[Tango-L] Effective Practice

[Jeff Gaynor]

Trini y Sean (PATangoS) wrote:

><snip/>
>  
>

>Thanks Jeff. This is a key element that I neglected to
>address. To practice effectively, you have to be mentally
>focused on the skill you are practicing. So it is less
>effective to practice two or more skills at once. This is
>why I believe that dancing cannot be considered practicing.
>  
>
 From a strictly coaching perspective this is dead on the money, 
otherwise sports would have no practice, just games.

>For me, dancing requires awareness of everything. (Being in
>the moment, in the zone, or however you wish to describe
>that state.) If you are focused on improving one thing,
>then you are not giving enough attention to everything
>else. (A perfectionist's ideal may be to maintain total
>awareness even while focused on improving a specific skill,
>but that is a different discussion. Besides, I am more a
>pragmatic than a perfectionist.)
>  
>
More to the point, practice allows you to over-optimize certain parts in 
an artificial environment. This is essential because any high-level 
physical level activity should be viewed as more of an interacting 
system. Soccer players don't just run, e.g., but practice sprints in the 
case they need them. Generally any skill in a live situation will 
degrade so optimizing them is crucial. So it goes with tango.

>--- Jeff also wrote:
>
>For activities that have a large conditioning component -
>which tango thankfully does not - it can be a great deal
>more frustrating since you have to grow new muscle before
>you can train it.
>
>--- Sean again:
>
>How large is large? 
>
With tango you can work at it a couple of times a week and after a month 
or two be doing pretty well. Sure you'll be a bit sore in odd places but 
nothing serious. Contrast this with a competitive sport where an athlete 
might well have to do 4 - 6 weeks of serious free weight training before 
going to an intensive camp. Anything less is begging for an injury. I 
know I sound like a trainer/coach but wanted to emphasize one of the 
charming things about tango: most anyone can do it! But you have to know 
*where* you put your practice. Having someone offer "tango-robics" would 
be goofy in the extreme, wouldn't it?

Cheers,

Jeff G