Practicing junior belt techniques

[fringe_dweller]

How much time do you guys spend revising your current techniques vs learning new ones? Percentage wise I guess is the easiest way to compare.
Discovered recently that while I was getting a grip on the new techniques I was learning I focused on them so much that my older techniques were slipping - hence I've started working on them regularly.

Respectfully,

 

[Mike Clarke]

I guess I'm looking at the system I train in [goju-ryu karatedo] in a different way to you?
I don't see it in terms of 'beginners' techniques and 'advanced' techniques. Goju-ryu is a small bunch of ideas, concepts, call them what you want, that keep coming up again and again, over and over. The difference between a beginner and someone more advanced, is their ability to use these concepts [of movement, breathing, timing,distancing,etc] in such a way as to blend with the attack coming at you.
So, it's not the technique that's advanced or not, but the person's understanding who is using it.

I guess most people who can drive feel they could jump in a Formular 1 and win a Grand Prix, but the truth is most of us would kill ourselves if we tried. But it's all driving, so how come we can't do it? Well, we just don't have the mix of understanding and skill to pull it of. This is a bit like the student who has trained for just a few years, they have some knowledge [as most of us do about driving] but not enough to make things work at high speed with a calm sense of smoothness, which [I think] is a hallmark of both a F1 driver and an advanced Martial Artist.

As a foot note. I can't remember the last time my teachers taught me a 'new technique' or a 'new kata'. Though I've been given insights into better ways to use what I know countless times.

Regards,
Mike.

 

[karatekid1975]

I work on all my techniques regularly. When I learn a new form, I work on it till I got it, then I practice all of the ones I know, so I don't forget them. The same goes for step sparring, ect.

 

[fringe_dweller]

Originally posted by Mike Clarke

I don't see it in terms of 'beginners' techniques and 'advanced' techniques.
As a foot note. I can't remember the last time my teachers taught me a 'new technique' or a 'new kata'. Though I've been given insights into better ways to use what I know countless times.

Regards,
Mike.

Sorry, maybe I didn't clarify myself too well. I'm not by any means a senior belt or learning advanced tecniques. At each belt level some new techiques are introduced and what I've found is that if I focus on *only* learning these new techniques then the ones I learned previously start to get a little sloppy. Spoke with my instructor about this and whether or not we can start introducing some way to "revise" (for lack of a better word) all the techniques up to the point where we are currently.

Respectfully,

 

[Zepp]

This is a problem I run into with forms constantly. I concentrate on learning the new ones, and I get lazy with the old. There are days in class when everybody goes through all of their forms in order (known as ladder forms- or sometimes "death by forms"), but it's not often enough. Class is only so long, and there's always more to cover.

The problem gets worse at higher ranks, cause you're expected to be able to help teach the lower ranks, and to learn your newer material faster than you learnt the older stuff. (Thankfully, testing for my next rank won't even be a consideration for a couple years.)

I just do what I can to practice techniques and forms outside of class on my own. Sometimes I squeeze in an extra 15 minutes a day or so to do this, and sometimes I just get lazy and let my body atrophy.

Practicing on your own is the best solution I have for you.

 

[jfarnsworth]

I try to chip away at the material little by little. Mainly like one belt level at a time since there's so much to cover and so much that I don't know.

 

[Jill666]

I find that the old stuff evolves as I learn more- you can run through an old kata and see so many more applications within. You can focus on different aspects. If you want to run through every kata on a rotaing basis once a week or have "self defense day'" "randori day" etc. go for it.

I keep it fluid, work on whatever strikes me- couldn't possibly give a percent. It all gets covered in about a two week cycle I'd say.

I'm lucky to have different avenues right now- yesterday worked with a DKI guy for a couple of hours. Tonight was heavy lifting & self-defense at my Kenpo school. I have structured group class Wed. and train with a partner as well; we are in the middle of a Goshin (sp?) Ryu form. Thursday I go to a Ninjuitsu studio and don't know what the frig we'll be doing.

So at the moment everything is really neat- and everything makes me eager to do more. Serious MA jones going on...

 

[white belt]

Taking one form and repetitively doing it 10-20 times, with focus, nonstop, aside from ladder style practice, is where my forms assimilation REALLY takes place. Sorry if this sounds corny, but the becoming "one with the form" and "making the form yours", "part of your body", etc. stuff really comes into play doing this.

Before bowing in for the official class, I take time to nail "a" form at least a dozen times. The next practice I nail the next form in the series and so on. I constantly cycle in this fashion, over and over, beginning with form 1 up to my highest BB form. The apps. not first evident in the forms better reveal themselves through this type practice also. Memorizing the forms are not an issue after doing this type of practice for a few months. I have been using this type of approach for a few years now. I swear by it.

white belt

p.s.
I see some students show up early who mostly chat, instead of practice, before class. Some want it bad enough, others are content being spoon fed. To each their own.

 

[fringe_dweller]

In hapkido we don't actually have forms, only techniques (based on principles). Would it be worth forming a number of techiques into some kind of casual form in order to practice them rather than practicing a single technique over and over?

Respectfully,

 

[Zepp]

That's a wee bit different than the hapkido I've seen.

No, you don't need to create a form exactly. But having a routine for practicing them could be helpful. Maybe you'd even want to change the routine a little every couple months or so, so it doesn't get old.

 

[sweeper]

well in JKD there aren't any forms. Genneraly for me there isn't alot of new technique per class and when there are new techniques usualy I concentrate on it untill it's workable in sparring, usualy there aren't more than a couple of techniques that are totaly new to me so splitting training time (outside of class) 50/50 works fine for getting them down, there are alot of variations on an exsisting technique but that's alot easyer to pick up than something totaly new.

The hardest part for me is getting used to using it when sparring. There are just some techniques that I don't like, for example a back fist.. I never realy use it, I think the only time I use it is as a feint to hide a kick. Some of my freinds realy like it but it just isn't for me I guess these ones I have to pay special attention to or they will fade away.

 

[Mike Clarke]

In my experience there is only one way to absorb the techniqes you are learning, and that is to do them over and over. Not always in the same training sdession, but maybe as Jill666 [you little devil you] said, in some kind of rotation?
Sometimes one of my students will look at me after demonstrating something for him as if to say, "That's easy for you to do your a # dan." But as I always say, the longer you train the harder you have to work to keep things polished and there for useful.
But take heart my fellow Australian. Many others have been where you stand now, and if they could do it, well so can you.
One step at a time, One day at a time.

Regards,
Mike.