10 Ways to Learn Quickly

The following is from the Fighter's Fact Book, by Loren W. Christensen.

1. Repetitions

According to Casey Eberting, a teaching professional for golf:

What I have learned, and what studies mention, is that it takes a certain amount of time for the body to learn simple motion…. I, therefore, recommend for my students to practice a new motion for at least three to four weeks… before moving on to something new. If you do any less, you run the risk of not learning the motion, or you may only partially learn it….

2. Mental imagery

When you mentally rehearse techniques, you educate your subconscious mind so that it later directs your body to reproduce what you rehearsed, whether you are in your training center or a self-defense situation. This works because your subconscious mind doesn’t distinguish between reality and imagination.

3. Verbalize the technique to someone

4. Verbalize to yourself

5. Train with a partner

6. Unstructured practice

This consists of sparring and drills that are not prearranged.

7. Shorter training sessions

This refers to doing one to three 20-minute workouts a week outside of your regular class.

8. Listen to slow learners

Some people are naturals which makes them hard to emulate. Your best bet is to emulate the people that had to sweat and strain to get where they are today. The people that had to figure out the best training regimen for their average or below average genetics.

9. Don’t do the same thing every day

Rotate the exercises in your training for optimal results.

10. Have a training objective

By developing a plan of attack for your training, you enhance your concentration as well as your ability to learn. By having a clear objective for each training session, whether it’s solo, with a partner or in your regular class, you go into it more motivated and stay motivated for the entire session.