Rubik's Cube in the Dojo

[Alan Armstrong]

The Rubik's cube invented in 1980, a multicolored hand held mind puzzle game.

This little mind teaser forces a person to use their brain.

Not only thinking where you are, also moving forward, but also just as important to remembering to go back where you have been in reverse.

The turning and holding of the cube is a good exercise for strengthening the wrists and fingers; also improving dexterity.

The colors remind me of the belt ranking system with:

White opposite yellow.

Orange opposite red.

Green opposite blue.

Knowing where the colors are makes the solving process quicker.

With the white facing forward makes the yellow to the back.

With the red on top makes the orange on the bottom.

With the green on the right/hand makes the blue/hand left.

When solving the last layer of the cube, algorithms are very handy to know, these remind me of katas.

As doing a kata and the cube are both done by oneself, with practice they can both be improved upon.

Do you see similarities to the Rubic's cube and martial arts?

Perhaps you see the Rubic's cube better in your grappling?

[MatsuShinshii]

Teaching students to solve problems is a plus. However I fail to see how this incorporates into the martial arts.

This might be something that the instructor could suggest to the student for their personal time but bring this into the instruction time? No.

[bushido_man96]

Yeah, I agree, I think the Rubic's cube is a bit of a reach. I think it could teach perseverance, for sure, but I wouldn't want it taking up class time.

[Alan Armstrong]

The idea of the Rubic's cube in the dojo would be similar to bringing a chess game to class; not practical.

As many can relate their martial arts to chess I'm only showing a relationship from another perspective and that being the Rubic's cube.

As martial arts is a way to build confidence, the Rubic's cube can also have a confidence building effect, when knowing how to work with it, by solving problems or solutions efficiently and effortlessly.

Where as the uninitiated will consider the cube to be impossible to solve, while the rest know that it is not.

As many give up very quickly, learning how the inner workings of the cube functions, while others consider it a challenge to master it.

For me there are similarities between "The Cube"

and Chinese martial arts, considering Yin/Yang lines and the nine gates.

The three dimensional spacial awareness of the cube and the fourth dimension of time can create a stronger awareness and understanding between oneself and what a person is doing.

With the cubes algorithms and remembering complex sequences, this can lead to understanding kata movements in a simpler form.

With the notations of:

Represented in a clockwise rotation

F=front

U=upper

R=right

L=left

B=back

D=down

With an anti clockwise rotation it is written as:

F'

U'

R'

L'

B'

D'

As two movements or turns would be written as for example: F' F'

These same notations and modifications can be used when mapping out katas.

The aspect of solving the cube with the least amount of moves, is also a subject matter that can be related to martial arts.

Do you see any similarities between martial arts and the Rubic's cube?

[sensei8]

I don't like the Rubik cube and the Rubik cube doesn't like me, so, I'll keep it out of my dojo!! There's enough frustration in learning the MA without adding to it!!

[Alan Armstrong]

I don't like the Rubik cube and the Rubik cube doesn't like me, so, I'll keep it out of my dojo!! There's enough frustration in learning the MA without adding to it!!

Here is KungFu cube.

Work good for Shaolin Kung Fu Rubic cube competitions.

[MatsuShinshii]

I still don't get it. I can't see handing out these in class and acting like it has anything to do with training.

I still say this is something you do outside of class.

Shaolin rubic cube??????? Really???????????

[Alan Armstrong]

I still don't get it. I can't see handing out these in class and acting like it has anything to do with training.

I still say this is something you do outside of class.

Shaolin rubic cube??????? Really???????????

Some people like to think out side of the box while others are happy where they are. Boxes come in all shapes and sizes not much different than people really.

When talking or discussing about a new cube or the cube itself, it is called "Un-Boxing"

[MatsuShinshii]

I still don't get it. I can't see handing out these in class and acting like it has anything to do with training.

I still say this is something you do outside of class.

Shaolin rubic cube??????? Really???????????

Some people like to think out side of the box while others are happy where they are. Boxes come in all shapes and sizes not much different than people really.

When talking or discussing about a new cube or the cube itself, it is called "Un-Boxing"

True and I will admit that what my Shinshii taught, I teach without much if any deviation.

I understand when teaching children some instructors inject games to keep them interested. However I do not teach children and I do not play games in the Dojo. These types of things should be left to personal time IMHO.

Developing analytical thought and problem solving is a good skill to have and I am not saying that students should not utilize things like the cube to develop those skills. However I teach Suidi not the Rubic Cube in class. To me this has no place in the Dojo taking up valuable time in which I could be teaching students the art.

If they choose to practice/play with the cube on their time so be it and I'll encourage it.

Personally I feel too much class time of most modern day arts is taken up with things like this instead of teaching the art. There are way too many gimmicks and extra's instead of just teaching what the student is paying for... the art.

In short it is my job to teach them the art and how to fight/defend themselves not to play games. I'll leave this and their development to their parents. Parents send their kids to class to learn the art and they pay good money to do so. I'ts my opinion that they should get their moneys worth and leave games for time that they are not paying for.

If I ever came to class and the instructor said "tonight we are going to play with a rubic cube" I'd walk out and spend my hard earned money at a Dojo that actually teaches what I was paying for.

Sorry but I don't agree with this and so many other time fillers used today. So yes I'm in my box and I like it in here.

Just my 2 cents.

[sensei8]

I saw a video on YouTube yesterday where a guy solved the cube WITH HIS EYES CLOSED...and he did it pretty fast while switching hands. He has some skills!!

But yeah, I too would roll my eyes and walk away if the dojo I'm visiting wanted to use a Rubik's Cube, no matter the reason(s).