# Speeding up learning



## SammyB57 (Jan 9, 2005)

What are ways to speed up your ability to learn, asborb, and use techniques?

I know there are things out there like the grappling blueprint, but what works for you?


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## Han-Mi (Jan 9, 2005)

Work on techniques in your spare time....
obviously some techs are much harder to practice alone, but if you can figure out the exact motions in your mind without too much thought, then you have it. I'd say that's a good goal to work for anyway. Just like when I do private lessons, the studetnt will only learn quicker than in group classes if the student practices at home as well as in the lessons.


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## MJS (Jan 9, 2005)

SammyB57 said:
			
		

> What are ways to speed up your ability to learn, asborb, and use techniques?
> 
> I know there are things out there like the grappling blueprint, but what works for you?



Practice, Practice, and more Practice!!!  There is no short cut except for working hard!  Han-Mi brought up a good point...work on things in your spare time.  Even if you only spent 15 min a day outside of class, its better than nothing.  Of course, the more you train outsie of class, the better you'll be.  If you're watching a 1hr show on TV, every time a commercial comes on, stand up and train.  

Mike


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## Lisa (Jan 9, 2005)

All good points.  Practice does work best.  Sometimes I work the different submissions or moves in my head when away from class.  Also, I watch the kids class and watch the other adults when sparring.  There I can pick up on common mistakes or small details that are being missed or when to change tactics during sparring.  In class everytime we are shown a technique I try very hard to remember the small details and when practicing them on my partner I may ask a lot of questions to my instructor like head position, etc. etc.   

 I also break things down in a pattern.  It just works better for me.  Kinda like 1.  do this, 2. do this, 3. then that.  Even though when I am sparring I know that I may not get from one end of my pattern to another, it helps me also see when not to try that sweep anymore and change my tactics.

 Hope this helps.


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## eric (Jan 27, 2005)

check out www.royharris.com. Mr. Harris has an amazing ability to break ideas and movements down to the smallest details in his articles. He has a couple articles on "drilling" techniques. He has found that this can be boring but done with proper mechanics, focus, and motivation can be a great tool to turn a mediocre technique into a great one. One that is imbedded in your muscular memory. This is a specific form of practice, practice, practice.


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## still learning (Feb 1, 2005)

Hello, Speed learning? Hum? Everyone is right about practice and practice more! Doing it everyday is the mostly likely way. Either with mental or phycial training, or both. It is like learning a new foreign language, do it everyday and it will become natural after while. 

 Do it every chance you get to practice it..do it now...and often....there is no short cuts to learning techniques, is this the reason we train the same thing in every class? .....see you are learning fast.....Aloha


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## LT2002 (Feb 8, 2005)

Everyone's comments about practice are right on!  You may want to get a heavy bag to wokr on ground movexs ig you don't have a parnter


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## Mr_Scissors (Feb 10, 2005)

i recommend recogntion ball drilling. aka the red/green/yellow game. 

get three soft balls, about the size of a tennis ball. one red, one green, and one yellow, or three other easily discernable colors. 

have a partner throw the balls at your chest, one ata time at a reasonably chalenging pace. hit the red one, parry the yellow one and dodge the green one. this will build recognition speed which is the best way i know to increase the speed at which you can absorb this type of information via observing. 

i was blown away by the decrease in my learning time. then again i am easily impressed :cheers:


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## blackandblue (Feb 10, 2005)

This is kind of intense, but it helps me: every day this week I've spent some time writing down the moves I learned the night before and how to do them.  I also do some (bad) drawings to help focus on certain points. There is something about having to recall the move a day later which helps me really remember it. It's a lot of work, though.

Btw, teaching someone else is a great way to reinfornce stuff in your mind.


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## loki09789 (Feb 11, 2005)

SammyB57 said:
			
		

> What are ways to speed up your ability to learn, asborb, and use techniques?
> 
> I know there are things out there like the grappling blueprint, but what works for you?


By focusing on form and fluidity NOT time and rank.  Do it slow so that you will do it fast and correct later.  It will feel slow and frustrating at first, but it will pickup momentum as you move on in training.


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## ARNIS (Mar 3, 2006)

loki09789 said:
			
		

> By focusing on form and fluidity NOT time and rank. Do it slow so that you will do it fast and correct later. It will feel slow and frustrating at first, but it will pickup momentum as you move on in training.



After almost 26 years of Martial arts training, I find loki09789 statement OH SO TRUE.  As an Arnis instructor and BJJ practicioner (11 years), I see alot of emphasis placed on rank.  I was taught that there were no real ranks in martial arts only a lifetime to perfect your practice.

Correct practice outside the dojo is critical though. Mental and physical practice is important.  I was a one-time a week BJJ practicioner but would get together with a couple of the advanced students at their homes and train 2-3 days a week.  

Humbly, 

My brother and I were head a shoulders ahead of the other one-time a week practitioners (because they only trined when they were at the dojo).  In the same 6 years, my brother and I were advanced to purple belt while the others were receiving single or double stripe blues.  

Again, rank really means nothing.  I just mention the above personal experience to help verify that time off the mat also helps cut the learning curve.  

It is the constant "good and correct" practice you put in that counts.  

On the street, no one cares about your rank, just what you know.

Good Health


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