It is suggested in this book that development of technique (for activities where deep practice is possible) is accelerated when it occurs in a deep practice environment.

 

• Set a (technical) target just out of reach of your current technical limits and try to reach that target.
• You should fail.
  • If not, then there has been no deep practice and no learning or development has occurred.
• You then need to get feedback (which can be internal or external) on this failed attempt at success.
  • If there is no feedback (or the feedback is poor) then deep practice is non existent/minimal.
• After getting feedback you need to try to reach the target again.
  • You will probably fail again but hopefully fail less and get closer to success.
• You then get more feedback, try again, fail less, get more feedback, try again......etc etc
• Until eventually success is attained.
  • That is: Your Myelin (see the next page) has developed sufficiently to make the target achievable.
• Once the Euphoria of success has dissipated you need to set a new challenge and repeat the process again, and again and again.

In terms of deep practice - the process almost never ends. Obviously youth players can get the most benefits from this process, but the process works for players of any age.

Whether you are conscious of it, or not, your brain (if motivated to do so) always gets feedback from actions and makes future adjustments. This process however, works best when the quality of feedback and motivation to learn is at a high level.

 

• Very young players are often poor at giving themselves feedback.
• Very young players are often poor at internalizing external feedback.
• Very young players are often poor at translating feedback into changes in movement.
• Very young players often lack the motivation to go through the discomfort of deep practice. Unless motivation to improve is present (called 'ignition' in the talent code) then feedback is of little use.
  • So the older a player is, the more they can benefit from the deep practice process. [And note: A player is never too old to improve (technically)].
  • However it is a slow long term process, so players who start the process too late, run put of time and so will never develop to the level they potentially could have if they had started earlier.
  • Finally note, players at any age, often do not have access to, or don't give themselves quality feedback. Therefore a master coach (as defined in the 'Talent code' ) helps enormously in this process.

 

In regards to playing football, it might be argued that developing technique without it's execution being alongside appropriate context, is of little benefit and that because deep practice operates mostly away from context it may not be an appropriate development method for a football player. Some would argue that the repetitive randomness of variability, that occurs in small sided games for example, is a much better way to learn and develop football technique.

In other words - Let the game be the teacher.

There is no doubt, football technique needs context to have value, but at the same time, is it okay, when practicing alone outside of training, to isolate some components of technique, and perhaps get huge benefits from 'deep practice' and then take these improved techniques (tool kit) into a 'game' environment and then combine them with the appropriate context?

This has to better than not developing the tool kit at all.

 

• Some techniques occur constantly in a game.
  • e.g: An inside touch across the body or a little toe touch out of the body are common. So the transference from practice of these techniques to games is not a big leap. Any improvements acquired in isolation, are easy to transfer to the game.
• Some fundamental techniques can be used in a wide range of contexts, so learning one fundamental techniques will offer 'a tool' that can used for a lot of different moments.
  • e.g; An 'Inside switch Outside' footwork pattern.
• Much of technical development is about developing dexterity of touch [e.g; Juggling development]. So any improvements in dexterity of touch should be transferable to every touch in a game to some degree.
• Identify moments in games where technique is breaking down (technique is the problem - not the VAAD process). It makes sense to go away and isolate and improve the technique in question, so that it does not break down when playing in the future.
  • The ability to use the weak foot for example, is an easy fix in this regard.
  • And players who are able to use imagery (imagine the correct context for a technique whilst practicing in isolation) may also benefit from this.

 

• Flexible Circuit Deep Practice is a term used in the Talent Code,  which in simple terms, is about letting the speed and complexity of a small sided game, not only improve 'technique', but at the same time develop the ability to apply this technique appropriately. It is a model where technique and application are never separated.
• Old school street players thrived in this type of environment. Old school street soccer (which is unstructured games in which players have full freedom to develop in any way they wanted) has always had the potential to create the coveted 'genius'. On the other hand , it can also leave a lot of potentially very good players (who need more than the 'randomness of the game' and the 'repetition of random variability'), developing in a way that isn't going to help them reach their potential.

   

 

 

 

Note this page is page 2.2 in the table below.

 

 

 

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