Remembering visually

[benos]

Just had this thought as I was dialing a phone number.

Think of areas in your daily life where you could train to remember things visually, instead of with words. For example, I remember some phone numbers by the pattern the sequence makes as I press the buttons. Then I can dial the number without know what the number is. Of course some numbers won’t have an easily recognizable pattern, so you may have to get creative with another form of visualization or association. And think of how powerful a tool association is. A certain smell may evoke a flood of memory. Remember exactly how you felt when you were doing everything just right; when there was no struggle or conflict, everything was effortlessly flowing along, simply guided by your flowing attention. Then call that memory forth when you need to.

And I was thinking this might start a nice list of examples…

be

[ErikW]

I navigate (driving, dirt bike trail riding) purely by visual cues. I couldn't tell you the addresses of family members, nor the names of the roads, but I know how to get there. I get utterly and completely lost in fog, and I'm pretty bad in the dark.

I got lost on my own pistol stage yesterday. Looked for a visual cue that wasn't there.

[SiG Lady]

I've been doing this since I was a baby. This is how I learned a lot of things. Numbers and words have rhythm patterns, too. Memorize the rhythm of something and you've got it forever.

Numbers and letters (and other behavioral sequences) also have colors. Arithmetic got pretty colorful in this kid's head as a child. But it, too, can help with memory tricks.

I've memorized how pages in a book looked (foreign language grammar, whatever else) because it helped me pass tests in case I couldn't internalize the data some other way.

Now all I need to do it simplify my shooting enough to gain a little respect.

[Detlef]

interesting topic. I find that, when I do everything right, everything flows, when there's no concern about past or future, when I just pay attention to the present....that I have absolutely no memory of it! So, I cannot possibly remember what it was or felt like. Kind of a pity, but maybe not...

--Detlef

[Garfield]

Interesting.

I remember the codes on my bank cards like that (only 4 digits : easy pattern !).

Indeed there must be more occasions where this is helpful.

And what you were saying about "remembering how you felt" is exactly what my father was telling me when he was teaching me sports and things alike when I was a kid. I still can "feel" how things went when they went ok without having to do them again. How I used hit the volleyball, get a decent "stroke" when canoeing, firing the perfect shot ...

[schmitz]

I'm still studying on this one, please wait for an answer, the question is very difficult for a psychologist/educational scientist.

DVC, Henny.

PS. Looked into this topic for almost three days now and couldn't formulate an answer.

[benos]

Action guided by imagery not only has a different result than action directed by thoughts, but it often feels easier while doing it.

Try to dial a familiar phone number without "thinking the numbers." Then learn to visually see the pattern required to dial the same number without "saying" the numbers. Once proficient with seeing instead of saying, consciously choose a particular method to use, then compare how each method feels while actually doing it. At that point, when dialing by thinking, you may notice you slightly struggle to remember the digits, as your visual memory outruns the thinking memory.

be

[schmitz]

BE,

what's the difference between 'thinking' and 'visual' memory?

When I read a book or scan a landscape I use visual input, process that input in my sensors, then transfer the processed images to my short-term memory, label them (and with selective attention on) store them in my long-term memory.

The same counts for audio or other kinds of input.

When I need the stored information, it's easy to search for a label, activate it and use it. (as long a it's label is OK; ie. for those labels I use keys to unlock associations)

There are three codes I can use: a verbal code, a visual code and an ideomotor code (this is the one I use for shooting) The same as dailing phonenumbers.

The result of thinking is always one of three codes! and therefore action.

DVC, Henny.

[Mistral404]

My darling daughter's , who by the way becomes a teenager next week, Spanish teacher employs a unique method for teaching the langauge.

It involves, story telling, with arm and body movement, with vocalization.

The benefits of this learning method are outstanding. My daughter adapted very well to this style and is in the top of her class. A class with kids that have had spanish for six years v. her one.

Like BE, I excelled at pattern recognition. Phone numbers, account numbers, math problems etc.

But lately, I tried employing the above learning techniques. I find I am not getting so lost on long stages. I usually do ok for the first mag change but by the third mag change I was not sure of what target I wanted to shoot.

This sublte is just one of the many things I am working with to improve my skills.

Matt's yelling at me has helped also. It seems I respond well to his verbalizations.

{i got to take a class from Matt Burkett, it was money very very well spent. he did an incredible job with the whole class.}

[ajm]

As for the list of examples, I remember reading as a kid in field and stream that the author tried to make a series of still pictures or an internal movie when ever he shot a covey rise or group of ducks. I thought that was way cool and started working on it and now I can often accurately count how many quail were in the flight or the shooter's hits that I was running by replaying the iconic memory of the event. Sometimes, I can get it to work when I am shooting but it sure is easier when I am recalling someone else's performance.

ajm

[benos]

what's the difference between 'thinking' and 'visual' memory?

It's a way of differentiating two methods of re_membering or recreating an activity, for me.

In this case I'm defining thinking as the mind's recalling words or numbers, as opposed to visual or spatial remembering, which replaces words with images.

For me, it feels quite different to dial a phone number without ever thinking or remembering any of the digits.

If you were waiting for the buzzer with your mind completely filled with the image of a perfect sight picture, at the buzzer I'd bet your response would be different than if you were waiting with no clearly definable visual image at all, and instead were thinking - "front sight, front sight, front sight, front sight..."

Using that example, create an entire movie of a COF in your head, down to the most subtle visual detail, and let the buzzer start the movie.

It's not easy because we seldom train to function this way. But with practice, you might find that you can shoot an entire stage without a single thought whatsoever.

It's a beautiful thing.

be

[schmitz]

BE,

thank you for your answer, I see and understand what you mean. But indeed normally we don't function like this because we use ideo-motor output like words, to achieve our goals.

Creating/performing in this movie means having a perfectly balanced mind which can perform without any input at the moment, except the buzzer-signal.

As we are allowed a 4 minute (max) walk-through on a course, this means processing a lot of information, plan the stage in images etc. WOW...

I'll have to search for... and train that function, and maybe my performance will improve.

DVC, Henny.

[schmitz]

Shot my first match yesterdag using this technique. Still need to train on it but in some stages it worked. Saw the targets in my mind before coming into a shooting position. The gun was already in position. Saved time!

This is the way to go!

DVC, Henny.

[benos]

As we are allowed a 4 minute (max) walk-through on a course, this means processing a lot of information, plan the stage in images etc.

Good point and very true. Often, we barely have time to figure out where the targets are and in what order to shoot them, so that does make quickly directing that movie, without much ado, paramount. Start with familiar stages in practice, then apply it to the simpler stages in matches. If you don't have much time, as soon as you've determined engagement order, break the targets into groups and create separate movies for each group. And create the groups in order of importance depending on personal knowledge of your strong and weak points.

Of course you may not always have time to get a good, air-tight movie made before you shoot. But keep working with it, and you'll find it's a real stress-free way to get something done.

be

[AikiDale]

It's not easy because we seldom train to function this way. But with practice, you might find that you can shoot an entire stage without a single thought whatsoever.

It's a beautiful thing.

be

This is why so many martial arts students keep hearing their sensei say "Don't Think!" In a galaxy far, far away the young Judo player would on rare occasion walk back from the mat in victory to his cheering dojo brethern and ask "What did I throw him with?" having no memory of the technique he was just apart of.

[Garfield]

Shot my first match yesterdag using this technique. Still need to train on it but in some stages it worked. Saw the targets in my mind before coming into a shooting position. The gun was already in position.

Hi Henny,

I shot the same match and on the long walking/running stage I used that technique to plan the stage in my mind. I physically walked it through twice and then spent the rest of the preparation time standing apart from the rest of the squad, with my eyes closed, producing a movie in my mind. The stage wasn't too difficult to plan, so that might be why it seemed to work. I didn't "think" the order to shoot the targets, I "saw" them in my mind. In fact, I could produce a whole movie in my mind of how I would shoot the stage. And indeed I shot it just as the movie I had created.

Is that what you mean Brian ?

[schmitz]

And you've gained 100% "Production", Garfield! For me, on my age, just shooting IPSC for 3 years now a good long course and my best ever short course, just .80 sec. behind the winner of the stage.

The technique works, still have to do some work on the wiring in my head

In psychology breaking into groups means "chunking". In research one discovered that people that "chunk" input in 7 +/-2 bits, are the best recallers of stored information.

Labeling info with images seems to be the way for IPSC-courses. (short, medium and long)

Enough to think about and stuff to train on the range!

Brian and Garfield thank you for your input, DVC, Henny.

[benos]

I didn't "think" the order to shoot the targets, I "saw" them in my mind. In fact, I could produce a whole movie in my mind of how I would shoot the stage. And indeed I shot it just as the movie I had created.

Is that what you mean Brian ?

Yep. It's often called visualization, and the depth to which you can take it is unfathomable.

As I typed that I wondered why I typed the words "often called visualization." I think it's because I never felt comfortable learning from visualization books. I'm guessing "it's a Temperament thing."

Early on, I tried to read a few visualization books, but just couldn't do it. Then over the years, through my own experience, I discovered the depth of - "If you can see it you can do it" (without thinking about it). Then with more practice, I realized that if you can imagine what it's going to feel like as you're doing "it" (what you've created visually) - the results are even more fantastic.

be

[benos]

Just after I clicked "add reply," I realized that learning about visualization could be a hindrance to doing it. Hence - "it's often called visualization."

One day, I distinctly remember thinking - "_That's_ what those books were trying to teach me."

be

[Mad Scientist]

B.E.

The way I plan a stage is based on the asumption that first impresions are usualy right.I walk thru the stage and see the targets as they apear. that is how I almost always shoot them.the problem usualy comes in when i watch others shoot and reformulate my plan.

I think the mind when in match mode will formulate the best solution automaticly the first time.

Or the fact that there is only one program in the cookies file speeds the processing of the senses. I guees I may be a little simple but I dont want other ways of doing the stage creep in and cause a consious thought to get involved with an uther wise pre programed execution

of responses to what my eyes are seeing.

I some times will walk away from a stage or close my eyes as others run thru or put on my head set and listen to relaxation tapes.

any thing to get my mind off what they do and concentrate on what I have planed.

JohnnIe