Does Practice Make Perfect?

Garbage in,garbage out.

Something similar to what Tall Paul says, and what we used to tell the groups we coached, is "practice of perfection makes perfect" but, just because nobody's perfect, shouldn't stop you from trying.

perfect practice makes perfect

A few years ago I took an intro to cognitive psych class. The professor would always tell us, "repetition increases learning." One day we all chanted it about twenty times. So, now I remember that repetition increases learning. But learning is not the same thing as perfection. Undesirable things are easy to learn with repetition. I think you're getting at the old cliche that perfect practice makes perfect, and I agree.

Does Practice Make Perfect? I just heard a swim coach working with a masters club. She said practice makes perfect. What she was teaching should never be taught. I don't think practice makes perfect, do you? Not if one is "perfecting" defects............. However what the coach was practicing should be taught in all con-artist schools. I have seen, personal coaches, sitting (probably counting the un-earned money in their heads) while their student (singular) was churning up and down the pool, creating huge whirlpools and whirlwinds and barely advancing. I wish I had a camera (and that Ottawa public pools allowed filing or even photography. My films of some of these swimmers would have made the finals of "America's Funniest Videos" because even non-swimmers would LTAO (replace the T with an M and you'll know what I meant).

As a new swimmer, I have to ask this... What were they teaching that was so obviously wrong??

Teaching hands exiting at the waistline. Hands entering too close to the head no extension and going direct to the catch. All of the swimmers were droping their elbows. She put up signs at the end of the pool and told everone to do the work out. Not once did she make even a group correction and if she did would I listen? Everyone fishtailing, no streamline at all.

I'm 35. I'm so over trying to be perfect in anything, it's almost funny. :laugh2: Perfect according to what standards set by whom?

I'm perfect at not being perfect. I have heard "practice makes perfect" so many times that I cringe at the saying. No practice is ever perfect...no stroke is...there are always room for improvement

Something similar to what Tall Paul says, and what we used to tell the groups we coached, is "practice of perfection makes perfect" but, just because nobody's perfect, shouldn't stop you from trying. For me personally, I try to improve, but I don't strive for perfection. It's swimming. Not brain surgery.