< Back to Identifying Set Pins | Up to MIT Guide to Lockpicking | Forward to Which Way To Turn >

Projection


As you are doing the exercises try building a picture in your mind of what is going on. The picture does not have to be visual, it could be a rough understanding of which pins are set and how much resistance you are encountering from each pin. One way to foster this picture building is to try to remember your sensations and beliefs about a lock just before it opened. When a lock opens, don't think "that's over", think "what happened".

This exercise requires a lock that you find easy to pick. It will help you refine the visual skills you need to master lock picking. Pick the lok, and try to remember how the process felt. Rehearse in your mind how everything feels when the lock is picked properly. Basically you want to create a movie that records the process of picking the lock. Visualize the motion of your muscles as they apply the correct pressure and torque, and feel the resistance encountered by the pick. Now pickthe lock again trying to match your actions to the movie.

By repeating this exercise, you are learning how to formulate detailed commands for your muscles and how to interpret feedback from your senses. The mental rehearsal teaches you how to build a visual understanding of the lock and how to recognize the major steps of picking it.