A
AikidoCal
Guest
FYI: this post is a story that is universal to all arts.
We had a kid, oh 20 something start Aikido and the kid had a lot of charisma. Needless to say everyone liked him by the first month of training. Everyone was giving tips and instruction on the side in helping him out on how to do Ukemi and techniques. The kid took it all in and earnestly absorbed everything thrown at him. As time when on he got better, and we kept throwing more at him on top of what Sensei was teaching. We got very detailed and specific in our instructions. Don't do that, move exactly like this by putting your foot here, your hand here, your hips like this, then when the Ukei does this blend in this direction by doing this, and harmonize like this. Allot of minute detail.
Than one day, he hit a brick wall. He was so over loaded with input he was trying to sort it all out at the same time make it work and not disappoint anyone. He crippled his ability to do waza, and regressed to the awkwardness of his first day. He struggle in great difficulty and his frustration grew exponentially because he was constantly trying processing all the information taught to him. He got so frustrated with Aikido he quite training. He felt he would never understand it or get good at it.
Of course there was a discussion with Sensei, the result was he was aware of the situation of our hyper-eagerness to assist, which overloaded the kid that eventually had a negative result for all. Sensei instructed us that since this was a rare occurrence that we should be mindful of our eagerness to assist, and be patience, dolling our our knowledge and experience in small amounts to allow for the new student to have time to process the information. Then the student cements the information and has time to comprehend it and learn it. That is why Aikido takes so long to learn. It is not because it is the most effective art. Aikido is an art that has allot of density in terms of information. It isn't an art that can be learn quickly because it isn't something the human initially picks up quickly. Ukemi isn't required by humans like walking is, or reaching for objects. You are asking the human body to do things in such a way that it isn't used to or inclined to do. Hence the word "training."
I have thought about this kid over the years and it has really taught me a lesson and shaped how I assist others on the mat. It is difficult to do less as we are in a Western society that is structured to provide as much information as quickly as possible, and expect the recipient to digest it as quickly as we give it. We don't think there is other methods or models of dispensing information. Which has brought me to examine this idea that maybe we are stunting the abilities of students when we over-load with information because after time we see or try nothing else.
On the other hand, it can be said that the model I discribed isn't the issue rather it is the student's ability to processes information. A student who excells is the one who has the capability to process as much information at once and hence excels. They argue the mind works better when information is given in at high and fast rates. The mind works poorly when the information is given in low and slow rates.
Would any one like to comment? Personally, I don't agree with information over-load in terms of learning Aikido. I think you get alot of case as the kid I told you about.
We had a kid, oh 20 something start Aikido and the kid had a lot of charisma. Needless to say everyone liked him by the first month of training. Everyone was giving tips and instruction on the side in helping him out on how to do Ukemi and techniques. The kid took it all in and earnestly absorbed everything thrown at him. As time when on he got better, and we kept throwing more at him on top of what Sensei was teaching. We got very detailed and specific in our instructions. Don't do that, move exactly like this by putting your foot here, your hand here, your hips like this, then when the Ukei does this blend in this direction by doing this, and harmonize like this. Allot of minute detail.
Than one day, he hit a brick wall. He was so over loaded with input he was trying to sort it all out at the same time make it work and not disappoint anyone. He crippled his ability to do waza, and regressed to the awkwardness of his first day. He struggle in great difficulty and his frustration grew exponentially because he was constantly trying processing all the information taught to him. He got so frustrated with Aikido he quite training. He felt he would never understand it or get good at it.
Of course there was a discussion with Sensei, the result was he was aware of the situation of our hyper-eagerness to assist, which overloaded the kid that eventually had a negative result for all. Sensei instructed us that since this was a rare occurrence that we should be mindful of our eagerness to assist, and be patience, dolling our our knowledge and experience in small amounts to allow for the new student to have time to process the information. Then the student cements the information and has time to comprehend it and learn it. That is why Aikido takes so long to learn. It is not because it is the most effective art. Aikido is an art that has allot of density in terms of information. It isn't an art that can be learn quickly because it isn't something the human initially picks up quickly. Ukemi isn't required by humans like walking is, or reaching for objects. You are asking the human body to do things in such a way that it isn't used to or inclined to do. Hence the word "training."
I have thought about this kid over the years and it has really taught me a lesson and shaped how I assist others on the mat. It is difficult to do less as we are in a Western society that is structured to provide as much information as quickly as possible, and expect the recipient to digest it as quickly as we give it. We don't think there is other methods or models of dispensing information. Which has brought me to examine this idea that maybe we are stunting the abilities of students when we over-load with information because after time we see or try nothing else.
On the other hand, it can be said that the model I discribed isn't the issue rather it is the student's ability to processes information. A student who excells is the one who has the capability to process as much information at once and hence excels. They argue the mind works better when information is given in at high and fast rates. The mind works poorly when the information is given in low and slow rates.
Would any one like to comment? Personally, I don't agree with information over-load in terms of learning Aikido. I think you get alot of case as the kid I told you about.
