How to Avoid the #1 Physics Setup Mistake

Описание: https://PhysicsSensei.com
The most common physics mistakes don’t come from bad math.
They come from building the setup around a formula instead of the situation.
In this video, I show you how to avoid the number one physics setup mistake, so your solutions feel stable instead of forced.
This shift alone can dramatically improve accuracy on homework and exams.

📜 FULL SCRIPT
You start a physics problem feeling confident, but a few steps in, everything starts to feel forced. You keep adjusting equations, fixing signs, and hoping it works out. That moment right there is the real problem, not the math, but building the setup around a formula instead of the situation.
I’m the Physics Sensei. I have a PhD in physics, I’m a black belt in karate, and I’ve spent thirty years teaching college students how to solve physics problems. And what I see over and over is students choosing a formula first and then trying to make the problem fit it.
When the setup is built around a formula, the problem becomes fragile. You spend more time fixing mistakes than solving, and nothing ever feels solid. That doesn’t happen because you don’t know physics. It happens because the structure was backward from the start.
Think about driving. If you decide on a route before you know your destination, every turn feels uncertain. You keep correcting instead of moving smoothly forward.
In karate, for example, beginners try to copy techniques without understanding the purpose behind them. They move correctly on the surface, but the technique has no balance. They don’t fail because they lack effort. They fail because they skipped the start, their foundation.
Physics problems follow the same pattern. When you force a situation to match a formula, the solution never feels stable.
So here’s how to avoid the number one physics setup mistake. First, describe the situation in plain words without thinking about formulas at all.
Second, identify what is interacting or changing in that situation. This tells you what kind of physics is actually involved.
Third, choose relationships only after the situation is clear. The formula should fit the problem, not the other way around.
Only after this should you begin solving. That’s why strong problem solvers look calm. They build from understanding, not memorization.
When you do this, physics problems stop feeling forced and start feeling natural. This is exactly how we train problem solving inside the Dojo. So the next time you feel stuck fixing your setup, stop and rebuild it from the situation.
Train the basics. Build your foundation. Let consistency become your advantage. And if you need more help, the Dojo is ready when you are. I’ll see you there.