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Neuroscientist Kris Berka is discovering how we can hack our own mental software to give ourselves the ability to train like experts and find the elusive "zone." To reach this high output brain state, you need focused attention with little to no distractibility. Personally, I am able to get into "the zone" when I draw. I can not verbally articulate how I draw or paint any pictures - I just do it. But how can novices attain this kind of procedural knowledge?

Berka is developing a device to train the brain of a novice to work like the brain of a highly skilled expert. She researched expert archers, determining the neural state leading up to the peak performance shot. She found that two types of brain waves - alpha and theta - were most prominent when in "the zone." Alpha waves represent a meditative concentration state, while theta waves denote extreme relaxation. Using the brain wave sensor device on the group of amateur archers, she coaxed them to take the shot when in the same brain state as an expert. By the end of one day of practice, amateurs were able to shoot at, or close to, the level of an expert. There was a 230% increase of speed and accuracy in marksmanship training. Achieving the mental state of an expert allows one to focus attention effectively, using less declarative memory and knowledge, which can potentially distract the learner.

This exciting research can be applied to a whole host of activities, whether in sports performance, corporate effectiveness, or military training.

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"Get in The Zone" Morgan Freeman with New Reality

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As a ballet dancer, the ability to precisely control movement stems from correctly interpreting sensory feedback from proprioceptors and relating it to where your limbs are in space.

I trained at the Milwaukee Ballet School, where I was prepared for a career as a professional dancer. The dance education I received was comprehensive, including ballet technique, partnering, pilates, modern, anatomy and jazz classes.

Daily, I performed exercises (like the ones in the clip below) pertaining to the improvement of proprioception, mainly focusing on the muscle spindle proprioceptors. Muscle spindles lie parallel to muscles and measure muscle stretch; they are most important for telling you where you are in space statically and in motion (Lecture Notes, 2018). I would use a BOSU ball or half of a foam roller to stand on. I practiced first with a flat foot, then on relevé, followed by en pointe (with pointe shoes). Once balance was established, I would close my eyes and allow the feedforward control to commence. The slight sways in my body were the errors compared to the reference mechanism (what my body should be doing). These errors were processed through with instructions for the effector level, commanding the contraction or relaxation of certain muscles to achieve a result closer to the reference mechanism. This output provides feedback to the goal of maintaining balance. When first on the BOSU or balance board, I always felt a bit wobbly. However, soon after, I experienced less large adjustments and felt more "on my leg" as they say. With practice, my muscle spindles were able to react quicker to the errors detected and increased the processing speed, allowing for better balance with less adjustments!

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Performing Arts Medicine: Balance and Proprioceptive Exercises

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RANDOM PRACTICE -        Kines 338: Anatomy Lab

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RANDOM PRACTICE -        Kines 338: Anatomy Lab

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I utilized four different study tools in random orders:

1. Muscle ID using PAL 3.1
2. Muscle Flashcards (muscle identification, origin, insertion, innervation)
3. Drawing out the Brachial Plexus - and muscles each nerve innervates
4. Drawing out and identifying bony landmarks and muscles at those attachment sites

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BLOCKED PRACTICE -       Kines 337: Anatomy Lecture

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BLOCKED PRACTICE -       Kines 337: Anatomy Lecture

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During blocked practice, I memorized tables like these without any other variation in study.

Muscle Chart from Kines 337
UW Madison

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STUDY SMART, NOT MORE!                                            Schema Theory & Variability of Practice in Studying Anatomy

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STUDY SMART, NOT MORE!                                            Schema Theory & Variability of Practice in Studying Anatomy

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When faced with the daunting task of learning musculoskeletal anatomy (origins, insertions, actions, innervation, vasculature, etc.), I found that variability in study practice yielded better results than blocked practice.

I learned this lesson the hard way during the summer when I took Anatomy Lecture. We were given muscle charts, which denoted the action, origin, insertion, and innervation of each muscle. Since the course was accelerated, we had just two weeks to learn both the upper and lower extremity. I concluded that my time would be best spent in blocked practice, memorizing the muscle charts from top to bottom. There was just too much information to pack in and I performed far worse in transfer (on the exam) compared to the previous two exams.

Thanks to a better understanding of practice variability, I revisited these topics this semester in Anatomy Lab. I studied using four types of study tools in random order. The material was the same throughout, but I just approached it in different ways, using different sets of skills. I drew out the brachial plexus, noting all the muscles innervated by each nerve. Drawing bones and labeling the bony landmarks with muscles that attach to each enabled me to visualize the material more effectively. I practiced muscle identification on real tissue with Practice Anatomy Lab (PAL 3.1). Summary flashcards were also helpful in consolidating the information. My much improved exam score supported the Schema Theory, which states that variability in practice leads to better learning of the skill (Lecture Notes, 2018).

Utilizing variability in practice allowed me to transfer fact collection into a more full understanding of the concept of anatomy.

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AUGMENTED FEEDBACK IS BEST, HANDS DOWN...

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AUGMENTED FEEDBACK IS BEST, HANDS DOWN...

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Dependent on the type of skill, augmented feedback may help or hinder the acquisition of that skill (Lecture Notes, 2018).

As a former gymnastics coach, I would argue that augmented feedback is essential for a correct, straight-legged handstand (with toes pointed, of course!). When kids (or adults) first attempt handstands, the inherent feedback (biofeedback) they are receiving from their hands pressing into the floor is meaningless. Providing augmented feedback in segments with a slight delay allows the novice to consider what they did wrong before addressing the specific errors.

I found the most common mistake kids made was failing to get their shoulders stacked over their wrists because they did not have enough power from the lunge-kickoff. The first augmented feedback cue we used was a wall. They would face the wall, lunge, and kick up into the handstand. If their heels reached the wall, they knew they were over their wrists. The second error to be addressed was the propensity for their elbows to buckle. As described in the clip below, the bending of the elbows is inherent feedback. Simply telling the gymnast to straighten her arms does not yield good results - the elbow must be straight, but the shoulders need to elevate as well. Once in the handstand at the wall, their next piece of feedback was to imagine that they were pressing the floor away with their hands. The last bit of imagery I used was for the leg-splaying error. Often, novices will splay their legs instead of squeezing their inner thighs together. They were instructed to imagine that they were holding a thin sheet of paper between their thighs. If available, we actually used a sheet of paper or a foam block once they were situated on the wall. Lastly, the core must be engaged so the back does not arch and the legs do not topple overhead or sideways. I instructed them on their next wall handstand to exhale as they kicked up. Exhaling contracts the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, and the obliques, stabilizing the torso, allowing for better balance. Once in the handstands, the gymnast should breath normally; an easy way to test this is to have them carry on a conversation with you.

Every piece of augmented feedback was given AFTER the gymnast completed the skill. Giving feedback concurrently with the skill is not only detrimental to learning, but also can be dangerous in the sport of gymnastics. Especially when working with kids, encouragement is a must. I always utilized the sandwich approach: I first told them something they did right in the skill, followed by what they did wrong, with a few words of encouragement at the end.

Once gymnasts become experts at the handstand, they can return to inherent cues and will be able to comprehend the biofeedback from their hands. For me, balancing in handstands is all about the distribution of pressure in the fingertips and palms.

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internal VS external cues in your handstand practice

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I am an instructor at the Barre Code Madison, and I regularly use mental practice to remember and perfect my 50 minute routines. I teach two different formats, which change on a weekly basis. The Barre Code style requires seamless transitions, musicality, set timing, motivational tidbits, and correct form cues. That is a lot to think about whilst paying attention to the clients, but utilizing mental practice has helped me hone those skills and allow them to become second-nature so I can focus on the client's needs. After learning each routine, I close my eyes and visualize the sequence. I imagine saying the form cues I want to incorporate with each exercise, what my transitions will look like, and how my count-downs will play into the music. Mental practice gives me the freedom to move about the room and engage with clients, while unconsciously keeping track of all the aspects that make Barre Code workouts super challenging, safe, upbeat, and consistent!

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"You do the ideal in your head and hope it translates"                  -  Rio Anderson

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"You do the ideal in your head and hope it translates"                  -  Rio Anderson

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This clip perfectly sums up the two roles of mental practice (Lecture Notes, 2018):
1. Improvement of Motor Skills
2. Aiding in Performing a well-learned skill

Ballet dancer Rio Anderson describes her ritual for physical and mental preparation, visualizing her choreography while she listens to the accompanying music. Just by thinking about the movements, she is able to feel them in her body, activating and solidifying the muscle memory of the dance. This is a great way to combat performance anxiety or "stage fright." If she draws a blank on stage during high pressure competitions, she can rely on the muscle memory to kick in.

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Meet The Dancing Prodigy Who Turned Down Harvard