Memorization !HELP!

[greenbelt_girl15]

I have a belt test coming up in about six weeks and I have a good deal of philosophy to memorize and review.I was wondering if anyone had some tips/techniques for memorization.

[cathal]

Memorization? Hmm...I hate to memorize, but when I've needed to I read aloud as I wrote the words from the book onto paper. Then re-read the words on the paper as I confirmed the text.

 

Understanding the material seems to be a better method of memorizing.

[DKizzle]

You mean you have to memorize the school's philosophy? Could you give me an example? I never have had problems memorizing techniques (and all their cool names) or kata, but that may be because I'm young.

[PrideampPoise]

Sounds like your talking about reciting words as opposed to actual techniques/forms.

If so, I try to break things down and memorize them a piece at a time. Start with one sentence, and repeat it outloud until you can do so with no help. Then add the next one.

Reciting it AT LEAST once a day is important as well, and as cathal said, writing them down can help as well.

I also find it helps if I recite in different places. For example, not just every night sitting on the couch, but also while driving, or in the backyard, etc. That way you will get comfortable reciting it anywhere, and not just in a certain setting.

Same principle with forms... if you always practice in the same place with the same orientation (meaning facing the same direction), you can get thrown off if you have to demonstrate in another setting or facing another direction.

[DKizzle]

Yeah, our instructors like to try to throw us off like that. They make us face a different way or have people try to distract us as we do the Kata, if we stumble or laugh, we have to start over.

[cathal]

Our sensei will do that as well, DKizzle. We'll also do it blindfolded to see how accurate our movements are to the kata's imbusen.

[greenbelt_girl15]

Thanks everyone!

DKizzle- Here an example

Code of ethics #1

Cuong Nhu students should strive to impove themselves and their abilities in the martial arts in order to serve the people.

We have 8 code of ethics and are expected to know them all by the time we reach the rank of green belt.

Philosophy

Five Re's of healing

Reduce, Relax, Reach, Reevaluate, Remember

The Foundation for peak Performance: Simple as ABCDE

Awarness

Belief

Commitment

Dedication

Enlightenment

By the time we reach green belt we have several pages of this kind of stuff memorized and its a bit hard retaining all of it while learning even more.

[DKizzle]

Ah we have a Student Creed kind of thing we have to have memorized, but it's not as much as that.

[cathal]

We've got our dojo kun and niju kun.

[isshinryu5toforever]

Study it a little bit, and then eat the paper. just kidding, You just need to read that stuff over and over. There isn't much else you can do. You can read it out lout, write it down by yourself, etc. Any study habits you have for school, you can use. It's basically the same.