# Information over load for Newbies



## AikidoCal (Jun 11, 2005)

FYI: this post is a story that is universal to all arts. 

We had a kid, oh 20 something start Aikido and the kid had a lot of charisma. Needless to say everyone liked him by the first month of training. Everyone was giving tips and instruction on the side in helping him out on how to do Ukemi and techniques. The kid took it all in and earnestly absorbed everything thrown at him. As time when on he got better, and we kept throwing more at him on top of what Sensei was teaching. We got very detailed and specific in our instructions. Don't do that, move exactly like this by putting your foot here, your hand here, your hips like this, then when the Ukei does this blend in this direction by doing this, and harmonize like this. Allot of minute detail.  

Than one day, he hit a brick wall. He was so over loaded with input he was trying to sort it all out at the same time make it work and not disappoint anyone. He crippled his ability to do waza, and regressed to the awkwardness of his first day. He struggle in great difficulty and his frustration grew exponentially because he was constantly trying processing all the information taught to him.  He got so frustrated with Aikido he quite training. He felt he would never understand it or get good at it. 

Of course there was a discussion with Sensei, the result was he was aware of the situation of our hyper-eagerness to assist, which overloaded the kid that eventually had a negative result for all. Sensei instructed us that since this was a rare occurrence that we should be mindful of our eagerness to assist, and be patience, dolling our our knowledge and experience in small amounts to allow for the new student to have time to process the information. Then the student cements the information and has time to comprehend it and learn it. That is why Aikido takes so long to learn. It is not because it is the most effective art. Aikido is an art that has allot of density in terms of information. It isn't an art that can be learn quickly because it isn't something the human initially picks up quickly. Ukemi isn't required by humans like walking is, or reaching for objects. You are asking the human body to do things in such a way that it isn't used to or inclined to do. Hence the word "training."   

I have thought about this kid over the years and it has really taught me a lesson and shaped how I assist others on the mat. It is difficult to do less as we are in a Western society that is structured to provide as much information as quickly as possible, and expect the recipient to digest it as quickly as we give it. We don't think there is other methods or models of dispensing information. Which has brought me to examine this idea that maybe we are stunting the abilities of students when we over-load with information because after time we see or try nothing else. 

On the other hand, it can be said that the model I discribed isn't the issue rather it is the student's ability to processes information. A student who excells is the one who has the capability to process as much information at once and hence excels. They argue the mind works better when information is given in at high and fast rates. The mind works poorly when the information is given in low and slow rates.  

Would any one like to comment? Personally, I don't agree with information over-load in terms of learning Aikido. I think you get alot of case as the kid I told you about.


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## Aikikitty (Jun 11, 2005)

Well, I know for me personally, when I get information overloaded sometimes, I start to get confused and feel frustrated.  Everybody learns differently and and at different speeds.  With beginners though, they don't grasp how complecated Aikido really is and probably won't for a good while.  They look at techniques and see (even when it's broken down into steps) a few motions or one smooth motion.  And while they might be just focusing on taking uke's balance while practicing the technique to start out with, they'll keep forgetting to keep their hands in their center, move with hips & not muscle through with shoulders, or know how to adjust to different size uke's with bodyshifts, etc, etc.  I think telling a beginner to focus on a couple of things in a technique is good, but not a lot of things at once that won't come all naturally to a beginner anyway until they have more experiance or have mostly gotten down those first things.  Also, everyone has their own unique way of doing the same technique, if everybody tells a beginner what to do, he might get conflicting information leading to confusion and frustration.

There used to be a lady in my class who loved Aikido, but dreaded being with a certian black belt because before she even had a chance to do the technique, he start telling her how to do it (after watching Sensei demonstrate it several times).  She really wanted to tell him, "Please, just give me a chance to try it a few times before starting to correct me!" but she never did.  She ended up quitting later, but that was due to knee problems (not the black belt), but as far as I know, she's still frustrated with the guy even though she knew he had good intentions.

So yes, I think it's definitly possible to overload beginners with too much information, but also because Aikido does take so long to learn (and many other reasons), most beginners never stick with it long anyway.  Considering all the people who have come to watch or try out a class, maybe 1 out of 5-8 people, last a month, and it's even rarer if they actually stick and becomes a "regular".

My 2 cents.   :asian: 

Robyn  :asian:


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## silatman (Jun 11, 2005)

When I first started EVERYTHING was hard, how do you step there and push there whilst hitting that!
Now its all become easier because as my instructor says we have now learnt to learn.
Now we are stepping there, pushing that so we can hit.


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## theletch1 (Jun 17, 2005)

Overload?  Sheesh, I still feel like I'm being overloaded on a single technique sometimes. :ultracool   Overload is a hard thing to judge when it comes to the individual student.  I began the study of aikido after having studied other arts for a while so a good deal of what was being thrown at me was not foreign to me...just a little different from the way I was used to doing them.  Overload for me wasn't exactly overload...it was simply a plataue for me that passed after a while.  Once I broke my back I really felt overloaded when I went back to training. It was as if I were beginning all over again and everyone expected me to be the same as I was before I was injured.  I simply had to remind myself that I was training for myself and not for anyone else.  Once I truly (and I mean deep down, epiphany type truly) understood that reaching sho-dan or even the next kyu wasn't what mattered but the techniques that were in my current set then I haven't had a problem with the overload since then.

I suppose the be all and end all of my poorly organized thoughts here is that you MUST take into account the individual with whom you are training, trust that your instructor knows what he is doing (don't try to push your partner faster than your instructor is pushing) and don't forget to enjoy your training.

Happy training all.


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## Yari (Jun 20, 2005)

INformation overload comes from the subject(the person that it happens for). The information is out there, always. Some easier to get than otheres. Some teachers point out information others say nothing. But the informations is stille there.

What I'm trying to say is that a lot of the information overload comes from the person trying to learn, because the perosn is trying to take into much. This is one of the things a person should learn through life: "how do I learn?"


/Yari


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## Shaolinwind (Jun 20, 2005)

AikidoCal said:
			
		

> On the other hand, it can be said that the model I discribed isn't the issue rather it is the student's ability to processes information.
> 
> Would any one like to comment? Personally, I don't agree with information over-load in terms of learning Aikido. I think you get alot of case as the kid I told you about.


 

It sounds to me like he didn't have the will to keep trying rather than a lack of brain power.  I've seen 10 year olds perform long and complicated forms, and I've seen a 1st day student who was at least 17 leave class and go sit down because he couldn't figure out how to punch east and west and pivot at the same time. 

I hate to seem hard-nosed with what I am about to say, because I try to have a gentle approach to people issues.  But honestly if one needs their hand held they should hire a babysitter. Otherwise please shut up and train.

The Police song "too much information" comes to mind. =)


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## CrankyDragon (Aug 23, 2005)

Im with Jeff... NGA/Aikido is a patient man's martial art.  Information overload can be aquired easily.  Ive been training for going on 4 months and feel like Ive missed of a lot of the details.  There is so much to absorb, if too much is thrown at the Aikido-ka, it can be over whelming.  I studied Karate and never felt this way, even after obtaining my yellow belt in Shotokan.  

 With NGA/Aikido, theres so many little details to even which appears to be a simple classical, you struggle to grasp the concept and then to try to perform it properly.

 NGA/Aikido is the only martial art Ive studied that it takes so little to make a huge difference! Thats a lot to focus on.

 I also have the attitude that I want to progress rapidly, I want to absorb everything, I want to learn more... But I also realize that will be my own dimise if I focus too hard too long.  Ill just burn out.  I want to be in this for the long haul, so I pull my reigns back to slow down quite often, for I know Ill just toast myself quickly of I dont.

 So far, Ive 100% enjoyed my Dojo, and my fellow students, we all are eager to perform well and to help others, and that makes a Dojo worth gold!

 Aside for the Naga and Uke stuff, theres the zen and the energy, the thought and the logic of NGA/Aikido to absorbe.  Theres a lot to soak in
 there too!  Heres where some of the magic of this Do system lies! 

 See ya in class Jeff,
 Take care all!
 Andrew


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