Reading, mental game, etc.

[mangú]

I've started getting better out of the blue. I've noticed when playing against my practice partner that I've begun getting lucky more often, and developing my play more. It's happened mostly since I switched from Fox to Peach. My partner has an amazing mental game. He reads me like a book, analyzes things very thoroughly, identifies my habits very quickly, and has a great punish game. I on the other hand, used to rely solely on my tech skill and luck to beat him. I mostly only lost to him. On good days I could manage to almost break even. This was weeks ago, maybe a month.

So I played Peach this one time and really liked her. Then I started getting better, winning even. Now on bad days we go 40-60 instead of 25-75. On good days it might even be 60-40. I'm playing Marth a lot too, my movement went from zero to pretty good in no time.

See, the thing is, I used to never read as Fox. I barely thought. And now I'm still not sure I'm doing it. I don't realize things, I just sorta feel them. Is it possible I'm subconsciously seeing things, patterns, and subconsciously adapting? How can I bring that from the background to the front?

 

[Forêt]

I've started getting better out of the blue. I've noticed when playing against my practice partner that I've begun getting lucky more often, and developing my play more. It's happened mostly since I switched from Fox to Peach. My partner has an amazing mental game. He reads me like a book, analyzes things very thoroughly, identifies my habits very quickly, and has a great punish game. I on the other hand, used to rely solely on my tech skill and luck to beat him. I mostly only lost to him. On good days I could manage to almost break even. This was weeks ago, maybe a month.

So I played Peach this one time and really liked her. Then I started getting better, winning even. Now on bad days we go 40-60 instead of 25-75. On good days it might even be 60-40. I'm playing Marth a lot too, my movement went from zero to pretty good in no time.

See, the thing is, I used to never read as Fox. I barely thought. And now I'm still not sure I'm doing it. I don't realize things, I just sorta feel them. Is it possible I'm subconsciously seeing things, patterns, and subconsciously adapting? How can I bring that from the background to the front?

Yes, it is not only possible that you are subsconsciously doing all this stuff, it's a fact. Due to the speed and depth of the game, pretty much all smashers have to rely on it from time to time. Some people rely more on them, we call them the "heart players" and some people try to break down every situation and study them thoroughly, we call the "mind players". Being more conscious of these "subconscious" things you do is a good idea in order to perfect your play. It's a concept that applies really well in the everyday life. Introspection is important, don't see your toughts as gears that work by themselves in the back of your head, take control of them. Ask yourself why you are doing this or that. Wake up from the mind paralysis that our society perpetuate. Realize that you are alive and in full control of your mind and body. It takes time, but it will become a habit and once you're in that state of mind you'll have "bring that from the background to the front".

 

[Onmitsu]

Honestly with Fox, it's best not to think because of how quick he is. I mostly just react with him

 

[Pauer]

Honestly with Fox, it's best not to think because of how quick he is. I mostly just react with him

It's always better to play slow if it means you make better decisions. Almost all high level players will agree with me and I know Mango once talked about this while commentating at a tournament.

mangú
In this clip of Mango he explains how after a laser, he takes a small second to notice what exactly his opponent did after the laser rather than always rushing straight. I think exactly this act of taking a moment to think about what your opponent did in response to your actions and what you can do instead to punish it, is what you should start doing to analyze your opponent more consciously.
I also recommend reading the books "The Inner Games of Tennis" and "The Art of Learning". Many top players such as PPMD, Kirbykaze and Druggedfox swear by those two books.