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Being back in school after being out for several years and having some real world experience under my belt has really paid off. My study and organization habits are probably better now than they have ever been, even if my memory hasn't improved. My observation skills are much more attuned and I feel I can focus on the important tidbits at hand. Being interested in the subject also helps. For the past few years I have been dedicating at least one hour 3 nights a week to practicing the Martial Arts. I also spend a few hours each week just reading on the subject (weblogs, magazines, and books) and an hour or two watching videos (DVDs, TV shows, and online material). Last night while preparing for next weeks inevitable test that will begin class, I realized that I have not taken one very important study technique that I use for the classroom and applied it to my Martial Arts studies.

The Martial Arts are very much a physical activity. But they also posses a long history, complicated nomenclatures, and more than enough physics of body movement. The nomenclature doesn't just limit itself to basic movement terms in the art's native language, it extends to physics concepts and translated terms. Typically the more common terms that accompany the physical movements are easily learned. However, few students even at the black belt level ever dig deeply into the history of their art form, say more than would fill an article in a magazine or encyclopedia entry. Fewer still will ever encounter the raw physics of the art, laid open with all its scientific terminology.

These aspects of the art interest me now much more than the native language terms for the basic movements of the art form(1). I routinely pick up books that delve deeply into the history and physics of the martial arts. I read them in hopes that some of the knowledge I gain can be passed along to others. I realized last night that what I have been doing may have been futile. In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a brilliant but misguided king who sometimes used trickery to get what he wanted. Sisyphus seduced his niece, took his brother's throne and betrayed Zeus's secrets to name just a few. For a short time he was even able to come back from Tartarus, effectively avoiding death through the use of his wit and trickery. Once the gods had had enough, they condemned him to eternal hard labor. His punishment was rolling a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down to the bottom each time he neared the top. This was the feeling that started to sink into me, a feeling of unrewarded labor. My goal has simply been to read as much on the Martial Arts as I could. Each book I read was another feather in my cap, a weapon in my arsenal of knowledge... I was stocking weapons, but I didn't stop to realize that I hadn't stocked any ammunition. Although I was receiving entertainment value out of what I was reading, I wasn't retaining the knowledge. A few bits of trivia here and there to be sure, but a large amount is simply buried somewhere deep in the brain to never be seen again.

What I've been missing is that I have been reading the material in the same way that I read science-fiction and fantasy novels for entertainment purposes. I should have been reading them more like I read books for a class where I will be taking a test on the material that I cover. Granted, not all of the knowledge will stay around permanently, but more of it will and what will fade will take longer to disperse. How is the way I read for memorization different than for entertainment? When reading material in preparation for a test I take the following steps:

• I check to see if the book is in audio format. If it is I get it and listen to the entire book all the way through at least once.
• If Cliff Notes are available I will pick these up as well for additional coverage.
• A week before the exam I read the material that the exam will cover, I will also locate and listen to the audio portion if available. During this reading I do not take notes.
• I then go back over the material and locate the main topics. I filter out any topics that I know are not pertinent to the course. Pertinent ideas I write down in outline form (though Concept Mapping(2) may work better for some), trying to keep entire ideas in a compressed and paraphrased notation. After each entry I make sure to write down the page where the idea is expressed for quick reference. I also make sure to label each section with the title and number of the chapter. This helps when reviewing the material in class. If the material wasn't dictated by the class I make sure to record bibliographic information as well.
• I type these up into a very readable document that I can print out if needed or keep on my PDA.
• I review these notes once per day before the exam, this is just a quick read through for repetition (similar to the way I maintain Karate techniques).
• If time permits I read through the material one last time.

So, will I change my reading habits? I don't know, reading in this manner requires taking detailed notes and reviewing those notes on a regular basis. It extends the amount of time required by a significant factor. I will certainly attempt it in the near future and report my findings, although I think I know what the outcome will be. At the very least I have realized that not all work is noble. What is noble is to strive toward the best we can be(3), not toward just any accomplishment for its own sake.


1) As an asside, I really no longer care if I learn and pass on the Japanese terms for high block, punch, kick, etc. There is too much material to learn as it is and learning the native language terms does not add to the final results. At best it makes for a slightly more mystic experience for visitors and new students.
2) Concept Mapping - http://www.studygs.net/mapping/mapping.htm
3) Self-actualization - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self_actualization

Originally posted on phildavis.vox.com