Martin Bingisser

GAINcast Episode 193: Chasing perfection

/in /by

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. But what is perfect? Is there such a thing as perfect technique? On this week’s GAINcast we look at technique, movement, and perfection. By better understanding what we’re chasing, we can better frame and design what we are doing in training.

Listen Now

Notes and quotes

  • 5:30 – Changing technique.
  • 8:00 – What is technique? “Technique is a means to an end. The end is performance, technique is just the way to get there. We sometimes get so caught up in technique that we think the technique itself is the goal.”
  • 10:30 – Fitting athletes into a mold and learning from differences.
  • 12:30 – Are there absolutes in technique? “I used to have absolutes in terms of positions, but now have absolutes in terms of movements. We tend to thing about technique in freeze frames, when it’s about what you do in that position rather than what position you are in.”
  • 17:30 – Lessons from Bull Durham.
  • 21:15 – Experiences in learning technique and feeling.
  • 24:30 – The process: “Perfection assumes there is an end point, but the process of building technique is never ending. Even if you think you get there, the body changes and you need to adapt.”
  • 26:15 – Examples from learning how to bike ride.
  • 30:30 – Lessons from Bondarchuk.
  • 33:30 – Ecological dynamics, unstructured experiences, and solving movement problems.
  • 37:00 – Lessons from PE.
  • 39:00 – More quotes, book recommendations, thoughts on progressions, and final thoughts: “Athletes act to perceive and perceive to act.”

To hear more about these topics you can listen to the full episode above. If you like what you hear on the GAINcast, don’t forget to give us a review and subscribe on iTunes.

Further reading

The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: