There is one thing must be made clear before anything can be discussed, because it is the foundation of the mindset a player should have for any serious practice session. The goal of the game during a practice session should be to improve, not to win. This alone is where most players fail. There are numerous reasons why it's important. For example, when a player is playing to win, they're likely to stick to what they already know rather then try new things. Another reason is that if a specific aspect of a player's game is weak, they will (perhaps subconsciously) put forth effort to avoid that aspect to increase their chances of winning, rather then try to improve that specific aspect of their game. The truth is, the player would improve their chances of winning in the long run by not avoiding that aspect, and instead working to improve upon it.
So if the goal should be to improve, what constitutes improving? Improving can mean several things, which brings me to my first point: set specific goals for a session. Before the practice session starts, decide on something specific to put effort into improving, and focus on doing (or not doing) that one thing for the entire session. Goals can be anything, from basic strategy, all the way to matchup-specific details. Here are some examples most players should be able to easily apply:
- Stop using a specific move or sequence as much
- Start using or experiment with a new move or sequence
- Don't jump
- Practice anti-airs
- Practice a specific combo
- Improve defense
- Learn the basics of a matchup
- Explore options in a common, specific situation (matchup specific)
- React to a specific move with an action (matchup specific)
- Punish a specific move (matchup specific) the best way possible
I've personally used all of these at some time or another, and am still using both this technique and some of these specific goals to this day. It's very easy to accidentally develop patterns and bad habits, but as long as the player looks at their own game to become aware of them, it's easy to fix, and is what most of the first topics on the list are aimed toward. For example, in a given situation, a player might always use a specific move or react a certain way. It's also possible that a player is overusing a move that is useful, but unsafe if abused. These are common habits that are easy to fall into, and overlook in the middle of matches. Watching recorded matches of yourself is an easy way to notice these kinds of patterns.
The end portion of the list is specific character and matchup goals, which brings me to my second point: the player must allow themselves opportunities to work towards the goal. What I mean is that, for example, if the goal of the session is to improve defense, the player should use as few reversals (if any) as possible. Using reversals is a method to try to avoid defending, and is counterproductive to the goal. By not using reversals, the player gives themselves an opportunity to improve defending. Considering this, it's easy to see how playing with the goal of winning can conflict with the goal of playing to improve.
This isn't to say that the player should go out of their way to put themselves into positions to practice certain things, or that the player should actively try to lose. There's a difference between playing differently for the purpose of practicing, and playing ineffectively. In other words, if the goal is to practice defense, that doesn't mean the player shouldn't attack, and just let the opponent do whatever they want. Additionally, sometimes the player can't make it too obvious what they are trying to practice, or they will lose opportunities to practice it. For example, if the goal is to practice anti-airs, the player cannot simply stand there, waiting for the opponent to jump. It might work at first, but (hopefully) the opponent will quickly catch on and stop jumping.
Finally, the last thing I want to talk about is understanding what can be learned from a specific match. Sometimes, certain conditions make a session conducive to learning or practicing certain things, but not at all to others. Understanding this helps a player make the most of their practice time. For example, for a specific session, if the player's opponent is someone on a significantly lower level then them, it may be difficult or even useless to practice defense, because the opponent's offense might not be strong enough.
Another extension of this idea is how to get value out of online play. Despite what some people will claim, playing online is not useless for the purpose of improving. However, the player must understand what things can be learned and practiced online and which cannot. For example, practicing combos can not only be useless due to lag, but can go as far as to be harmful if the player inadvertently learns to time their combos online and then cannot perform them offline.
Overall, playing online is suitable for practicing most things, but offline practice is generally better. However, there is one thing that playing online is exceptional at: learning matchups. Playing online is an almost invaluable tool for learning matchups. Not only for learning each matchup, but for learning everything about each matchup, and learning them in a relatively timely manner. A player might have a local Ryu player, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they know the Ryu matchup inside and out. There might be certain tools or tactics their specific Ryu player doesn't use that the player will have no experience with. Playing online gives a player access not only to every character, but to every play style of every character. When traveling to tournaments and playing unknown opponents, being familiar with multiple play styles of each character becomes incredibly important.
Good Luck Leveling up!
