Practice a few things many times or many things a few times

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by clueless1, Sep 9, 2016.

  1. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    Regardless of what it is, if you're trying to teach/learn something new, would you rather practice one thing over and over until you've nearly nailed it, before practicing the next thing, or practice a sequence of things fewer times but with more variety?
     
  2. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    A sequence is more likely to yield results in my view. I base this on teaching people to drive - if you do the same thing over and over and over again, they may well nail it a couple of times, but you can almost guarantee that the next day they will be three or four steps back.

    Mix it up, and keep going over the sequence (not necessarily in the same order though), and eventually it will come.

    Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey
     
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    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      What if each step in the sequence is itself a sequence? Although like in your driving analogy, that sub-sequence will eventually meld into a single action.

      Like in driving, with clutch down and first gear engaged, and all obs and signals covered, increasing throttle, releasing clutch, balance it up, release smoothly, clutch down, drop throttle, second gear...

      It's a sequence of pulling away but in time it becomes like one fluid technique. Yet it's quite distinctly a seperate technique to, say, the emergency stop, which it's self is a sequence that is performed as a single fluid action.

      What I'm wondering, sticking with the driving analogy, is is it best to nail the pull away before nailing the emergency stop, or would it be better to practice both from the outset?

      I'm not teaching wife to drive by the way. That would be marital suicide. I'm trying to get her ready for her next test at martial arts. She has a set of 15 techniques to demonstrate. In one of them for example, where I actually as a thug that's trying to drag her by the wrist, the single technique can be broken down to flick restrained wrist 180, grab attacker's thumb with free hand, rotate til grip is loosened, free restrained hand, push attackers now bent hand to the floor forcing attacker to choose between wrist dislocation or fall to relieve pressure, escape.

      There are 15 different ways that she must break me when I attack. Then she has to demonstrate them. On the day, I won't be acting the role of assailant. Somebody else will. We have no choice over who it will be. She has to make it work whether she gets someone that yields at the first hint of action, or one of our resident human tanks who won't even feel anything happening unless the technique is done right.
       
    • Fat Controller

      Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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      Hmmmm..... not an area where I have any knowledge @clueless1; the only thing I can suggest is to see what feels right for your wife. Everyone learns differently, so I would say it is best to tailor the teaching/practice to suit?
       
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