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Accelerating Toward Your Goals: Learning in the Martial Arts Studio

While working out in the studio, you probably haven’t stopped to think about how you learn movements or retain information. Furthermore, you may not realize why certain facts, details or techniques are easier to learn than others. Understanding how you learn is important to learning in a martial arts environment. By utilizing techniques that suit your learning style can increase memory, accelerate progression toward your goals, and improve self-esteem.

Most people recognize the kinds of things that make learning easier for them; when asked, their responses often include comments like, “I understand or remember something better if I actually see it…do it…hear it…draw it or write it down.” In fact, everyone to varying degrees utilizes more than one of these learning techniques to help them comprehend or remember information more effectively. However, there’s usually one dominant method that individuals rely upon in a given learning situation. Importantly, no single teaching method is ideal for all students, because how and why students retain information is different for each individual.

Most people fall primarily into one of three general categories: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic

Visual learners prefer watching the instructor demonstrate the technique, reading wall displays, referring to lists, books and videos. This type of learner thinks visually, in terms of pictures, and benefits from easily seen and clear information. Seeing the technique demonstrated from different angles, making use of mirrors and video recorders offers important feedback to visually oriented students, allowing them to view their own form. Memory aids can include posters, drawn illustrations using dry-erase or chalk boards, maps or flash cards. Varying marker colors to highlight different information can also aid comprehension. Visual learners should always be sure to maintain a clear line of vision between themselves and the teacher, in order clearly see body language and expressions during instruction.

Auditory learners prefer listening to directions and instructions, repeating instructions verbally or discussing them with another person. They are usually responsive to vocal inflection, sounds, tempos, beats or rhythms and need to hear detailed verbal information that is stated loudly and clearly. Specific directions such as “your left foot forward”, or pattern descriptions such as “high-low-high”, are also helpful. Because auditory learners often need to talk through a technique before trying it, repeating it to themselves in their mind, they do well in small groups, which allow individual interaction. In order to learn more effectively, the auditory learner should ask questions and briefly repeat the instructor’s answers before proceeding with a technique. Memory aids for auditory learners include tape recorders, drills that incorporate music and rhythm, as well as storytelling and mantras.

Kinesthetic learners prefer being actively involved and may find it difficult to sit still for extended periods of time, especially when watching particularly exciting action. Those who fall into this category use movement as a form of memory recall, needing to “feel” the exercise or activity, and may physically mimic the instructor’s directions as they are being given, relating new information to previous experiences.

The kinesthetic learner should work with different partners who can provide this learner with the particular model, or “feel”. He or she needs to repeat the technique in order to obtain the correct outcome, and due to their need to “get moving” kinesthetic learners benefit from shorter lectures or explanations. Memory aids for kinesthetic learners includes their own movement, however, having coaches talk them through the movement emphasizing the body mechanics, accentuation and rhythm as individuals perform the technique may also be beneficial. Being is able to demonstrate or teach a movement will also help this learner retain information.

You may have found that either the visual, auditory or kinesthetic learning style is the category you predominantly rely upon while learning. However, you should understand that most people use aspects of each of the categories to different degrees, at different times as well. The key to successful learning is effective instruction that employs a mixture of techniques designed to target a variety of learning styles. You owe it to yourself, if you don’t already utilize the above-mentioned learning tools and memory aids, to start experimenting with them. “Cross-training” with learning methods will help to accelerate towards your goals.

The motto “If you can teach it, it is yours.” is one the each of the learners should employ.