Introduction

Question 1

What is motor control

Answer 1

The study of how movement is controlled

Question 2

What are degrees of freedom

Answer 2

The number of parameters of the system that may vary independently

Question 3

Explain dof

Answer 3

Wrist/elbow 2
Shoulder 6

Muscles many
Input to muscles more

Question 4

What is motor learning

Answer 4

The process of acquiring the capability for producing skilled actions

Learning is a direct result of practice and experience

Learning cannot be observed

Relatively permanent

Question 5

What are bernsteins stages of motor learning

Answer 5

1. Freezing the degrees of freedom
2. Releasing and reorganising
3. Exploiting the mechanical properties of

Question 6

Explain freezing the degrees of freedom

Answer 6

• learners will limit joint movements
• simplifies the movement
• reduces complexity of controlling multiple joints and muscles
• easier to manage by focusing on fewer components of movement

E.g stiffen arm and focus mostly on shoulder to hit ball not elbow or wrist

Question 7

What happens to degrees of freedom as learners progress

Answer 7

Release DOF
- allow more joints to contribute to movement
- more fluid and coordinated

Then exploit DOF
- fully utilising all DOF
- most efficient
- natural dynamics e.g inertia for optimal performance

Question 8

Define releasing DOF

Answer 8

Increasing variability at individual joints

Question 9

Define skill

Answer 9

The ability to bring about some end result with maximum certainty and minimum outlay if energy - schmidt

Question 10

What are the types of skill (not classifications)

Answer 10

Motor - quality of movement
Cognitive - decision of which movements

Question 11

What are open/closed skills

Answer 11

Open - environment is variable rather than predictable

Question 12

What are discrete/continuous/serial

Answer 12

Discrete clear start and end
Serial multiple discrete