How-To Guide
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There are 72 unique logs, comprised with both a pre and post-training analysis, which can be used to document and evaluate every technique you’ve learned and practiced.
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Following each series of 18 training logs, you will be provided a reflection module to help you better understand your challenges, mindset, and goals.
TRAINING LOG
1. LOGISTICS - Record the logistics of today’s training. This information will help you navigate your training log.
Considerations: Does the instructor, style, or training type determine how much focus, effort, or enjoyment you are having?
2. DAILY OBJECTIVE & MONTH FOCUS - Before class, create a precise (short-term) objective that you can accomplish before leaving the gym. Also state what your (long-term) focus will be for this month.
Considerations: Objectives and focuses can be used to improve on areas of weakness or fine-tune techniques.
3. HEALTH LEVELS - Rationally consider your current health status before you step onto the mats.
Considerations: Could these factors contribute to the overall quality and longevity of your practice? Listen to your body and act in accordance with the measurements.
4. TECHNIQUE NOTES - Use this space to freely write down techniques, principles, or details that you were taught.
Considerations: Not a formalized class? Coached instead of taught? Watched instead of participated? Rolled instead of drilled? Not a problem, what did you learn? Write down things you saw or encountered. What did you excel at, or what do you need to improve on? What was the feedback from your training partner? The devil is oftentimes in the details.
5. REVIEW & EVALUATE - Go back to your notes and select which moves worked for you and what moves did not.
Considerations: Not every technique is made for every practitioner. Limb length, size differential, and style vary drastically among athletes. What do you want to revisit and focus on mastering?
6. DRILLING MASTERY - What technique are you trying to master? It takes up to 10,000 reps to master a skill, figure out what techniques you want to drill and start adding up the reps.
Considerations: This can be different from both your daily objective and monthly focus, but could overlap. If you got in additional repetitions in the days prior to your last log, use this space to tally up the count. The goal is mastery.
7. ROLLING DURATION & TRAINING INTENSITY (RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION) - Understanding how long and how hard you trained throughout a week is critical to understanding your physical performance and condition.
Considerations: Is your total training volume too high? Are you over-training? Is the volume and intensity sustainable? Use this information to make a strategic plan. Consistent quality is key for progress.
8. QUESTIONNAIRE - Debrief your session. Did you execute on your plan?
Considerations: Why didn't you?
9. EXTERNAL FACTORS - What factors contributed to your overall training experience? Was it a positive or negative experience? Look at variables and stressors stemming from inside and outside of the gym.
Considerations:
Lifestyle Stressors: personal stress, work stress, time-management
Physical Stressors: injuries, sickness, diet, recovery, additional forms of exercises / training
Training Variables: drilling partner, instructor, warm-up duration, time of day, day of the week, total training volume, rolling intensity, match-ups
10. KEY TAKEAWAYS - What is the one thing you wanted to remember?
Considerations: It could be anything from a principle, a specific detail, a new technique, or words of inspiration.
11. ADDITIONAL NOTES & OVERALL RATING - Write down anything you missed and circle the overall rating of your class.
Considerations: You’ll surely discover that the more effort you put into your notes, the more valuable insight you will receive out of your training. Keep going and prepare for your upcoming training session.
REFLECTION
1. STATUS - Record and document where you are at today, how often you've been training, and what events you are preparing for.
Considerations: Events could be anything from belt promotions, to competitions, to personal goals or milestones.
2. ACCOUNTABILITY - Are you following through on what said you were going to do?
Considerations: Remember that the effectiveness of the journal is only effective as the amount of consistent effort you put into it.
3. BEST PRACTICES - Review the days that your {Overall Rating} was at a {4 or 5}. Look for patterns within these days that contribute to your overall success on the mats.
Considerations: Start by looking at your health levels, training partners, instructors, time of day, or other external factors that are repetitive throughout your highly rated training sessions.
4. MOTIVATION & LONGTERM GOALS - Make your goal S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound). What will motivate you to accomplish it?
Considerations: Goals don't necessarily have to be grand, they just need to be created and then acted upon. Follow through with the goals you've created and execute.
5. MAKE A LIST - Go through your previous 18 training logs and compile a list of all of the techniques that you have starred over the course of that time frame.
Considerations: As you are going through your notes, this is a good time to review the techniques that you may have already forgotten.
6. TOP THREE - Some of the techniques you have starred may already be a part of your game; some may be new. Select the top three techniques that you would like to focus on mastering in the following block. Use these techniques to create new daily objectives, weekly focuses, or tally up in your drilling total.
Considerations: You can use more than just the three; however, to improve your rate of learning we suggest focusing on a small handful techniques given a set period of time.
7. KNOW YOUR GAME - Don't go into training without a plan of attack. What are you trying to do and how can you get there. If your first plan ('A' game) doesn't work, what is your secondary plan?
Considerations: If you've been training for a while, use this space to define what type of player you are. This doesn't have to be static and will evolve over time.
8. AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT - Nobody is perfect. Find the flaws in your game and create objectives and focus so you can improve upon them.
Considerations: Look at your other reflection section, are any of these repeating areas? Are you getting the same feedback from your professors or partners?