They found that the best way of honing a new skill was doing a variety of practice exercises, rather than simply repeating one exercise over and over again. And switching things up makes a serious difference: by varying your practice routine, you can nearly double the speed at which you learn.

“What we found is if you practice a slightly modified version of a task you want to master, you actually learn more and faster than if you just keep practicing the exact same thing multiple times in a row,” says the study’s lead author, Pablo Celnik.

However, Celnik adds that it’s important not to switch up your routine too much. “If you make the altered task too different, people do not get the gain we observed during reconsolidating,” he says. “The modification between sessions needs to be subtle.”

The findings echo previous research which suggests that variety in practice can help us master all kinds of skills – not just motor skills, which involve using our muscles. In one study, maths students were asked to try “interleaving” (a method of practice that entails working on related skills, as well as the central skill you’re trying to master). After a day, the students who’d practiced interleaving did 25% better on a test; a month later, they did 75% better.

So there you have it: a very particular kind of practice makes perfect.

Images: iStock

Practice makes perfect: how to master new skills twice as fast