Motor Learning and Coaching

Motor skill definition

Learned actions that involve precise control and coordination of the body’s muscles to complete specific physical tasks.

Skill definition

The ability to do something well, usually gained through practice, training or experience.

What are the 3 ways in which skills are categorised?

Muscle involvement, continuity of movement, environmental impact.

How are skills classified based on muscle involvement?

According to the size of muscle groups and movements involved.

How are skills classified based on continuity of movement?

According to how easy it is to determine the start and finish of the skill.

How are skills classified based on environmental impact?

According to the extent to which skills are influenced by environmental factors such as the weather, playing surface and opposition.

What are fine motor skills?

Skills involving the movement of smaller muscle groups, resulting in more controlled and precise movement.

What are gross motor skills?

Skills involving the movement of larger muscle groups, resulting in large body part movement.

3 examples of fine motor skills

Archery, putting spin on a cricket ball, golf putting.

3 examples of gross motor skills

Cycling, running, jumping.

What are discrete motor skills?

Single, specific actions that have a clear beginning and end

What are serial motor skills?

A number of discrete actions performed together in a certain order

What are continuous motor skills?

Skills that are repetitive and ongoing, with no obvious beginning and end.

3 examples of discrete motor skills

Golf swing, chest pass, kicking a ball.

3 examples of serial motor skills

Dance routine, gymnastics floor routine, triple jump.

3 examples of continuous motor skills

Running, swimming, cycling.

What are closed motor skills?

Skills performed in a stable, predictable environment where conditions stay the same.

What are open motor skills?

Skills performed in an unstable, unpredictable environment where conditions are constantly changing.

3 examples of closed motor skills

Badminton serve, golf shot, lawn bowls.

3 examples of open motor skills

Surfing, basketball, soccer.

What is learning?

The change in capability to perform a skill.

What is a performance?

An observable behaviour.

What are the 3 phases of learning?

Cognitive, associative, autonomous.

What is the cognitive phase of learning?

The phase in which the learner is understanding the requirements of the task.

What is the associative phase of learning?

The phase in which the learner understands how to complete the skill and their movement patterns are becoming more refined and consistent through practice.

What is the autonomous phase of learning?

The phase in which the learner has mastered the skill and can complete it almost automatically.

6 characteristics of the phases of learning

Error detection, feedback, cue recognition, consistency of performance, size and frequency of errors, type of performer.

Characteristics of the cognitive phase (error detection, feedback, cue recognition, consistency of performance, size and frequency of errors, type of performer)

Little capacity to detect/correct errors, reliant on extrinsic, simple and frequent feedback, little cue recognition, very inconsistent performance, large size and frequency of errors, novice.

Characteristics of the associative phase (error detection, feedback, cue recognition, consistency of performance, frequency and size of errors, type of performer)

Begins to detect + correct errors, combination of extrinsic and intrinsic and more specific, some relevant cue recognition, consistency improves, moderate size + frequency of errors, intermediate.

Characteristics of the autonomous phase (error detection, feedback, cue recognition, consistency of performance, size and frequency of errors, type of performer)

Able to detect and correct errors, mainly intrinsic, very specific if extrinsic, attends only to relevant cues with improved decision making, low performance variability, very low size and frequency of errors, expert.

Give 4 coaching strategies for performers in the cognitive stage of learning.

Give a clear and accurate demonstration, simple teaching points, break skills into components, and repeat drills a number of times.

Describe the kind of feedback given to someone in the cognitive phase of learning.

Extrinsic, frequent, immediate after performance, motivational, concise and specific.

Give 5 coaching strategies for performers in the associative stage of learning.

Give lots of opportunity for practice, lots of feedback, stress technique and introduce rules/strategy/competition, consistent positive reinforcement, use video analysis.

Describe the kind of feedback given to someone in the associative phase of learning.

More specific, less frequent.

Give 4 coaching strategies for performers in the autonomous stage of learning.

More complex drills, realistic competition situations in training, allow to monitor their own performance, use video analysis.

Describe the kind of feedback given to someone in the autonomous phase of learning.

Mainly intrinsic, very specific if provided by an external source.

What is feedback?

The information a performer receives about their performance.

Why is feedback important?

It allows the performer to compare their current performance with desired performance. Without it, they wouldn’t be able to correct their errors.

What are the 2 main purposes of feedback?

To motivate the performer, and to reinforce learning and provide information.

Explain how feedback is used to motivate?

Feedback can motivate performers to continue to strive for improvement or to reassure them that progress is happening. It makes performers more interested and involved in training, and more persistant and applied in learning.

Explain how feedback is used to reinforce learning/provide information?

Positive feedback increases the chances of a behaviour being repeated, and constructive feedback can change aspects of their performance

By providing information on what was done correctly/incorrectly, it increases the chances of a good behaviour being repeated, or can allow them to make changes on their next attempt.

What is intrinsic/inherent feedback?

Feedback received from sensory receptors inside muscles, joints and tendons which provide information to the performer about their execution of the skill.

What is extrinsic/augmented feedback?

Information received from outside of the body by the sensory system, which is seen, felt or heard from a coach.

What are the 2 categories of extrinsic feedback and are they intrinsic or extrinsic?

Knowledge of Results - extrinsic
Knowledge of Performance - intrinsic

What is knowledge of results?

Objective feedback which provides the performer with information regarding the success of their performance in achieving a desired outcome.

What is knowledge of performance?

Subjective feedback that a performer receives regarding the quality of their movement or technique.

What categories of extrinsic feedback do cognitive/associative/autonomous learners rely on and why?

Cognitive/associative learners rely on knowledge of performance because they are still learning to refine their skills, and find it easier to understand.
Autonomous learners rely on knowledge of results because they have already refined their technique and can easily understand statistics.

What is concurrent feedback and how is it used?

Feedback provided during a performance by a coach, which is used to either change performance, or maintain current performance.

What is terminal feedback and how is it used?

Feedback provided by an external source after the movement has been completed, which is used to change future performances.

What timing of feedback is best for a beginner and why?

Concurrent because they find it harder to reflect on their performance after a period of time.

What timing of feedback is best for an expert and why?

Terminal feedback because it allows them to evaluate their own performance before being given feedback.