skill acquisition

• mental practice


  Going over the skill in the mind without movement
• Skill


  The learned ability to bring about pre-determined results with maximum certainty and efficiency
• characteristics of a skill

  Aethetically pleasingConsistentEfficient

  Fluent/fluencyAccurate/adaptableControlledEconomical

  goal orientatedcoordinateda skill is goal directed and has an aim
• Open skill


  A skill performed in an unpredictable environment (pitch, opposition) where decision may have to be made and practiced with variety

  eg. kick in rugby
• Closed skill


  A skill performed in a predictable environment. Repeate consistently and fewer decisions to make

  eg. dive in swimming
• Gross skill


  A skill that uses large muscle groups e.g rugby tackle
• Fine skill


  A skill that uses smaller more intricate muscle groups, small muscles used for fine motor control.

  eg. putting in golf
• Self-paced skill


  When the performer controls the start and the speed of the skill. eg. serving in badminton
• Externally paced skill


  When the performer has no control over the start and the speed of the skill. eg receiving a serve in tennis
• Discrete skill


  A skill that has a clear beginning and end, one short sharp action. eg tennis serve
• Serial skill


  A skill that contains several discrete skills in order to make a more integrated movement. eg triple jump
• Continuous skill


  has no clear beginning or end, often end of 1 part of skill and start of next eg running, cycling, swimming
• Low organised skill


  A skill that is easily broken into sub-routines. eg trampoline routine
• High organised skill


  A skill that is not easily broken into parts eg cartweel
• simple skill


  A skill that requires few decisions when being performed, little to think about eg throwing and catching in cricket
• complex skill


  A skill that requires decision making using lots of information when performed eg smash in volleyball
• theory of Transfer


  The effect of the learning and performance of one skill on the learning and performance of another.
• positive transfer


  when the learning of one skill helps the learning of another. Tends to happen when one skill has similar shape and form. eg overarm volleyball serve and tennis serve

  -encouraged by making training realistic and relevant
• how can positive transfer be encouraged

  make sure training is realistic

  ensure first skill well learnt

  slow planned progression

  use rewards/reinforcement to encourage positive transfer

  make performer aware of opportunities for positive transfer/highlight similarities
• negative transfer


  when the learning of one skill hinders the learning of another. Familiarity can cause confusion, not the same.

  eg. arm action of tennis serve transfers negatively to wrist action of badminton serve.
• Causes of negative transfer

  -performer misunderstanding the different movement requirements

  -first skill hasn't been fully learnt/overlearnt

  -a familiar stimulus requiring a new response

  -skills that seem to be performed the same way but arent

  -conflicting skills are taught close together

  -when practice environment is different to competition environment

  -poor coaching
• zero transfer


  when the learning of one skill has no impact on the learning of another, no confusion. eg swimming arm action and foot placement in rock climbing - completely different
• bilateral transfer


  when the learning of one skill is passed across the body from limb to limb. eg right footed football shot transferred to left footed short

  transferable skill, learned by one side of the body and transferred to the opposite side
• whole practice


  practicing a skill in its entirety
• Whole practice


  performing skill in its entirety without breaking into sub-routines. Promotes:

  -understanding, establishes links between sub routines and created fluency
• when should whole practice be used

  when skill is

  -fast, ballistic

  -discrete eg tennis serve

  -highly organized

  -simple

  -feel (kinesthetics) of skill required

  -performer is advanced-autonomous, cope with demands

  -links between sub routines need to be maintained or skill needs to be performed in specific order
• advantages of whole practice

  -good understanding-avoid confusion

  -performer knows if performed right

  -links between sub routines maintained

  -helps create spcific mental images stored as motor programs which stored in LTM contains mental image of whole skill. Useful when skills need to be recalled from memory and performed.

  -produce positive transfer between skills learned in training and performed on pitch

  -makes it consistent -time efficient, good habits able to perform almost automatically
• disadvantages of whole practice

  - too much information to process

  - beyond capabilities of performer, unnecessary demands on performer. May not be able to cope with all aspects of skill at once especially beginners.

  - not for beginners

  -cant be used for complex skills

  -possibility of fatigue, no breaks

  -cant focus on weaker skills/specific skills
• Whole-part-whole practice


  Firstly attempting the skill as a whole get initial feel, then practicing it in parts individually or weaknesses are highlighted and practices separately and then putting it back together and practicing as a whole again.
• when should whole-part whole be used

  when beginner is doing complex skill
• advantages of whole-part whole

  -beginners learn correct technique

  -provide motivation

  -provide immediate feedback, corrects errors and allows selected parts to be integrated successfully into whole action

  -fluency of sub-routines maintained

  -maintains feel of whole skill
• dis whole part whole

  -produce negative transfer unless coach integrates part back into whole during same training session

  -time consuming
• Progressive part practice (chaining)

  Practicing the first part of the skill then adding parts gradually in sequence. .
• when should progressive part practice be used

  Used for serial skills when order is important. Used for dangerous skills. Useful when low organization, serial, complex. Takes pressure of performer.
• ADV progressive


  -less overwhelming, better for beginners

  -focus on one aspect of skill, potentially correct specific weaknesses

  -less fatigue-rest

  -bring success-builds motivation with each part

  -may improve confidence, success gradually achieved
• DIS progressive


  -time consuming

  -neglects feel of whole skill

  -might ignore links between sub routines

  -danger of negative transfer between each sequence of skill so coach should ensure first part is well learned before making further progress
• Chaining


  Linking the sub routines, or parts of a task, together in order when practising. The first two parts are learned, then the third part is added; that part is learned and added to the first two, and so on.
• what skills use massed practice

  discrete, simple, closed
• Massed practice


  continuous practice with no rest between sessions
• ADV of massed practice

  -promotes fitness, cope with extended demands of task

  -skill becomes automatic

  -motor programmes stored more easily, can be recalled in future

  -efficient use of training time

  -benefits autonomous