To/for the more experenced

[tshadowchaser]

I know this has been discussed before in various ways but I thought would ask again.

For those of you that have been in the arts 10 or more years or have reached that stage where you teach more than you study:

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?
How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.
Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct
How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

 

[Kacey]

I know this has been discussed before in various ways but I thought would ask again.

For those of you that have been in the arts 10 or more years or have reached that stage where you teach more than you study:

Hmm... good questions.

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

Several hours a week. However, I will add that, despite teaching twice a week, I still work out with my sahbum at least once a week as well.

How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.

While there will always be a special place in my heart for Won-Hyo, as I always felt that testing with that pattern was the first time I truly felt like I had done as well as I should (instead of just as well as I could) I like all of my patterns equally, for different reasons. Some are physically challenging, some are technically challenging, some are like the board game Othello - a minute to learn, a lifetime to master! I will admit, however, that I spend the greatest amount of time on the tuls up to the ones my senior student knows and the ones I am currently learning; the ones in the middle do tend to get left out now and then.

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct

Always! There is always something to improve, to understand better, to find another application for...

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I would have to say less - while I need it just as much (possibly more) at 42, compared to the 20 I was when I started, there are things I just can't do anymore - and that includes anything with high impact, especially on my right knee. I've started biking again; I don't think I'll ever go back to jogging, as much as my dog might like it if I did.

 

[kidswarrior]

I'm going to plead the 5th (Amendment, that is, on self-incrimination--for our non-American brethren).

That should tell you what most of my answers would be--it wouldn't be pretty.

 

[Steel Tiger]

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

Like Kasey it would be several hours each week. However, things get stuck in my head, a technique, a sequence, whatever, and I will be reviewing it everytime I have a moment of free time. Like last night, I had a qinna technique stuck in my head while I was cooking dinner.

How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.

Not having that many forms (only five) I am able to go over all of them. I do put more effort into some as they are more complex and need more work to get a proper understanding.

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct

Oh yes! There are elements of forms I forget from time to time. It seems like some things I have a blind spot for and leave them out often. Then its back to the notes.

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

Not as much and I really should do more. But, again like Kasey, it has been more than 20 years.

 

[terryl965]

That would be me

Actually very little I believe in training with someone so they can help me get better, when we tend to be by ourself we sometime feel it is Ok to slack, human nature.

I tend to work on all of them since I really want to get to the real SD principle behind each movement.

All the time a diary of soprt just to keep everything together.

As much as my body will allow do to some medical conditions.

 

[arnisador]

I'd be embarrassed to say how much I downplay the forms these days.

 

[Deaf Smith]

This is what I've found over the years.

Teaching slows me down. Since I have to slow down in order to show the technique and slow down when sparing less experienced students, I tended to slow down. I noticed that after 2 years that my own skills had deterorated. The upside was I understood the art much better from having to explain in so often!

Since I don't own a school now, I devote all my time training, and I train alot (1.5 hours today, pure bag work and reflex training at the gym with my partner.)

Do not worry, when I finaly retire from computers, I do plan on opening a school again, but you see, I'm a 'true beliver' and I don't teach for a living. Even when I had my school, I charged just enough to pay all the bills and have a bit for further education.

When I retire, boy am I gonna have some fun running alot of 'grasshoppers' into the ground.

Deaf

 

[Jai]

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

Daily

How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love?

I go over kata everynight before class and usually twice a day on non-workout days. I am not a fan of kata in general so I have to work fairly hard at all of them.

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct?

I have total brain farts once and awhile and have to go back over my student books to refresh my memory.

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I actually do about the same, I just do different things now that I am semi limited as to what my ankle will allow and how hard I can push myself.

 

[championmarius]

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?
How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.
Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct
How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I try to spend a few hours a week tweaking and working the old stuff and seeking out new ideas and things to work on. I am lucky to have a brother who is willing to go as hard as I am to develop and push the boundaries of our skills, so I seldom have to work on my own.
Admittedly, I spend very little if any time on the forms. I do work the Wing Chun forms, and struggling through the Taiji sets, but the Kenpo forms sit there. :sigh:
I am always going back over things, every time I pick up a new idea or concept I have to proof it against what I already have to see if it changes something or expands on extant material. Sometimes, I just plain forget some of it, and have to look it up, to get it verbatim. I'm only human.
I wish I were in as nearly good a shape today as I were when I started training! I wish I could say it were medically imposed, but alas, too much nibbling at the kitchen, good food, late nights, and just living the good life.

 

[Danny T]

I know this has been discussed before in various ways but I thought would ask again.

For those of you that have been in the arts 10 or more years or have reached that stage where you teach more than you study:

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?
How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.
Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct
How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I spend about 2 hours a week by myself training.
Forms, only when teaching them and yes I do review my notes from time to time. Often times as a reminder of how difficult it was for me when I was learning the movements.
Conditioning; 4 hours a week on aerobic and anaerobic conditioning
4 hours a week on strength training
12 – 4 minute rounds bag work twice a week
I instruct and participant in 12 to 15 scheduled adult classes a week. I spar stand-up 8-12 3 minute rounds a week as well as hold and feed pad work for as many as 50 rounds a week for several of my fighters. Two ground work or MMA type classes per week with six 5 minute rounds per class. I do much more conditioning than when I started.

 

[tshadowchaser]

You may be one of the few that dose more conditioning after years of practice then when you started. I think that speaks well for you

 

[Danny T]

You may be one of the few that dose more conditioning after years of practice then when you started. I think that speaks well for you

Thanks.
My wife, though she supports me in this, thinks I'm nuts. One of my relatively new students tonight said, "I'm sure glad you aren't a 25 year old, we can't keep up with you at your age!" I just gave him a big

Danny

 

[IcemanSK]

I know this has been discussed before in various ways but I thought would ask again.

For those of you that have been in the arts 10 or more years or have reached that stage where you teach more than you study:

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

I try to practice some aspect daily. Even if it's flexibilty & conditioning.

How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love. I go over my forms once or twice a week. I hate to admit it, but the ones I don't like, I spent a lot less time on.

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct I often go to references for the correct techniques. What I don't have is tape or even a mirror to check my techniques myself.

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I actually do more than I did when I was a teenager, bebcause I have to. I used to be more flexible with less effort (once I got flexible) back then. I'm more prone to injury now & really work on it more. I just wish I saw results more quickly.

 

[YoungMan]

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

I try to make time for myself everyday to practice something, whether it's three minutes or three hours

How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.

I work on the forms I am interested in at that time. It might be a Palgue form, or it might be PyongWon or Sipjin. It varies.

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct

I don't use notebooks or films. Strictly by memory. For the black belt forms, I occasionally visit the Kukkiwon website, but not often. I actually taught long enough, and practice enough, where the forms are pretty ingrained. I rarely have a memory lapse. I have been lucky enough to practice forms with my Grandmaster and learn the correct way to do forms.

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

Much more, because I'm better educated about making good technique and what you need to do to accomplish that. I used to think going to class was all that was necessary. Not anymore. I am better educated about weight training, stretching, drills, and other ways of practice.

 

[Mark L]

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?
How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.
Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct
How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I spend more time on my own practicing forms, usually a couple of hours each weekend (weather permitting). Forms are a small part of the curriculum and the least often topic of practice in the dojo. I just like doing them, and I work harder on the ones that need work.
I don't do much technique work alone, they've been in my head for a long time so memory isn't a problem (yet), but I do have a pretty comprehensive notebook. If I haven't done certain things for a while, I feel a real resisting body in front of me is what I need, especially ground stuff.
I've been in much better shape the past ten years than I was when I started practicing in the late '70s. With age comes wisdom (more likely fear).
A big help to me has been working with my sons. One of the guys is going second brown this month and preparing for a small grappling tournament. His MA education keeps the core curriculum in the front of my brain, and his daily onslaughts keep my defense sharp. Very Kato like, that kid

.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques

I have recently discovered that after teaching push hands that my skill level goes down. Not until I get to do push hands with my sifu again does it come back.

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

I started over 30 years ago so HELL no, I can't train like I did 15 years ago and beleive me I have tried.

But I am training more now than I did a year ago

 

[savagek]

Good Morning all,

Great thread Sheldon.

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

>Solo training is important to a MA personal growth & development. I spend about 30-45 minutes a day.

How often do you go back over all of your forms? Do you work harder on those forms that you personally do not like or the ones you love.

>The Bujinkan does not have solo empty hand forms like some other systems. Our kata are done in the Uke & Tori format. This requires a training partner. Each year, Hatsumi Soke picks a school or area of study to teach. This year is Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu so this is what I' am currently working on. I try to work on the skills/ kata that don't work well for me as much as the ones I love/ like. Now that I' am teaching full time this allows me to teach alot of other Bujinkan curricula that makes up my dojo's teachings.

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct?

>The Bujinkan uses the SHU ~ HA ~ RI teaching methodology of Theory, Application, and Experience modeled after the ancient Japanese warrior learning classifications of SHU (learn by imitating), HA (learn by exploring), RI (learn by creating). Hatsumi teaches us in later stages how to learn his art and not to memorize techniques. I do use my notes and other materials for review.


How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started?

>When I began training as a 12 year old boy my body required a certain amout and kind of conditioning. I' am now 45 and what I do now looks nothing like what I did at 12, 22, 32, 42 or 45. I like to think at this stage of life my training and everything is part of my overall physical health and conditioning. The Taoist of China used to say life was in 20 year blocks.
0-20 the spring of your life
20-40 the summer of your life
40-60 the fall of your life
60-80 the winter of your life
Anything after that and you are Imortal.

As I enter the Fall of my life I hope to contiue training with the heart of a three year old"Shoshin"...

Be well and Gassho,

Ken Savage
www.winmartialarts.com

 

[morph4me]

I know this has been discussed before in various ways but I thought would ask again.

For those of you that have been in the arts 10 or more years or have reached that stage where you teach more than you study:

How much time do you spend by yourself practicing your techniques?

I teach aikido and we don't practice forms, per se, we learn our techniques from a static position and then move into dynamic applications. The static techniques are used to teach the principles involved and I practice the principles at every opportunity. I don't actually go through the motions of the techniques, but there is plenty of opportunity throughout the day to practice principles

Have you found that you may be forgetting something in some of your forms, or techniques and need to go back into your notebooks (if you have one) or back over films to make sure they are correct

I find that since I don't do them regularly, I forget which techniques are in which set.

How much conditioning do you do today as compared to when you started

Less than I should, but more than I did when I started, because I'm not waiting for class until I do it.