Page 99 - The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin_Neat plip book

Let’s return to that intense scene in whi ch my broken hand inspi red a moment
of martial clarity. My perception became so height ened that I saw everythi ng in

slow motion. My opponent seemed stuck in molasses whi le I coul d move at ful l
speed. The experience was very inspi ring and ended up being a beacon for my
martial arts training for years to come. However, I faced an immediate pr obl em
once the adrenaline faded. I was left with a broken hand seven weeks be fore the

National Championships.
I went to the doctor the day after the inj ur y, hopi ng for some go od ne ws,
but after X-rays he told me there was no chance I coul d compet e. I ha d a spi ral
fracture in the fourth metacarpal. Best-case scenar io, he said, my bo ne woul d be

fully healed in six weeks but my arm woul d hav e atrophi ed subs tant ially
because I would be completely immobi lized from the elbo w do wn. I woul d
have just a few days for physical ther apy, and it was abs ur d to cons ide r taki ng
tournament-level impact under tho se condi tions . I walked out of hi s offi e

resolved to compete, an d the day after I go t my cast on I was back i n t raini ng.
My first few days working with one han d, I felt a bit vul ner able. I was
worried about someone accidentally kno cking int o my cast and jolting the
injury. I held my right hand behind me, and mostly did sensitivity work with

training partners I trusted. We moved slowly, standi ng up, witho ut thr ows,
doing classical Push Hands in whi ch the two players try to feel each othe r’s
centers, neutralize attacks, and subt ly unbal ance the partner. Thi s isn’t ego
clashing or direct martial work, but an impo rtant metho d of he ight eni ng

sensitivity to incoming power and int ention—s omethi ng akin to coope rative
martial meditation.
It is very important for athletes to do thi s ki nd of visual ization work, in a
form appropriate to their discipline, but often when we are caught up in the

intense routine of training and compet ition, it feels like we have no time for
the internal stuff. I know this quite well. Sometimes when I am in the he at of
tournament preparation, months will pas s with br ut al spar ring, cons tant pa in,
hitting the mats hundreds of times a night whi le drilling thr ows, and the n I’ll

realize that I’ve moved a bit away from what really makes thi ngs tick. The n I’ll
spend a week doing soft, quiet work on timing, per cept ion, reading and
controlling my opponent’s breath pat terns and int ernal blinks , subt le
unbalancing touches that set up the dr amatic thr ows that ultimately steal the

spotlight. After these periods of refl ion, I’ll almost inv ariably ha ve a leap in