If you look at the habits of top performers, you will find deliberate practice is nearly universal. While the importance of practice and repetition is universally touted for its importance, the distinguishment between mindless practice of “just putting in the reps” and deliberate practice of ongoing feedback, analysis, and application is less common. Deliberate practice is, in a few words, purposeful and feedback-driven.
World-class golfer, Ben Hogan, engaged in deliberate practice, something that led him to become one of the greatest golfers of all time. Many say that Hogan practically “invented practice,” and was known for engaging in methodical and focused practiced more than any of his contemporaries. He would break down individual components of the game and of his swing, and would isolate and analyze different elements of the swing and how different strategies changed the outcome. The real crux of Hogan’s training was not how many balls he hit or the number of hours he spent practicing his swing, but the deliberate approach that he took. In short, Hogan was a master of seeking feedback. Every swing, every putt, every chip, every set-up, every hole was a chance to observe and digest the relation between action, condition, and outcome. Rather than hacking at a ball over and over in the hopes of getting better, Hogan had a purpose every time he picked up the club and squared up on the ball.
The cyclical process of purpose → rep → feedback → adaptation → purpose lies at the heart of a deliberate and productive practice. Remove any of the pieces and the process falls apart. Every “rep,” whether it’s a golf swing, a rep with a barbell, cooking a nice meal, or a business meeting with a potential buyer, ought to be rooted in purpose. This stands in direct opposition to the strategy of simply showing up and tallying up the reps in the hopes of something happening. The individual with 1000 purposeful reps will, 100% of the time, outgrow and outperform the individual with 1000 mindless reps. Apply deliberate practice liberally. Because if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it better.
- PS
For time:
1000m row
20 pistols
20 ring rows
500m row
20 pistols
20 ring rows
250m row
20 pistols
20 ring rows
500m row
20 pistols
20 ring rows
1000m row
Posted on 10/16/2017 at 06:01 PM
