Put yourself out there! try the hardest tricks you can think of I second this. If you want to break in a dama quick, don't hold back. Practice tricks that you are really low percentage with. missing tricks helps damas break in faster.
Personally, I find natties easier to break in compared to painted tamas. Your sweat goes straight into the tama on a natty (depending on wood), making the play amazing. Also, for stalls, I suggest you take a coin, stick it into the hole of the tama, and grind out the bevel by rotating the coin. Opens up the hole and makes stalls stick easier.
It's funny that a natty tama has to get work put into it to achieve a bit of grip/tack. But a painted tama needs just a bit of the final seals of paint to get broken into for that desired slip-stick ratio.
True, but I personally love the work you have to put in to break in a natty. To quote Jake Wiens, it breaks in to your style of play.
@Lynse_sng Merged with an older thread on the same topic so everyone can see the previous replies. Also check these threads: Breaking in Ash Breaking in my Craft