HOW TO

PRACTICE
LIKE A
NINJA
your quick start guide to
getting better results in the
practice room

Lynn Kuo
Violin with Dr. Lynn
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

02
HEY NINJAS!

DO YOU WANT TO
SAVE TIME IN THE
PRACTICE ROOM?

Perhaps the two most common

complaints I hear from students
are:

1. "I practice but I don't seem to

be getting better."
2. "I played it much better in the
practice room..."

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?

HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

03
THE BIGGEST
MISTAKES YOU ARE
MAKING IN THE
PRACTICE ROOM

1. Not really paying attention to what is

coming out of your instrument
2. Mindlessly repeating (and ingraining)
your mistakes
3. Not practicing to simulate performance
4. Fishing for notes to correct intonation
5. Not keeping a consistent tempo or
rhythmic proportions when the music
becomes difficult

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU TOO?

HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

04

WHAT CAN YOU

DO TO MAKE
YOUR PRACTICING
BETTER?

IN THIS GUIDE,
YOU'LL GET FIVE OF MY TIPS
TO GET YOU STARTED ON
PRACTICING MORE EFFICIENTLY!

ARE YOU READY?

THIS IS

HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA

HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

05
NINJA PRACTICE TIP #1

NINJAS CLEAN,
TIDY, AND
ORGANIZE...
A CLEAR WORK SPACE HELPS CREATE A CLEAR WORK MIND

...THEIR SPACE
AND THEIR
MIND

Your practice space is your work area.

In order for your mind to function at its ninja

best, the mind must be clear.

Help your mind focus by regularly maintaining

your physical space:

1. ORGANIZE your practice space for

maximum efficiency: stand, accessories, pencils,
scores, etc.

2. TIDY your practice space: After organizing,

keep your practice space clutter-free. Morning
and night, consider putting away 10 things to
maintain your space tidy (and to help keep
your mind clear and focussed).
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

06

NINJA PRACTICE TIP #2

CLEAR YOUR MIND

The 1-Minute Meditation

Something I learned in the karate dojo is to

start and end training with a brief meditation.
Before practicing, and before I teach my
Bootcamp classes, I incorporate a 1-minute
meditation in order to:

1. To transition the mind/body from the

previous activity and prepare the
mind/body for practicing.
2. To increase clarity and focus for the work
ahead.
3. To set an intention/goal for the practice
session
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

07

NINJA PRACTICE TIP #3

NINJAS STAY
MINDFUL DURING
PRACTICE

"Keep the mind engaged at all

times." ~Ivan Galamian

Once you've cleared and organized

your practice space as well as your
mind, you will notice that it will be
easier to maintain ninja focus.

Use this focus and sustain it through

your practice session:

1. BE MINDFUL and INTENTIONAL

with every note that comes out of
your instrument
2. LISTEN WITH HYPER-
AWARENESS and use this
information to improve.
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

08

NINJA PRACTICE TIP #4

THE DETECTIVE,
SCIENTIST, ATHLETE

USING THE PRACTICE NINJA

FRAMEWORK HELPS MAINTAIN FOCUS
AND PURPOSE IN THE PRACTICE ROOM

The DETECTIVE:

Your job as the Detective is to listen

for clues in the practice room:

1. What is working well?

2. What is not working well?
3. What falls apart?
4. What is out of tune?
5. What is not coordinated?
6. What needs further
experimentation?
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

09

NINJA PRACTICE TIP #4

THE DETECTIVE,
SCIENTIST, ATHLETE
USING THE PRACTICE NINJA
FRAMEWORK HELPS MAINTAIN FOCUS
AND PURPOSE IN THE PRACTICE ROOM

The SCIENTIST:

Your job as the Scientist is to take the

clues the Detective found (WHAT?)
and answer the main question: HOW?

1. DIAGNOSE: WHAT is causing it to

not work?
2. PRESCRIBE: HOW can I fix/improve
this?
3. Is it a left hand issue or a right
hand issue?
4. With what technical exercises/
études can I address this issue?
5. What other solutions
(musical/technical) might there be?
6. Is there an underlying reason why
the passage is not working?
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

10

NINJA PRACTICE TIP #4

THE DETECTIVE,
SCIENTIST, ATHLETE
USING THE PRACTICE NINJA
FRAMEWORK HELPS MAINTAIN FOCUS
AND PURPOSE IN THE PRACTICE ROOM

The ATHLETE

Your job as the Athlete is to take the

work and experiments the Scientist
has prescribed and EXECUTE and
STABILIZE the passage:

1. Is it possible to execute this

correction on the first try (after
diagnosing the solution)?
2. Can I do at least 3 repetitions
without failure?
3. Can I integrate this passage
successfully into the rest of the
piece?
4. Do I need the Detective to gather
more clues?
5. Do I need the Scientist to devise
different solutions?
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

11
NINJA PRACTICE TIP #5

USE A RECORDING
DEVICE
ONE OF THE 4 TOOLS OF A PRACTICE NINJA

"Practice as if a master is
listening to you."

When your Detective misses clues, you can

always rely on your recording device to
capture details that you missed in real
time.

Get comfortable with recording yourself,

even when you don't feel "ready" to
record.

You will be surprised at how fast you

improve when you start recording - and
listening - to your practice sessions.

At the very least, have a recording device

(video or audio) nearby, even if it is just
on "standby" mode. Often just having the
sense that another pair of "ears" is
listening can simulate the experience of
having a "master" in the room with you.
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

12

HAPPY PRACTICING,
NINJA!

Practice does not make perfect.

Only perfect practice makes
perfect.
~Vince Lombardi

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt of what I

teach in
How To Practice Like a Ninja, one of the
four cornerstones in my Violin Bootcamp,
which encompasses:

How To Play Like A Ninja

How To Perform Like A Ninja
How To Be A MUSICAL Ninja

To learn how you can get into my next

Violin Bootcamp or work privately with
me, send me a message at
lynn@lynnkuo.com.
HOW TO PRACTICE LIKE A NINJA // VIOLIN WITH DR. LYNN

13

WHO AM I?
DR. LYNN KUO

I’m Lynn Kuo, Founder of Violin with Dr.

Lynn and Assistant Concertmaster of
the National Ballet of Canada
Orchestra.

I coach motivated violinists who want to

master their instrument and become
more fearless performers.

As a martial artist, I infuse what I learn

and practice in the karate dojo
(perseverance, humility, and
fearlessness) into what I teach in my
Violin Bootcamps.

Nothing makes me happier than to help

violinists transform their musical and
technical challenges into greater
confidence onstage!

For more about me and to check out my

free resources, please visit:
www.lynnkuo.com