21st Century Training

As the holiday and shopping season swings into full gear, I'd be the first to admit that I do enjoy shopping once a while. Spending quality time with my wife as we trek through the crowds in search for gifts that we feel is suitable for our families and friends is always tricky.

Personally, I tend to find stuff that I want to buy online as it's usually some esoteric item or simply not available in Malaysia.

For a number of years now, I have been purchasing instructional videos and I find them perfect for my learning style (if there really is one) and my pace of learning. I don't know of anyone who trains in martial arts not to own at least one DVD (or VHS back in the day) on the subject.

To this I can offer some time-tested advice:

1. Investing in a quality DVD set is like inviting the instructor into your living room and providing you a private seminar that you can watch over and over again. It is well worth the investment. You can rewind and re-watch each part in detail again and again until you understand the material, practice it on the mats and re-watch it for the missing details.
2. As there are a lot of DVD choices, be selective based on your current level and understanding of the material. It's a simple idea but some folks may be tempted to purchase a DVD set on some super-duper technique instructional that is highly dependent on the attributes of the athlete/instructor. While very impressive and entertaining, ask yourself honestly, whether YOU can do what the instructor is showing you and WILL you use it (based on your personality/ style of movement). E.g. You can get a DVD instructed by a high-level black belt, but if you haven't got the White Belt fundamentals right it's probably not the right time to look at the Black Belt level techniques DVD.
3. Some folks (like how I used to at the beginning) watched instructional DVDs for entertainment value. Well, guess what? You are supposed to try out the techniques that the instructor presents. At the next Open Mats session, grab a training partner and try 2 or 3 of the techniques again and again at all levels of speed and resistance. Try the technique with different levels of players to see what reactions you get. You don't have to worry about it working 100% perfectly. Simply get it into your arsenal of techniques and play with it and over time it will be a useful tool in your repertoire of skills.
4. I find that if you practice the techniques you can remember, it will be more useful than to use the ones that you have to write notes on simply because you don't have time to refer to your notes when you are sparring. Consequently, commit 2 or 3 techniques to memory when you watch the DVDs.
5. Don't be afraid of admitting you bought the wrong DVD title. Sometimes when watching a set you conclude that the presenter's style or content simply isn't for you. It's either too simple or too difficult. If possible look to change it or barter exchange it or simply sell it off. No point keeping it to collect dust.
6. If you particularly enjoy a presenter's style of teaching or techniques, keep an eye out for their new releases and communicate with them directly. They are human after all, and without feedback from their clients, they won't know whether they are reaching out to the right people or not.

As the Internet has become an indispensable facet of modern lifestyles, the CMD Program establishes its cutting edge presence too by now offering a series of virtual seminars with Rodney King that you can watch online. This is a pretty new concept and I think it's a fantastic way to learn directly from a great teacher.

The convenience of having world-wide access, low cost and access to the material at any time of day or night simply makes this very valuable. Best of all you don't have to worry about collecting dust as there is no physical material to "keep". 

I am looking forwards to next year's training and I'll be doing some catch up on my personal training material and hope that in the short break that you will do the same.

Happy holidays!