Pre-intellectualized precision.

pumpkineater23

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Jun 9, 2012, 6:23:50 AM6/9/12

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Is that what it is? Is there a name for it? It's not just luck.

It's the crumpling up of some paper and throwing it into the bin example - if
I take the time to aim, think about the launch, the angle, the amount of power
behind the throw, which part of my hand/fingers the ball of paper will contact
as it leaves, so I completely miss the bin. If it's sudden and instinctive
with no thought attached it's usually bang on target. Sometimes it's the same
with practising juggling - the first few times are the best. It should be that
if I can do something once then surely I am quite capable of doing it, so why
can't I do it again? Why can't I always do it? A part of me 'deeper down' is
well able to do it, I just can't access it. Bloody annoying. It's almost as if
there is something inbuilt that stops us progressing too far/quickly. If only
I could have it removed, or bypass it in some way. It works against us in
other ways too, like when someone says "Don't think of a carrot," If I try to
be instinctive with juggling then immediately I am not.

--
----== posted via www.jugglehub.com ==----

Mike Moore

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Jun 9, 2012, 7:46:40 AM6/9/12

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I don't remember the name for the phenomenon, but it's the premise of the book
Blink, written by Malcom Gladwell. If it's available at a nearby library, I
would very highly recommend it! It discusses "thinking without thinking" and
training one's instincts in a reasonable, scientifically-backed way.

Mike

TK

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Jun 9, 2012, 7:47:50 AM6/9/12

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"The Inner Game of Tennis" explains this phenomenon in depth. The basic
premise is there are two selves, one the body (child), and one ego
(adult). The child is ego less, and having done a physical skill once
knows which muscles to recruit and how hard. The adult is a judgmental
)*( that thinks the body is an idiot and has to keep telling the the
body how to perform any challenging task.

I highly recommend reading the book. It is available at Amazon.com dirt
cheap as a used book. Tennis is used (obviously) for all the examples
but extrapolating to any other activity is easy enough.

--
TK ~ aka Terry Kimpling
http://wejuggle2.com/video.php
Soon to be called "Tricks I could do when I was only 65!"

pumpkineater23

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Jun 11, 2012, 9:50:55 AM6/11/12

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Thanks for the recommended books, I was thinking there probably would be. I
had a strange experience a couple of weeks ago while practising inverted box
with the crossed underarm vertical throws/catches. I thought on a whim I'd try
throwing the horizontal ball behind my neck. The first few attempts were an
instant drop, then suddenly and almost as if by magic I did it - seven or
eight throws from side to side, a solid, level, flowing pattern running for
several seconds. Immediately after I really thought I could do it but haven't
been able to AT ALL since.

Mike Moore

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Jun 12, 2012, 8:00:54 AM6/12/12

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That's a killer pattern, I'm jealous...adding it to the list!

Mike

Norbi

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Jun 12, 2012, 8:51:18 PM6/12/12

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I call it the "Ganondorf problem". Because - the first time I played Zelda:
Ocarina of Time, when I got to Ganondorf I was like 1 hit away from killing
him on my first try, but then I died. I then died almost at the beginning of
the fight every time for the next 45 minutes or so, probably because I was
trying to think to much about what I "knew" was coming, instead of just
reacting to it in real-time.

I can't help you further, and other gave good suggestions, I just wanted to
share that story. I say "it's like fighting Ganondorf, stop thinking so much
and just do it" to my students quite often.

Norbi