How do I translate what I've learned in lab to in game?

[OPS_soldier]

So as a competitive player I have been having this problem for a while. Certain confirms/ defensive play (such as flawless block, anti airs, using fatal blows and Krushing Blows.) I haven't been able to consistently land in game. Its clear to me what I am doing isnt 100% effectively working and there is a better way to translate from the lab to in game for competitive sets. If you throw me in the lab, I could flawless every jump in. But throw me in the game, I wont block anything consistently. Ive tried using a counter (I've flawless blocked jump ins over 800 times.) I've tried long sets. The only thing that seems to work semi effectively is focusing all of competitive game into one thing (for instance, only focus on anti airs this game. Lose to everything else.) What is a more effective way to translate lab work into in game work?

 

[Deleted member 5032]

When you talk about blocking 800 jumpins, are you setting those up to be random? As in recording 4 different timings and setting them to play back randomly?

I think your point about focusing on just one thing when playing is accurate. However, it's missing one critical piece: you can't worry about winning or losing the match. You have to totally convince your brain that winning the overall match is no longer the goal.

If you're just starting out trying to neutral duck throws or consistently anti-air or maybe you're just messing with a wonky loadout, you're going to get very frustrated very quickly if you don't first convince yourself that winning isn't your goal and doesn't matter. You're going to lose a ton of matches and that's fine.

The only other thing I can think of is to review your match footage and try to figure out why these things aren't working for you.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

Is it that you’re trying the flawless block and missing them — or that you’re forgetting to try them at all? Everything is always going to be different online with the latency, so it takes some adjustment.

Trying to figure out if you’re talking about nerves, habits, or latency, because they all have somewhat different solutions.

 

[OPS_soldier]

When you talk about blocking 800 jumpins, are you setting those up to be random? As in recording 4 different timings and setting them to play back randomly?

I think your point about focusing on just one thing when playing is accurate. However, it's missing one critical piece: you can't worry about winning or losing the match. You have to totally convince your brain that winning the overall match is no longer the goal.

If you're just starting out trying to neutral duck throws or consistently anti-air or maybe you're just messing with a wonky loadout, you're going to get very frustrated very quickly if you don't first convince yourself that winning isn't your goal and doesn't matter. You're going to lose a ton of matches and that's fine.

The only other thing I can think of is to review your match footage and try to figure out why these things aren't working for you.

They are set at random. Doesnt really help though, as my brain has created some sort of disconnect between the lab and in game, as proven my my disconnect with connecting Fatal Blows and anti airs when the time comes. I would say the biggest thing that holds me back is exactly what you mentioned. Focusing on more than one thing per set.

Is it that you’re trying the flawless block and missing them — or that you’re forgetting to try them at all? Everything is always going to be different online with the latency, so it takes some adjustment.

Trying to figure out if you’re talking about nerves, habits, or latency, because they all have somewhat different solutions.

Both. Depends on the day. Online doesnt bother me, as when i finally get in the grove of doing what I need to do it works. So online isn't the issue. Nerves or habits seems more likely.

 

[NaCl man]

Forget about winning. Just concentrate on the thing you are trying to improve on and adding it to your game plan. But what you have to understand is weather it be flawless blocking jump ins, anti airing, wiff punishing its not all about reactions but looking at what your opponent is doing and putting yourself into a position to make them react a certain way and being ready with the counter play that you have labbed. The easiest way i can explain is in street fighter if you want to work on anti airs with ryu, you have to make your opponent jump. So you need to play the right range to be able throw fire balls to make him jump and and also be at the right range to dp. Your action causes the reaction you want to practice want you want. Throw fire balls till he jumps practice anti airs. Hope this makes sense lol

 

[Juggs]

One really cool aspect of MK11 is you can train with the delay you experience online. There’s a setting to incorporate the 3 frames of delay you would get online, offline. Of course this will impact your play offline, but if you’re not a tournament player that shouldn’t matter. And especially considering offline tournaments still aren’t really happening anymore right now because of Covid.

Anyway, it helped me a TON practicing with the input delay. Other than that, the only other advice I can give is experience. You have to accept the fact that you’re going to lose a lot. It’s a hard concept to get behind, but once you come to terms with that, you can focus more on improving your game.

 

[OPS_soldier]

Forget about winning. Just concentrate on the thing you are trying to improve on and adding it to your game plan. But what you have to understand is weather it be flawless blocking jump ins, anti airing, wiff punishing its not all about reactions but looking at what your opponent is doing and putting yourself into a position to make them react a certain way and being ready with the counter play that you have labbed. The easiest way i can explain is in street fighter if you want to work on anti airs with ryu, you have to make your opponent jump. So you need to play the right range to be able throw fire balls to make him jump and and also be at the right range to dp. Your action causes the reaction you want to practice want you want. Throw fire balls till he jumps practice anti airs. Hope this makes sense lol

I never really thought of it that way. Ive always thought of it as my opponent doing something to punish me, and me responding. Maybe I should think of it your way so I don't feel like I'm always on the defense. Currently, as Mileena player i've always thought of minus strings as bad, but when you put it that way this gives more power to your play/ gameplan.
On steam I have over 1700 hours into this game. Taken a lot of losses from people clearly better than me and reading my flowchart... And I can say the way I practice needs to change if I ever want to get serious about getting to the next level.

 

[Juggs]

I never really thought of it that way. Ive always thought of it as my opponent doing something to punish me, and me responding. Maybe I should think of it your way so I don't feel like I'm always on the defense. Currently, as Mileena player i've always thought of minus strings as bad, but when you put it that way this gives more power to your play/ gameplan.
On steam I have over 1700 hours into this game. Taken a lot of losses from people clearly better than me and reading my flowchart... And I can say the way I practice needs to change if I ever want to get serious about getting to the next level.

The only reason a player gets into a flowchart habit is because that player is playing players that typically allow the flowchart to be effective. Actually, maybe this article/thread I made a decade ago (literally, lol), may help if you haven’t read it yet: https://testyourmight.com/threads/tips-on-becoming-a-better-player-part-1-how-losing-helps-you-get-better.3674/