I just got the talent code as a .pdf. working my way through it on my breaks between studying. Its amazing how much information you can plow through when you are used to seeing so much in one day. Ive become a fact machine.
Wabi, yes there is a section on south korean golfers as well as interesting section on brazil and soccer. Thats about as far as I have made it so far.
Its great read. PM if you want a copy of the .pdf.
J
A pdf would be v. handy . . . thanks. I’ll PM.
BTW, I heard Coyle interviewed in Australia (it may be avail online, I’ll sus it out for you). The interviewer was talking about a famous cricketer Donald Bradman, and his background of batting practice as a kid (with the stump, a golf ball, and against a round water tank). Coyle said something like this is a classic scenario of how people getting better faster . . . more information/complexity in the actions and more direct feedback. Very similar to Lag’s take on classic gear learning to play with the ‘riskier’ gear . . . creates more neurons, or something . . . you’d know better than me : )
Also, Malcom Gladwell writes abit about this stuff (or was it the Freakonomics guys) . . . that every great musicians and althlete has about 10,000 hours of practice under their belt on average. and the practice has to be the complex, riskier type. I’m a musician, and I know that every effort by instrument makers to make things ‘easier’ to learn/play often doesn’t work (apart from having an instrument that ‘fits’ you).
I’m also interested in the Montesori method of learning/teaching kids, and there are great parallels between all of these elements. Real cause and effect, and real useful feedback loops in the toys and games kids learn with. It all seems connected to feedback.
This makes a lot of sense… because of the positive affect of competition and peer inspiration.
I read an interview with John McLaughlin describing this very occurrence when he was putting together
The Mahavishu Orchestra in the early 1970’s. Anyone familiar with progressive jazz will know who gravitated
toward that project, and who came out of that tiny incubus of just a few guys in a band.
Jan Hammer
Billy Cobham
Jean Luc Ponty
Narada Walden
just to get started…
These guys were all “unknowns” at the time… but obviously had great talent and brought a lot to the round table because they were being inspired by the whirlwind of musical thought and boundary pushing that was so contagious at the time.
No different in golf. Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan being childhood contemporaries growing up near one another.
scenius ( vs genius)
I had never heard of that word. Thanks! What a great concept. I love it. Here’s a blog I just looked up that expands and explains it more.
an excerpt from KK*
I reckon we all have seen personal examples of a type of scenius(maybe “pre-k scenius”) killed by accountants, lawyers, and do-gooders.
another interesting brain phenomenon…( and some have speculated on brain trauma and the possible connection with Moe Norman)
I have heard about this before. I know jimi hendrix supposedly had synesthisia as well. Although who knows that could have just been his acid trip.
Also there is a disorder where the brain thinks it can see even when the eyes are closed. The brain is such an interesting organ. One which we know a lot about but not nearly enough to even have a clue what it is capable of. With all of my medical training I have seen the coordinated firings and patterns that the brain as well as the spinal cord has had to learn to be able to even swing a golf club. Let alone hit a ball with such coordination that you can hit a fade or a draw. Pretty amazing stuff.
If anyone is interested i can probably work on that in my spare time. Itd be a good board study tool to work through both the neurology and anatomy of a golf swing.
Oliver Sacks writes about these phenomena pretty regularly . . . they are fascinating, and give great insights into the realms of mind/brain.
Wayne Shorter, the great jazz tenor player has very unusual connections going on. Not just synesthesia, but also narrative type things . . . ie. sort of anthropomorphing his melodies into chararcters from music, and vice versa, ‘hearing’ characters in a film (he’s a film buff).
Hitting golf balls with earplugs, eyes shut, shoes off, different clubs, changes in loft and lie, etc, must all be interesting for the brain to have fun with. A common thing about some martial arts training I’ve done was the teacher talking about the 2 sides of the body as being different and having different skills. Not to train them as mirror images of each other, as there is nothing in the brain that is mirror image. But, he recommended doing things with the opposite hand for a while to fire up some more brain stuff (ie. writing, eating w. chop sticks, etc). Many musicians do this sort of practice as well, to get the info into the brain in another way.
We talk alot about fucus, however, i’ve always been a fan of practicing musical instruments whilst watching tv. Especially ‘simple’ things, as it sort of puts it into deeper or more automatic way. Just drills and things. Nothing too complex.
Wabi,
First off sorry i havent sent that book. I keep forgetting when im on my computer. On the ipad now.
I have experimented with things like that as well. Ive even tried putting with my eyes closed and a metronome ticking away. Didnt seem to help but i may try it again.
In school i often try to learn with light music in the background. Jazz seems to work best. It helps with recall so im told.
Will try to get that to you tomorrow,
J
Was working my first job as a stock-boy when this one came out. It can be said this place was a good example of “scenius” .
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKeXkhxiq6I[/youtube]
