Preview: Memocamp

Posted on 17. Apr, 2009 by Flauwy in Interviews, Memory Techniques, News

All Memory Champions need to train their techniques. But there have been little ways to do that in the past. MemoryXL designed a free program, but it wasn’t really useful for professional needs. Former Australian Champion Simon Orton put up the Online Memory Challenge, which is doing a great job so far, but it is more of a competition than a proper training module. The future is going to look extremely nice for those who are tired of printing their sheets of numbers and other disciplines: Michael Gloschewski, Vice-President of MemoryXL and trainer of the World Memory Children’s Champion Konstantin Skudler is publishing his new website http://memo-camp.com. Memory-Sports.com spoke with the memory coach from Berlin:

Memocamp supports all of the commonly used memory systems!

Memory-Sports.com: How did you come up with the idea to make a training website for memory techniques?

Michael Gloschewski: I wanted to train efficiently, but I only had a few tools and self-made Excel-lists to do it. Some of the programs were working on Windows only and I couldn’t configure them to my special needs.

Memory-Sports.com: Why aren’t you using the official MemoryXL training-tool?

Michael Gloschewski: The trainer is great for starters, but for a professional memory athlete it is not powerful and close enough to a real championship. Besides it is about eight years old and slowly becomes outdated.

Memory-Sports.com: So your new website is for the pros?

Michael Gloschewski: It is for both: On one hand it is for the beginner who wants to learn his system with a little help. And on the other hand it is for the professional mental athlete who takes part at championships. With the integrated statistics he can check for his most common faults, for example when he mixed up his images.

Memory-Sports.com: So you can put in your own systems?

Michael Gloschewski: Exactly. You can integrate them and even let them pop up during memorization. That will help you to learn your systems perfectly.

Michael Gloschewski

Memory-Sports.com: What kind of systems can you put into the database?

Michael Gloschewski: All of the commonly used systems: The normal Master System for two digits, the Master-System for three digits, Subject-Object, Subject-Verb-Object – you can even put in a complete new system.

Memory-Sports.com: What about the different systems for cards. Can you put in the highly complex system from Ben Pridmore for example, where you have one image for two cards – 2.704 images all together?

Michael Gloschewski: Yes, that is possible. But in the moment the module for cards isn’t integrated, yet. You can also put in the system for ten binary numbers in one image. There will be a function to import your paths and systems from your Excel-sheets. Right now you have to put it in by hand or send me your files, so that I can upload it to my system.

Memory-Sports.com: What are your plans with the website?

Michael Gloschewski: To popularize memory sports, to optimize the training and to increase the community. I will help people who heard about the techniques for the first time to develop their fist systems. There will be a ready Master-System for starters and a path with 52 stations. You will also be able to compete with others.

Memory-Sports.com: What is your status quo?

Michael Gloschewski: In the moment I have all the championship standard number disciplines, like 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes. It is based on a level-system, where you have to complete a level, before go on to the next. Other than with MemoryXL-Trainer, you don’t have to get 100%, to finish each level. That way it is less frustrating, if you have a few mistakes. Although there are just numbers yet, there will be every single championship discipline available, even Abstract Images and Names & Faces.

You can already train all number disciplines

Memory-Sports.com: How does it work with the different times in the number disciplines?

Michael Gloschewski: You can just set up your training time before you start. There will be even a free training, where you can define the time all by yourself. I thought about other alternatives for the disciplines, where you can have every number from 000 to 999 once in a random order. And another thing will be a training for number images, where you just see as many numbers as you need for one single image with your system for a few seconds.

I am happy about every new input and I will consider every single idea. If it is useful and doable, I will put it in my site.

Memory-Sports.com: How long will it takes until all of the different disciplines are integrated in your website?

Michael Gloschewski: I’m not quite sure yet, but I hope that you will be able to use all the features about the next World Memory Championship in November. However there is still a lot of work to do, so we will see.

There are only the number disciplines, yet - all the others will follow.

Memory-Sports.com: You spoke about new disciplines, which are not part of memory championships. Tell us more about those ideas.

Michael Gloschewski: One thing will be the Numbers Sprint, where you have to memorize 50 or 100 numbers in the shortest time possible. It is very similar to the typical summer athletics. The same idea will be available with binary numbers. I think there is a lot of fun behind it. For training I thought about a metronome feature, where you can define the length of time to see a few numbers. If you want to memorize 100 numbers in 5 minutes and you use a normal Master-System, you will see two numbers for ten seconds, before the next two numbers pop up. These and many more ideas will come.

Memory-Sports.com: Are your users able to send you new ideas for disciplines?

Michael Gloschewski: Of course, that is the plan. I am happy about every new input and I will consider every single idea. If it is useful and doable, I will put it in my site.

Michael at the North German Championship 2009

Memory-Sports.com: Memocamp is in German only at the moment. Are there any plans for other languages?

Michael Gloschewski: Yes, the first new language will be English. French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese will follow. But before that I will finish all the other standard disciplines and eliminate any bugs there might be. It will be very easy to integrate other languages after that. The program is specially designed for that purpose. But in the meantime every foreigner can try out the German version via Google Translator.

Memory-Sports.com: What will be the fee for using Memocamp?

Michael Gloschewski: That’s not decided yet. But it definitely will cost a certain prize, because it was pretty expansive to build the whole website. Just a little example: Ten thousand pictures for Names & Faces cost me one Euro each – that is the cheapest offer I got so far. I think it will be something between five to ten Euros a month. One idea is a 30-days trial version. After that you have to pay for the higher levels. The lower levels will always be free.

Memory-Sports.com: Why do you think does the sport lack popularity and what should we do to change this?

Michael Gloschewski: I think that people are afraid to learn the techniques, because they believe that it is too much of an effort. Since I teach memory techniques myself, I see that this believe is just wrong. You can easily learn your Master-System in about three to four hours. Of course it will take much longer to know it perfectly, but that is not necessary to use it effectively. The inhibition threshold to go to a championship is pretty high, because nobody wants to place last. Even if they come, they are intimidated by the incredible results of the veterans and never come back. Although memory skills are becoming more and more important in our society, most of the people don’t know how to train it. I can help them. :wink:

Memory-Sports.com: Thank you for your time.