Then you’re getting into things like muscle memory. I’m not a neuroscientist, but I imagine that could also be boiled down to math being done subconsciously and instantaneously in your brain.
Almost like if you do a thing enough times, you just look it up in a chart instead of deriving it from the equation every time…
Yes and no. Jugglers do benefit from getting very consistently thrown objects. However they still need to make small adjustments every time. On very limited information in this case.
I also remember an experiment with professional football (soccer) players, where balls would be shot towards them and the lights would be switched off while the ball was in the air. The rate at which they were able to position themselves and kick the ball back in complete darkness was pretty impressive.
I would say there is still some complicated stuff going on in the brain with knowing where your arm, hand, elbow and shoulder are in space as well how much force you need to apply (the precise amount of motor neurons to activate at the exact time) so you can toss the ball in the arc you need to catch it on the other side.
![[Thread] Mental Math](https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/4a605b7b-7272-471f-ac11-37366ac7d8bd.png){kind=link}
The thing about juggling is moot, the point is to throw exactly, so you don’t need to look where to catch. Couldn’t do juggling otherwise.
Then you’re getting into things like muscle memory. I’m not a neuroscientist, but I imagine that could also be boiled down to math being done subconsciously and instantaneously in your brain.
Almost like if you do a thing enough times, you just look it up in a chart instead of deriving it from the equation every time…
Yes and no. Jugglers do benefit from getting very consistently thrown objects. However they still need to make small adjustments every time. On very limited information in this case.
I also remember an experiment with professional football (soccer) players, where balls would be shot towards them and the lights would be switched off while the ball was in the air. The rate at which they were able to position themselves and kick the ball back in complete darkness was pretty impressive.
I would say there is still some complicated stuff going on in the brain with knowing where your arm, hand, elbow and shoulder are in space as well how much force you need to apply (the precise amount of motor neurons to activate at the exact time) so you can toss the ball in the arc you need to catch it on the other side.
Sure. I myself am not good a coordination, can’t juggle shit.