wax on

Wax on is the first half of "wax on, wax off," a phrase from the 1984 film *The Karate Kid* where a martial arts teacher disguises training as tedious chores.

The phrase now evokes patient, repetitive practice that builds skill without the learner realizing it, or any instruction that seems pointless but proves foundational: Just wax on, wax off until it becomes second nature.