Five keys to make the most of your practise
If you want to progress you need to practise. If you are not entirely sure about what you are meant to practise it can obstruct the motivation to train. Students often say to me ‘I wanted to practise – but I did not want to practise wrong, so I did nothing.’
While it is reasonable not to want to develop bad habits, if you wait until you are perfect to start practising then you will never start.
However for most people any practise is better than none, and quality practise is possible if you follow certain guidelines. I suggest that you explore the following:
1. Start with one simple movement. Sometimes a whole session is too intimidating to begin – especially contemplated from the comfort of a warm bed. But one movement, a few simple breathing exercises, that is easy enough. Once you start you may find that you want to do more.
2. Pay attention. If you mindlessly do a number of repetitions of an exercise you may get stronger, or fitter, but you will not improve your understanding or physical intelligence very much. If you pay attention to what you are doing you will begin to make distinctions that will help you improve what you are doing at home, and ask better questions when you are in class.
3. Minimize. Do as little as possible when practising a movement. What can you relax, let go of or stop doing? Is it necessary to tense your face because your leg aches? How many muscle groups do you need to involve? To make these kinds of distinctions you need to pay attention to your body (see 2). This will develop your relaxation, grace and awareness of movement. There are some other benefits but I leave them to you to discover.
4. Get curious. Or better, be fascinated…there are so many possible ways of moving and you are free to explore them. Not all of them may be ‘correct’ but just the act of exploration allows you to shift more easily from one to another. When your teacher tells you to do a movement differently you will have the tools and the practise to change from your habitual way of movement.
5. Thank yourself. Notice what you are doing that works, pay attention to the little changes that make a difference and give yourself a mental pat on the back. Imagine this session of practise as part of the bigger goal of developing fitness, or health or changing your body shape. A particular session may not provide a great revelation or breakthrough; but it brings you closer the next one that may, and closer to your overall goal. You can take pleasure in that.
If you have any more excuses (I mean reasons) for not practising then let me know. Or perhaps you already know what it is you want to explore in your next session and when you will start…