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Writer's picturejon thorne

Why we stop players from always relying on what they know they can do



 

Many sports are taught by deconstructing a skill into smaller components, allowing for focused learning and practice before integrating these elements into a flawless technique. This approach tends to be quite mechanical in nature. We offer a more organic approach to learning. Our emphasis is on the interplay of movement among our feet, legs, arms, and head, as well as the relationships of movement between players. This way of learning is very natural for us provided we don't have machine-mindedness.


Machine-mindedness occurs when we perceive ourselves and others as parts of a machine. We can only improve by having rigid, linear thinking, that delivers consistent outcomes. We do the same move over and over again to deliver the same outcome. When this works we don't need to look for other ways because we have achieved a moment of perfection. We now can't improve.


When players don't know how to play they are less likely to have machine-mindedness in how they play. So they are open to the relationships of movement that perpetually evolve and we let the outcome come to us. This is why we want players in perpetual motion. We all move in zig-zags, discover shortcuts, and embrace non-linear creative leaps.


When players have confidence in their skills, it's often necessary to guide them away from their habitual ways of playing, helping them to break free from a rigid, machine-mindedness. This is why we stop players who are fixated on their own path to a particular outcome. While this approach can be effective, a rigid, machine-like mindset limits the natural fluidity of human interactions during play. If we let this continue, our sessions risk transforming into merely another mechanical learning experience. Our goal is to provide a more organic and human-centered approach to learning.

 

Any questions are welcome

 

Cheers, Jon

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SkillsofWow.org is the governing body for those who coach the skills of Wow.

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