"What a player does best, he should practice least. Practice is for problems"
About this Quote
Duke Snider flips the usual slogan on its head, arguing that repetition is not a shrine for strengths but a workshop for flaws. Practice is scarce time and finite energy; it pays the highest returns when it targets problems. A slugger who already drives the ball to the gaps gains little from endless rounds of grooved batting practice; the marginal gain is tiny compared with time spent improving jumps in center field, reading pitchers, or refining two-strike approaches. Working what you do worst is often the fastest way to raise your ceiling.
There is a psychological edge here too. Over-practicing a strength can turn into performance vanity, reinforcing comfort at the expense of growth. Worse, it can introduce mechanical tinkering that dilutes a natural gift. In baseball, a swing that works can be ruined by needless adjustments born from boredom or chasing perfection. Snider, a Hall of Fame center fielder with a smooth left-handed power stroke, played through the long grind of the 1950s Dodgers seasons. He would have known how precious energy and confidence are over 154 games, and how easily both can be squandered on the wrong work.
The line also nods to the difference between maintenance and overhaul. Strengths need touch-ups, not a rebuild. Keep them sharp, then shift the bulk of focus to the bottlenecks that cost runs and games. Modern sports science calls this deliberate practice: specific, feedback-rich repetitions aimed at errors, not mindless reps for their own sake. It is a strategy for coaches as much as players, an allocation rule that puts reps where they move the needle.
Beyond baseball, the principle travels well. Careers improve fastest by confronting weak spots, not polishing easy wins. Confidence grows when you know you are solving the real problems. The goal is not balance for its own sake, but progress where it counts.
There is a psychological edge here too. Over-practicing a strength can turn into performance vanity, reinforcing comfort at the expense of growth. Worse, it can introduce mechanical tinkering that dilutes a natural gift. In baseball, a swing that works can be ruined by needless adjustments born from boredom or chasing perfection. Snider, a Hall of Fame center fielder with a smooth left-handed power stroke, played through the long grind of the 1950s Dodgers seasons. He would have known how precious energy and confidence are over 154 games, and how easily both can be squandered on the wrong work.
The line also nods to the difference between maintenance and overhaul. Strengths need touch-ups, not a rebuild. Keep them sharp, then shift the bulk of focus to the bottlenecks that cost runs and games. Modern sports science calls this deliberate practice: specific, feedback-rich repetitions aimed at errors, not mindless reps for their own sake. It is a strategy for coaches as much as players, an allocation rule that puts reps where they move the needle.
Beyond baseball, the principle travels well. Careers improve fastest by confronting weak spots, not polishing easy wins. Confidence grows when you know you are solving the real problems. The goal is not balance for its own sake, but progress where it counts.
Quote Details
| Topic | Training & Practice |
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