Mind of Steel
“CHUNK” Your Practice Sessions
The Sports Doc - Dr. CHRISTOPHER STANKOVICH www.drstankovich.com
Have you ever noticed that whenever you are asked to memorize something, like a phone number, that it’s always easiest to remember the first and last numbers, and that the number sin the middle are often the toughest to recall?
P
sychologists have studied this curiosity and discovered that we as humans are really good at remembering first things (primacy effect), and last things (recency effect), and that we often mix up the information in between. Memory experts have taken these findings and recommended that students study in many “short-burst” sessions, rath-
er than trying to study for hours and hours on end. Shorter bursts allow for more starts (primacy), and stops (recency), and therefore better memory retention.
will fully commit to playing your best. Keeping practice interesting by breaking down your practice into what more resembles baseball innings is one way to accomplish this task.
Applying this to pool
Over-extending can lead to bad habits
When we practice for long periods of time without a break, we only have one start and one stop, meaning that we overlook and memorize less of what happens between those points. Instead, try to create smaller “chunks” of practice time of 15-20 each, then take a few minutes break before starting your next “chunk.” These shorter training periods will also provide for mini mental breaks, an invaluable piece to playing great pool. Remember, the more you are alert and eager to play, the more likely you
Another reason to keep practicing in small chunks is to offset long practice sessions that inevitably, over time, cross a threshold to where you are no longer invested and simply going through the motions. When this occurs, we develop sloppy, bad habits, and eventually our game becomes compromised as a result. Just like you are what you eat, you are also the pool player you have developed yourself into over time, so make sure to think about how important it is to practice effectively.
Dr. Christopher Stankovich is a nationally acclaimed expert in Sport & Performance Psychology and the Founder of Advanced Human Performance Systems. For more information on performance-enhancement products, including the popular “Mind of Steel for Pool Success” conveniently streamed to your phone/pad please visit www.drstankovich.com
6 | Billiards Buzz • September 2021
