Skill classification

• What is a motor programme?

  A series of subroutines organised into the correct sequence to perform a movement , stored in the long term memory
• Skills are :

  • Learned or developed
  • Can improve or deteriorate
  • Consists of subroutines
• Subroutines are the fixed or individual parts that make up a skill.
• CEMPOD

  • Continuity
  • Environment
  • Muscular environment
  • Pacing
  • Organization
  • Difficulty
• CEMPOD is the 6 different skills continua
• Continuity is split into discrete , serial and continuous.
• Discrete

  • Skill has a definite beginning and end
  • Usually brief in nature , a single skill
  • If a skill is repeated then you have to start from the beginning.
• Serial

  • A number of discrete skills put together to make a sequence
  • The order in which the discrete elements are in is important
  • Each movement id both a stimulus and response
• Continuous

  • No clear beginning or end of skill
  • Activity continues for unspecified time
  • Usually performed for a longer period of time
• Environment is split into Open and closed .
• Open

  • The environment changing and others affect the skill
  • Often externally paced
  • Skills will require adjustments
• Closed

  • Not affected by the environment
  • Stable and predictable
  • Internally / self paced
• Muscular is split into Gross and fine
• Gross

  • Involves large muscle movements
  • Involves large muscle groups
  • Major body movement skills
  • Power , strength , stamina , speed
• Fine

  • Involve small muscle movements
  • Involve small muscle groups
  • Small bodily movements
  • Precision , direction , accuracy , control
• Pacing is split into externally paced and internally paced
• Externally paced

  • Performance of the action is determined by external sources
  • Involves the performer in reaction
  • More open skill eg - white water canoeing
• Self paced

  • A performer decides when to perform or start the skill
  • Performer decides the rate at which the skill is performed
  • More closed skill eg - shot put
• Organisation is split into low and high organisation.
• Low organisation

  • Phases that make up the skill are usually discrete
  • Sub routines are easy to separate
  • eg - tennis serve
• High organisation

  • Many sub routines closely linked together
  • Cannot be broken down and practiced separately
• Difficulty is split into simple and complex.
• Simple skills

  • Easy and invlove few judgements and decisions
  • Require little concentration and cognitive ability
  • eg - sprinting
• Complex skills

  • Involve many judgments and decisions
  • Complicated and are practiced repeatedly to make it easier
  • eg - somersault, tennis serve