[lagster]

Originally Posted by lagster

!. How long do most of you find it takes with your students(or yourselves) to make a MECHANICAL change? 2. Do you find this time varies if the student is making more than one mechanical change, or stays about the same? 3. How long before the student is able to take the change(or changes) to the course, and do better than with his former technique? 4. Have you found that a specific number of repetitions per practice session is necessary to cause the change? 5. Have you found that going beyond a certain number of repetitions, or certain amount of time per session is counter-productive? In general, as probably most of you have noticed also, if the initial change or changes cause the student to immediately produce better shots, he will take to the changes fairly quickly. However, how long it takes for the change, or changes to become part of his standard technique, is another thing.

Lagster,
Great questions!

This is a subject (sports psychology) which has really been at the forefront of sports the last 10 years.

In summary, I am not a teacher. However, Ldeit had a great reply. Add to his anxiety. Performance anxiety, in my opinion, is a major major issue in motor learning.

We've all seen (and done) someone take a unbelievable practice swing - only to have that swing melt when its 'for real'. Why?

Thats the question in my opinion. I have never felt the 21 day repetition worked. I do believe that non mechanical thoughts on the course allow the player to come out - though 'swing thoughts' would say otherwise.

Bottomline, I dont know. But if you would like alot of references (start with Nideffer), I can supply.

Patrick

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People learn to do all kinds of things... drive a car, type, walk, dance, etc..

Any of these would probably be tricky to change, once the intitial pattern, or GROOVE, is formed.

Look, for example, at Billy Mayfair in putting, and Charles Barkley in the full swing. These are both athletic people.

Others, like Tiger, and probably someone like Mac O., seem to be able to make changes rather easily.

I'm not sure about the 20 day thing either, but it does seem to be about that for some things, and some people.