Inconsistent technical issues

[Paradigm]

I've been playing Melee competitively off-and-on for a good while now, having started in mid 2005 or so. I'm quite able to do most technical things: long wavedashes, platform-cancel missle spam, and even the not-quite-so-useful superwavedash. I have been able to do such things for many years now. However, I cannot do them - or even basic technical stuff - with any consistency. For example, a solid fifth or so of my attempts at wavedashes end up as jumps or rolls, and maybe a third of my up-b's out of shield end up as either jumps or up-tilted shields.

For many years now I just kept thinking that with practice and time I will become more consistent about such things, but it never came. It's gotten to the point where I find myself reading out situations and what I should do incorporating the odds of what may end up happening rather than what I intend. Once I consciously realized that I was doing that, I figured it was time for me to seek help.

My ability to read, time and space are all quite decent, but I feel this inconsistency in actually inputting the proper commands is holding me back.

Do you guys have any advice on how to remedy this? What can I do to become more consistent with my technical skill, other than directly practicing it?

 

[Pi]

understand how the technique works

for example, if you're messing up wavedashes break it down

if you're jumping, then you're attempting to air dodge too soon

if you're rolling when you try to WD OoS, you're not jumping before you input the direction

if you jump when you try to UB, then you're not waiting long enough after shield hit stun

and if you angle yourshield, same thing, but jump probably buffers out of shield, or you're inputting up on the joystick multiple times

i've always found that if i could understand why the mistake was happening, i could train my fingers/brain to intuitively adjust in the right direction

even with very difficult techniques like SHFFM, i know that if i mess up and bomb, then i need to wait a couple more frames before i missile, or just make sure that the control stick is horizontal before i press B

if i don't fast fall it, then i need to wait a couple more frames before i start the motion


things like that may help you at least hone in on why you're messing up, then you can take steps toward fixing the problem.

the best way to become consistent with a technique is to do the inputs for it as slow as it will allow, and speed up while remaining consistent

jumping into something and trying to do it as fast as the pro's won't yield very positive results, you have to teach your fingers the motions, then speed it up

 

[bubbaking]

Yeah, what Pi said. Also, never (well, almost never anyway) allow what you think MAY happen to affect your decisions regarding what you intend to happen. If you're not comfortable w/ the tech, you should not be INTENDING to perform it in serious play (tourneys, MMs), but if you feel like you know what you are doing, do not hold back from performing the plan in ur head just because you know what COULD happen from prior mess-ups. Even w/ your "1/5" chance, don't factor it. A 1/7 chance of doing damage to themselves never stopped G&Ws from hammering.

 

[Paradigm]

I've not considered quite from that viewpoint before; thanks guys!

I'll start focusing on why it's happening improperly, as well as doing it slowly and then slowly speeding it up.

 

[bubbaking]

Good luck! Yeah, I can see from you info that you've been here for a while.