As legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, “The goal is to create a correct habit that can be produced instinctively under great pressure.” To achieve this goal, he created 8 laws of learning: explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition. As players repeatedly practice moves and game strategies until they’re instinctive, learners refine their skills through continuous application. In basketball, every dribble, pass, and shot builds toward mastering the sport, similar to how repetition improves knowledge and builds confidence in learning. Wooden’s insights highlight that, like basketball, learning is a game of consistent work and improvement, where practice transforms skills into second nature.
Why Repetition Works
Repetition is the foundation for skill development. When skills and knowledge are repeated, the brain reinforces the neural pathways that make those actions easier and more automatic over time. In learning and development (L&D), this reinforcement is crucial. As Wooden highlighted, it isn’t enough to simply explain or demonstrate content; learners must actively engage, repeat, and refine their skills to master them. Only through repetition can individuals work towards this level of perfection. When learners continuously practice their skills, they work on their techniques until they reach the desired confidence level.
Additionally, repetition enhances knowledge retention. The more learners repeat something, the more likely they will remember it. As learners engage in these repetitive practices, they build long-term muscle memory and cognitive fluency until they can recite their learning content to perfection.
Repetition in Practice with Learning Tools
The best learning tools utilize repetition to enhance skill development. With ELB Learning’s asynchronous video-based coaching tool, Rehearsal, learners, on average, complete more than five attempts before submitting their videos, refining their responses with each effort. Through repeated learning, with the help of provided AI analytics, learners can practice their presentations, sales pitches, and more through unlimited attempts at video and audio submissions. This repetition process helps learners build confidence and polish their responses until they feel confident and ready.
Also, with repetition in game-based learning, learners can continuously practice in a fun, interactive environment. Through different game styles, quizzing elements, and challenges, learners can play multiple rounds to reinforce key concepts. With ELB Learning’s game builder and gamification platform, The Training Arcade®, learners are motivated to practice their skills through popular games repeatedly.
Just as repetition is essential in mastering basketball, it is equally crucial in mastering learning content. By reinforcing skill development through repeated practice, boosted confidence and perfection can be achieved to the desired level. With tools like Rehearsal and The Training Arcade, this repetition process becomes more enjoyable and effective, ensuring learners get the practice they need to succeed.
