This post is aimed mainly at our more advanced students but it does also apply to the Beginners, who's syllabus is easier to pick up in the time between Graduations.
Are you struggling to learn the syllabus elements?
The simple answer is to train more often. Many of you only train once a week - however, not everyone has the time or the finances to be able to train more often, even if they would like to.
So how would it be if I told you you could increase your training time by a factor of four for FREE?
It's so easy, I don't understand why people don't already do it?
Practice at home
This first one is easy. Just practice what you have learned every day at home. It'll take you just 5-10 minutes to go through the things you have learned & it keeps it fresh in your mind for when you next come in the following week.
If you don't practice, how do you expect to ever get better? Practicing at home is free & can be fit into your schedule for when it suits you, not around class times.
But, Mr Nelson, I hear you cry, how are we supposed to practice at home if we cannot remember what you have taught us? (Bear in mind, if you practice every day at home it is less than 24 hours since your last practice so this shouldn't be an issue!!!)
We have a Social Media presence
We are on Facebook and Instagram (I freely admit I don't understand this last one but Mr Nelson Jnr does all the heavy lifting), so either follow us yourself or ask your parents to.
On there, we post information about the syllabus (what you should be learning) as well as helpful hints, tips, videos, etc - on top of keeping you up to date with what's happened in classes & what's coming up (eg: Graduation deadlines).
'But I don't use Facebook'. That's fine. Ours is an open page so it is viewable from any web browser. You don't have to have an account or follow us, but if you do, you get notified of all of the above.
We have a website
Our website also has lot of helpful videos & terminology lists on it for you to learn. There's loads of support materials on there for you so why not have a browse and use it.
It's grouped together for the various levels so things are easy to find.
There is FMAC TV
We are so cool that we even have a YouTube channel.
This has some of the classes from lockdown, so you can do a class if you're off or ill. It has many more videos & how-to guides than our website - all to help you practice at home or away from the Do Jang.
It's all helpfully grouped into playlists so you can look at stuff relevant to your level or what you want to learn (Forms, self-defence, block, kicks, etc)
Not sure what you are learning?
Firstly, you need to listen more in class as we tell you, almost every lesson!
Secondly, look at the notice boards in class - it's all there is it's naked glory; what we are learning & when.
Check the Facebook/Instagram pages for updates (we do post them).
Lastly, you could ask in class (don't text or message us until you have tried the other ways though).
Want to know what else is going on?
Despite it being in the joining information, many of you are surprised when we tell them that we have also an app, which has useful updates, the club shop, timetable info and much, much more.
So, if you want to be an elite athlete (after all, that's what a good Black Belt is...), they say you have to train for 10,000 hours. The more often they train, the faster that elite-level will come - and the same is true of martial arts. Train harder and/or more often & you will reach Black Belt level faster than just coming once a week.
Use these free tools that are at your disposal to maximise your efforts and chances of success.
See you in the Do Jang team!
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