Breaking movements into small parts

[Joab]

To be honest, I have always found martial arts training to be very difficult. One thing that has worked well for me is breaking movements into small parts and practicing the small parts over and over again and slowly putting it all together. This is not possible when the enitre class is practicing the movements in one movement, as you need to do what everybody else is doing in a group setting.

But if the instructor breaks the moves into small parts for the entire class it is possible to do this in a class setting. While I really wasn't overall satisfied with my experience in Krav Maga, the instructor did do a very good job of breaking the moves into small pieces that made it far easier for me to learn. All the others expected the students to do that on their own, which is fine I suppose, but it helps if the instructor shows you the way to do this. Personally, I think this is a good teaching technique, and I wish it was more common in martial arts teaching. Just some food for thought, all opinions appreciated.

 

[tallgeese]

I agree, it's a great way to teach. It's also nice to build a progression from the start of the skill set to the end, that way you end up repping the more core movements more.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Best when in 3-D......easier to understand?

Learning to peel a banana...took a long time...till they broke it down!

technique known as the ( banana split)...

just having fun here...

Aloha

 

[celtic_crippler]

IMHO, the best way to learn is to take a thing, break it down to its basic parts, focus on each part, learn how each part applies, and then reconstruct those parts.

"Knowledge is not enough, one must apply..." -Bruce Lee.

If you're learning Algebra, you don't just jump into quadratic equations. You learn the concepts of what "x" and "y" are used for and how to isolate unknowns...

From there you learn how to effectively determine what the "unknown" is...

...then, you learn how to apply the equation to real world issues through applying the proper equation to word problems.

 

[Blindside]

To be honest, I have always found martial arts training to be very difficult. One thing that has worked well for me is breaking movements into small parts and practicing the small parts over and over again and slowly putting it all together. This is not possible when the enitre class is practicing the movements in one movement, as you need to do what everybody else is doing in a group setting.

And this is the benefit of private lessons, you work on what you need at your speed. You'll get maximum benefit out of a curriculum that mixes group and private lessons.

 

[bluekey88]

For my money, you can't beat using the proper tool for the job. What I mean is that breaking something down (part-part-whole) methods are appropriate. Other times, showing, letting the studentg try, then breaking down the troublespots and then putting back together (whole-part-whole) are useful.

I tend to use Whole-part-whole when teaching individual techniques. I'll demonstrate the kick...then let the students try it. for example, I might show a roundhouse kick to a kid. Then I'll tell them to put the top of their foot on the target. Often times, they naturally solve a lot of the problems along the way. Once i see where a student needs to make adjustments, then we break things down.

admittedly, this does not work for more complex actions, (forms, partner sd one steps and the like). In that case we have to go part-part-whole...but moving into the whole as quickly as possible. Otherwise you get the situation where the student can do all the parts, but the movements have no "flow" ...it's step1, step 2, step 3.

I'll also use things like backwards chaining (having them do the last step first, then adding the previous step and so on) to work out trouble spots. This is for the case where they always get stuck in the middle or the ending of something is weak. We always get the beginning...but working back to front (of a form for instance) helps with memorization because it breaks the form out of what they usually do and forces a concentration on the parts that are often focused on the least (ending and possibly middle).

There's lot sof other techniques as well. What I use really depends on what I'm teaching and who I'm teaching it to and what the goal is. One way is not necessarilly superior for everyone at all times.

Peace,
Erik

 

[Joab]

And this is the benefit of private lessons, you work on what you need at your speed. You'll get maximum benefit out of a curriculum that mixes group and private lessons.

In one system I studied part of your tuition paid for two private lessons a month that lasted thirty minutes each. I really liked that, as I was able to work out techniques with the teacher that way at my own pace without worrying about keeping pace with everyone else in the class. It's a good combination. Just having one on one lessons isn't really practical unless you have a lot of money as they are expensive, and you really need to get in the reps that you get in a group class. So I agree that a mixture of private and group lessons is the best.

 

[Live True]

I think Erik really hits the nail soundly when he says not all techniques work for all people, all the time. When I'm first learning a technique, I find that I am very clumsy in trying to keep up with the instructor, because I am trying to figure out too much at one time instead of just copying the actions...however, I really think that walking through a new kata or technique is very helpful in that it gives me an overall framework to put everything to at a later time. It helps me get a feel for what it should look/feel like...even if I'm only a smidgen of the way to where I want to be. Simply working hard to keep up and figure things out also helps me to get better at learning each time.

For me, the only thing that really works all the time, though, is practice, practice, practice...and writing things down. That way I can walk through the kata or technique at my own pace and get a feel for what I am doing and feeling. I usually do things very slowly several times over several days, and then speed up/slow down as I "get" it...or think I do :uhyeah:. If I really think I'm off...then I will talk to my sensei (currently I train privately) or a senior student in the style (freinds from last dojo) or ask her/them to watch me and comment on what I'm doing right/wrong. I try to do at least one kata or practice drill every day...even if I only spend 5 minutes. sometimes I'll spend my whole workout just going over 2 or 3 things again and again. It has made a significant difference in ways that have surprised me...little things that add up.

The writing things down comes in handy in two ways...again, this is my method, may not work for all...I find that writing down the steps AND flow, in my own words, after a class often help me firm up the mental process of doing a technique. That way I'm putting down muscle memory in practice and mental reinforcement in writing it down. It also provides a good reference for when I get "kata stew" and have things mixed up. My notebook also gives me a reference for how far I've come as I continue on my training...as I write down thoughts/impressions as well..."cool, X move could be used to do a, B, C and maybe D if I could figure out how to move out of my own way....". sometimes I'll also go back and rewrite the steps from another source and then putting my own notes and thoughts or changes that my sensei has incorporated. Then I also have a reference for different views of the same kata/drill/move.

Keep up the work Joab! I hope things get easier as time goes on...btw, how long have you been training, if I may ask? Sometimes, I think we expect too much form ourselves too soon. Somethings take a while to gel!

 

[Joab]

Thanks. I'm not currently in any school. I have been to four, with varying degrees of success. I'm slow, to be honest, about some moves. Some I will get the first time, the teacher will l say, "you have no problems with that one" At least a couple I never got, like kicking roundhouse with my left leg, no problems with the right leg, and one that is difficult to explain. I'm on my own right now, although there is a Tang Soo Do school nearby that I may check out. I practice the little I know on my own.

 

[morph4me]

Students learn in different ways, and a good teacher will adapt his or her methods for individual students. In a class setting it usually takes th form of teaching a technique, training it for a little while, and then going from person to person to check on progress, answer questions, and make corrections.

Some student learn best by teaching a technique slowly, allow the student to practice a reasonable facsimile, and then polish the tecnique, that's what works best for them.

Others learn best by seeing a technique as analogous to other activities or techniques that they're familair with, and for others learn best by teaching them little pieces of the technique until we build the whole thing. I'm also a big proponent of doing things very, very slowly to magnify and correct the mistakes. Different students, different methods.

 

[Bruno@MT]

My sensei always says 'slow and correct. Speed and power come with correctness'. If you cannot do a movement slow and correct, there is no way you'll be able to do it fast and correct.

 

[Nomad]

When you think you know a technique, break it down again and have another look. You can frequently find new nuances by doing this.

We should constantly be breaking things down and building them back up again. How you break something down, and what you learn from it, vary depending on your experience level and time in training.

This is one reason why most good instructors teach a new technique slowly (as well as for safety reasons). If they go fast, or let the students start fast, the speed can cover up (but not compensate for) many small mistakes in the technique.