Class Notes?

Class Notes?

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Class Notes? - Mar. 9th, 2007, 1:06:18 AM

MrRobato

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Class Notes?

Printed From: Kenpo Thoughts
Forum Name: General Talk
Forum Discription: General discussions on various topics on Martial Arts and Kenpo/Kempo

Topic: Class Notes?

Posted By: taoist spider
Subject: Class Notes?
Date Posted: 26 April 2006 at 9:29am

Notes do you take them?

I am a note taker. When I see something new in class I put off all but emergency issues when I get home so that I can put my thoughts down on paper. I find it helps the next day when I start practicing to have those reminders.

I used to keep them on my hard drive alone, but after a crash and I had to start over and now I keep 2 CD back up in separate places. One in fire safe @ home & one in the glove box of my truck.

I practice with a hard copy @ home.

Being of only average intelligence I find it impossible to remember it all and need to review regularly to keep fresh.

To many dances! So little brain space!

How many dances can you keep in your head @ one time?

For me its aprox 4 or 5 formal dances, but I start to loose it when it comes to the variations.

Each dance has a Formal, a backwards & a 4 winds & 4 variations with 10 to 14 movements and after a while they start to blend together with out the notes.

Do you share them? I do not.

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look around inside, you just might like your-self

Replies:

Posted By: Zoran
Date Posted: 26 April 2006 at 2:09pm

I've never really been much of a note taker. I do write some notes about concepts and such when the light bulb goes off. Eventually I write an article just for myself, which I sometimes publish on this site or some other.

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Zoran "Z-Rex" Sevic
http://www.martial-links.com - Martial-Links - Web design and hosting
http://www.martialartsindustry.net - Martial Arts Industry Network

Posted By: Rookie
Date Posted: 28 April 2006 at 9:02pm

I thought about taking notes, but I feel that if I do, my techniques and variations would tend to be formulaic. You know what I mean? I feel that with me personally, I would tend to just stick to doing techniques and variations the way I wrote them down.
I like to take notes on more drill oriented stuff like practicing footwork, hitting the bag, kicking, punching, combinations, etc.

Posted By: taoist spider
Date Posted: 29 April 2006 at 8:06pm

You are right about one thing. The concern over weather or not you will “Self-Express” when it comes to self-defense is real for me as well. I think one of the reasons I take notes is that I find it hard not to self –express when I comes to practice. I am constantly looking to see where the next move will take me by adding on to it or changing the entrance or exit into a movement.

I want however to perform and be able to teach each movement as it was shown to me in class. I worry about not being able to give my future students the system as it was handed down to me.

I guess I want to give it to them as it was given to me, not my impression of what was given to me.

Who am I to edit a system? One of the age old questions for every Martial Artist @ one point or another.

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look around inside, you just might like your-self

Posted By: Kenpo-Father
Date Posted: 02 May 2006 at 2:48pm

quote:

taoist spider] Notes do you take them?

I am a note taker. When I see something new in class I put off all but emergency issues when I get home so that I can put my thoughts down on paper. I find it helps the next day when I start practicing to have those reminders.

I used to keep them on my hard drive alone, but after a crash and I had to start over and now I keep 2 CD back up in separate places. One in fire safe @ home & one in the glove box of my truck.

I practice with a hard copy @ home.

Being of only average intelligence I find it impossible to remember it all and need to review regularly to keep fresh.

To many dances! So little brain space!

How many dances can you keep in your head @ one time?

For me its aprox 4 or 5 formal dances, but I start to loose it when it comes to the variations.

Each dance has a Formal, a backwards & a 4 winds & 4 variations with 10 to 14 movements and after a while they start to blend together with out the notes.

Do you share them? I do not.

Notes, Do I take them.... YEP
Do I share them............ YEP (with the world)

Thank goodness Mr. Parker shared also (Infinite Insights)

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This is American Kenpo, if you have a question..... The answer is usually out on the mat

Posted By: Ty Moore
Date Posted: 07 May 2006 at 10:53pm

All the time. I also track my daily work outs so I can make sure I don’t go to long with doing my weapons, sparing or basics between working on all my forms, kempos and DMs. Another reason is my sensei tends to give us advanced moves during group and demo team practice that I don’t want to lose over time. Yes, I share them.
Cheers,
Ty

Posted By: taoist spider
Date Posted: 08 May 2006 at 6:30pm

For those that share, a question related this subject and perhaps at least in part the reasoning behind why I chose not to.

Were I study My teacher sells “outlines” of the “Formal Basic” stuff taught in class and it is reviewed regularly. Some of the other stuff (the stuff he does not sell notes on and their is a lot of it) I have only seen twice since I started studying Kenpo and personal notes are a big part of it. The philosophy of the school is something like this:

The Grand Master as part of making his living sells notes on the basic stuff, Privates are available to fill in the gaps if you miss class or wish to excel beyond how far the classes will take you. Please do not just give or sell your notes to others as it lessons the ability of the Grand Master to make a living. Also remember that we want people to come to class and participate. If you are helping people out by giving them notes to things they have never even seen in class, They will attempt to learn it at home with out the proper supervision and the movements will be altered or the student will learn it in a way that will not work or even injure the student. But the worst thing of all will be that not only will he or she not come to class and you will lose a training partner, but that when they do consent to come they still won’t know what they are doing.

Last Month he chose to review the Green Belt Variations to Iron Fan. I missed some of this stuff due to work (I was out of town for 3 weeks) and have never seen the variations to the Brown Belt Material because of an illness my wife had. I would love to have this knowledge but I have to admit that a couple of time I did study higher than I was shown in class I created muscle memory that took a long time to correct. Needless to say my attendance this month has been perfect.

It comes down to this for me:

I owe him too much to hurt him and People who don’t train with the class slow the class down!

I would be interested in knowing why you choose to?

I am sure every school handles it differently and mine is the only world I know.

Tiger Runs Down Mountain

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look around inside, you just might like your-self

Posted By: Kenpo-Father
Date Posted: 08 May 2006 at 10:06pm

quote:

taoist spider]For those that share, a question related this subject and perhaps at least in part the reasoning behind why I chose not to.
Were I study My teacher sells “outlines” of the “Formal Basic” stuff taught in class and it is reviewed regularly.

quote:

taoist spider]The Grand Master as part of making his living sells notes on the basic stuff,

So copyright it!!
Your initial question was about, personal notes not purchased school notes.

quote:

taoist spider]I owe him too much

Then go to class and stop buying notes!!

I'm sorry, no disrespect, just having fun.....

We have different ideas about taking notes,
I'm trying to document my Kenpo Journey for
future reflection and other reasons.

As for the details of technique execution, how to increase power, improve posture or body alignment........
I practice and try to put those details onto my muscle memory not written notes.

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This is American Kenpo, if you have a question..... The answer is usually out on the mat

Posted By: taoist spider
Date Posted: 09 May 2006 at 7:37pm

He copyrighted everything in 1987. All of the dances, & style name are his personal property.

How do you copy right a punch you ask?

It’s not the punch it is how the dances are put together and how each dance fits on top of the dance before it. I guess you can say the evolution of how his system develops from one dance to the next.

I did buy all of the manuals I could. I did not buy the Blue belt stuff and had to rebuild that info from class time notes. I was separated from my wife at the time and responsibilities to her and my girls took first priority. No Cash!

As far as fundamentals (I will talk till you just walk away about Foundation & Balance issues) and any other information exchange is encouraged as long as it happens out on the floor.

No disrespect taken, I am sure every Dojo is different and that my friend is why we are here.

I don’t share because I respect Him. I honestly cannot say how I will feel when he passes on and his children take over. His kids don’t help out much with his school.

Several of the larger Kenpo schools in this area whose founders were once students of his and to this day still use his copyrighted materials to teach. They change the names and order of the movements to get around the copy rite issues & and to avoid paying him his royalties. Yet still claim to be his students.

One some level this looks like its just for the money, but I can honestly say it is not. He is just trying to survive. His rent alone for his 9,000 sq foot school is over $6,500.00 a month and the Ele. Bill is $900 a month.

This was also the guy who when I told him I could no longer afford to bring my girls or myself for that mater to class because I could no longer afford it. He simply stopped charging me. I still had to pay for testing but I have not paid due on a monthly basis for 5 years. His dues just went up to $90.00 a month, Not the cheapest I am sure but it not uncommon in the bay area to hear of schools that charge over $120 per month in the San Francisco bay area.

He has some very real expenses and taking away even a small part of his income hurts.

Tiger Runs Down Mountain.

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look around inside, you just might like your-self

Posted By: Kenpo-Father
Date Posted: 09 May 2006 at 9:39pm

taoist spider,
It sounds like you have a great Sensei/GM and a real teacher/student bond.

My daughter and I love our school and we support it in every way we can.

Good luck with your training Kenpo brother!!

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This is American Kenpo, if you have a question..... The answer is usually out on the mat

Posted By: Ty Moore
Date Posted: 14 May 2006 at 2:24pm

I share them because it is permitted. All students have the student manuals and my Senei’s have hand outs they make available for free of the Kempos that are not in the manual. I keep notes on everything, my sparring sessions, advanced techniques, weapons training, demo team routines and my daily work outs. I have been doing this for over a year and my Sensei also reviews them with me for accuracy.

If I was hurting the Dojo or my Sensei’s by doing this or it was against the rules I wouldn’t do it.
Respectfully,
Ty

Posted By: taoist spider
Date Posted: 15 May 2006 at 11:44pm

I must admit I think just on general principle I like the sharing thing. I do not believe there really are not any secrets or magic moves. It is just a lot of hard work and the study of body mechanics as applied under duress. Throw in a couple of books from Barns and Noble on the Kundalini, dedicate half of your life to it and you will the baldest old man on the block. (Tongue in check just a little bit)

I am no ware near the place I will end up, but in the mere 6 years I have been training in and around my life I am amazed at how a little hard work training the mind and body will change you and your life. (I can only train aprox. 12 to 14 hours a week, A mans gotta live!)

I think I would be further down my path but I find it hard to give up dark beer, chockalott doughnuts and old Kung Fu movies. (The movies are bad for the mind.)

The Master I study with is VERY old school in a lot of ways. He really is one of the last of the “old vanguard”. After he retires I know my “Kenpo life” will change forever and I am not looking forward to it.

I guess that is small part of why I am here, I am trying to try and imagine what will happen to my “Kenpo Life” after his school closes and all of you give me just a little slice of what is to come.

I am sure not all of it will be bad, just very different.

Tiger Runs Down Mountain

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look around inside, you just might like your-self

Posted By: Sadie
Date Posted: 19 August 2006 at 2:18am

I dont keep notes, because most things that touch me end up in the vortex of missing socks but if I need to remember something specific like kyai placement in a kata or bone theory I'll write it down to help drill it into my head. For most of the other stuff though, self defences and all that I can learn without paper. (It's just the remembering everything during the grading i guess.. heheh..

)

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Posted By: Mushu
Date Posted: 21 August 2006 at 11:29pm

I do take notes. Not all of the time though. At the last couple of seminars, I was the only one taking notes. The process of taking notes helps me remember even if I don't read them very often. I really only share my seminar notes with one longtime training partner. We work on all of the material together so it is mutally benificial.

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It's a great day to be alive!

Posted By: Old-Tiger
Date Posted: 16 September 2006 at 7:11pm

I am just starting out and take some notes. Most notes for me, however, are in the form of a journal. For example, last night Chogonim Eddie (again) showed me that what I thought was simply "form" was in fact an excellent defense. My confusing form with fighting technique is, I suspect, something all beginners must go through. When such things are explained to me I am always amazed. That technique went into my journal.