A 3-Step Practice Process

There’s one part of learning magic that I hate.

I’ve been spending my free time overhauling my middle school assemblies. I truly love middle school assemblies. The kids are old enough to understand and appreciate mentalism. And I get to bust out some of my Bizarre magic on occasion.

But middle school assemblies are challenging, too. If you’re a kid show performer and you go into a middle school with standard kid show props and routines, you’ll get eaten alive.

For me, that means no change bags, multiplying bottles, silk magic, rope magic, levitation, suspensions, or colorful props.

I have heard other magicians claim over the years they can go into any audience with the exact same show. For me, I couldn’t imagine bringing my K-5 props to a gym full of 8th graders.

As a result, I’m constantly tweaking my middle school shows and trying new routines.

Because of the pandemic, I have not rehearsed much since 2020. Getting back into ‘learning mode’ has been a challenge.

But as the weeks have passed, I’ve settled back into my routines for learning new material.

When working out sleight of hand moves and choreography, I typically follow a three-step process. I’m not saying this is necessarily what I recommend. It’s just what I do.

It’s more of a mindset thing, so you may find some value in it.

First, I read the instructions or watch the video. Depending on the method, I may dump the routine right at this stage. At my age, I’m not going to waste time trying to master a Faro shuffle or other insanely difficult sleight of hand. I wish I had the time, but I don’t.

If the routine is something I feel is within my skill level and (most importantly) comfort level, I begin learning the routine.

Don’t underestimate your own comfort level. If you’re performing professionally, no one cares how you do your magic. The great Eugene Burger stressed that if he wanted to do an effect, he would always take the easier method every time.

When performing professionally, the main point is connecting with your audience. So, knowing how comfortable you are with moves is key. I’ve mastered a lot of great sleight of hand in my office only to find I got too nervous when performing live.

While I could “grind it out” to get past this fear, if the routine is too complicated, I know it’s going to take way too many performances to get to that comfort level I’m looking for.

Back to practicing. Stage one for me is the “Struggle Stage.”

I stumble, drop the props, and get frustrated. This is the part of the process where I start second-guessing myself. I wonder if there is an easier option out there.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want this to happen. I won't go into the process thinking, “Okay, now I get to be frustrated…” It’s just how I’m hardwired.

I mention this so if it happens to you, you realize you’re not alone. There are times when I stick it out and get a great routine. Other times I let the frustration build and finally, I quit. I wish I could give you a magic formula, but I can’t.

When I learn new magic, I get worried. And I struggle to remember the steps to the routine.

Depending on how often I practice, this stage might go up to about a week. Any longer than that and it’s probably too complicated for me.

Stage Two is the “Drill Stage.” I’ve pushed past the “I hate life” phase and I’m getting more and more comfortable with the routine. I start enjoying myself and get excited. Once I’m in this stage, I may go a week or two longer. This is assuming I practice every day. When I’m learning a new routine, it’s usually to fill a hole in a show. So, I have a lot of motivation to keep practicing.

A lot of magicians get to this stage. Then they add the effect to their shows.

To me, this is a mistake.

Once I get to that phase when I have fun drilling the routine, it’s time for the most important phase.

Stage Three is what I call “Random Practice.” I leave the props on my desk. And I practice randomly.

If I’m going to our bedroom and I have a few minutes to spare, I might grab the props and do a quick run-through. On my way out of the bathroom? Time for a quick run-through. Sitting down at my desk in the morning to start copywriting? Do a few run-throughs.

I feel these are critical. Why?

Simple. When I practice, there’s something in my head that clicks into Official Practice Time. I’m hyper-focused on what I’m doing, and the rest of my world could be crumbling for all I care. I get very driven.

That’s useful for practice, but not so much for live performing.

During a live show, there is a litany of different things to track. How is the audience responding? Are they getting restless? Do I need to shorten my script? Are there opportunities for fun improvisation? And on and on.

Performing live means I have to focus most of my attention on the audience. I gotta be able to do the magic without thinking. Without focusing on it.

To be fair, we’ve all been told that. All the magic books tell us to practice the trick until we can do it without thinking about it.

But I’ve never seen anybody offer advice on how to do that. They just say to keep drilling.

So, my little technique in Stage Three is to get to the point when I can just grab the props and do it even when my attention is clearly focused on something else. To be able to do the trick “cold.”

Along the way, I’m also fine-tuning my script but that’s a different topic for another issue.

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