The path to getting good is fraught with salt, numerous losses and the occasional broken controller. Natural talent will only get you so far, so proper practice and training is needed if you want to become a top player. With help from the gospel of our lord and savior Daigo Umehara, testimonials from other top players and commentators alongside his own experience teaching Street Fighter to new players, Gerald from Core-A Gaming put together a great analysis video, detailing how one improves at fighting games.
Unlike music or sport, where there is a plethora of guides and teachers dedicated to training new musicians or athletes, competitive gaming in general lacks the resources to help guide a player’s growth. So, to help aid that process, Gerald gives some examples of drills he crafted for his students which impart certain fundamental skills. His method involves turning a normally boring exercise, like learning your sweep range and how to tech throws, into its own game. He created a mini tournament between his students where they could only fight using sweeps and throws. Not only was this exercise a lot more enjoyable than sitting in Training Mode with a practice dummy, but the new players had a real grasp of how these two moves work in a fight after playing in a tournament setting.
By keeping the act of training a game rather than as an abstract training drill, players will stay interested and feel like they are actively learning as in the case of Gerald’s example, they are still competing to win. Focusing more on continued personal growth is what will make you truly improve; winning will come as a by-product of the improvement process.
The whole video is up to the usual Core-A Gaming gold standard and is worth a whole watch if you are struggling to improve. Take the lessons to heart and see if you can apply any of the tips to your own training regime.
Source: Core-A Gaming