How to practice effectively...for just about anything - Annie Bosler and Don Greene

翻译人员: Yusi Chen 校对人员: Jenny Hsu

Mastering any physical skill,

掌握任何关于身体的技巧，

be it performing a pirouette,

比如用脚尖旋转、

playing an instrument,

演奏一门乐器、

or throwing a baseball,

或者投掷棒球，

takes practice.

都需要练习。

Practice is the repetition of an action with the goal of improvement,

练习就是为了达成目标 而不断的重复，

and it helps us perform with more ease, speed, and confidence.

它能让我们表现的更从容、敏捷， 并且有自信。

So what does practice do in our brains to make us better at things?

那练习究竟是怎样作用于我们的大脑 让我们做的更好的呢？

Our brains have two kinds of neural tissue:

我们的大脑有两种神经组织：

grey matter

灰质，

and white matter.

和白质。

The grey matter processes information in the brain,

灰质在大脑中处理信息，

directing signals and sensory stimuli to nerve cells,

引导信号和感官刺激到达神经元，

while white matter is mostly made up of fatty tissue and nerve fibers.

而白质主要是由脂肪组织 和神经纤维组成。

In order for our bodies to move,

为了能使我们的身体进行活动，

information needs to travel from the brain's grey matter,

信息会从大脑中的灰质，

down the spinal cord,

沿着脊髓，

through a chain of nerve fibers called axons

穿过轴突，也就是一系列的神经纤维，

to our muscles.

最后到达肌肉组织。

So how does practice or repetition affect the inner workings of our brains?

那么重复的练习能对我们的大脑 造成怎样的影响呢？

The axons that exist in the white matter

轴突存在于大脑的白质中，

are wrapped with a fatty substance called myelin.

被一种叫做髓磷脂的脂质物质 所包裹着，

And it's this myelin covering, or sheath, that seems to change with practice.

而髓磷脂的包裹程度会随着 我们进行练习 而变化。

Myelin is similar to insulation on electrical cables.

髓磷脂就像是电缆外包裹的绝缘体，

It prevents energy loss from electrical signals that the brain uses,

它阻止了在大脑使用过程中 电子信号能量的流失，

moving them more efficiently along neural pathways.

使他们能够在神经系统中 更有效的传输。

Some recent studies in mice suggest that the repetition of a physical motion

近期有对小白鼠的研究显示， 重复的进行某项身体活动，

increases the layers of myelin sheath that insulates the axons.

能够使髓磷脂保护套的层数变多， 将轴索都分隔开。

And the more layers, the greater the insulation around the axon chains,

层数越多，轴索外的绝缘性能也就越强。

forming a sort of superhighway for information

这样就形成了连接你大脑和肌肉的

connecting your brain to your muscles.

一系列“高速公路。”

So while many athletes and performers

所以，尽管许多运动员和表演者

attribute their successes to muscle memory,

把它们的成功归结于肌肉记忆，

muscles themselves don't really have memory.

但是肌肉本身其实是没有记忆的。

Rather, it may be the myelination of neural pathways

是神经通路的髓鞘化，

that gives these athletes and performers their edge

让这些运动员和表演者

with faster and more efficient neural pathways.

能够使得他们是神经通路运转得 更快，更有效。

There are many theories that attempt

有很多的理论

to quantify the number of hours, days, and even years of practice

试图将掌握一门技术的时间定量，

that it takes to master a skill.

定量到几小时、几天，甚至几年。

While we don't yet have a magic number,

但我们还没有得到一个确切的数字，

we do know that mastery isn't simply about the amount of hours of practice.

我们知道，对一项技巧的掌握 不仅仅取决于练习的时长，

It's also the quality and effectiveness of that practice.

它还取决于练习的质量和效率。

Effective practice is consistent,

有效的练习是连续的，

intensely focused,

高度集中注意力的，

and targets content or weaknesses

并且关注个人现阶段所达到的程度，

that lie at the edge of one's current abilities.

以及还存在的不足。

So if effective practice is the key,

如果有效的练习是成功的关键，

how can we get the most out of our practice time?

那如何才能最大化得利用 我们的练习时间？

Try these tips.

试试这些方法吧。

Focus on the task at hand.

专注于手头的工作。

Minimize potential distractions by turning off the computer or TV

将周围存在干扰的可能性最小化，比如， 关掉电视或电脑，

and putting your cell phone on airplane mode.

把手机调成飞行模式。

In one study, researchers observed 260 students studying.

在一项研究中， 观察员观察了260学生的学习状况。

On average,

总的来说，

those students were able to stay on task for only six minutes at a time.

学生一次只能在学习上集中 6分钟的注意力。

Laptops, smartphones, and particularly Facebook

电脑，手机，特别是脸书推送,

were the root of most distractions.

都会对他们形成干扰。

Start out slowly or in slow-motion.

在开始练习的时候把动作放慢，

Coordination is built with repetitions, whether correct or incorrect.

协调性是在不断的重复中养成的， 不论是错的还是对的。

If you gradually increase the speed of the quality repetitons,

如果你逐渐增加有效练习的速度，

you have a better chance of doing them correctly.

你会更有可能做出正确的动作。

Next, frequent repetitions with allotted breaks are common practice habits

其次，优秀的表演者往往会懂得

of elite performers.

合理的分配休息的时间。

Studies have shown that many top athletes, musicians, and dancers

研究表明，许多顶级的运动员、音乐家和舞者，

spend 50-60 hours per week on activities related to their craft.

通常会在自己的领域 在每周花50到60小时来进行练习。

Many divide their time used for effective practice

他们大多数会把练习的总量分配成几个部分，

into multiple daily practice sessions of limited duration.

定时定量进行训练。

And finally, practice in your brain in vivid detail.

最后一点， 在大脑中回想训练的细节。

It's a bit surprising, but a number of studies suggest

听起来会有点不可思议，

that once a physical motion has been established,

但是许多研究表明， 一旦建立了一套物理运动，

it can be reinforced just by imagining it.

通过想象就可以加强巩固。

In one study, 144 basketball players were divided into two groups.

一项研究中，有144名篮球运动员 被分成了两队。

Group A physically practiced one-handed free throws

A组的训练内容是去实地练习 单手发球，

while Group B only mentally practiced them.

而B组只是通过大脑 不断重放这个过程。

When they were tested at the end of the two week experiment,

在两周的实验结束后，

the intermediate and experienced players in both groups

测试结果表明， 两组中处于中高水平的运动员

had improved by nearly the same amount.

得到了几乎相同水平的提高。

As scientists get closer to unraveling the secrets of our brains,

随着科学家对大脑研究的不断深入，

our understanding of effective practice will only improve.

我们对进行有效练习的理解 也就越来越高。

In the meantime, effective practice is the best way we have

对于高效练习的了解，

of pushing our individual limits,

是我们挑战自身极限、

achieving new heights,

到达新的高度、

and maximizing our potential.

以及激发我们潜能的最好方法。