types of practice

Question 1

Define massed practice and when should it be used?

Answer 1

Massed practice is continuous with no rest breaks between sessions, massed practice should be used when the skills are discrete, simple and the environment is closed

Question 2

Define distributed practice and when should it be used?

Answer 2

Distributed practice involves a rest break between sessions, distributed practice should be used when the skill is open and the break can be used to explain adaptations to the skill in order for the most successful results, for example a 5-a-side drill where a break would be used to explain how to break the lines useing movement off of the ball

Question 3

Define varied practice and when should it be used?

Answer 3

Varied practice is different tasks switched used to promote adaptations in the performers behaviour, varied practice should be used when the skill is open, for example for footballers to adapt to their environments by using different scenarios in order to provoke different responses

Question 4

Define mental practice and when could it be used?

Answer 4

Mental practice is where the performer goes through the performance in the mind, which can be combined with physical practice, mental practice could be used if a performer was injured but wanted to retain a mental image of the skill or it could be used to rehearse a set-play for example a free-kick where the ball is layed off to another player to perform a cross to the back post for the striker