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Create a Training Journal
by Master C.
Terrigno - 6th Dan
Editor, Tang Soo Do World
When a white belt enters the
dojang for the first time it can be an overwhelming experience. So much
to learn and remember.
They want to be like a sponge and absorb it all but quickly find out
they are getting saturated, and new information simply leaks out. They have many questions
but often never ask them for fear of looking foolish. All they can do is hang on and go along for the ride.
For senior Gups, and even Dans, the learning curve is not as steep but
they face the same challenges, but on
another level. With higher rank comes more
information, concepts and questions, only now it is
cumulative.
An excellent way to help you
focus on the key areas of your training is to keep a training journal.
Within each class there are dozens of instructions given - don't look
down, kick along your body's center line, remember to breathe, etc. It
may be a principle in self-defense that's discussed or a strategy for
sparring. If you observe closely or listen intently, there is always
some bit of information worth noting for future reference.
As you get deeper into the martial art process, you might
include observations you've made about yourself, how you've changed or
your overall progress. It can also be a place to map out your short and
long term goals. More important, I think that keeping a journal forces you to think about what to write
in it. As a result, you look at things differently and focus on
areas that you may not have before. In
that way, the journal evolves beyond a simple diary to a living
testament of your journey and hard work, and will without question
improve the depth and quality of your training experience to the Dan
level and beyond.
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