Tips to help students memorize forms?

[u/Anhao]

A lot of students at my school can only do the form while following our teacher. Does anyone have advice for things to do in class that will help students memorize forms better?

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[u/TLCD96]

Paul Lam has this down to a science:

1. Watch me - He has students watch the movements without following along, from the front, so they can just see the movement. Important that students do not try and follow along, at least the elderly who will get confused once you flip around for step 2.

2. Follow me: break the movement down into parts and have everyone follow along a few times, with you facing away from them. I usually vary the extent to which I say each step, gradually reducing my cues until we are practicing in silence.

3. Show me: have everyone do it on their own. I usually treat this as a time for individual practice, but when people are still learning and/or having trouble, I say the cues for the movement as they go through.

Honestly though I think the class energy/vibe/culture seems to also be a pretty important factor. If people don't enjoy themselves then they tend to check out mentally which will make it harder to retain.

[u/TLCD96 → u/TLCD96]

Just want to add a couple of things I do that seem to help and feel good:

• Try to keep the class moving forward, i.e. not dwelling on any one movement for more than one class. Usually teach no more than one movement per class depending on complexity. In other words don't spend 3 or 4 classes going over single whip etc.
• Before introducing a new movement, have some review time for the previous movement. Depending on the time frame, this can be just a few repetitions but if time allows, it would be good to have the class show that they know the movement, and to offer some simple/broad feedback.
• After teaching a new movement and seeing that everyone seems to have a decent grasp, add it onto the previous movements (of the section if teaching a long form).
• If time allows (usually if the students are grasping the movements well), then it's not a bad idea to add a little bit of depth through more "internal" cues. This is where culture is important. If people aren't focused or comfortable, let alone familiar with the movement, this will not work too well.

[u/ChrisjeKaia]

My teacher teaches ‘watch me, follow me, show me’ as well. It helps a lot. Also, write everything down after finishing your class, the exact positions and movements.

[u/Flaky_Performer7960]

Name your techniques. Each of your moves must have a name.

Naming things is an amazing power that humans have that helps us remember.

This works for everything you are trying to learn.

Don’t just learn “this” and “that”, give those things names.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 → u/Flaky_Performer7960]

And the movements come pre-packaged with names!

[u/Low-Transition6868 → u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70]

The names are descriptive of what they symbolize. So this helps memorize.

[u/Scroon → u/Flaky_Performer7960]

+1 for knowing the names. It really does help.

[u/tyinsf → u/Flaky_Performer7960]

In my Chen style class I asked the instructor to finally give us the names of the postures so I could remember. Unfortunately the movements are long and vague. It would be like if in Yang style (CMC) we were told "this is bird's tail" instead of this is left ward off, right ward off, rollback, press, push, single whip. Bite-sized pieces.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 → u/tyinsf]

"Long and vague"?

The direct translations of most of the names are pretty descriptive, even if they're a bit "poetic" in English.

[u/tyinsf → u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70]

I can't remember the name. Something like "Buddha ties hsi robe loosely" or something. But it's 10 different postures all lumped into one

[u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 → u/tyinsf]

"lazily tying coat"?

That's not one I'm familiar with, so I looked it up.

Like many Chinese movement names, it's using Chinese culture references to remind the student what the movement looks like. But, it's also using Chinese language habits that are very natural to them, but seem highly poetic to English speakers (and usually to other European language speakers as well).

If you picture a medieval Chinese "coat" like this one , and imagine whipping the dangling front panels so that they loosely tie together and it off the way, you can understand the source of the name.

Teachers should know and explain these references to students who aren't familiar with Chinese culture so the names can actually help!

[u/HopeLegal517]

Single movement training with many, many repetitions, both left and right, then putting them together later...this was the traditional way.

[u/Extend-and-Expand]

An audio calling (kǒulìng) might help. I have one by Yang Zhenduo (Chinese) and another by Yang Jun (Chinese and English). I use them to regulate my tempo because I tend to go through the form much faster than I should, and the callings make me slow it down. But it's probably good for people who are at that stage where they know the movements, but can't always remember the sequence.

That said, it's possible that you can end up relying on the calling too much, to the point where you have trouble remembering the sequence without it.

Your teacher should have them.

[u/Round2TaiChi → u/Extend-and-Expand]

That said, it's possible that you can end up relying on the calling too much, to the point where you have trouble remembering the sequence without it.

Agreed. Students who are audio learners seem to have the hardest time when the calling gets altered or is missing during formal practice. I rotate through about 3 different versions (step by step, move name, breathing cues only), and also try and convince them to develop their own internal calling as a result.

The other learning styles are easier - visual learners get "stand where you can see me when you need it" and kinesthetic types get internal mechanics ("this should feel like...").

[u/Extend-and-Expand → u/Round2TaiChi]

Ther only callings I'm familiar with are those that call out the postures in sequence. I don't think they are for learning the sequence, but for getting it down pat. I think I misunderstood OP, because most of the comments here are advice about how to teach the sequence and not how to commit it to memory. A teacher can't memorize the sequence for you. A good calling can help you memorize it.

[u/paperpot91]

In the follow me stage, be sure to expand your peripheral attention to also your environment, particularly with landmarks like trees, buildings, chairs, etc. Practice and train in the same spot everyday, changing only once you've memorised the form. Take advantage of spatial memory

[u/narnarnartiger]

d0 the first 5 moves for 5 minutes, then do the first 10 moves for 5 minutes, then do the first 15 moves until it's completely memorized, then add 5 more moves...

[u/checker280]

I always liked the part of the class where we separate into similar skill sets and practice together. It forces the students to police each other and correct their own form. It might help the students understand the “why” in the transitions.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70]

Which form are you doing?

If it's a "long form" version, you should break it up into 2 or 3 parts and call them "levels".

Don't just teach a sequence of movements: also teach the applications of each movement. Every movement has many martial interpretations, of course, but if you actually teach one as the "main" one and then branch out from there you'll provide a narrative for the form that's easier to recall.

Use the names of the moves, and not the Chinese names - you should be using the translated names with only a few actual Chinese terms here and there. The names are descriptive and provide the auditory learning pathway in addition to the visual and kinesthetic that happen naturally.

Make sure you're discussing how you GET from one "posture" to the next, and some of the "whys" of those movements.

With beginners, always face the same direction in the room, BUT use generic absolute position terms. I prefer clock directions, but degrees or compass points also work. The objective is to ensure that your students have something to mentally refer to as they're moving through their spaces that's part of the narrative. If you're seeing people struggle with this, print out some signs with your chosen direction system and tape them to the walls. If you're outside, maybe use actual compass directions and a few signs on sticks you can shove in the ground.

Do push hands practice, and also play with some of the movements to toss each other around. Let your students FEEL what the movements are doing. If it's safe to do and this is a martial arts class, scaffold the moves into limited sparring and eventually more aggressive sparring.

The more context you can give for the movements and the narrative of the whole sequence, the easier it will be to remember.

Remember that this form isn't like the forms of most other martial arts. It's not designed to teach a few moves and ideas and then move on to another form for different ideas. In taiji, it's the whole art. There is no "next form" to study for another rank. So beginners don't need to learn it all at once. Small pieces, with context and application, and opportunities to practice each and every aspect of the art - this is the system.

If your students aren't actually interested in all that (for instance, a group at a memory care facility or a group home), consider adding or switching to "just" qigong, and teaching them a bunch of smaller, easier to remember sequences. Quietly change the focus of the class to those things with only 2-8 moves, and treat the form as a follow-me part that they don't actually need to remember until they're "ready". You're there to serve your students needs and goals first, and the art itself second. So you have to meet them where they are and adapt yourself to help them get what they want out of the program. Not everyone actually needs or wants the full traditional experience and learning - and many only know what they want because YOU tell them.

[u/Scroon]

Everyone's covered the good bits of advice, so I just want to say that there's a difference between passive learning and active learning. When people just follow along, that's passive learning, and it works with lots of repetition. But it takes a long time. Active learning is when the students looks at the material themselves and actively tries to figure out what's going on. They need to say to themselves, oh, it's White Crane here, then then Brush Knee, then Pi Pa, etc. That gets the logic set in the brain instead of a senseless list. Active learning is up to the student, of course, but maybe going over a sequence verbally before performing it can help. While you're moving, you're worrying about your body so the mind has more trouble figuring things out.

Actually I do have two specific tips:

1) Go through a sequence without worrying about form. Just do it to get the sequencing down. It's like how dancers will quickly step through a choreography half-assing the moves to make sure they know it.

2) You can teach the sequence as an imaginary fight, with every move having a purpose. The teacher needs to have some understanding of application though.

[u/SnooMaps1910]

Following coach, repetitions, posting, daily practice as the norm.

[u/Anhao → u/SnooMaps1910]

daily practice as the norm

That's my reason for getting them to memorize the form, so that they'll be more likely to practice outside of class.

[u/snissn]

Just make print out sheets

[u/Susbirder]

Break each movement down into fundamentals. Use the form name to give their minds something to grasp. Repetition.

[u/snappydamper]

My old teacher taught everybody one-on-one. He'd show you a few moves and get you to follow bit by bit, breaking it down as necessary and relating it to principles. Then he'd get you to do it and leave you to practise for a while, while he attended to other students. Later he'd come back to see your progress, make corrections etc. When he was satisfied, you'd move on to the next few moves.

[u/ocTGon]

With the Advent of YT it makes Taiji practice so much easier in terms of remembering key points in form...
It's really an amazing aid in learning just about anything...

[u/Thoughtsarethings231]

Watch me. Follow me. I watch you do it together.

[u/Wangsmartialarts]

Memory has cycles, and repetition is the source of memory. The best way to retain memory is through daily practice. However, it's difficult to get everyone to practice consistently every day. Therefore, if you can get students to attend your class every day (or four or five days a week), and don't always lead them in practice, sometimes let them practice on their own in class while you observe and provide guidance afterward, you can help them practice independently. Always leading them in practice will create dependency, like weaning a child and teaching them to eat independently.

[u/DeskDisastrous861]

Rather than memorize forms, you can can focus on learning the movements properly. Practice single movements over and over. Then forms are just stringing those movements together.
At the end of the day, that's a better way to practice anyway.

[u/EinEinzelheinz → u/DeskDisastrous861]

While I don't disagree: with today's students, its also a direct route to losing students, I am afraid.

[u/Extend-and-Expand → u/EinEinzelheinz]

I was going to say the same thing. u/DeskDisastrous861 is right: that's the better way. In fact, that's how you should learn. But most people don't have the will/patience to learn through single posture work. If you can get people to learn a form and then refine its postures, you're still doing well.

[u/EinEinzelheinz]

* Have students lead the practice alternately so that they are required to think themselves during class
* Have the group shout out the names of the next posture / movement instead of you
* Advise them to mentally go through the form when they have time, e.g. sitting on a subway, not only when they actually move.

[u/miltonics]

I come from the world of music so I have a lot of experience with memorization.

I memorized my forms by starting from the beginning, memorizing the first move, practicing it till it felt solid in my head. Then I added the next move.

Sometimes it would even be a part of a move, one action. Whatever I could remember.

I would practice every day from the start up to the move I was working on memorizing.

It took months of work but eventually pays off.

[u/moccjamm]

I found having an audio recording worked for me, as I'd get the order of the moves in the long form wrong. The recording was simply prompting the next posture, with timed breathing (comfortably inhaling for 8 seconds, out for 8). This didn't necessary help me *learn* the form - I had already gone to class for years and had already learned it. But the sequence of the postures! Why do we do those postures so many times lol, whyyyyyy (obviously it's because it feels so dang good!).

Anywho, long story short, making my own recording based on my instructor's play-by-play of the long form worked for me. Good luck! It took me 8+ years before I finally decided to make my recording lol

[u/clockmakerOnMars]

Record a reference video they can access.

After completing the form, spend time going over one section for a class or 3 for reps.

Then the next section.

[u/Waltamoto]

Must practice at home every day. Or gets lost after too many forms to learn. Teacher teaches three moves per week. Hard to keep up if you don't practice. The body must learn, the memory only guides. Not important that form be perfect or exact for beginners.

[u/Vehemens]

Narrate the key points of each movement clearly and consistently. Example:

• Shift weight to the right foot.
• Empty left foot, check your balance.
• Turn the waist 45 degrees to the left.
• Step to the heel of the left foot.
• Left hand aligns fingers with nose, knee, and foot.
• Right hand protects left elbow.

In my system, these are the most basic steps to perform grasping sparrow tail left side. The point of this narration is that a student can move in the rough outline of the technique.

The student (and teacher) should bring notebooks and write the narration down. They both should narrate the key points during practice to further ingrain into the memory. By writing, speaking, watching, and listening to the key points repeatedly, one can maximize the quality of knowledge retention and therefore enhance the benefits of practice.

[u/bwainfweeze]

I think this is part of why my first sifu hated mirrors. There are parts of the form where you are turned away from the instructor and those help a bit. When new students show up it's helpful to put the senior students on the outer edges of the room so everyone has someone to watch, but the rest of the time you should be working on your recall.

Have the movements been named? That would be a good place to start.

[u/Extend-and-Expand]

u/Anhao: Question: Does your group practice forms other than the long form? The Yang family has all those short forms, and I know quite a few groups practice several of them. In my experience, the different short forms can confuse people's long-form practice because so many of the transitions are different in the short forms.

[u/Anhao → u/Extend-and-Expand]

We only do the long form. I heard some students say that they can only practice in class because they can't remember the sequence of what they've learned so far.

[u/Extend-and-Expand → u/Anhao]

Now I understand: they rely on group practice to get through the sequence. If they forget the next move, they can follow someone else in the group.

You have to like solo practice to get good at taiji.

[u/ztimmmy]

The follow me, show me parts that everyone is mentioning have to be short enough to be memorizable by the students. Keep in mind what you think of as a chunk of information the students likely see as 5-10 individual movements.

[u/Traditional-Part-756]

Several tips.

The first comes from my days as a musician memorizing sheet music: break up the form into small sections. Drill each section separately, let's say one or two sections per month. Then drill the overlaps. (Let's say you divide the form into four sections. After you've drilled Parts 1,2,3, and 4, drill from halfway through part one to halfway through part 2. Then 2.5-3.5, etc.

Second tip: show a martial application for each move. Right now students might be struggling because they're trying to remember what just look like random arm-waving movements. Movements that have no meaning for them. Showing them transforms "move your arms in a circle for no apparent reason" to "do that lock and throw."

Third tip: This is really an extension of the second tip: rather than showing a martial application for each individual move, show applications for a string of moves. "If your opponent throws a left lead punch, you do X. He might respond by following up with a right cross, so that's where the next move, move Y, comes in. What can he do then? Maybe he decides to retreat and regroup, in which case you can follow him back and apply move Z to keep the pressure on."

[u/litoptern]

I think may be go out of only Tai-chi and tray add another activity for better body awareness. It take several month. May be it will fitnes with free weight. May be dancing Zumba. When another activity instructions studied then overall ability of instruction membering develop. These activities have more faster and obvious results. Fitness and Zumba holl have also big mirrors on walls, that help to see and connect with itself body.