Motor Skills (3.1)

Question 1

Definition of a Motor Skill

Answer 1

Involves a sequence of movements that are reasonable complex to the individual performing them

Question 2

What do Motor Skills depend on?

Answer 2

Practise Frequency: how often one practises

Value of Practise: what is learned when you practise the skill

Application of Learning: how well learning is applied to making skill efficient

Question 3

Definition of Subroutines

Answer 3

Individual components or parts of a motor skill

Question 4

How does a Skilled Movement occur?

Answer 4

When all the subroutines of a skill are performed int eh correct sequence and with correct timing

Question 5

Definition of a Motor Program

Answer 5

set of instructions held in LTM and sent to muscles specifying timing and sequencing of movement resulting in correct production of skill

Question 6

What are the Three Classification of Motor Skills

Answer 6

Movement Precision: fine or gross

Types of Movement: discrete, continuous, serial

Environmental Predictability: open or closed

Question 7

What is a Discrete Motor Skill?

Answer 7

Skills which have distinct beginning and end

Question 8

What is Continuous Motor Skill?

Answer 8

Skills which do not have a distinct beginning and end

come together in a movement sequence i.e. running, swimming, cycling

Question 9

What is a Serial Motor Skill?

Answer 9

A number of discrete skills string together to create a movement sequence

Question 10

What are Closed Skills?

Answer 10

Skills performed in an predictable environment

Performer has full control of timing (internally paced)

Question 11

What are Open Skills?

Answer 11

Skills performed in an unpredictable environment

Timing of skill is determined by external factors (externally paced)

Question 12

Learning Closed Skills

Question 13

Learning Closed Skills

Answer 13

• Easier to learn
• Environment is more predictable, learner can focus on subroutines without worrying about external factors
• Can perform the skill in their own time

Question 14

Learning Open Skills

Answer 14

• Harder to learn
• Learner has to contend with external factors
• Learner is not able to wholly focus on subroutines of skill
• Timing of skill may be impacted by external factors

Question 15

What are Fitts’ and Posner’s Three Stages of Learning

Answer 15

Cognitive stage - Understanding

Associative stage: Practise

Autonomous stage: Automatic Reference

Question 16

5 Characteristics of the Cognitive Stage

Answer 16

• Makes many errors
• Rarely repeats the same skill in the same manner
• Perform skill slowly
• Poor timing
• May be frustrated and lose motivation

Question 17

Cognitive Stage Coaching Tips

Answer 17

• Give clear instructions
• Don’t overload with information
• Allow learner to ‘feel’ the movement
• Provide accurate demonstration

Question 18

Associative Stage Coaching Tips

Answer 18

• Providing specific and accurate feedback directed at technical aspects of skill
• Provide practise in competition simulated situations
• Continually seek to challenge the performer by increasing difficulty, expectations and tolerances

Question 19

5 characteristics of Autonomous Stage

Answer 19

• Can perform skill without thinking
• Has automatic timing of subroutines
• Effortless movements
• High speed and high efficiency
• Performer identifies and corrects their own skill

Question 20

Autonomous Stage Coaching tips

Answer 20

• Performer can chunk large amounts of into to reduce response times
• Skill can deteriorate if performer focuses on individual components of skill (over analysis)