Ever forget what you learned the night before?

PrideampPoise · September 30, 2003

I've started training in KSW, and was taught technique #4 in ki bohn soo on Friday night.

Saturday morning, I did my workout at home and completely blanked out on #4. Still can't remember what it is, after the first step.

Unfortunately, I can only attend class on Wednesdays and Fridays, so it will be Wednesday before I can "re-learn".

Frankly, I'm going to be embarassed to admit to my instructor that I didn't practice #4 because I forgot it, but I guess I have no choice! Oh well, I've been practicing 1-3, parts 1 and 2 of the form, and my kicking...

ZR440 · September 30, 2003

Just remember, on ki bohn soo techs 1-4 they alternate sides. The second one goes to the left, behind the opponent, right? Well, so will the fourth. Both hands around the wrist of the opponent, big circle down and then up over your head, placing thier wrist down to the floor.

And yes, everyone forgets. Nobody should be ashamed of that.

As KSN would say "You need more practice!"

monkeygirl · September 30, 2003

Nah, I just forget everything I learn in Pre-Calc

battousai16 · September 30, 2003

"Nah, I just forget everything I learn in Pre-Calc "

yeah, i hear that.

we're supposed to write down what we do the night we learn it, so not only can we reference back to it, but writing it down will re-enforce it into our brain.

PrideampPoise · October 1, 2003

Yes, I know I need more practice... that was the frustrating part! I wanted to practice, but couldn't remember what to practice!!!!

Seriously, though, thanks for the reminder about #4. I'll try it at home and see if it comes back to me.

Calculus... I officially forgot everything I learned in Calculus loooonggg ago. But, battousai16, I think you have a good point about reinforcing later the same day. I was actually going through the techniques in my head while I drove home, so I'm pretty sure I would have still had it down if I'd actually practiced for a few minutes at home later that night. That probably would have been enough to keep me from whiffing on it the next morning.

Or, maybe I'm going senile...

What was I talking about???

monkeygirl · October 1, 2003

Actually, the physical act of writing something down helps link your brain to muscle-memory. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it's some kind of psychological thing. Anyway, writing stuff down can really help!

I used to have a student that had a very hard time remembering his katas. So, he started bringing a legal pad to classes. After going through the kata a few times with him, I would do it step-by-step while he wrote it down in his own words. It's very, very important that the student write it down in his/her own words, for two reasons.

1: so they can understand what it means later

2: when you create something, you're more likely to remember it than something someone else created.

Important things to include in writing:

technique name, hand/foot placement, which leg is forward/back, which direction to turn (and maybe even the degree of the turn), when to kiai, and anything else you may find helpful. Writing double-spaced will leave room for corrections (or even memory tricks) later. The "written kata" can take up quite a few pages, sometimes...but it definitely helped that student memorize his kata. The techniques and performance doesn't have to be perfect...once memorized, the kata can be improved.

ZR440 · October 1, 2003

Hey Pride,

Ask your instructor to order a KSW Vol 1 book for you. It covers everything you will need to know up to about red belt. Costs around $50, but has many pictures to refresh your memory.

karatekid1975 · October 1, 2003

I just learned my next form. Do I remeber it .... NO! LOL. I remember bits and peices of it, but not the whole thing.

It's normal to forget something that you have just learned. Specially if you never did it before that. It doesn't really "sink in" till you've done it a few times (for me anyways).

sindian · October 2, 2003

It's normal to forget something that you have just learned. Specially if you never did it before that. It doesn't really "sink in" till you've done it a few times (for me anyways).

Definitely. Muscle memory is key. It's all about repetition

The Evil Betty · October 8, 2003

I agree - I'm a very visual person - I need to see the words and pictures - especially in learning languages, memorizing Korean terms for testing, etc.

With learning new things in TSD, I have no memory or ease in learning things like self-defense, hapkido, etc. I'm much better at things like forms and weapons. Even then, I have to break it down into chunks, then memorize the chunks, gain the muscle memory, etc. Unless I practice it just about every day until I get it down, I'll forget. I also may watch the instructor show a technique, and it looks simple. But when I try it, I get all messed up, or I freeze.