How do you feel about Seminars?

[stickarts]

Seminars can be nice indeed to meet new people and learn some things.

I would like to go to more seminars but often the price 'scares' me off ...
It's great to get some training with a high ranked teacher but most of the time such seminars are just out of my budget...
Pretty sad...

Instead i try to visit other dojo once in a while and try to learn something over there.
It's more budget friendly and i still got to meet new people and get some good training !

Absolutely! Some of my best classes were in my instructors old basement and the classes were free!

 

[mook jong man]

They are worthwhile but you forget the stuff you learn because so much info is crammed into a short period so what i do is make notes .

Even seminars i went to 5 or 6 years ago i can look over my notes and remember the techniques i learned.

Seminars are usually pretty expensive so you might as well get your moneys worth by remembering what you learned.

 

[Blindside]

I have two reasons for going to seminars, the first is to see how high ranking members of other arts teach their material, and how their seniors MOVE. I'm not really trying to retain material, but to pick up the general why and how that other art does what it does, if I get a few tricks out of it, I'm happy. More importantly, to see and preferably feel the ability of these other high ranking guys. I've been impressed, not impressed, and freakin' blown away by various of the instructors that I have seen.

The other type of seminar I attend are those within one of my own arts, where I have a decent foundation, where a seminar by a particular instructor might focus on an area of specialty. As an example, in my Pekiti Tirsia Kali studies, my regular instructor is responsible for teaching me the art as a whole. When Tuhon Gaje does his seminar, he often has a unofficial yearly theme where drills that focus on a particular skill set are presented. I am absolutely trying to learn those drills to take home and practice with my training partners. I have a mental model to follow in the motions of the Grand-Tuhon, and a training regimen that theoretically should get me there. I won't have the skill set at the end of that seminar, but I get to take home the tools to develop it from there.

Lamont

PS: the whole social thing is a plus too.

 

[Jenna]

We had, as Xue Sheng mentioned, compulsory seminars but that was simply because Master lived out of town (out of country) and it was deemed as a touch-base kind of affair, as though we needed reminding how to tie our belts or something, pffft.. But that is another story.

I have attended seminars for my own style and that of others to give myself introductions to differing arts. And but I am not a fan of seminars in general because I find the teaching atmosphere can be too impersonal and the teaching itself often too passive. Perhaps I have not been to sufficient seminars to judge well. If I cannot get in there and participate directly with my own hands then I seem to leave with no more understanding than I had at the entrance. Last one, I figured I would have been better saving my £££ and sitting in the lobby searching the stuff on Youtube. Meeting folk is always great. Always. And I do think these kind of events are fantastic networking tools if you like that kind of thing or if you have wares to offload. Personally I have no business card to exchange nor desire for autographs or photo opportunities
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Blindside]

They are worthwhile but you forget the stuff you learn because so much info is crammed into a short period so what i do is make notes .

Even seminars i went to 5 or 6 years ago i can look over my notes and remember the techniques i learned.

Seminars are usually pretty expensive so you might as well get your moneys worth by remembering what you learned.

I take notes ater the day is done (or at lunch) and then try to film the drill/tech/whatever that evening with a training partner. Ideally I try to get footage of the seminar itself, but that is usually unavailable.

Lamont

 

[MJS]

Seminars are a big thing in the martial arts today. They serve to bring together people from within an organization, and can also be open to those outside the organization and even from vastly different arts.

How do you all feel about them? Do you like to attend them? Do you like to teach at them? What do you feel you learn at them, or what are you able to pass along if you are one of the teachers? What kind of topic do you feel is appropriate or inappropriate for a seminar setting? Do you feel you learn things that are a lasting benefit and a strong addition into your curriculum?

Personally, I'm not a big fan of them, but I'd like to see what people think, see what their take is on them and get a different perspective.

Thanks!

I like seminars. I go to them when time permits. I think that they're a great learning experience, and they give you a chance to work with various people from the art. Usually there is a ton of info. thats covered, so I usually bring a notebook and write down as much as I can. Of course, its always a help to re-write the material afterwards, due to the fact that there have been times when I haven't done that, and I'm scratching my head afterwards, wondering what the heck it was that I wrote! LOL! I don't try to remember every little thing, as I feel thats kind of hard to do, but I'll usually end up taking a bunch of things back with me, and working that stuff over and over.

Due to the fact that the experience levels can range from beginner to advanced, I think that the material taught should address everyone. Will a lower rank struggle with some advanced stuff? Most likely, but its still good, because it gives them a bit of a challenge, while at the same time, keeping the attention of the advanced ranks.

As for what should/should not be taught...I suppose thats up to the person hosting the seminar. If I were to have Rickson Gracie come in for a 2 day seminar, I'd have a basic list of things I'd like him to cover.

 

[MJS]

I'll also add, that I feel that they're a great way to give someone who is not familiar with an art, a chance to see some of it. I train in Arnis, but I've gone to a few Pekiti Tirsia seminars. Different art, but alot still made sense to me, and I was able to take alot back and work it, even adding in some ideas to my Arnis.

 

[Drac]

I love seminars and attend as many as I can...For some people it can be an exposure to a world they knew nothing about...

 

[morph4me]

I've gone to seminars and taught at seminars. I like to see how others teach and how other styles deal with different situations, and I like exchaging information and meeting other people with the same interests. I admit I don't always remember what I've learned, but I enjoy experimenting with some of the concepts that I learn and seeing how they work with my style. When I go to seminars that concentrate on my art, I look at how the others there interpret our art, and as others have said, they're fun

 

[kailat]

Here's my take on the wholeseminar situation.

They serve a purpose yes. They are great to allow students to study advanced techings w/ a high profile instructor who you normally could not attend regular training with because of distance or time. It is usually a great time to meet and spend time w/ fellow like minded martial artist.

Seminars i'vebeen at some good and some (alot actually) were bad and poorly performed. I've probably attended 40 or so seminars in the past years, most FMA style or background events. I've attended a few karate workshops/seminars that taught alot about self defense, and or kata etc... I've attended seminars w/ Dr. Gyi as well as a JKD seminars and BJJ / MMA seminars. So many different ones.

A few things I dislike about them, are they get quite costly and I feel I sometimes don't walk away satisfied because I cannot video record or remember everything. Many times I've just been totally lost and the instructor keeps moving and if you don't catch on your just left behind. My first Larry Hartsell Seminar I was so lost i never caught up...I felt upset when I left..but the next time I seen him and the time after that (3) in total it was a better experience. But nonetheless, I really hate them being all day long, both days on a weeeknd. I know about 4 hours into them Im starting to get tired and just burned out and I start getting mentally drained. I know it is usually harder for me to go back on the 2nd day. I've hosted seminars and one thing I usually do is try to break the one day down into segments w/ several breaks.. That seems to help out alot.

so over-all, Yes and No! I do and don't like seminars! I guess it all depends on who is teaching and what its covering. It seems for me most of the good ones either come when im broke, or i can't make it on the weekend they are on. I've found that to be pretty much the way its been the past few years...

I guess its all in all how and what you like..

 

[kenpofighter]

I really enjoy attending seminars. I enjoy meeting new people from out of state or surrounding areas who are studying the same style as I am. Also I think that it is good to hear a different instructor's view point on things. Lastly I enjoy the feeling of my brain hurting after coming out of a seminar/seminars.

 

[mook jong man]

But nonetheless, I really hate them being all day long, both days on a weeeknd. I know about 4 hours into them Im starting to get tired and just burned out and I start getting mentally drained. I know it is usually harder for me to go back on the 2nd day. I've hosted seminars and one thing I usually do is try to break the one day down into segments w/ several breaks.. That seems to help out alot.

Thats true , like a Krav Maga one i went to , it mostly seemed to be multiple opponent all day in a factory unit in 40 degree heat . It tended to become more of an endurance test than anything else , i was a wreck at the end of that one.

 

[chinto]

the few seminars I have been to have been in the style i study. It was a great opportunity to train with people who are not in our dojo, and with some incredible instructors.
we did a local "sparring workshop" a few times with several of the other styles dojo's and dojangs... it was interesting. they have a much more sport orientation then we do.( the workshops we and they did together were free.).. but it was fun... I can see how they could be very detrimental and also way over priced... but done right nothing wrong with them.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I most enjoy going to seminars that are given by systems I have never studied. I go to learn a little about the system and the way the practitioners think. I also go to see if there is any thing I can use in what i teach or a new way of teaching something I already do.
Besides which seminars are a great place to meet new friends

 

[bowser666]

I have my first Seminar on August 9th. I am looking forward to it and will reply in thsi thread s to how it went.