minights at the time). In time though I bought a computer (then a laptop) to transfer all of my notes into it. No need to be ashamed (about putting the stuff in the computer) though that's been the best thing to happen for me. When I helped teach at a recent seminar I took my computer and my notes that I had typed up for what I was going to teach with me. I was able to give some of the students who requested the info copies of the material after stopping off at Kinkos.

I did much the same thing only I took my laptop to vacation and worked on my material.

I know another martial artist at work who I believe has the same requirement to produce a note book for his BB test as well.

mark

[The Boar Man]

When I started teaching seminars I insisted my students take notes,but that took up so too much time and for me to cover all the material I intended to cover,I had to go way longer than I was suppost to and many of the students had planes (or comitments)for things to do afterwards and had to leave,so those students didn't get all the material.I decided in interest of my time and the students that notes won't be taken during the seminar and I video every seminar and offer a copy to the students for only what it costs me to create the video.That has worked extremely well.So far,100% have bought the videos.This has been good in another way.I have taught one seminar at a school that I never expected to teach at.One of the seminar students showed the video to some of his freinds who were a students at a school that expressed no interest when I phoned their instructor over a year before.Next thing I knew,their instructor called me and schedualed.I think the videos keep people interested in the material long after the seminars.

When I taught an Arnis class at a church (after the karate class) I use to VT it (when I remembered the camera :rolleyes: ). Then one of the guys put all of the tapes together and gave them to any of the students who wanted one. I liked this idea.

I know of one school during the 80's that for a time would VT and offer the tape to the students that were at the particular seminar for purchase. These were the days that the big seminar instructors didn't mind the VTing going on. This was before it became a big money issue.

Hock use to give us all handouts with the techniques (that would probably be covered) and an outline of what the seminar would be. This really helped in note taking. I tried this for a time in some of the classes I taught but it didn't work out the same way.

Mark