A Learning Method That Outperformed Traditional Practice

A Learning Method That Outperformed Traditional Practice

From The Bulletproof Musician by Noa Kageyama

December 14, 2025 · 10 min · Episode 409

About this episode

The episode explores the constraints-led approach to practice, originally used by elite athletes, and its relevance to musicians.

A few months ago, when a sportswriter published an article in The New York Times about an unusual and “revolutionary” practice method that NBA star Victor Wembanyama and other elite athletes and teams (like the World Series-winning LA Dodgers) were utilizing, I started getting emails from musicians, asking if this method, known as the “constraints-led approach,” might apply to practicing music too. So what is the constraints-led approach? And is it relevant to musicians? Spoiler alert - yes, ...

People in this episode

Host: Noa Kageyama

Topics covered

  • constraints-led approach
  • music practice
  • elite athletes
  • learning methods
  • performance improvement

Keywords

  • constraints-led approach
  • music practice
  • Victor Wembanyama
  • LA Dodgers
  • performance
  • learning methods

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The New York Times, LA Dodgers

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