Mirrors

[terryl965]

How many of you have your Dojaang surrounded by mirrors, I know they say it helps with teaching techniques but I dis-agree. I believe they have no place in a school and brings on bad habits from the student. Just would like to get your take on it

 

[ajs1976]

I think they can be a useful training tool. I have been able to pickout things I need to work on by looking in a mirror. It has been very humbling at times.

They can also be a major distraction at times. I have also seen others that have to constently watch themselves.

 

[IcemanSK]

We have them all the way across the front of the room & a few across a side wall. The room is also used for dance. I like having them because it gives the students an opportunity to see their technique as they do it. Do they get distracted, sometimes? Sure. But I think the benefits outweigh the possibility of distraction.

 

[exile]

We train in a community rec center, and have a couple of very large mirrors in one of the training rooms. I really don't like to use them, for this reason: if I keep my eye on my movements in the mirror, my head position isn't right for most of the techniques I'm doing; i.e., if I'm doing the techniques right, my eyes will be directed towards the mirror for only a few fractions of a second. I've worked out in rooms with complete walls of mirrors, and oddly enough, it doesn't seem to make much difference---I just can't seem to follow my movements in the mirror without distorting my technique.

What I'd rather have in place is a camcorder setup where you could perform a hyung or practice a series of rear-leg side kicks, or something else where keeping your eye on yourself through the whole tech is incompatible with what you're practicing, and then immediately afterward look over the footage and draw the necessarily conclusions from what you see.

 

[matt.m]

We have mirrors on 3 of 4 sides. I don't really pay attention to them, there has never been a big focus on them during training either.

 

[Ceicei]

I love them. I am both a visual and kinetic learner (especially since I am deaf). When my instructor is showing me something, I can also see from the mirror the other side of what he is doing. Best of all, when I am working on my own, I can see my mistakes with the mirrors and learn to self-correct.

I have worked before in studios that didn't have any mirrors. When people say I do certain movements that could be done better, I sometimes think I'm okay (because I cannot see myself). Going to a place with mirrors and seeing myself making these same moves confirms what others say was correct after all.

- Ceicei

 

[Jade Tigress]

We have mirrors on one wall in both my current school and my former one. Personally, I find them to be helpful for making corrections. But I am a visual-kinetic learner. So I have to see, then do, one without the other will really slow down my learning process. (just like ceicei! )

I can understand how it could be a distraction for some though, and I don't think all walls need to be mirrored.

 

[Kacey]

We have mirrors on one short wall, which means only the front row can see them. Since those are the senior students, it's not usually problem.

 

[Miles]

We have mirror at the front wall only. I agree that for all but the beginners, the mirrors are a great asset and tool. But, I notice that the beginners tend to watch themselves or others in the mirrors which can be a problem. As an instructor, I like having the mirrors as I can see around people when I am in the back of the dojang.

Miles

 

[BrandiJo]

the school i go to has one long mirror and its maybe 3 feet wide. Its good for practicing in front of but i am glad its not on all 4 walls that would be a distraction as i tend to focus on the negitive areas of my body.

 

[Drac]

How many of you have your Dojaang surrounded by mirrors, I know they say it helps with teaching techniques but I dis-agree. I believe they have no place in a school and brings on bad habits from the student. Just would like to get your take on it

I have NEVER seen a Dojo or Dojang without mirrors..Recreation centers are the only exception...

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

My Training Hall does not have mirrors. Not that they cannot be a useful tool or a distraction as well. Aesthetically I just do not like the mirror look.

 

[Ceicei]

I prefer mirrors on one wall, not on all four walls. I wasn't sure if my post earlier implied I needed all four. I have not been in a studio that had more than one wall with a mirror.

- Ceicei

 

[exile]

I prefer mirrors on one wall, not on all four walls.
- Ceicei

Definitely!---a room with all fours walls with mirrors creates a crazy infinite repetition of reflections, with each wall refeflecting the reflections on the other three walls. I actually have trained in a rooms like that and the effect is... disturbing. Every time you do something, an infinitely long line of diminishing-sized images does the same thing. It was in the aerobics room of a gym I belonged to... I have no idea what they could have been thinking when they set up that room---that people would work out there with their eyes closed??

 

[searcher]

Of the two current locations that I train in, one has mirrors and one does not. Yes they can be helpful, but they can also be dangerous. Run into one and they seem to break for some odd reason.

 

[kik]

I thinks the mirrors are a great asset to those who chose to use them such as my self. I will do 1 move such as a side kick, then while in the ending position of the kick I will turn to look and see how my posture is, ie..is my kick up high enough or is my shoulder dropped to far or are my hands at the correct positions. it's a grat tool if you don't let yourself get caught up in looking at yourself while your actually doing your moves.

Kik

 

[exile]

I thinks the mirrors are a great asset to those who chose to use them such as my self. I will do 1 move such as a side kick, then while in the ending position of the kick I will turn to look and see how my posture is, ie..is my kick up high enough or is my shoulder dropped to far or are my hands at the correct positions.

So you can freeze in the extended position for a good long time? Outstanding---it's a skill I've been working on for the past few months and it ain't easy!

it's a grat tool if you don't let yourself get caught up in looking at yourself while your actually doing your moves.
Kik

Yes, that's my problem with mirrors---using them and moving right seem incompatible. Good point about using them to check form in static positions.

 

[The Kidd]

We have them across the front wall, I have to go with majority and say I like them for my own personal training and when I am teaching, the kids can get distracted but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

Too many mirrors can be a distraction. One or two mirrors can definitely be a useful aid in correcting form and technique, as long as you're not using the mirrors to admire yourself.

 

[TKDmel]

Of the 4-5 schools I've attended, they all used mirrors. I use them only to observe the instructors demonstration of a technique when the practice floor is full and I can't see the instructor. As far as proper form and technique goes, I listen to my body. After 25 yrs. I have an awareness if it feels right, if the alignment is right, if the stance is deep enough etc.