Classification of skills

Question 1

Describe the muscular involvement continuum.

Answer 1

• Gross skills: large muscle movements; large muscle groups; not very precise. E.g. Shot put
• Fine skills: intricate movements; small muscle groups; precise. E.g. Snooker shot

Question 2

Describe the environmental continuum.

Answer 2

• Open skills: affected by environment; constantly changing environment; predominantly perceptual. E.g. Skills in team games
• Closed skill: not affected by environment; predictable environment; predominantly habitual. E.g. Free throw in basketball

Question 3

Describe the continuity continuum.

Answer 3

_ Discrete skills: clear beginning, middle and end; brief, well-defined skills. E.g. Penalty flick in hockey
- Serial skills: group of discrete skills. E.g. Triple jump
- Continuous skills: no obvious beginning nor end; end of one cycle is beginning of next. E.g. Swimming

Question 4

Describe the pacing continuum.

Answer 4

• Self paced: performer controls rate at which skill is executed. E.g. Javelin throw
• Externally paced: environment controls rate of performing the skill. E.g. Skills in team game

Question 5

Describe the difficulty continuum.

Answer 5

• Simple skills: straightforward; very few judgements and decisions. E.g. Sprinting
• Complex skills: many decisions and judgements. E.g. Somersault

Question 6

Describe the organisation continuum.

Answer 6

• Low organisation: sub-routines easy to separate. E.g. Trampoline sequence.
• High organisation: sub-routines cannot be broken down. E.g. Cartwheel