4.2 - Types And Methods Of Practice

Question 1

Chaining definition

Answer 1

A serial skill is often broken down into subroutines, which can be seen as links of a chain

Question 2

Motor programme definition

Answer 2

Generalised series of movements stored in the long term memory and retrieved by a single decision

Question 3

Attentional wastage

Answer 3

Misdirection of an athlete’s concentration to irrelevant cues. Attentional wastage can reduce the effectiveness of an athletic performance and can retard the learning process during skills training

Question 4

What is the role of a coach?

Answer 4

Coaches must create the best possible practice conditions

Coach must reduce attentional wastage and identify important aspects of skills

Question 5

What is the ‘part’ method (fractionisation)+ example

Answer 5

• skills low in organisation and can be split into subroutines
• start with basic skill and progress into complex skills
• can help gain confidence on dangerous/complex skills
• beginners/ low motivation
  Eg. Backswing on tennis serve

Question 6

Simplification définition + example

Answer 6

• reducing difficulty of subroutines of skills

Eg. Start with larger objects to catch when learning juggling

Question 7

Progressive part method + example (segmentation)

Answer 7

• complex, serial, potentially dangerous- for novices/beginners
• serial skill broken down into subroutines
• taught through chaining
• learn 1st link, then 2nd link, then 1st link + 2nd link
  Eg. Breaststroke leg action + arm action

Question 8

Whole method definition + example( for highly motivated and experienced)

Answer 8

• skill taught without breaking it down into subroutines
• allows for kinaesthetic sense of skill, therefore transfer from practice to real situation will be positive
• high organisation, closed, discrete, simple
• motor programmes can be developed through trial and error
  Eg. Golf swing
  Used for continuous skills

Question 9

Whole-part-whole definition + example

Answer 9

• complex, low organisation, not dangerous
• attempt whole skill, then reflect and attempt isolated parts of it, then rest tempt the whole skill
• to recognise strengths and weaknesses and build upon them
  Eg. Lay up

Question 10

Massed definition

Answer 10

Massed = continuous practice period, no rest -> tired, fatigued and demotivated
No time for feedback
Discrete, simple,

Question 11

Fixed practice and definition + example

Answer 11

Stable and predictable practice environment

Eg. Badminton player practicing shirt serves into opponents box

Question 12

Varied practice definition + example

Answer 12

Player needs to come across range of experiences
- open skills always change, so relevant experiences stored in long term and can be drawn from
Eg. Wide range of physical activities done in primary school PE

Question 13

Gross and fine skills definition + example

Answer 13

Gross - might build muscle strength, repetition of these movements for memory trace and autonomy of movement
Fine - mental rehearsal to aid concentration

Question 14

Open and closed definition + example

Answer 14

Open skills - variety of situations, knowledge of perceptual requirements of a skill will help performer to take in right info = no attentional wastage
Closed skills - practice repeated until automatic, varied practice unnecessary

Question 15

Discrete, serial, continuous practices

Answer 15

Discrete taught as a whole
Serial broken into subroutines
Continuous practised as a whole to get kinaesthetic sense of skill

Question 16

Self paced and externally paced practices

Answer 16

Self - fixed practices that involve more control for players to develop habitual response
External - varied practices to help performer build strategies for changing environment

Question 17

Simple and complex skills practices

Answer 17

Simple - involves practices that are repetitive and fixed as no need for decision making
Complex - involves skills that require information processing, broken down and explained

Question 18

High organisation and low organisation practices

Answer 18

High - difficult to separate (continuous)
Eg leg action in cycling
- practice whole method for rhythm and kinaesthetic sense

Question 19

Advantages of massed practice

Answer 19

• good for habitual responses/closed skills
• enables formation of motor programmes
• enhances over learning
• increases fitness

Question 20

Distribution method

Answer 20

Distributed = long rests between trials
- facilitâtes mental practice + recovery 
- less dangerous/ remotivates
But time consuming + negative transfer
Complex/serial, continuous,dangerous