It is quite common for people to be puzzled when it comes to how to get better at maths. However, in a country like Australia where people value exercising and sports, people often find it quite easy to get fit and become better at sports. I'd like to talk about why, in my opinion, there are many similarities between studying maths and going to the gym, since I do both quite a bit, and in turn propose a model for learning maths that simplifies learning mathematics for the general public.

1. The more you do, the better you become at it.

It is pretty obvious that someone who has been to the gym longer and more often will be able to lift heavier weights than someone who has only just started at the gym. When I see beginners at the gym struggling doing bench press with just the bar, I always think back to when I just started at the gym and that was all I could do. Now, I know, and I believe that this beginner doing the bench press knows as well, that they will get better and lift heavier as time goes on. However, it's not the same as a student struggling with maths.

Many students believe that mathematics is associated with intelligence and natural ability, hence they often give up if they don't find themselves naturally good at it. However, I have witnessed first hand that students who try hard can usually at least pass, regardless of their natural ability. It is therefore important for students to adopt a growth mindset, believing that their skills can improve as they do more work.

As students become more mature mentally and have done maths for a longer period of time, they will find the maths easier and easier. Think about it like this if you don't believe me: A person who has played tennis for 20 years regularly will obviously be good at tennis, especially in comparison to newbies who have never swung a racket.

2. You need regular practice over a long period of time.

Imagine there are two people who have each been given 156 hours to work out at the gym One person has been allowed a whole year's time (3 hours a week) to use their visits, while the other person has been restricted to just 2 months to use their hours (18 hours a week). Who do you think will get better results at the end of the 156 hours?

Perhaps that is not a obvious comparison but it becomes more obvious if we compare two students study habits. One student studies for 3 days before the exam non stop, spending approximately 8 hours per day (a total of 24 hours). Another student spreads out the 24 hours over 3 weeks before the exam, studying 8 hours per week. Who do you think will do better on the exam?

These numbers are very rough estimates but the point I'm trying to make is that, you need time to consolidate the skills. If you practice something over a longer period of time, it becomes part of your skill set and you can do it automatically, even without thinking. I have seen students who study regularly sitting exams just waltzing through every question without pausing, because they are so familiar with the work and have consolidated their skills over a longer period of time.

It is also a common mistake for students to say: "I know how to do this, I don't need to do it again". Unfortunately, without regular practice, your brain forgets just like that. The only thing worse than last minute short term intense study is no study. Imagine someone saying at the gym: I know how to do a dumbbell lift, I don't need to do it again. They will obviously never improve. Or someone saying at a dance class: I don't need to practice at home because i know the routine. After a week they won't remember anything. Do your maths homework, it will help.

3. Start from the basics and work your way up.

When people go to the gym, they are usually very logical as to which exercises they will do first, and leave the harder exercises until later. You usually don't see beginners doing chin ups at the gym or 100kg squats. They might start with a lat pulldown instead of a chin up, and they might start with a leg press machine with 40~60kg of weight, before they try harder exercises. It's obvious for people to work out what to do at the gym, but it's not so obvious to people when they do maths.

Many students don't do well at maths because they did not consolidate their basic skills before advancing to harder maths. This is exactly the same as trying to lift beyond your capability at the gym, not only will it not improve your body (or mathematical skills), you might get injured (give up mentally). Each skill is built on the assumption that you have mastered the prerequisite skills, so if you haven't mastered the prerequisites, it will be hard or even impossible for you to pick up. It takes time to master a skill, so you should not move on until you have mastered it.

So the question is, how do you know which mathematical exercises to do first? Visit my website http://magicmonk.org if you would like to see maths teaching material sorted from easiest to hardest, in year levels as well (primary school, high school grade 8-10, grade 11-12).

Stop blaming other people and take action

If you haven't noticed, the focus of these three points is on you. You have the power, more than anyone else, to influence your own results. Sure, having a good trainer or a good teacher can help, but it's not their fault if you are not doing the work. Your fate is in your hands.