- NBA legend and coach Steve Nash said slow-motion exercise can improve your fitness.
- Training at half-speed builds a mind-muscle connection to boost performance and prevent injury.
Basketball great Steve Nash said he uses a simple training technique to boost performance, and it has benefits no matter what sport or exercise you do.
Performing a "neural rehearsal," or a slowed-down version of exercise, can help you perfect your technique and get the most out of each movement, according to Nash.
"I think it's effective but I don't really see people doing it. There's a huge benefit to slowing down and very purposefully trying to execute a move in quarter- or half-speed," he told Insider in an interview to promote his new fitness app, BLOCK.
Nash said slow-motion drills can help reveal any weaknesses in your training, help prevent injury, and make you more successful in the gym or on the court.
Slow motion exercise helps train the brain and body to move well under pressure
To do a neural rehearsal, you perform the same movements you would do during normal exercise or sports gameplay, but at a slower, more deliberate pace. One of the major benefits of training in slow motion is that it prevents rushing through the movement and creating bad habits, Nash said.
"We use momentum sometimes to cover up our sins, so to speak," he said. "You may not be moving well but you're executing the same task so you don't realize you're cutting corners and you create default patterns."
The end result is that you train your body and brain to move poorly, which can stall your progress, prevent you from performing well in a challenging workout or game, and even cause chronic soreness or injury over time, he said.
Slowing it down for better technique works whether you're drilling a complex basketball maneuver, or a simple weight lifting exercise, since it allows you to perfect the movement and then add intensity.
"When you've moved to going full speed, there's a way higher chance of success and sustainability," Nash said.
One of the biggest misconceptions in fitness is that success is all about lifting more weight, jumping higher, or running faster, but what everything comes down to is quality of movement, according to Nash.
"The number one disconnect from common perception is that it's really about movement more than speed, strength, or mass," he said.
Practicing good technique can help with overall fitness as well as sports
Creating a mind-muscle connection with slower movement will not only make you better at sports, but can also help with other fitness goals, too. Deliberate movement better engages the muscles if you're looking to build strength or mass, and it also prevents poor form from causing injuries that keep you out of the gym.
"No matter what your sport is, how well you're moving is so important not just for performance but for your sustainability and recovery," Nash said.
For best results, don't neglect other recovery strategies
While less exciting than a grueling workout or intense training session, recovery is crucial to getting stronger and also maintaining good fitness and health long-term, according to Nash.
Other underrated factors in fitness and performance include healthy habits like getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, working on mobility, and practicing active recovery.
"We want to just get in the gym and rip out a good workout but it's a risk if you don't take time to do those things," he said. "If you want to do things with intensity, you have to put the time in. It doesn't have to be a lot of time but it has to be consistent and dedicated."