How long do you usually practice your rotines/etc. I usually get in one hour of structured practice per day.

Not long enough, I am afraid

- and check out also the following, as it gives some other opinions on the topic

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......1&30

Andy

I practice when I can.

Sometimes weeks can go by, sometimes everyday for hours.

I practice whenever I can. Structured practice is great but if it is timed and scheduled, there is a chance for it to get boring and ultimately lose your interest. The end result could be worse. Then again to each his own.

I found it effective (at least for me) to practice when I have the "Magic Urge" (which is all the time). I find myself more focused this way. Now if I am learning or working on a new sleight or routine....thats another story. Learning and working on something new in magic is one of my greatest highs! I would go hours on end practicing till I get comfy with it and it becomes second nature to me.

I do a lot of mental practice as well. LIke a movie screen in my mind , I review the moves, patter, routine ...even the outs in case I fumble. I do practice my own routines at least 5 times a day, excluding actuall performances which is more than twice that number.

Hope this helps.

Rannie Raymundo
aka The Boss
aka The Manila Enforcer

Hey great tips rannie!
I like a lot of hobbist out there have limited time to practice magic due to situations in our lives (My main interest is music production and studio design which have been my dream since I was a kid, and now a reality ;-) I look at magic in the long term. I know it's always going to be something that is with me throughout my life. I see it as when I'm 70 I'll still be able to whip out some impressive effects. I practice when I can, and sometimes this could last hours and go on for days, and sometimes I don't really get to do too much intense practicing for a week or so. But I know that every little bit helps in the long run. The great thing about it is there is sooo much you can study, so many different areas of interest, and always new things to learn, and brush up on the old stuff! I do feel that the best time to practice is when you have that magical mindset and your intrest is at it's highest. If taking a break is what is needed to get that passion back, then that's the most important thing. I do practice performing for people as much as I can which is pretty frequently because I work with the public and is great for practicing new techniques, and also ways to improve them due to angles, phrasing and misdirection. I always carry a nice collection of coins with me and am always ready to rip them out and and practice new meterial I've been working on, and it's great to get the feedback and response that people give you because not many people have seen multiphase coin routines that just blow them away. It's funny though, sometimes the most simple vanish is all it takes to blow someone's mind. Well that's my thoughts ;-)

-Stevie D

I too am a hobbyist and I love working with coins. I practice whenever I get a chance, usually about an hour and a half a day, sometimes more.....

I'm stay home dad right now so I get 3-5 hours a day.
Cards in the bathroom, living room, kitchen, bedroom. Cards when watching TV etc.

I spend 1-1.5 hours reading (no cards), 1-1.5 hours practicing what I read, and the rest of the time with DVD's, practicing effects, putting together routines and reading Café posts. I will put in 30 mins every day with coins but most of the work is with cards.

On Saturdays I roam from bar to bar for around 5 hours performing my most polished effects which is great practice in itself. Performing in front of people is so different than the mirror at home.

I take every seventh day off.
I have been doing this for about a year now.

Nice schedule blink_inc. I would like to do the same, only with coins.....

I practice throughout the day, walking to the subway, riding in and home on the bus, walking the streets, at my desk at work at times. It's just a part of me, a part of me I wish I had stuck more with as a kid. Sometimes it's structured, most times offbeat toward the practice of precision. I like thinking about magic too, to me that's also sorta like practice. Coming here to talk and discuss magic, is practice... -MB

I do many at once. right now it's hanging coins, winged silver, cups and balls, unshuffled, matrix with back fire (dean dill's).

when my coins get back from jamie it will change =)