“In shadow-boxing you practice self-expression with no inhibiting factors. You form a general, flexible mental map. There is a carry over in your muscles, nerves and brain from practice to the actual situation.” – Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

Shadow boxing can be interpreted as “shadow boxing as applied to everyday living.” Every time I want to learn something new, I remind myself to apply the technology found in shadow boxing, or mental rehearsal (or my personal favorite, active visualization).

I’ve used it for martial arts, work, home renovation projects, skateboarding, travel, fatherhood, and generally to be a more effective and useful person in the world. Like most of this stuff, by stuff I mean martial arts, the higher principles eventually apply to our every day issues. An idea that initially allows us to progress in terms of fighting skill later can be applied with a healing focus, then you can use it for both as needed.

Michael Billings

Matching & Mirroring is an interesting learning phenomenon

that takes place from time to time with or without our conscious awareness.

The more aware we are of matching & mirroring learning strategy

the faster we can discover if we learn by one or the other or a combination of both.

While working out with a couple of my martial arts students,

I noticed matching & mirroring taking place.

As I was showing a specific martial arts technique to student A (he learns by mirroring), student B automatically positioned himself on an angle to match my movements. He knew that matching was the best way for him to learn.

Once you determine if you learn by matching, mirroring or both, then learning any physical skill will be accelerated.

In my new book “Vibrational Oneness” I discuss many different learning strategies that can be utilized in every aspect of our learning journey. – Fred Shadian

“In shadow-boxing you practice self-expression with no inhibiting factors. You form a general, flexible mental map. There is a carry over in your muscles, nerves and brain from practice to the actual situation.” -M. Maltz (via Michael Billings)