Reflections on Tactics Trainer and Calculation

I've been using the TT for a few months now and have seen some real improvement.

I am starting to think, though, that I am making limited progress depending on how I approach the problems.

If I try and get the tactics done as quickly as possible, but don't work the problem through in my head to its conclusion before moving (ie moving instinctively then continuing to solve move by move), I think it improves my skill in quite a limited way.

However, if I try and work out the entire problem before touching a piece, I think this improves my skill more effectively. It doesn't necessarily improve my rating immediately, as I am doing the problem more slowly.

I can't explain how I know this, I just sort of feel it. Has anyone else experienced this? The latter approach is of course, just like using a tactics book.

Also, when calculating I am only just starting to say the notation in my head "if king F7 then....etc. if king F8 then.....etc". I get the feeling that reciting the notation  is helping my calculation a lot. Anyone else agree? In this regard I've been using Daniel Rensch's board visulation exercises (in his recent video) and this is helping me say the notation without having to think about it much at all.

I wondered if other people are/have had similar thoughts.

I go on instinct for reasons I won't discuss here, but I am fully aware that to improve my awareness of situational tactics I have to work by calculation. When I play CC games I do this rigourously.

Yes, saying the notation in your head is really important. It will help you visualize the board at the end of a line. Danny's videos are pure gold.

Trying to figure out the entire problem before moving a piece is a really good way to improve your tactical ability. I know it gets penalized heavily in TT score, but after all we don't really care about that do we?

The idea of TT is that if you do the exercises enough times you learn the patterns so well that you'll be able to do them almost istantly. Even playing intuitively can be a good method to train, because you get too see and practice MANY more patterns.

It's quality vs quantity.

Yeah I guess I am distinguishing between calculating without saying the notation in my head (what I used to do) and actually saying the squares' coordinate names. It seems to help a lot and think maybe I've been missing a trick until now. I briefly hit 1600 and if I can stay there within a few months that will be a massive improvement.