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JBSA News
NEWS | March 22, 2018

Commentary: When it comes to alcohol, practice makes imperfect

By Randall S. Wallace JBSA-Lackland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) Program

I know the title of this article goes against a common cliché. Parents, teachers, coaches, and instructors have instilled in our minds in order for us to be perfect, we must practice. Why? Because “practice makes perfect.”

 

I began playing the saxophone in the sixth grade. I had to invest much time, dedication, discipline and money into practice in order to become proficient. Practice was rarely fun, but it was always hard work.

 

In the process of time, my skills improved and I could play with a band. Because of this, I generally agree with the old cliché.

 

However, I have come across one activity in which practice makes imperfect … drinking alcohol.

In sports, stagnant novices rarely commit sufficient time to hone their skill. They typically see practice as too boring and time-intensive. Stagnant novices partake in the activity only when convenient and rarely spend large sums of money concerning the skill.

 

Conversely, professionals establish routines. Practice becomes a lifestyle. They invest money in tools/aids to enhance their skills. As a result, mistakes are eliminated, or at least minimized, and abilities are increased. This is a common result of true practice.

 

Recently retired NBA player Kobe Bryant had a legendary practice routine. One aspect of his routine was to make 400 shots a day. As an amateur player, I don’t think I’ve shot that much in a month. Does this concept translate to drinking?

 

Imagine practicing 10 shots of liquor every Friday and Saturday in order to increase your abilities, some of you don’t need to imagine.

Novice drinkers would likely pass out before getting to the eighth drink. Their natural defenses, or average tolerance level, would protect them from ingesting more alcohol by knocking them unconscious. This is known as passing out and it prevents further bodily damage (just watch out for the suffocating vomit). The next day, the beginner decides less is more and becomes satisfied with “amateurism.”

 

The mythical “Alcohol Master” may not feel intoxicated even after 10 drinks, which is assumed to be increased skill. Truthfully, the body’s natural defense mechanisms have been short-circuited. This malfunction leads to crescendo drinking and mistakes such as hangovers, injuries, fights, DUI, poor health, physical addiction and other ailments. The more you practice drinking, the more mistakes are made.

 

When it comes to drinking, you are at your best as a “stagnant novice.” High tolerance is not a skill. It is often a sign of excessive time, dedication, discipline and money being misplaced into alcohol.

If you have a routine of binge drinking and have increased your tolerance, break the routine. This is not true practice. You can never become a “good” heavy drinker. If you cannot get better with increased practice, stop working so hard to improve.

 

If you are thinking to yourself, “I have fun when I drink” or “drinking is not hard work,” then you just proved my point. As I stated earlier in this article, true practice is rarely fun and always hard work.