I've always been interested by the idea that setting yourself brand new challenges, or doing something completely differently to how you normally do it, grows new neurons in your brain. They say something as simple as stirring your coffee with the opposite hand will do the trick. I tried it recently with backwards walking on the treadmill in the gym. It certainly seems to stimulate something in the brain. 
 
Recently I've been getting back into playing acoustic guitar after a few years off, and I've been itching for some kind of new challenge, a style of playing that is just alien to me, and I think I've found it. I consider myself to be a pretty good player proficient in a wide range of styles - I've played thrash lead, blues lead, indie, jazz, folk, celtic guitar and also immersed myself in Bach fugues for a good few years. I've been looking for something which feels completely different to the point where I just can't imagine myself getting it down. I think the last time I experienced this was when I learned how to fingerpick a walking bass line with a melody over the top, I just couldn't get my head around playing two things at once. But one day it just "clicked" and I've never looked back since, pretty soon I found myself playing 3 or 4 lines at once in Bach pieces. I've never really experienced such a big breakthrough since. 
 
Today I discovered this great guitarist, Steve Baughman, and he plays in the clawhammer style. Now for years I have considered myself quite proficient at the "boom-chucka" style where you play a bass note then do an up/down "chucka" with the fingers. You can get a pretty good banjo style part going and I like to mix it up with other techniques and runs. So I see this video of Baughman's where he demonstrates his clawhammer technique. Holy crap, I cannot do it! It's like the inverse of boom-chucka - you do the chucka first and then hit the bass note. Sounds like a pretty reasonable variation right? Well it just feels so alien to me I can already feel my brain giving birth to those neurons. Give it a go! I love stuff like this, it really keeps you on your musical toes. 
 

He lost me on "you're a farmer who's been out with a ho'".

He also made some quite fruity comments about Brits and the Royal family which I found amusing. 

Thanks for this Sharke, I want to sharpen up my self taught, but reasonably musically effective, albeit, limited finger-picking style.
 
However, is it me? but when he is calling out 'Down, down, thumb' after the 4:00 mark, I cant see or hear any thumb / bass playing at all, and this is confusing me. Anyone else?
 
EDIT: At 5:40...its the 'Aha !' moment...So its almost like a slapping / pulling technique with the thumb, which of course is a component of what gives clawhammer guitar its distinctive sound and feel...very interesting and informative, think I will go and grab my new Taylor GS Mini and go through this again (and again...etc)

The Kiosk Project
Thanks for this Sharke, I want to sharpen up my self taught, but reasonably musically effective, albeit, limited finger-picking style.
 ...

You think that's bad? I was taking a bass lesson and the guy said ... you can't fret on your left hand. Your hand doesn't turn and your small finger is playing dead.
 
So he brings out a left handed bass ... and the exercise was easier ... man, now I'm trying to make sure I know where the notes are ... I even tried doing it in front of the mirror ... got me a cheapie short scale to practice and learn ... I do have a much shorter left pinkie due to watching a nice pair of legs with a butcher knife in my hand!

That clawhammer thing is hard. I find it completely unnatural, probably because it's so different to every playing style I've ever learned. This Steve Baughman guy is quickly turning into one of my favorite guitar players. His Celtic playing is out of this world, the guy has as wonderful sense of feeling and dynamics. His command of loud and soft is beautiful. Here he is looking a bit younger playing a trio of Celtic tunes. They are all great, but the one in the middle "Ramble to Cashel" is out of this world:
 

 
He also does a truly incredible version of Greensleeves which is the best arrangement of it I've ever heard. This is what guitar playing is all about! Absolutely stunning.