鑽石舞台

Mastering any physical skill, be it performing a pirouette, playing an instrument, or throwing a baseball, takes practice. Practice is the repetition of an action with the goal of improvement, and it helps us perform with more ease, speed, and confidence.

掌握任何關於身體的技巧，比如用腳尖旋轉、演奏一門樂器、或者投擲棒球，都需要練習。練習就是為了達成目標而不斷地重複，它能讓我們表現得更從容、敏捷，並且有自信。

So what does practice do in our brains to make us better at things? Our brains have two kinds of neural tissue: grey matter and white matter. The grey matter processes information in the brain, directing signals and sensory stimuli to nerve cells, while white matter is mostly made up of fatty tissue and nerve fibers.

那練習究竟是怎樣作用於我們的大腦，讓我們做的更好呢？我們的大腦有兩種神經組織：灰質，和白質。灰質處理大腦中的信息，將信號和感覺刺激引導到神經細胞，而白質主要由脂肪組織和神經纖維組成。

In order for our bodies to move, information needs to travel from the brain's grey matter, down the spinal cord, through a chain of nerve fibers called axons to our muscles. So how does practice or repetition affect the inner workings of our brains?

為了能使我們的身體進行活動，信息會從大腦中的灰質，沿着脊髓，穿過軸突，也就是一系列的神經纖維，最後到達肌肉組織。那麼重複的練習能對我們的大腦造成怎樣的影響呢？

The axons that exist in the white matter are wrapped with a fatty substance called myelin. And it's this myelin covering, or sheath, that seems to change with practice.Myelin is similar to insulation on electrical cables.

軸突存在於大腦的白質中，被一種叫做髓磷脂的脂質物質所包裹着，而髓磷脂的包裹程度會隨着我們進行練習而變化。髓磷脂就像是電纜外包裹的絕緣體。

It prevents energy loss from electrical signals that the brain uses, moving them more efficiently along neural pathways. Some recent studies in mice suggest that the repetition of a physical motion increases the layers of myelin sheath that insulates the axons.

它阻止了在大腦使用過程中電子信號能量的流失，使他們能夠在神經系統中更有效的傳輸。近期有對小白鼠的研究顯示，重複地進行某項身體活動，能夠使髓磷脂保護套的層數變多，將軸索都分隔開。

And the more layers, the greater the insulation around the axon chains, forming a sort of superhighway for information connecting your brain to your muscles.So while many athletes and performers attribute their successes to muscle memory, muscles themselves don't really have memory.

層數越多，軸索外的絕緣性能也就越強。這樣就形成了連接你大腦和肌肉的一系列「高速公路。」所以，儘管許多運動員和表演者把它們的成功歸結於肌肉記憶，但是肌肉本身其實是沒有記憶的。

Rather, it may be the myelination of neural pathways that gives these athletes and performers their edge with faster and more efficient neural pathways. There are many theories that attempt to quantify the number of hours, days, and even years of practice that it takes to master a skill.

是神經通路的髓鞘化，讓這些運動員和表演者能夠使得他們是神經通路運轉得更快，更有效。有許多理論試圖定量用幾小時、幾天、甚至幾年的練習將一門技術掌握。

While we don't yet have a magic number, we do know that mastery isn't simply about the amount of hours of practice. It's also the quality and effectiveness of that practice.

但我們還沒有得到一個確切的數字，我們知道，對一項技巧的掌握不僅僅取決於練習的時長，它還取決於練習的質量和效率。

Effective practice is consistent, intensely focused,and targets content or weaknesses that lie at the edge of one's current abilities. So if effective practice is the key, how can we get the most out of our practice time?Try these tips.

有效的練習是連續的，高度集中注意力的，並且關注個人現階段所達到的程度，以及還存在的不足。如果有效的練習是成功的關鍵，那如何才能最大化地利用我們的練習時間？試試這些方法吧。

Focus on the task at hand. Minimize potential distractions by turning off the computer or TV and putting your cell phone on airplane mode. In one study, researchers observed 260 students studying.

專注於手頭的任務。將周圍存在干擾的可能性最小化，比如，關掉電視或電腦，把手機調成飛行模式。在一項研究中，觀察員觀察了260學生的學習狀況。

On average, those students were able to stay on task for only six minutes at a time. Laptops, smartphones, and particularly Facebook were the root of most distractions. Start out slowly or in slow-motion.

總的來說，學生一次只能在學習上集中6分鐘的注意力。電腦，手機，特別是臉書推送,都會對他們形成干擾。在開始練習的時候把動作放慢。

Coordination is built with repetitions, whether correct or incorrect. If you gradually increase the speed of the quality repetitons, you have a better chance of doing them correctly.

協調性是在不斷的重複中養成的，不論是錯的還是對的。如果你逐漸增加有效練習的速度，你會更有可能做出正確的動作。

Next, frequent repetitions with allotted breaks are common practice habits of elite performers. Studies have shown that many top athletes, musicians, and dancers spend 50-60 hours per week on activities related to their craft.

其次，優秀的表演者往往會懂得合理的分配休息的時間。研究表明，許多頂尖運動員、音樂家、和舞者，通常會在自己的領域在每周花50到60小時來進行練習。

Many divide their time used for effective practice into multiple daily practice sessions of limited duration. And finally, practice in your brain in vivid detail. It's a bit surprising, but a number of studies suggest that once a physical motion has been established, it can be reinforced just by imagining it.

他們大多數會把練習的總量分配成幾個部分，定時定量進行訓練。最後一點，在大腦中回想訓練的細節。聽起來會有點不可思議，但是許多研究表明，一旦建立了一套物理運動，通過想象就可以加強鞏固。

In one study, 144 basketball players were divided into two groups. Group A physically practiced one-handed free throws while Group B only mentally practiced them.

在一項研究中，144名籃球運動員被分成兩組。A組的訓練內容是去實地練習單手發球，而B組只是通過大腦不斷重放這個過程。

When they were tested at the end of the two week experiment, the intermediate and experienced players in both groups had improved by nearly the same amount.

在兩周的實驗結束後，測試結果表明，兩組中處於中高水平的運動員得到了幾乎相同水平的提高。

As scientists get closer to unraveling the secrets of our brains, our understanding of effective practice will only improve.

隨着科學家對大腦研究的不斷深入，我們對進行有效練習的理解也就越來越高。

In the meantime, effective practice is the best way we have of pushing our individual limits, achieving new heights, and maximizing our potential.

對於高效練習的了解，是我們挑戰自身極限、到達新的高度、以及激發我們潛能的最好方法。