Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thinking Versus Moving
Often overheard at my gym:
"Don't think! Cognition slows you down!"
During the performance of athletic skills requiring a significant degree of strength, power, and/or coordination, it's important that the body drive the mind, rather than vice versa.
But when you're practicing a new skill— especially if it's a fast skill (think golf swing or power clean or instance), you've got a lot of things you're trying to do properly all at once. What's the solution?
1) "Think" in pictures: If a picture's worth a thousand words, imagine how much head-speace a picture will free up! Rather than thinking about the various technical components involved in the skill you're practicing, develop an image of what you want to look like. You'll find yourself moving more fluidly and confidently.
2) Focus on feel: This has similar advantages to point #1 above— it's just another way to aide-step the cognitive process. As an example, on Olympic lifts, in order to get your shoulder out in front of the bar, you could think "OK, I need to get out in front of the bar" or you could seek the feeling of increasing hamstring tension as you pull the bar from the floor. The latter option is more effective.
3) Putting in your time: Gradually, more and more technical elements will slip under the conscious level, which means you won't need to "think" about them any more, freeing you up to focus on any remaining technical errors. This simply takes time— you can't "cram" athletic competency. Which is one reason why training is a more worthy pursuit than exercise.
4) Slow down! Obviously, slowing down (when possible) gives you more time for whatever thinking that you can't avoid. As a martial arts instructor, I used to teach slow-motion punches because students found it helped their overall awareness and comprehension of the skill.
5) Moderate weights: If the weight on the bar is excessive, you'll resort to whatever it takes to lift it. If the weights too light, you'll be deprived of proprioceptive feedback. Find the middle ground.
If you're currently struggling with your kettlebell snatch, tennis serve, or any other complex physical skill, give these suggestions a try and please share your experiences in the comments section below!
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