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J.Goldschmidt
22nd January 2003, 07:17
:confused: ok, i know i should be taking notes on what im learning, ive just never taken notes for martial arts befor, because, well to be honest, this is the first art ive ever studied, so any help would be appreciated on where to start and what to write

:smilejapa Thanks! :smilejapa


Joshua Goldschmidt
Bujinkan Funin Dojo

Troy McClure
22nd January 2003, 14:18
The first thing you should do is ask your instructor what they think about note taking. Some might not like you writing while they're talking.

Then, you need to think about your learning style. Everyone is different. For me, I can't take notes while being taught. I miss too much while writing.

It's going to be different for everyone, but I'd look around your dojo and see how they each do it to get a feel for different methods.

Rokushakubo
22nd January 2003, 14:29
I don't make notes very often (although I did for a while to update my website - I used to describe the techniques we did each week, but now I just list them).

I never write notes down in class - I always rely on my memory to write them down when I get home. As Troy McClure (is that your real name? :D ) said, you will miss a lot if you do that.

Most of my notes are kept up in my head though. Rather than write techniques down, the best way to remember them is to practise them (same as with anything else, really). Notes on the history of the martial art can be learned from books outside of class.

chikara
22nd January 2003, 15:30
Great topic! I am experiencing some of these issues with regards to notetaking in class. I tend not to pull out the binder too often, although being that I'm working on nanakyu, there are so many things I SHOULD know and keep notes on in order to keep everything straight. Heck, I feel that I must keep reviewing everything I have learned or else I'll lose it. lol

In our dojo, taking notes is encouraged, in fact, our notebook must be reasonably up to date with our current level in order to advance to the next rank. I do notice others stopping to write stuff down, and Sensei is wonderful about repeating things. I still feel odd trying to take notes during a demonstration, so I try to memorize and intend to write things down later. I try to concentrate on practising the moves at the time when everyone is engaged in the technique. Sometimes this does fine, but more often than not, the details don't get written down. And sometimes the difference between the technique coming off well or not.... is a detail. If I am feeling ill on a particular day I go to class and sit taking notes, rather than stay home nursing my illness. This provides a good opportunity to "catch up".

I find that it's not just a matter of writing down the steps, but face it, we are learning a language here as well. My learning style for terminology is such that I like to write down the correctly spelled japanese word or phrase and to memorize an association with the moves. Studying my notebook periodically helps me to recall names and descriptions of techniques for the next "pop quiz". Occasionally, depending on how many people show up to a class, Sensei will suggest that we go through the sheet for our particular rank and go over any questions we may have on what is what.

How do others manage the set-up of their notebook? I take notes in a journal section (chronological) but then I feel it necessary to rework the information into a "topic" format otherwise it's difficult to find the technique for future reference. This does require effort, and expecially if you use your computer to keep your notes in and print them out for your book. Just curious how you use the notes. Does you teacher ever ask to see your notebook?

chikara

Tamdhu
22nd January 2003, 16:14
I like to keep the format simple, like this:

KATA NAME - (attack[s]) - Description of response.

I find it works pretty well to help me focus my thoughts. Others like to add what ryu a given kata is from and so on, which is a good idea too.

If your school is one that actually expects you to test for a new grade, you might want to consider keeping a separate collection of notes specifying what you need to know for the next grade. Ask a senior student or your instructor for the names of the things you need to know and then set about filling in the details over time.

Rokushakubo
22nd January 2003, 16:40
Being only a low ranked student, I don't really need to keep track of all the higher level stuff, like Kiri Sage (which we were doing on Monday night) at the moment.

All my notes are published onto my website:

http://www.btinternet.com/~b.t.hill/

I have sections describing the main bits I'm concerned with at the moment - ukemi, kamae, sanshin, kihon happo (under "Training")- and I also have a Diary which lists the techniques we do on Monday and Thursday nights (although I haven't actually updated it for a while!)

Production is beginning within the next couple of weeks on a training CD-ROM for members of our club, with descriptions of the basic techniques along with images and video clips, and possibly some historical information in the martial arts (if there is enough time!)

Mark J. Toth
22nd January 2003, 19:55
This is a good question, especially for the benefit of beginning students. My advice is simple: TAKE NOTES! If you persevere at this art for any length of time you will wish you had notes of every technique taught to you. With time, the number of techniques begins to get quite staggering and you'll need to go back periodically to review things you haven't practiced for awhile. Not to mention what happens if you begin to teach. Good notes are invaluable (as an aside, even the grandmasters, at least Tanemura Sensei, take notes!).

I appreciate the fact that my teacher gives us a short break to add to our notes. From the beginning, I got in the habit of typing out everything I learned immediately after each class. In the beginning this was a lot of work (although the act of typing also became an extension of training time), but now it is much easier because I have gotten better at remembering and recording.

After ten years of training, I have a notebook of neatly typed notes that is over 100 pages in length. My notes are divided according to Kyu-Dan levels for the two organizations to which I belong (GWNBF Taijutsu & KJJR Jujutsu) as well as for the various specific styles to which I have been exposed (Asayama Ichiden Ryu Taijutsu, Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu, Tanemura Ryu Bikenjutsu, etc.). If my teacher tells us to pull out our notes and pair up to review certain techniques, I can find my place in half the time it takes other students with hand written notes, especially if these are arranged chronologically (that is, in the order they learned it).

At the same time, I would never dream of posting my notes for public consumption. First of all, my notes will only make sense to me because they are written in my own short-hand. Actually, it took me some time before I came up with a method for describing the movements of each technique without using too many words. To the outsider it would read very cryptically, but it makes perfect sense to me. Usually!

My teacher once compared our personal notes to the scrolls the grandmaster maintains for each ryu-ha. I like that charaterization because it conveys something of the value I place on what I've learned over the years. Consider all the time, money, and emotional investment you are making in this endeavor. Do you want to rely on something as fleeting as memory?

Respectfully,

Mark J. Toth
Milwaukee, WI

michaelCODY
27th January 2003, 18:00
This is actually interesting to me because since I have been training, not taking has always been basically frowned upon in our class. I do however, admit I take notes.

poryu
27th January 2003, 18:11
Hi all

I maintain my notes when ever I hear something new regardless of who it is from. AS long as its valid I make a note of it.

I was most interested when i saw the Takamatsu video hatsumi has, to see Hatsumi himself taking notes in a book.

I think note are personal and you should keep them to yourself, and not put on the net.

i made the mistake some years ago with giving away large amounts of copies of my notes, these past few years several seniors worldwide have been selling them. Making money out of them when I gave them for free.

If you want to make notes, make them, if your instructor allows it in class then do it, if not then do them at home. But keep them safe and to yourself.