Many of you may know Greg Gleason from his Theater Close-Up DVDs, which I reviewed last year. What you may not know is that he also teaches classes in memory training. Recently Greg Gleason released a new 2-DVD set called Remember It: The Art of a Trained Memory.

Volume 1 of Remember It starts off by demonstrating the power of a trained memory, with Greg performing the classic magazine memory feat for a live audience.

The actual lessons begin with the link system. First, Greg talks directly to the viewer about the basic principles of the link system. and then teaches how to use the system to remember the order of the alphabet backwards. On this DVD, the basics are usually discussed with Greg talking directly into the camera, while applications and demonstrations of each system are usually done in front if a live audience. This is very effective, as it gives a sense of personal instruction during the basics, while still offering encouragement by seeing others who are learning the ideas along with you.

Next, two version of the peg system are taught. First, the rhyming peg system is taught, followed by the more versatile and widely used phonetic alphabet. Key words that help visualize the numbers 1-10 are taught on the DVD, along with an explanation of how to expand the system. The included booklet also lists the phonetic sounds for each letter, as well as keywords for the number 1 through 100.

After this, use of the peg system for remember numbers and playing cards is discussed. When discussing how to remember playing cards, Greg really only discusses keywords for the clubs, but by the time he is finished, you understand enough to make your own keywords for the other suits. During the playing card section, a live audience is not only shown learning the technique for the first time, but using it, too! They are shown some of the cards, and they correctly determine which cards they weren't shown!

The first DVD winds up with an excellent section on names and faces, the importance of which I discussed in my previous post. If you've ever had problems with remembering names and faces, this section will quickly build confidence.

The second DVD focuses on further applications of the systems taught on the first DVD. The order of the 50 U.S. states in alphabetical order is taught using the link system. Greg then uses the peg system to teach the order of the 43 U.S. presidents in and out of order.

The next section is my personal favorite, as he teaches how to remember 400 digits of Pi! Yes, of course you can learn the Pi feat on this site. As a matter of fact, it's my approach he's using on the DVD and, yes, he credits me and included it with my permission. If you're thinking that this fact makes this a biased review, rest assured that you are correct!

To wind up the DVD, Greg teaches the classic age cards routine, along with some tips for using it to help potential customers remember you! Everything taught on the second DVD is also detailed in the booklet, so you can learn at your own pace.

Although I admit to a strong bias in this review, I still think it's a great DVD. This DVD is worth it not just for the instruction you get, but for the encouragement and personal touch that it adds to the learning experience. I definitely recommend Remember It: The Art of a Trained Memory.