Movement skills & improving movement

Question 1

What are fundamental movement/motor skills? List examples

Answer 1

Fundamental movement skills are foundation skills that provide the basis for successful participation in a wide range of physical activity

Fundamental locomotor skills - walking, jogging, running, leaping, jumping, hopping, dodging, skipping

Fundamental object control skills - bouncing, throwing, catching, striking, kicking

Question 2

What are sport-specific skills? List examples

Answer 2

Sport-specific skills are advanced fundamental movement skills developed via specific sports practice training. Sport specific skills are voluntary, coordinated movements with specific goals which can be categorised according to movement type and precision and stability of environment (Basketball - Shooting: The ability to accurately shoot the ball into the hoop from various distances and angles.

Dribbling: Controlling the ball while moving quickly across the court.

Rebounding: Positioning and timing to grab missed shots off the rim.

Passing: Making precise passes to teammates to facilitate scoring opportunities.)

Question 3

Open and Closed motor skill continuum and sporting examples

Answer 3

Open skills are performed in an unpredictable or changing environment. The timing is influenced by external factors (defending against an opponent’s attack in martial arts, reacting to a pitch in cricket, passing a ball in soccer while under pressure from defenders)

Closed skills are performed in a predictable or stable environment. The timing is controlled by the performer who has full control over the situation(Shooting a free throw in basketball, swinging a golf club during a tee shot, serving in tennis during practice)

Question 4

Gross and Fine motor skills and sporting examples

Answer 4

Gross skills involve large muscle groups or whole body movements (running (football, basketball, soccer), jumping (basketball, volleyball, long jump, high jump) throwing (baseball, cricket, javelin, discus) swinging (cricket, tennis, golf, baseball))

Fine skills involve small muscles or muscle groups where accuracy and precision are required (hand movement when throwing a dart, free throwing in basketball)

Question 5

Discrete, Serial and Continuous skills and sporting examples

Answer 5

Discrete skills have a distinct beginning and end point (golf swing and basketball free throw)

Serial skills are a combination of discrete skills in succession (gymnastic or dance routine)

Continuous skills have no distinct beginning or end point (swimming stroking, kicking and breathing rhythmically and cycling pedalling)

Question 6

Constraints (barriers) that influence how well we learn and develop motor skills

Answer 6

Individual, Task and Environmental constraints

Question 7

Individual Constraints - examples

Answer 7

Height, weight, body composition, endurance, flexibility, agility, strength, speed. motor skills, motivation, confidence, perceptual skills, tactical knowledge, learning style

Question 8

Environmental Constraints (physical and social/cultural) - examples

Answer 8

Gravity, temperature, light, playing surface, noise, movement, rain, wind, motivational climate, spectators, peers, family, social expectations cultural norms

Question 9

Task Constraints - examples

Answer 9

Can’t use hands, off-side, no contact, can’t run with the ball, playing zones, maintain possession, score a goal, point your toes, keep the ball in court, don’t get out, number of players, ball shape, racquet length, court size

Question 10

Explain how motor skill development influences participation in sport

Answer 10

motor skill development influences participation in sports through the development of fundamental movement skills, these skills lay the foundation for participating in various sports. People who have mastered these fundamental movements at a young, like running, jumping and throwing are more likely to engage in sports and recreational activities with confidence and enjoyment. Another is early exposure. Exposure to a variety of sports and activities during childhood allows the individual to explore different movement patterns and develop a diverse range of motor. This also increases the likelihood of finding activities that the individual will enjoy, participate and excel in. Lastly confidence. Individuals who feel confident in their motor skills are more likely to participate in a lot of sports and activities.

Question 11

Explain how motor skill development influences performance in sport

Answer 11

Motor skill development influences performance in sports also. In competitive sports, effective execution of motor skills is essential for success. First is skill execution. Athletes must be able to perform technical skills with precision, accuracy, and consistency under various conditions and pressures. The level of motor skill development directly influences an athlete’s ability to execute these skills at a high level. Another is skill acquisition and refinement. Continuous practice and deliberate skill development are essential for improving performance in sport. Athletes must constantly work on refining their motor skills through structured training programs, drills, and feedback from coaches. As motor skills become more refined and automated through practice, athletes can perform complex movements with greater efficiency and effectiveness. Lastly is tactical application. Motor skills are not only about physical execution but also about tactical decision-making and situational awareness in sport. Athletes must learn how to apply their motor skills strategically within the context of the game or competition. This includes understanding game dynamics, anticipating opponents’ actions, and making quick decisions to maximize performance outcomes.

Question 12

What is the purpose of a QMA?

Answer 12

Definition - the systematic observation and judgement of the quality of human movement to provide appropriate intervention to improve performance.

The purpose of a QMA is to analyse skill, analyse movement, detect errors, determine strengths, identify talent, rank competitors, modify movement and prevent injury

People who use QMA are teachers, coaches, trainers, instructors, biomechanists, sports medicos and physical therapists

qualitative vs quantitative analysis - qualitative (subjective) assessment can be supported with quantitative (object) assessment data such as: times, distances, statistics, forces, velocities, angles, lab results

Question 13

Explain what is involved in each of the 4 steps: Preparation, Observation, Evaluation and Error Correction

Answer 13

Preparation - the coach needs knowledge of the game/sport, movement being analysed, goal of the movement, key features of the movement, performer(s) being analysed and relevant observation strategies

Observation - systematic gathering of subjective information about the performance using live or recorded footage. Observe: from appropriate distances/angles, separate subroutines, timing, balance and stability, direction of forces, movement of opposition, flow of motion and range of motion

Evaluation - (diagnosis) - identify strengths and weaknesses, and judge the quality of performance. (a) what is the problem? (b) what is causing the problem? (c) how can the problem be corrected?

Error Correction - (intervention) - providing feedback. Implementing methods of correction: methods of practice, discussion/instruction, video review, written reports, change in technique, change in environment, change in environment and change in psychology

Question 14

Be able to perform your own QMA for a given scenario

Question 15

What are the characteristics of the Direct approach to coaching?

Answer 15

Coaches creates an autocratic, well structured instructional approach to learning:

• explicit instructions
• highly organised drills
• skills focus
• coach provides feedback
• very little decision-making

Advantages

Learners kept on task

Closed environment for beginners

Rapid improvements in early stages

Techniques mastered

Rules & guidelines established

Specific feedback provided

Question 16

What are the characteristics of the Constraint-based approach to coaching?

Answer 16

Game sense approach

Discovery of skill technique, decision making and tactical awareness through modified games.

Development of skills in game context considering three categories of constraints:

• Individual
• Task
• Environmental
• Constraints Based Instruction facilitates learning

through manipulating boundaries or constraints to

enable the learner to find a movement solution. The

learning is discovery based and guided by an

experienced coach.

Advantages

close replication of game

applies skills to match situations

promotes problem solving / decision making

develops technique and tactics

variable, stimulating and engaging

promotes independent learning

Question 17

Which coaching approach is best suited to the different stage(s) of learning?

Answer 17

Direct coaching is better for the cognitive stage whereas, constraint-based approach to coaching is best for the associative and autonomous stages

Question 18

Describe the characteristics of a learner in each of the 3 stages of learning: Cognitive, Associative, Autonomous

Answer 18

Cognitive characteristics are:

“A learner in the cognitive stage needs to dedicate a large amount of mental attention to understanding what the task requires them to do.”

“At this stage the learner will make many errors and while they may understand what is wrong

with their performance, for the most part they will not know how to correct the problem, as

they are yet to develop their error detection and correction abilities.”

“Pleasingly this tends to be the stage that the learner spends the least amount of time in, as

progress and development is rapid at this stage of learning.”

Associative characteristics are:

“A learner is considered to have progressed from the cognitive stage to the associative stage,

once they are performing the basic mechanics of the skill with relatively few mistakes.”

“In this stage, the learner develops an understanding of what the skill requires and then adopts strategies to correct their errors, through regular practice.”

“The learner requires less attention to complete the skill and this allows them to attend to other aspects of successful performance such as decision making and tactics”

Autonomous characteristic are:

“In the autonomous stage the learner makes very few mistakes and these mistakes tend to be

minor which means that their performance is very consistent.”

“To perform the skill, the learner needs to offer very little attention and to the watcher the

performance of the skill would appear ‘automatic’.”

“The ‘low level’ of attention required means that the learner can focus on decision making,

game styles and tactics to a greater degree than in the other stages of learning.”

Question 19

Discuss the following Sociocultural Factors and how they can have either a positive or negative influence on learning new skills: PSCCGF (PS Covid can GF). PEERS, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, COMMUNITY, CULTURAL BELIEFS/TRADITIONS, GENDER, FAMILY

Answer 19

Peers - Positive (motivation, supportive environment, effective instructions, persistence and resilience) Negative (fear of failure, negative feedback, olack of resources, peer pressure and comparison, cultural norms and stereotypes)

Socioeconomic status - positive (Access to Resources, Enriched Learning Environment, Quality Education, Financial Stability) negative (Limited Access to Educational Opportunities, Financial Hardships, Health Disparities, Cultural and Social Barriers)

Community - Positive (Supportive Networks, Access to Resources, Cultural and Artistic Opportunities, Role Models and Mentors, Collaborative Learning Environments) negative (Limited Access to Education and Resources, Social Norms and Expectations, Negative Peer Influence)

Cultural beliefs/traditions - negative (perception of failure, gender roles, limited exposure to diverse perspectives, socioeconomic factors like limited access to educational opportunities, resources and support systems)

Gender - negative (Societal Expectations and Stereotypes, Gender Bias, Lack of Role Models and Representation, Discrimination, Unequal Access to Resources and Opportunities)

Family - positive (Support and Encouragement, Role Modeling, Access to Resources, Constructive Feedback and Guidance) negative (High Expectations and Pressure, Limited Exposure to Opportunities, Negative Feedback and Criticism)

Question 20

Discuss how the amount of practice relates to skill learning (diminishing returns)

Answer 20

The relationship between the amount of practice and skill learning is often categorised by the principle of diminishing returns. Initially, as individuals engage in practice, they experience rapid improvements in skill acquisition. However, over time, the rate of improvement tends to diminish, and additional practice yields smaller increments in performance gains. While the amount of practice is crucial for skill learning, the relationship between them is characterised by diminishing returns. Understanding this relationship can help athletes optimise their practice strategies, set realistic goals and navigate the challenges associated with skill acquisition

Question 21

Difference between massed and distributed practice - use examples

Answer 21

The difference between massed and distributed practice is that massed practice is scheduled training sessions that are long in duration but less frequent like local team training two times a week for 3 hours, whereas, distributed practice is scheduled frequent short training sessions like a professional basketball team training five times a week for 75 minutes

Question 22

Difference between blocked and random practice (variability) - use examples

Answer 22

The difference between blocked and random practice is that blocked practice involves practicing the same skill over and over again like hitting 100 golf drives, whereas, random practice involves practicing a variety of skills in the same drill or training session like rallying in tennis using a mixture of strokes

Question 23

Whole and part practice (task complexity) - use examples

Answer 23

the difference between whole and part practice is that whole practice involves practicing a skill in its entirety or as one movement like a gymnastics somersault, whereas, part practice involves breaking down a skill into its sub-routines and practicing one or more parts of the skill like breaststroke leg kick

Question 24

What are the best practice strategies for learners in the Cognitive, Associative and Autonomous stages of learning? And why?

Answer 24

massed practice - associative

distributed practice - autonomous

blocked practice - cognitive

random practice - associative or autonomous

part practice - cognitive

whole practice - associative

Question 25

Demonstrate the link between practice strategy, coaching approach, stage of learning and classification of skills (eg open/closed)

Answer 25

The link between practice strategy, coaching approach, stage of learning and classification is that they all have certain areas that link and work perfectly with a certain area from another practice strategy. For example: Practice strategy, blocked practice works with coaching approach direct, stage of learning cognitive and classification of skills fine or gross, closed and preferably discrete. All of this have there own characteristics that help each other out and make the best practice and training for that particular athlete

Question 26

feedback

Answer 26

Feedback is information the athlete receives about their performance

Feedback: identifies errors, allows modification, reinforces learning and provides motivation

Feedback is effective when it is: specific, precise and timely

Feedback can come from many sources (internal and external) and can be provided in many forms

Without feedback there can be “NO” learning

Question 27

Intrinsic feedback including examples of Visual, Auditory, Proprioception, Touch for a particular sport

Answer 27

Kinesthetic information about the feel of the movement

visual example (sight)- a gymnast observing their form while executing a routine, the gymnast relies on internal cues and sensations to adjust and refine their movements in real-time

auditory example (ears)- Swimmers can use the sound of the water splashing against their hands and arms to assess the efficiency of their strokes. A smoother, quieter sound may indicate better technique compared to a louder, choppier sound

proprioception example (body’s ability to sense its position, movement, and spatial orientation) - Gymnasts rely heavily on proprioception to maintain balance and stability during complex movements and routines. As they perform flips, twists, and other acrobatic maneuvers, they rely on their proprioceptive feedback to sense the position of their limbs, the orientation of their body in space, and the amount of force exerted on different muscle groups

Touch example - In basketball, players often rely on the tactile feedback from their fingertips to gauge the quality of their shooting technique. When shooting a basketball, players are attuned to the sensation of their fingers releasing the ball, the texture of the ball’s surface, and the force exerted on their fingertips.

Question 28

Augmented (external feedback). Describe the difference between knowledge of results and knowledge of performance

Answer 28

Augmented (external feedback) is information from external sources (sight/sound/coach)

The difference between knowledge of results and knowledge of performance is that knowledge of results is the information about the outcome of the skill performance whereas, knowledge of performance is information about the execution of the skill, also can be referred to as technique

Question 29

How does the frequency and type of feedback need to change as learners progress through the stages of learning?

Answer 29

Frequency and type of feedback needs to change as learners progress through the stages of learning because learners progress through the stages of learning so sticking to one will not benefit them and make them better and frequency of feedback should also change, decrease because the learners are more able to self analyse