Types and methods of practice Flashcards
SKILL ACQUISITION
what is whole method practice (and who should use it and with what type of skills) ?
performing a skill in its entirety without breaking it down
experts in autonomous stage of learning (can cope with demands)
discrete skills, high organised, self paced
what is progressive part method practice (and who should use it and with what type of skills) ?
adding each part of a skill gradually (also known as ‘chaining’)
beginners in cognitive stage of learning
serial skills, complex skills, low organised, externally paced
what is whole part whole method practice (and who should use it and with what type of skills) ?
- perform the whole skill
- isolate individual parts for improvement
- put whole performance together again
mainly beginners but can be used for elite performers
serial and complex skills
advantages of whole practice
- time efficient
- fluency
- develops a mental picture
- promotes kinaesthetics
- develop a relationship between subroutines
disadvantages of whole practice
- not good for beginners
- information overload
- errors may be missed
- fatigue
- not specific to areas of weakness
advantages of progressive part practice
- each part of skill practiced and learnt
- reduces errors made
- good for beginners
- building relationships between subroutines
disadvantages of progressive part practice
- time consuming
- lack of kinaesthetic awareness
- can be hard to breakdown skill
advantages of whole-part-whole practice
- error detection easier
- develops kinaesthetic feel straight away
- improves both autonomous phase and cognitive phase
- detailed understanding of how skill feels and looks
disadvantages of whole-part-whole practice
- not good for groups of people
- time consuming
what are the 4 types of practice?
massed practice
distributed practice
variable practice
mental practice
what is massed practice?
where a skill is practiced until its learnt with no breaks
for experienced athletes
what is distributed practice?
where a skill is practiced over several sessions with rest breaks
for novice and amateur athletes
what is variable practice?
practicing the skill in different situations so it can be adapted
usually open skills, changing environment of training sessions
what is mental practice?
where a performer imagines themselves doing the skill prior to performance
helps create confidence and reduce anxiety
easier for elite performers rather than novices, as they know the kinesthetics
advantages and disadvantages of massed practice
advantages;
- good for simple skills
- aids muscle memory
- time efficient (more reps less time)
- builds endurance under fatigue
disadvantages:
- fatigue
- reduced motivation
- not suitable for complex skills
- can cause overtraining and injury
- poor for novices who need rest and feedback
advantages and disadvantages of distributed practice
advantages:
- aids recovery
- reduces fatigue
- allows feedback and reflection
- best for cognitive and complex skills
- enhances motivation for beginners
disadvantages:
- less time practicing
- loss of focus in breaks
- not useful for autonomous stage learners
advantages and disadvantages of variable practice
advantages:
- develops adaptability
- prepares for game like situations
- promotes schema development (schmidt’s scheme theory)
- prevents boredom
disadvantages:
- can be confusing and overwhelming
- may hinder performance in short term
- needs more planning and organisation
advantages and disadvantages of mental practice
advantages:
- can be done anywhere, anytime
- improves confidence and focus
- enhances neural pathways
- useful during rehab or as warm up
disadvantages:
- less effective on its own (needs physical practice)
- hard to measure mental imagery ability
- some athletes struggle to visualise effectively
