Using ‘Deliberate Practice’ when Coaching Canoe and Kayak Skills
Research shows that you can learn to canoe and kayak more effectively by using “Deliberate Practice”. There is nothing controversal about the idea that expertise will only be achieved through a great deal of practice, but “Deliberate Practice” has two key components.
- time and energy from the learner
- access to facilities and coaches
An important aspect of deliberate practice is attention and focus. Some people use affirmations to great effect -
“My forward paddling is improving everyday”, is an example of one such affirmation.
Questions are tools coaches use to focus our attention, and we can use these to help with “deliberate practice”. Correctly phased, “developing questions” can be far more effective than affirmations in focussing our attention on the intention of our practice as we work towards the goals and outcomes we have.
For the next month I invite you to ask yourself the following questions at the beginning of each practice session.
- What are three things I am gaining from my practice?
- How can I create new and different ways to move forward and create a real difference to my paddling?
- How can I be more receptive to notice new and different ways of thinking and perceiving my performance in a positive way?
Where appropriate you can formulate answers, or just let your unconscious mind work on them in it’s own time.
So ask yourself developing questions to ensure you are using deliberate practice to help you learn to canoe and kayak even more effectively.
