Tips re concentration/learning new techniques?

Question

Hi,
Have some problems repeating/learning what somebody shows me ie new techniques. I would consider myself to have at least average intelligence(degree etc) however if being shown some sort of physical technique, its almost like it goes in one ear and out the other. Can any advice be offered re the aquisition of new techniques? Many thanks.

Answer 1

It may seem to go in one ear and fly out the other, but observe how you learn a little closer. You will find that you learn very slowly, perhaps, but once you "get" something, it's in there forever. So the way you are actually learning new skills and techniques is very important, and you are already on the right track. Do not rush. Because you learn very slowly and meticulously, take your time and get all the details and spend a lot of time with those details until you master them. There is absolutely no need to rush. When you rush, you gloss over the important stuff, (like the centering presence of gravity) and it simply does not sink in. When you get involved and go slower, the material you wish to master will go much deeper into your consciousness until it all becomes part of your instincts, and from your instincts you will manifest a knowledge which will surpass book or surface knowledge, and it will even surpass the instruction of your teacher, because you are you and not him. Let your mind become very quiet inside and you yourself become very deliberate when someone is showing you something new. Do not be concerned at all whether the learning is happening or not, just give the new lessons your absolute and undivided attention. Concentrate on active listening, and just do your best to stay focused on what is being shown to you. Stay very alert. Very soon you will look back and begin to notice you have absorbed far more than you thought you did. When I was studying how to drive a car I felt I was hopeless, and then I later found myself quoting the instruction manual almost verbatim. I was noticing things like proper lane usage, distances to follow based upon the speed traveled, and a million other little things I never thought I had learned. The bottom line is to get focused on being quiet inside when something new is being shown to you and do not create an attitude about your learning processes which will only slow down the whole thing even further. Become ALL EARS AND EYES and you will become like a sponge and begin to absorb everything you are shown. You will also begin to get a little bolder and start to demand of your teacher to reinforce the parts you do not understand. If he is any good at all you will find he has infinite patience to stop the world and show you even how to balance on the front of one foot for ten minutes. Feel the strength in your legs. Walk in the woods often to strength ALL the muscles in your legs for keener balance. Close your eyes and stand on one foot and do not hold your breath. Now, do you see how quickly you are learning? Well, it is because of how quiet you have become with me while we were chatting... sent to you with good energies from Chris in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A. (I am 63 years old and when I studied classical ballet, my teacher was 81 years old. She was still doing triple beats in the air with perfect balance and strength and she easily tired me to the point of almost giving up. I will never forget the value she had to me. She is now in Spirit. She is no longer with me in this world. But she taught me one thing: you can sneak up on the greatest knowledge a little bit at a time until it opens its arms and embraces you. I wish you total success in everything you undertake and direct your attention upon, and do not be concerned about mastering your art. You will. It is not a question of if. It is a question of when. - C.

Answer 2

I am one of those people that get easily confused with my right & left's and I agree totally with what loveinthisgames has explained already, is to get your instructor to stand next to you in the same stance and go through the move step.by.step.. Don't be afraid to ask to be shown if you don't get it, It's important you get the technique correct before you continuosly continue to apply the move because if you start to do the technique incorrect the first time it will be even harder to shake the bad technique and learn it the proper way later on.. and i stress don't be afraid to keep asking your instructor again and again if you are having difficulty learning any technique, they are there to teach you and will be more than happy to spend ages going through a move with you to get it right rather than you go and use incorrect techniques later that may cause damage to your body..


Also ask your intsructor questions like what area of the body should this be aimed at?? or in what type or situation would I apply this method... It'll give you a greater understanding of the move.. I find knowing those two things help me alot when applying my technique..

Answer 3

For physical techniques, simply STOP THEM. Explain what you just told US and have them show you by reaching around you and letting you do it correctly at least 3 times. Yes, 3 times. It takes that many for your body to acquire the feeling for the accuracy you need. There is NO SHAME in having something explained or shown to you this way, the shame is KNOWING you need it and not asking. (I'm the same as you, I can see it all day, but if you don't stop and SHOW ME physically how to do it, I'm lost). I'm not stupid by any means, but mechanically my body just cannot interpret what it sees and apply it to itself correctly for some reason (at least all the time). However, by someone taking me, moving me the correct way and allowing ME to do it, I can and do pick it up. If this doesn't work, tutoring is the next best thing.

Answer 4

If all else fails, i.e. you can't simply concentrate, or can't silence your mind to allow for learning to happen, this might work for you:

Video footage of you performing the routine/technique with your teacher/master showing you how to do it is one of the best ways you can check on your progress. It's almost similar to using the mirror but have the comparison (between you and your teacher) outrightly in one image/screen.

(Shame technology wasn't the same years ago when I was doing martial arts as a kid). Anyway, I've used it on my indoor rockclimbing training and proved to be effective in assessing and identifying my strengths/weaknesses which greatly improved my performance ultimately.

People are so dependent on visual stimuli these days. Just think of how tv commercials/adverts stick to our minds incessantly. So will your personal video footage if you give it a try.

Good luck.

Answer 5

get them to go though the moves with you very slowly, and not in front of you but facing the same way as you, preferably looking at a mirror, you will be able to see the moves easier and your brain wont get confused trying to work out if the other person is using left or right arms, legs. Repeat and gradually build up the speed till you are confident. Hope this helps

Answer 6

First question , are the techniques being shown at full speed, are they broken down into bite sized pieces. maybe you could change perspective and observe things in a different way ,take on board what you do understand, find common ground . there are only so many ways ,angles of attack, defence. only so many punches,kicks, etc ,play it over in your mind straight away, try and get your Sifu or Sensei to show it from both sides. hope this helps

Answer 7

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Answer 8

We all have different learning styles. Some learn best by hearing, others by watching, some by doing & still others by writing things down & reading it over. Since I don't know you, I don't know what your style is. All I can suggest is that you try different things & see wgat works for you.

Answer 9

You need to clarify what your preferred learning style is and accept that you can only do what you do best and try to tailor you learning that way.