Skill characteristics and their impact on performance Flashcards
What is a skill?
The learned ability to bring about predetermined results with the minimum outlay of time, energy or both.
What are the characteristics of a skill?
Learned
Consistent - have a high percentage rate of success over a number of games.
Accurate
Controlled - diver executing a high dive must control their mid-air movements to ensure minimal splash on entry to the water.
Goal directed - has an aim of clearing hurdles in athletics and finishing as fast as possible.
Aesthetically pleasing - looks good.
Fluent
Economical
Smooth
Efficient - these four show that a climber would hope to complete the first phase of a route without wasting too much energy, so there is enough energy for the next pitch.
What is an open skill?
An open skill is performed in an unpredictable environment.
E.g. a pass in football - the position of opponents and the ball would make it change each time it is performed.
What is a closed skill?
A closed skill is performed in a predictable environment.
E.g. a shotput throw - the regulations and conditions are unlikely to change so the action is repeated the same way.
What is a gross skill?
A gross skill uses large muscle groups.
E.g. in rugby, the shoulder muscles are used to initiate a tackle. The leg muscles are used to drive the opponent to the ground. The quadriceps will have a large fibre number.
What is a fine skill?
A fine skill uses smaller muscle groups, and can be used for fine motor control.
E.g. In table tennis, the hands need control to return the shot.
What is a self-paced skill?
In a self-paced skill, the performer controls the start and speed of the skill.
E.g. When taking a penalty in football, the player will decide before it how hard to kick the ball and when to commence the run up.
What is an externally-paced skill?
In an externally-paced skill, the performer has no control over the start and speed of the skill.
E.g. When marking in netball, the opponent decides when to move and how fast to perform the movement.
What is a discrete skill?
A discrete skill has a clear beginning and end, and is one short, sharp action.
E.g. A tennis serve - after either the player stops and repeats it or moves into position to perform a return shot.
What is a continuous skill?
A continuous skill has no clear beginning or end.
E.g. In cycling, the actions of pedalling can be repeated continuously until the task is completed.
What is a serial skill?
A serial skill consists of several discrete skill linked to make a more integrated movement.
E.g. In triple jump, the discrete skills hop, skip and jump are combined to make up the movement.
What is a low organised skill?
A low organised skill can be easily broken down into its sub-parts.
E.g. In a swimming stroke, the arm action, leg action and body positioning can be easily identified and practiced separately if needed.
What is a high organised skill?
A high organised skill is not easily broken into parts.
E.g. In a volley in football, the action is very quick and the subroutines merge quickly as the skill is performed.
What is a simple skill?
A simple skill requires few decisions to be processed when being performed.
E.g. A forward roll in gymnastics.
What is a complex skill?
A complex skill requires decision making using lots of information when performed.
E.g. Dribbling in hockey - the position of players, and concentrating on the ball and stick.
The performer must think about the cognitive parts, as well as the psychomotor parts.
What is transfer of learning?
The effect of learning and performance of one skill on the learning and performance of another.
How can a skill continua change in basketball?
In an isolated practice situation, a basketball dribble, when the players are lined up and and practicing in turn without opposition, can be classed as a closed skill since the environment is predictable.
However, in a practice situation of three vs two or during a game, the same skill now becomes open since the environment is changing and unpredictable.
How can a skill continua change in swimming?
At the start of a swimming race the swimming start may be classed as discrete since it has a clearly defined beginning and end.
However, as the actual race gets underway, the swimming stroke can be classed as continuous since it is unclear when one arm action ends and another arm action begins.
What is positive transfer?
When the learning of one skill helps the learning of another.
It tends to happen when two skills have a similar shape and form.
E.g. The similar arm actions of the overarm volleyball serve and the tennis serve.
The similar actions of a basketball pass and a netball pass.
What is negative transfer?
When the learning of one skill hinders the learning of another.
It happens when there may be some familiarity in the environment in which two skills are performed but this may cause confusion when the actions are not the same.
E.g. Badminton and tennis are games played on a court divided by a net, but the action of the tennis serve uses the arm; the wrist action of the badminton serve is different.
Basketball shot and netball shot.
What is zero transfer?
When the learning of one skill has no impact on the learning of another.
E.g. The swimming arm action and the foot placement in rock climbing have nothing in common and therefore there is no transfer.
What is bilateral transfer?
When the learning of one skill is passed across the body from limb to limb.
E.g. A right-footed footballer would be encouraged to use the left foot when required, so that the impact of a shot from the left foot becomes equal to the impact of a shot with the right foot.
