Mr. Dave Hopper on the use of the 3 x 5 cards

(recently posted on Facebook by Mr. Hopper)

In the Tracy System, Ted Sumner and Ted Mancuso took Al and Jim Tracy’s 3x5 index cards with all the techniques on them and typed them out, creating the first Tracy’s curriculum manual.

I don’t know what the catalyst was that caused Ed Parker to begin codifying the techniques onto index cards in the first place, but I have heard stories that the techniques came from repeated striking patterns that were given names. Over time, the defensive patterns became associated with particular attacks, and a codified self defense technique was born.

Example, the five count was worked often and successfully against a right punch, so 5 Swords, against a right punch, got written down.

Basically, work and repetition lead to codification and organization.