The Circle (of Life) Part 1 - Neurological Plasticity and Hebbian Learning

I had an interesting discussion with my coach recently about the effectiveness of technique practice. As I'm sure you know, any learned activity takes time to perfect and will need constant attention to keep the skills reinforced.

(Vicious) Cycle for eternity - A Google Sketch-up document

This is, however, much easier said than done; I usually go through a constant cycle of a) Pseudo-perfect (GROUND): thinking it is excellent when in actual fact bad technique  b) total destruction of technique and re(BUILDING) and finally c) bringing it all together with proper technique and focus all through a continuous cycle of learning and growing towards almost(PERFECTION).

I think of it as Tiger Woods re-learning his golf swing (not the womanizing swing). I found out that even though he already won the Masters' green jacket with his original swing, he wanted to be better/stronger/faster at his chosen sport. After re-tooling his golf swing he subsequently won many more championships and Masters jackets. This may apply to a technique specific sport like rowing...(and swimming or even curling for that matter) For me, in my amateur status, I'd like to think I'm working towards perfection but it seems I'm always going through "the cycle" shown above.


For two weeks in February we had no coach directly observing us and giving us tips. It was a nice time to focus on the workouts without getting the constant patter of technique pointers. I find out now, three months later, that in those two weeks and beyond I have ingrained poor technique which has become reinforced by thousands of repetitions.  Only now am I realizing that it was incorrect technique, so I not only need to get rid of those old habits but re-ingrain new "correct" technique. What is correct technique?

I have been very interested in this line of ingraining physical motions into habit and creating a learned activity.  I opened up my medical text books to refresh my memory on neuroanatomy and physiology. In summary, I this is what I realized:

 Neurological plasticity or Hebbian Learning is a concept discussed in advanced  nerdy circles of psychology, physiology and rehabilitation.  It roughly states that learning takes place when two areas of the nervous system connected together through the interaction of nerve cells and the more often the cells interacted the more solidly something is remembered.  So, applying this to rowing, or any technique sport for that matter, the more repetitions completed with proper technique stronger connections will develop in the nervous system.  With this technique becoming ingrained the motion will be able to be completed on autopilot and more focus can be applied to other areas of competition.  Also, less energy will be utilized in focusing on moving the body a certain way and the energy can be focused on more effective points to win a competition.

The next question I have is: what is the perfect technique for rowing!?