Finding it hard to remember martial arts moves

[Styles316]

In MMA my sensei demonstrates a move in steps. When I come to do it I either forget the whole thing or get it mixed up. This happens a lot in ju jitsu. I ave improved the way I rmember things but still need a little help. Does anyone have any tips for remembering the moves after they have been demonstrated? Or do you have the same problems?

Any advise would be great!

Mark

 

[pdg]

Practice them with corrections where necessary.

Then practice them some more.

 

[Headhunter]

The 3 Ps

Practice practice and....damm forgot the last one

 

[Buka]

Crib sheet.

 

[drop bear]

Everyone has that problem.

 

[Hanzou]

Watching vids after class helped me remember things, and also gave me a few extra tips my instructor didn't.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Everyone has that problem.

View attachment 21815

This. Just this.

And what @Buka said. Just those two things.

And what @Hanzou said. Just those three things.

And practice. Just those four things.

 

[marques]

In MMA my sensei demonstrates a move in steps. When I come to do it I either forget the whole thing or get it mixed up. This happens a lot in ju jitsu. I ave improved the way I remember things but still need a little help. Does anyone have any tips for remembering the moves after they have been demonstrated? Or do you have the same problems?

Any advise would be great!

Mark

MMA sensei? Anyway, it is normal and it will improve with time, for sure.

It is so normal that I have seen even instructors doing variations of similar moves without realising. Then students were confused and asking... So if you are just starting, don’t horry.

Very often, I cannot get every new stuff at once, but if I get part of it clear, it is already a small success. If you cannot understand all the move, memorise/understand the first part/s. Repeat, repeat. Then you can ask your partner or sensei what is next. Repeat, repeat. And you finish the training a bit more skilled than when you started. Be happy with small improvements.

 

[PiedmontChun]

Drilling is the obvious answer but when learning something new and it has not been drilled over and over yet - keep a notebook. Otherwise it is possible you will remember the larger movements but forget important details. Or its possible you will remember steps 1, 2, and forget step 3 so get "stuck". You can either review when not in class, or when you have opportunity in your training to work on whatever you want with a partner, like an open mat.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

As others have said, practice and repetition are the biggest keys. Keeping a notebook where you record as many details as you can remember after each class can also be useful.

Another very important factor is learning to recognize concepts and principles rather than just trying to remember technical details by rote.

Jiu-jitsu has a virtually unlimited number of techniques and variations, each with a fair number of significant details. If you try to memorize all the details of all the techniques your instructor shows you then you'll be up to literally thousands of details in just a few years.

A better approach is to understand that all these techniques, all these variations, all these details are just situational expressions of a relatively small number of fundamental principles. This allows you to
"get" the techniques much more intuitively.

 

[Hanzou]

Also try to roll as much as possible. When I was first starting out, I rolled a LOT, and that really helped me get the principles and techniques more quickly because I was actually applying them. Additionally I was picking up things from the people I was rolling with.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Also try to roll as much as possible. When I was first starting out, I rolled a LOT, and that really helped me get the principles and techniques more quickly because I was actually applying them. Additionally I was picking up things from the people I was rolling with.

This is a good point.

OP: One of the strengths in the most common BJJ approach is that there are quickly lots of opportunities to roll. Doing what you can with a good partner will get you to those principles Tony talked about.

 

[Styles316]

MMA sensei? Anyway, it is normal and it will improve with time, for sure.

It is so normal that I have seen even instructors doing variations of similar moves without realising. Then students were confused and asking... So if you are just starting, don’t horry.

Very often, I cannot get every new stuff at once, but if I get part of it clear, it is already a small success. If you cannot understand all the move, memorise/understand the first part/s. Repeat, repeat. Then you can ask your partner or sensei what is next. Repeat, repeat. And you finish the training a bit more skilled than when you started. Be happy with small improvements.

Thanks guys!

That's what I have been doing lately just memorising the first few parts then I'll ask what's next. Earlier when I first started when my teacher demonstrates a move and then when I try to copy it my mind goes blank. I think that's because I'm thinking too hard. Also, I do write things down I have also downloaded an app called “simple minds,” just to keep a log of what I've been taught that day. I just have to practise more.

Thankyou!

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Thanks guys!

That's what I have been doing lately just memorising the first few parts then I'll ask what's next. Earlier when I first started when my teacher demonstrates a move and then when I try to copy it my mind goes blank. I think that's because I'm thinking too hard. Also, I do write things down I have also downloaded an app called “simple minds,” just to keep a log of what I've been taught that day. I just have to practise more.

Thankyou!

This can sometimes come down to a mild mismatch of approach between the instructor and the student. The way I explain things sometimes seems deep and helpful to people training with other instructors. For others in the same group, it seems confusing.

Of course, even if it's a mismatch, that doesn't mean that's not a good instructor for you. It just might mean it's a bit harder for you than for the person training next to you. Not a big deal, usually.