Knowing how our brains work should help understand why certain practice techniques work better.
Synapses are the connections that allow electrical impulses to pass from one neuron to another. At first, these electrical impulses move slowly, but as a synapse is used more often, the brain covers it in a substance called myelin, which allows the electrical impulse to proceed much more quickly.
Knowing that, two important practice strategies start to make more sense.
- Repeat. We need this repetition to lock in a synapse, so it gets myelinated for peak efficiency.
- Slow down. Until the synapse is myelinated, we literally cannot move at our peak brain speed. We need slower tempos so that our thinking remains ahead of the tempo.
Slow down and repeat: two classic practice recommendations, made more compelling by the brain science that underly their usefulness.