Motor Skills & Coaching

Question 1

What is Skill?

Answer 1

Perform a sequence of movement patterns, successfully, regularly and with a minimum of effort.

Question 2

Cognitive Skills

Answer 2

Involves the brain and movement is not a major concern e.g. playing chess or solving a problem.

Question 3

Motor Skills

Answer 3

A learned ability to bring about a predetermined result with a maximum efficiency and minimum outlay of energy.

Question 4

5 Classifications of Motor Skills

Answer 4

1. Muscle Involvement
2. Continuity
3. Pacing
4. Environmental Impact
5. Complexity

Question 5

Muscle Involvement

Answer 5

Fine: Involves small muscle movements, specific body parts e.g. Darts, Archery, Pistol Shooting

Gross: Involve large muscle groups, whole body e.g. Running, Swimming, Skills in most team sports.

Question 6

Continuity

Answer 6

Discrete: Have a clear beginning and end, usually short in duration. To repeat performer must start again.
e.g. Throw a ball.

Serial: Make up of a number of discrete movements that are combined in a particular order.
e.g. High Jump, Lay-up in basketball.

Continuous: No obvious beginning or end. Can be performed as long as the athlete wishes. The end becomes the beginning of the next.
e.g. Dribbling, Rowing, Running.

Question 7

Pacing

Answer 7

Self-Paced skills: Timing and execution of the skill, are determined by the performer. e.g. Tennis serve, Javelin, Long Jump.

Externally-Paced Skills: Factors outside the control of the performer determine the timing and execution of the skill.

Question 8

Environmental Impact

Answer 8

Closed Skill: Performed in a stable and predictable envrionment, where there is no uncertainty or change in conditions.
e.g. Freethrow, Weightlifting.

Open Skill: Movement is continually being varied depending on what is going on around the performer
e.g. Weather, surface conditions, opposition.

Question 9

Complexity

Answer 9

Simple Skills: Require 1 or 2 elements.
e.g. Running

Complex Skills: Require high levels of all or most of the elements.

Question 10

3 Phases of Learning

Answer 10

• Cognitive
• Associative
• Autonomous

Question 11

Cognitive Stage

Answer 11

• Visualising the Skill
• Performer understands the aim
• Lots of experimentation and error
• Relies on feedback and correction
• Not everyone moves past this phase

Question 12

Associative Stage

Answer 12

• Understand and fundamental skills are aquired
• ‘Practice’ Stage
• Focus on sequencing and correct timing
• Speed increases and errors decrease

Question 13

Autonomous Stage

Answer 13

• Skills are performed without conscious thoughts of the steps.
• Timing and sequencing is automatic
• Skills are performed with a high amount of accuracy.

Question 14

Types of cues

Answer 14

• Visual
• Verbal
• Proprioceptive

Question 15

Visual cues

Answer 15

Information or feedback is provided and is observable.

Question 16

Verbal cues

Answer 16

Information or feedback that is provided in an audible format.

Question 17

Proprioceptive

Answer 17

Feedback recieved during the execution of the skill. More specific as to what part of the senses the athlete can improve on.

Question 18

Sources of feedback

Answer 18

Internal: Information regarding how the movement is kinesethetically felt.

External:
- Intrinsic: Direct result from the body’s action.

• Augumented: From a teacher/coach, important in cognitive stage.

Question 19

Forms of feedback

Answer 19

Knowledge of results: Recieves regarding the success of the movement in matching a predetermined goal.

Knowledge of performance: Recieves regarding the patterns of movement produced.

Question 20

Timing of feedback

Answer 20

Concurrent: During the movement, either realising the mistake, or from a coach.

Terminal: After the movement is completed, usually by coach or video.

Question 21

Augmented feedback

Answer 21

General: For motivation or cheer.

Specific: To improve or praise on a technique identifed.