Lack of co-ordination!

[Raewyn]

Hi
I suffer from this!! What can I do? When we have to block and do different things with our hands and legs, for some reason I have difficulty getting it all together. I also have trouble with learning techniques. I have to be shown again and again. Is this because I dont really understand the technique, am I not focusing enough?? Please help!

 

[TigerWoman]

We all have that! Hopefully not all the time. It just takes practice. If you get used to blocking a certain way, doing it alot of times, repetition, you will retain this memory and you won't have to think about it. Keep at it!
TW

 

[Flatlander]

Hi
I suffer from this!! What can I do? When we have to block and do different things with our hands and legs, for some reason I have difficulty getting it all together. I also have trouble with learning techniques. I have to be shown again and again. Is this because I dont really understand the technique, am I not focusing enough?? Please help!

Hi Raisin!
Don't sweat it, your co-ordination will progress with time, and practice. One of the things that has truly helped me to co-ordinate my body mechanics so that everything moves the right way is the "sibat" or long pole, or staff if you prefer. By learning to move the sibat, you bring your entire body together as a coherent unit, and all your parts must play together.

Something else that may help to expedite the process for you is the drilling with a partner. Drill and drill and drill some more. It will help, but as I said, it takes time. Your body needs to learn the sensitivity to react to the energy you feel, and this is most certainly an acquired skill.

Keep rockin', it will all come together! :asian:

 

[gmunoz]

Keep doing it over and over again. When you finish that then do it over and over again. It comes with time. There is nothing else you need to do from what I know. Keep it up!

 

[Enson]

"practice makes perfect"! i know, i know... that is what i tell my piano student.... but its true! do it super slow and then speed it up. sensei always says "you want to get good at something...? just keep doing it." we teach to go slow so your muscles memorize the movements.

peace

 

[michaeledward]

I think it is actually "Perfect Practice Makes Perfect". Don't get caught practicing the wrong thing.

I had a private lesson this morning, which we video taped. My instructor pointed out, and told me (several times) to review the end of Long Form 1. Apparently, I am not cocking my off-hand during the second half of the form.

There would be two reasons for this that we came up with right off the bat;1) I'm lazy and its too much work 2) I am not aware that I am doing this. I think it is reason #2 ... hopefully, by having my instructor point it out, and seeing it on the video tape will allow me to practice more perfectly.

So .. my suggestion is to video tape your moves and review.

Good Luck ---- Great Avatar

 

[MJS]

Hi
I suffer from this!! What can I do? When we have to block and do different things with our hands and legs, for some reason I have difficulty getting it all together. I also have trouble with learning techniques. I have to be shown again and again. Is this because I dont really understand the technique, am I not focusing enough?? Please help!

Hey Raisin! You've already gotten some excellent advice and I agree with what was said. Start off slow and gradually build up to your goal. Unfortunately, there is no quick solution, just repitition!

Keep up the hard work and before you know it, everything will be second nature!!

Mike

 

[Ping898]

Ditto to what everyone else said. Personally if I am having a really tought time with things I like to do a couple different things as well, work just the hands or just the feet to the point where it becomes second nature and then combine it. Also visualizing what you want to do several times can help. I do that especially if I don't have the room to practise enough, but still need to work on getting the coordination down. That and obviously...don't give up, keep working it, especially if you can do it with someone around to make sure you are doing it correct!

 

[Enson]

I think it is actually "Perfect Practice Makes Perfect". Don't get caught practicing the wrong thing.

i have to maybe disagree with that. when you are practicing you have to remember that you need to improve what you do badley. some people practice just to impress themselves... this is especially true with music. of course if someone/yourself see and error in what you are doing then you take that and make it better... but, even if you are practicing it less than perfect at first... its an on going improvement.

peace

 

[Sarah]

And at least you can laugh at yourself...no wait...was that me laughing!!!

Seriously you are getting better, you just don’t see it yet, remember what you use to be like in cardio...hehehe, your co-ordination is so much better now!

Its only because we were doing something new last night, you'll get it.

At least you dont fall over trying to do a spinning hook kick on your left like I do...now that was just hysterical!

 

[Raewyn]

At least you dont fall over trying to do a spinning hook kick on your left like I do...now that was just hysterical![/QUOTE]


I missed that one!!!!!



Thank you all for the advise so far!!! Alot of people in the class seem to pick things up alot quicker than I do!! Maybe i need to focus a bit more???

 

[Sarah]

Thank you all for the advise so far!!! Alot of people in the class seem to pick things up alot quicker than I do!! Maybe i need to focus a bit more???

Don’t be so hard on yourself, are you forgetting that we were a few of the only people that knew our criteria last night!

 

[jfarnsworth]

We were discussing this same type of material last night in class. Remember that you are just starting your journey through the martial arts. I know you've been there 1.5 yrs but that's just a beginning. Some things come more naturally to others and harder to some. It goes both ways. Eventually by sticking with it you're continual use of repetitions will pay off. It takes a guts to stay in the martial arts year after year don't be hard on yourself just yet :uhyeah: ! If you would like evaluate yourself 6 months ago. How about a year ago or even better yet after you just started. Remember if it were really that easy then everyone would do it. Martial arts is just plain hard work. I don't care of the style it's hard work. Keep plugging away.
Jason

 

[michaeledward]

Alot of people in the class seem to pick things up alot quicker than I do!

Like fly-fishing, I think, Martial Arts is an individual endeavor. Even though I have a fishing-buddie .... we are really just two guys doing the same thing at the same time in the same vacinity, we aren't really fishing together.

So it is, I think, with Kenpo (the art which I study), I am learning the skills in the presence of other people, but I do not measure my progress against theirs.

Perserverence.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Hmmmmm,
Now I'm beginning to wonder about the existance and the origin of Kenpo's Coordination set 1 and set 2! :uhyeah:

 

[Raewyn]

Like fly-fishing, I think, Martial Arts is an individual endeavor. Even though I have a fishing-buddie .... we are really just two guys doing the same thing at the same time in the same vacinity, we aren't really fishing together.

So it is, I think, with Kenpo (the art which I study), I am learning the skills in the presence of other people, but I do not measure my progress against theirs.

Perserverence.

Thank you for that. I do tend to sometimes compare myself with other people,,, then I just get depressed

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Well, it sounds like you want to be coordinated so you can do martial arts. Flip it around. How about doing martial arts so you can be coordinated? It changes the goal and lowers the frustration levels. At least I think so.

Honestly, Raisin...give it time. Coordination is a difficult thing to develop. Some of us have less of it than others. I work with handicapped kids who have improved their coordination dramatically. They inspire me when I start to feel klutzy.

As to memorizing things...try going over the stuff verbally with another student of your rank. Pretend you're teaching them what you just learned. It grooves it in the brain a little better, like a stylus that runs back and forth. You take the info in, you let the info out...correct as you go. Then let them do it with you so you can hear them run through the process.

Note taking is also helpful. If you can develop an effective means of describing the techniques to yourself, that can be helpful.


Regards,


Steve

 

[Raewyn]

Never looked it at that way. Thanks Steve

 

[sifu Adams]

Let me try and don't laugh untill you try it.

I have done a lot of work with ADD and ADHD kids and one of my students and I have learned a lot on how pressure points and energy-mind ect works with the martial arts. As for cordanation and balance. to put in simple terms. one side of your brain is dominant. when that happens it is hard to cross the body (ex. kick with right foot and punch with the left ect...) I would suggest that you first. massage your ears (this is a comming tech. that will allow you to stay focused on the task at hand) while standing cross your legs and bend down and touch your toes. (basic strech but this works both sides of the brain) repeat 10sec. 2 times each side. Next sit down spread legs out and do toe touches with oppisit hand (right hand touch left foot ect...)( this helps with the cross over movement ) I would do these exercises everyday and just before you are going to workout. email me if need more explanation.

 

[Raewyn]

Sounds interesting. Will try it!