Any ideas on this?
I’m particularly interested in brazilian jiu jitsu, muay thai and wrestling.
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Are you thinking about memorizing forms? (kata)
I wonder if you could place mnemonic images along a journey, or place similar moves in one room of a memory palace. Example: all forearm blocks could go in one room, and all throws in another…
.> really do you think that if your going through combat your going to shuffle through memory palaces for a technique?
Visualization of perfect performance with each technique along with its purpose and associations with the type of attack to defend against or vulnerability to strike is better
I do Muay Thai, its brutal. You can imagine objects, like for the strikes they imagine a wheel, you can do shadow boxing. But this is the type of thing where you need direct association. Its also easier for recall
You can create ordered lists and pegging with visualizations and imagery attached for sets. Really its hard enough just to get the technique correct I dono how you could forget when they make you practice it to perfect like 4000 times
Its not really about remembering the technique but about being able to do it perfectly. If you just remember lists of names of techniques then create strong sensory associations itll be easy to recall
The SEA to SEE system is effective
Every association should have:
Sensory (visual, sound, touch)
Emotion
Action
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No, I’m not thinking of katas. More like chokes, locks etc. you do to another person.
Was thinking the same thing. If trying to memorizing the move in a loci would have an effect.
Was thinking more for training outside of the gym and making it reflexes.
Visualization in sports is well known for being effective. I’m trying to figure out a way of combining it with mnemonics and making it even more effective.
I’m not sure if I agree with Maximus entirely. With the pace of groundwork you might actually have time to, say, remember given counters to a move. It wouldn’t be very practical, though. I agree with you that mnemonics could help with the initial training; they could help you keep different techniques separate, or remember their applications, while you are developing muscle-memory. Sort of using them as a crutch, a sort of catalyst if you will.
Take ogoshi and harai ogoshi for example. (Harai ogoshi: http://youtu.be/0gzk4M3OA0U Ogoshi: http://youtu.be/GDWtRtJ23cM). For whatever reason, the word “ogoshi” reminds me of Yoshi from Mario Brothers. You could visualize one Yoshi pulling up his pants by the belt (because ogoshi uses a belt grip.) The other Yoshi could be female, with long hair down to the feet (because harai ogoshi involves a sweeping motion with one leg), and hands on hips (because it is still a hip throw.) So, if you forget the difference between the two and are asked to practice the move, you could visualize the mnemonic.
I like Josh’s idea of using locality to separate different types of moves. One room for hip throws, one room for chokes, etc.
The only time I used mnemonics in my Judo studies was for a written exam on terminology. Just make sure you have a qualified instructor – there’s nothing more likely to get you hurt than messing around with friends. Join a good dojo.
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Will be making locis and store techniques in different sections.
But I’m thinking about how the actual technique should be memorized. Would it be possible visualizing yourself (first or third person) doing the ACTUAL technique in a loci? Don’t know if this would be too complex or if the brain is actually capable of this. If this would be possible I see great potential in this.
Of course you could also just memorize the name of the technique and clues for how it’s done (as illustrated by moeris).
I’m learning hapkido, which is partially derived from jiujitsu (not Brazilian). One thing we do would be translated as “hand releases”, which are when someone grabs your wrist and you have to break free. I used my major system pegs to memorize the first 10 of these, because I was always making mistakes with them. Once I start a technique I usually don’t have trouble finishing it, so I use the pegs to remember the beginnings. Here are a couple examples:
My first peg is 01->suit. The first technique is to step towards your attacker, turn your wrist, and bring your elbow up into his chin. I imagine grabbing the tie of my attacker’s suit and ripping it upwards over his head.
My second peg is 02->sun. The technique is to step forward and a bit to the left with your right foot, pull your right arm to the left to release it, and hit the solar plexus with your elbow. I imagine the sun is a ball, and I am kicking it to my left.
I know it’s hard to describe these techniques with words, but maybe this will give you some ideas of how mnemonics can be used for this kind of problem.
This is an interesting one.
On the one hand, I don’t think any of us would expect to be racing through the appropriate memory room during combat (whether for real or during training). Rather you typically look for opportunities to (counter)attack based upon your opponent and what he is doing. For example, if you are in hold and you see your opponent begin to advance with their right foot then, as they begin to transfer weight to that foot, you might pull them to your left whilst simultaneously sweeping their right foot with your left foot. With practice, the time between spotting an opportunity and executing the desired response is minimal. Similarly, the technique itself is performed almost instinctively (muscle memory, I think was the term used by another poster) - you certainly don’t pause to consider what to do.
However, I think memory techniques could be useful for replaying techniques in your mind outside of training dojos and competition arenas. In much the same way as Arnie used to visualise his biceps as huge mountains the martial artist can visualise a technique that he wishes to master to supplement (but never replace) the physical training. They can also be useful for recalling the appropriate terminolgy - helpful in avoiding that embarrassment when sensei asks you to practice Osoto-gari and you perform a perfect Ouchi-gari. 
Instead of memory, I think you should focus on visualization. Try going through mental movies of your martial arts moves, and be as detailed as possible. It’s a very powerful technique that top athletes use all the time. The mind can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what’s imaginary, so if you can play it out perfectly in your head, there’s a good chance you could actually do it in real life. The thing is, unless you’re a real expert, it’s very difficult to correctly imagine all the little aspects of the art.
I know this thread is old but any feedback from msl on visualization/memorization integration he ended up using for MA?
I practise Akido
The Technique is for example in aikido:
Pictures + Pictures + Pictures + Pictures …
Such as motion pictures.
In Aikido: There are almost 3000 movement.
Each movement: a set of images (you need to Story technique).
I hope to hear expert opinion in this thing
Wishes …
Regards …
I study jiu jitsu and for me, the journey method and going to your safe memory palace , really does not work. As you will be pushed for time and the opponent will be changing his options and you have to make fast decisions. The memory palace works good when i have time to make decisions, but for me i find it useful to look at the opponent and then choose his body parts to serve as memory clues. And before going down the path of a move it is good to have a Funky name for the move. Something specific for me that can help me organized the moves and then try and break each sub movement into numbered parts preferably 4. And try and link each subset of movements to other movements you already know. ( throw a frisbee, comb my hair, give a salute)
I can only talk about shock directions, if only because. What if it is a struggle, ordinary memorization becomes virtually meaningless because you are engaged with a partner. Learning judo or jujitsu with a palace of memory is equivalent to simply memorizing the Japanese language. Otherwise, this method is not very useful. However, you should use visualization to train the ability to memorize and plan different battle scenarios. As for wushu, taekwondo and karate. The memory palace helped me a lot in memorizing the phumsae. The main thing is to come up with a really funny picture for some movements. However, here lies the main difficulty. Just remembering the technique of movement and shock is too little. You really have to learn to do these movements intuitively. To do this, we should ask ourselves the question: “What is phumsae”? This is not a ritual dance and it’s not a simple gymnastics. This is a set of combat script. And here, simply remembering again becomes useless. This can be compared in many respects with the chess memory of many grandmasters. Exceptional chess memory is based primarily on an understanding of position and a sense of combination.
We see the same thing in martial arts. The difference between the master and the novice in the ability of the latter to operate with solid combat scenarios. See how legendary Anderson Silva trained with Dan Inosanto. It will be very difficult for many of us to remember advanced combinations with jeetkundo. At the same time, the Spider only had to carefully peer into the actions of the famous instructor to correctly repeat everything. And all because in Silva’s brain a powerful system of hooks and hooks has already formed. He understands why you need to move this way and what can happen if you make a mistake in a duel. So, the ability to simply memorize is not the ability to master martial art. Good luck with your workouts!
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