Weeks 1 to 2
Explore the IMA CyberDojo
In this stage of your training... we cover CyberDojo basics and then let you loose to explore the material. Enjoy!
1. Overview of the Curriculum
The curriculum is divided into three primary sections:
- Basics 1 (Kihon 1) contains fundamental blocking, striking and kicking techniques, executed from a stationary position
- Forms (katas) are choreographed routines that teach stances, a variety of technique and introduce movement.
- Combinations are an introduction to sparring or fighting. They are practiced in a linear pattern, combining kicks, punches, and blocks in sets of two or more techniques.
In addition to the above curriculum, four other sections of the site are describe below:
- Tips and Other Information contains time-sensitive videos that are released to match the students expected progress. These videos include the How to Tie Your Belt Tutorial, the bi-weekly Sensei Talks, and the Testing Tutorial. Students should visit this page frequently to stay informed. A link to this section can be found at the bottom of the CyberDojo page.
- Achievements add fun, beneficial content, covering topics ranging from self-defense to training drills to games. New achievements unlock for every few logged hours of training. A link to this section can be found at the bottom of the CyberDojo page.
- File Library contains printable materials related to curriculum. More on this section below. A link to the File Library can be found on the My Account page.
- Student Video Library serves as the "answer" section of the site, where answers to students questions are posted. To make finding answers easier, weve made this section searchable. A link to this section can be found at the bottom of the CyberDojo page.
2. Student Code
Students must adhere to the rule of Proper Time and Place; this means that you understand that self-improvement oriented goals are the primary reason for learning martial arts and it should only be used for self-defense when absolutely necessary.
You should always seek to talk your way out of a situation or simply walk away. If you are child and there are adults around seek their intervention and aid. When you have no other alternative, you should use an appropriate level of force.
Levels of Force:
1) Release Techniques - simple moves that make someone let go, but do not rusult in injury to the person the technique is being used on.
2) Pressure Holds - exerting pressure on a joint and then executing a holding or lock technique.
3) Striking Techniques - striking technique are used when the level of threat or danger is high and use of the first two levels is insufficient to address the situation.
These techniques will be introduced later and will be labled, "Self Defense". They will be a part of the Achievements section as bonus videos.
3. Training Time and Frequency
Your goal for the next 15 or 16 weeks is to train for at least two hours per week, for a total of at least 30 hours. Each practice session should ideally be 45 minutes or longer, but the benefit to you as an IMA student is that you are in charge of when and how long you train. Frequency and length of practice have a direct impact on your success: the more the better.
Please note that your times in each section spent are tracked and easily read in the colorful bar graphs on the CyberDojo page.
Also, videos in the Tips and Other Information section and the Achievements section unlock after achieving certain amounts of logged training time, so the more effort and time that you put in, the sooner you will have access to exciting bonus content.
4. Suggested Training Method
Students should make it a point to review all videos several times and then practice movements slowly. Compare and contrast your execution with the execution in the video. Remember most all videos have visual, audio, and written information pertaining to the technique or exercise.
Remember that techniques executed slower and stronger are always better than faster and sloppier. Correctness of technique should be the primary focus, but remember that you are testing for a yellow belt, not a black belt. Everything will be relative to your physical abilities, mental attitude, and level of effort.
If you have access, a mirror is a great training tool. By seeing yourself do the techniques, you can easily compare your execution to that of the training video. Similarly, if you are training as a group or with a mentor, have a fellow student or mentor watch you for accuracy and correctness.
All group practices should be followed by discussion and feedback. This is an invaluable tool to the improvement of your technique.
At this stage of your training, we focus on introducing you to the material. Consequently, we have not included instructions for running a traditional karate class, yet. If you would like access to that material now, it can be found in the training guide for Weeks 3 to 6.
Finally, students should make it a point to write in their Student Notes after each training session. (Student Notes are found on botton center of the CyberDojo page). What goes into your Student Notes is up to you, but here are some suggestions of things to write about:
- The date you trained
- What you practiced, what you enjoyed, and what needs more work
- Reminders for your next training session (like where you want to pick up from or moves you would like to revisit)
- Notes on personal improvements or things you have learned
- Whatever else you like :)
5. Things to Remember
- Start every training session by warming up, and end every session with stretching.
- While training, pay careful attention to the details, especially the arm sets and ending positions for each technique. Each movement should have a path that it follows: a beginning, a middle and an end. Making sure that you follow the correct path is crucial to making sure your technique is clean and precise.
- Again, watch the videos carefully; stop as often as needed to make sure you are practicing as accurately as possible. Be patient and thorough.
- Everything will be relative to your physical abilities, mental attitude, and level of effort.
- Try not to get too overwhelmed with the amount of new material. The purpose of these first two weeks is to ease you into the site so you can get your bearings. So, explore the site and have fun!
6. Where to Start
Make sure to review one section of the curriculum per training session. Basics 1 is the best place to start. Begin by watching the introduction video at the top of the page. Then proceed to the individual lesson videos further down that page. Watch each video carefully, several times. Then practice the technique slowly.
From Basics 1, proceed to Forms and then Combos. Again, watch the introduction videos and then proceed to the individual lesson videos.
While doing the above, also visit Tips and Other Information and Achievements as videos will unlock in these section with every few hours of training.
Weeks 1 to 2
Goals and Benchmark
Your goal for these first two weeks is not to master the material, but to...
- explore each of the three primary sections: Basics 1, Forms, and Combos
- watch their respective introduction videos (found at the top of the section pages)
- try out many of the moves in those sections
- read the Student Hand (found in the File Library)
- frequently check Tips & Other Information and watch any available videos
- frequnetly check Achievements and watch any available videos
- get at least two hours of logged training time per week
By the end of these two week, you should...
- (if applicable) be able to put on your uniform and belt properly
- know the proper etiquette when addressing instructors, mentors, and other students
- know how and when to bow
- be comfortable navigating this site
- be comfortable learning and practicing with the IMA program
- have at least 4 logged hours of training under your belt
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