EXpand.1 - skill
Learning new movement skills may seem intimidating, but truly every skill can be broken down into very small incremental progressions. Our learning process does not go linearly, it is organic and multiple systems working together with many variables, but the principles are constant within each system and in some cases across systems. What this looks like for example, is we can learn how to do a muscleup by physically/mentally working DIRECTLY on it, but also INDIRECTLY working on other aspects involved, like our body, our time management, our recovery, nutrition, mindset, and more.
Expanding our skills and strengths involves the awareness of this systems process. The emphasis of this article is on having the big picture of not only the direct approach of progressive practice, but the systems indirect approach, working on other connected variables you can control.
The direct approach of progressive practice requires planning the smallest but most (or close to) engaging regularly scheduled steps towards that ultimate skill. Again with the muscleup example, we may not be able to do a pullup or a dip. So we have to map those out because those two movements together can accomplish a muscleup. This may look like learning the body row, the leg assisted dip, playing with variables like slower reps, loaded progressions, fast reps, holds, consistent submaximal efforts (doing the movements but not fatiguing, in a sense rehearsing) thru the day, etc.
The indirect approach of systems processes requires careful attention to your strongest and weakest links as you go day to day, practice to practice, breath to breath. It takes alot of time to unveil and have a cognizant and practical viewpoint of those variables and systems, especially if we have never given any time to reflect on them. This is another big purpose of these articles and the Gene Moves Methodology and Ethos, to illuminate many areas which may be more productive to multitask upon instead of hyperspecializing/hyperfocusing on simply one area of our movement like a person living under a rock who moves to the city. We must be aware that we are unaware, and move towards the unknown aspects which dictate how we grow and progress.
INTENTION: Can you look at your movement practice or day to day embodiment and find the least developed areas? Can you look at all the skills you are learning and then give yourself one or two things you will do every day to get better at at least one of those skills? Write a basic Monday thru Friday program for yourself if you need to distribute those skills over a weekly basis where you rotate skills each day, or just a daily skill step that stays constant.
