Evernote for Martial Artists

[highwayskies 2]

An insight to how I use Evernote, as a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu enthusiast, black belt, and academy owner.  Specifically I am discussing the way I use Evernote to catalogue techniques (an often difficult proposition, given the complexity of categorizing diverse techniques).

Method:

1. I use Michael Hyatt's "tags, not notebooks" approach to Evernote.  Specifically, I have two notebooks: Inbox and Sorted.  

2. For tags, I tag:

* positions with @
* submissions with #
* source (which instructor I learned it from) with ^bjj[name]

The latter is consistent with my use of ^ for all "who" tags, but keeps all the BJJ instructors together.

3. My method for note writing is to capture, from instructional videos,  screenshots of each important step of techniques, which I notate briefly above each shot.  The end result is a step-by-step visual that I can glance instantly at (not watch a few minute video), and refresh my mind on how the technique is accomplished.  

Result:

1. I can search a position and find all submissions (useful if I'm teaching, or having trouble in my own training from a particular position)

2. I can search a submission, and find all potential entry positions (useful if I'm teaching, or having trouble in my own training catching a particular submission)

3. I can search an instructor, and find all I've learned from him/her

4. Any combination of these

 

This has been revolutionary for my training, and (as I became an academy owner after implementing this system), ultimately in class preparation.

Hope this helps some of you!

Greg

[CalS 5,280]

2 hours ago, highwayskies said:

 submissions with #

Sounds great.  You might want to consider the use of the #.  The send email to EN functionality uses the # to identify tags you want added to the created note.

[highwayskies 2]

Good to know!  I rarely email notes to myself, or have been emailing to my otherwise emtpy Inbox for processing, but that would save a step

[CalS 5,280]

3 minutes ago, highwayskies said:

Good to know!  I rarely email notes to myself, or have been emailing to my otherwise emtpy Inbox for processing, but that would save a step

Yeah you can add one or all of a reminder, a notebook, or tags to emails you send to EN.  It does save time. Just be sure to add whichever items in the below order at the end of the email subject.

Email subject.... !2017/04/14 @notebook #tag1 #tag2

[BeckyHoff 0]

Training to get my first Taekwondo belt this summer.   I'm going to share your tips with my instructor, I saw him using EverNote the other day.

[WannabeHolmes 9]

Awesome. I've been using Evernote for BJJ too (lowly white belt). I write daily logs on what we covered that day, who I rolled with, what I learned. I haven't really figured out a tagging system that works for me, though.