Practice Variability

Practice variability

The variety of movement and context characteristics a person experiences while practicing a skill

Practice variability enhances

generalization an retention

Development of a schema

•Ruleset for parameterizing a generalized motor program (GMP)

•Line of best fit represents the schema

Constant Practice (C

free-throw shooting from the free-throw line only

Variable practice – Front & Back (VFB):

•free-throw shots from 2 ft in front and 2 ft behind the free-throw line (randomly assigned in ea practice session)

Variable practice- Combination (VC):

• free-throw shots from 2 ft in front, 2 ft behind, AND from the free-throw line (randomly assigned in ea practice session)

Variable practice- Random (VR): 

•free-throw shots

  from the “elbow” to the left & right of the key, and from

the top of the key (randomly assigned in each

practice session)

Percent improvement

Constant practice (C): 1.0%

Variable practice- front & back (VFB): 2.4%

Variable practice- combination (VC): 10.9%

Variable practice- random (VR): 7.4%

Blocked practice

same skill repeated over and over before switching to the next s

Builds performance

good for early learning

Random practice

Skills are mixed unpredictably

long tern learning and retention

Serial practice

skills are practiced in a fixed, repeating sequenc

Good transition into random practice

Contextual interference

Definition: the memory and performance disruption (ie. interference) that results from performing a skill within the context of practice

Specificity of practice hypothesis:

the view that motor skill learning is influenced by practice condition characteristics