Do you want to learn faster and more effectively?
I listened to recently called “Using Failures, Movement & Balance to Learn Faster.” The Huberman Lab episode focuses on the process of learning and how we can use failures, movement, and balance to improve our learning speed and efficacy. The insights from the podcast are based on scientific research, and here is how I, a professional Muay Thai fighter, believe they can be applied to Muay Thai training to help you develop your skills faster.
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Using Failures to Learn Faster
One of the main takeaways from the podcast is that failures are an essential part of the learning process. When we fail, our brain goes through a process of consolidation, which helps us learn better. Failure is not a sign of weakness. It’s an opportunity for growth and learning.
In Muay Thai, failure can manifest in different ways, such as losing a fight, forgetting to use a technique, or not being able to execute a move correctly. Instead of being discouraged by failure, you should embrace it and use it as a learning opportunity.
When you look at the positive aspects of failure, you see what you can get out of it. By doing this, you can actually trigger a dopamine release everytime you think about how great it is that you failed – “There’s so much I can learn from this. I can only get better from here. I’m realizing my shortcomings and I am learning!”. This changes things on a chemical level – you start to really enjoy the process of failure and learning!
Try changing your perspective from “I failed” to “What can I learn from this?” Analyze your failures, figure out what went wrong, and work on improving those areas. Embrace failure.
Movement and Learning
The podcast also discusses how movement can enhance our learning speed and efficacy. Movement stimulates the brain and helps it learn better. This is because movement activates different parts of the brain, such as the cerebellum, which is responsible for movement coordination and motor learning. The host speaks about how movement, even when unrelated to what someone wants to learn, can significantly give them an advantage in retaining new knowledge and skills.
In Muay Thai, movement is an essential part of the sport. From footwork to striking techniques, movement plays a crucial role in developing your skills. By incorporating movement into your training routine, you can enhance your learning speed and efficacy. For example, you can practice footwork drills, shadowboxing, or sparring to improve your movement coordination and motor learning.
Balance and Learning
Another critical aspect of the learning process is balance. Balance is not just about physical stability, but it also plays a crucial role in cognitive processes such as attention and memory. When we’re in balance, our brain can focus better and retain information more effectively.
In Muay Thai, balance is crucial for executing techniques correctly and avoiding injury. And because many new movements in Muay Thai can take us off balance, it motivates us to learn how to do the movements correctly so we can restore balance. By working on your balance, you can improve your Muay Thai skills and reduce the risk of injury. Some ways to improve your balance in Muay Thai include practicing kicks, working on your stance, and incorporating balance exercises such as single-leg squats and planks into your training routine.
By incorporating the insights from the Huberman Lab podcast into your Muay Thai training, you can learn faster and more effectively. Remember that failures are an essential part of the learning process and that you should embrace them as opportunities for growth and learning.
I encourage everyone in Muay Thai to look into data-backed methods and continue self-education through the endless resources that are available to us online via Podcasts, YouTube, and social media. When we know better, we can do better.
If you want an in-depth guide to training in Thailand, I’ve got just the thing.
