'Research has shown that elite professional basketball players are able to predict the outcome of a free throw before the ball even left the free throwers hand . What the same research also revealed was that those elite players who were able to do this were experiencing the free throw themselves ie by way of mirror neurons. In other words they were able to predict what was going to happen next because at a neural level they were experiencing the same throw . This research also tested novices , coaches , journalists and others in the same way but their predictions fell far short of the elite athletes . The conclusion being that you have to be experienced at playing the game at a high level in order to be able to make such rapid and accurate predictions . More proof if you like of the need to play the game ie spar , roll and fight as opposed to just , writing or talking about fighting or engaging in drills that bear little or no resemblance to fighting.'

Steve Morris