Today’s post is a little different from the usual content on my blog. In a world where we’re inundated with content, hopefully this can post can support you to maximise real learning from what you choose to read.
Im going to share a list of strategies that I picked up that can support learning from reading. This can be particularly applicable for research papers. Its quite simple, and will help you with the 3 stages of reading: the preparation; the during; and the completion.
Before you read
Flick through the chapter or paper
Consider what is it am I supposed to be learning?
Reflect on what you may already know about the subject
While you read
Divide the content into sections and stop at each section to reflect on what you’ve read and learnt
Practice summarising key points in your own words
Note any key terms you recall and try to explain them
Note any questions you have about the content
Relate info to anything you already know about the subject
Write down any insights you have
Write down questions & insights re the text and relate to other pages/chapters where relevant
After you’ve read
Revisit your learning objectives and consider what you know and what further questions you may have
Test yourself and try to locate gaps in your understanding
Analyse and critique where you can, identifying strengths, grey areas and areas for development
Identify what stands out
Discuss the content with someone else. Can you brake it down like you were explaining it to a child? Could you summarise in a couple of sentences, such as an elevator pitch?
If you have no one around, practice explaining what you’ve learnt out loud
Ok, hope some of this helps, it’s definitely helped me to order my thinking and actually retain information, which is not an easy task in today’s world!
Here’s a tasty little pre workout treat/pick-me-up for you. There’s some great evidence behind caffeine as a performance enhancer and it’s one of the few supplements that the science is pretty much unanimous on.
Try these chocolate coated coffee beans between 40 and 20 minutes before you workout.
Dosage:
Performance enhancing effects are seen from caffeine at a dosage of 3-9mg per kg of body weight. Your average single coffee bean reportedly contains around 6mg of caffeine in it. To support you doing the calculations, 35 coffee beans weigh 4g which equals 210mg of caffeine.
Let’s take a 70kg fighter. To workout the caffeine dose I’ll take a midway recommend dosage of 6mg per kg of body weight – 6 x 70kg = 420mg needed. I weighed 35 beans with 6 x 35 being 210mg. 35 beans weighed 4g so double that to 70 beans at 8g and you you have roughly 420mg of caffeine.
Ingredients:
Unground coffee beans
Dark chocolate (70% plus)
1 tsp of Ceylon cinnamon
Method:
Melt dark chocolate in the microwave until it’s liquid
Add coffee beans and stir
Empty coffee beans onto a non stick surface of plate or tray, (try using small piece of butter, margarine or grease proof paper).
Dust over with cinnamon
Leave in fridge over night
Break up and enjoy
Warning:
In honesty it’s extremely difficult to predict exactly the caffeine content in a coffee bean. I’ve read it can be potentially half or even double the 6g proposed. Therefore, if you’re really looking at tracking and serious on dosages, in reality the best option is to go with a caffeine supplement, (it just won’t taste so good!).
Looking for a high protein breakfast option outside of your standard omelette? Maybe you’re needing a pre or post workout snack? Looking no further! This is a perfect morning breakfast treat or pre/post workout snack you can take on the move.
Ingredients –
2 wheetabix
100ml of semi skimmed milk
100g fat free Greek yogurt
1 tsp of honey
1 tbsp of cacoa powder
20g whey protein
1 tsp of cacoa nibs (optional)
Method
Crush the wheetabix up and place in a jar or similar container.
Add the milk and ensure it’s fully mixed up evenly. Pat down flat
Combine yogurt, honey and cacoa, mixing thoroughly and evenly
Add protein powder to the yogurt mixture and fold in, mixing till even consistency
Add to the wheetabix and top with cacoa nibs. Leave in the fridge overnight and you’re away.