Types of practice Flashcards
What is massed practice?
Practice is repetitive and continuous wit no rest intervals.
E.g. repetitive and continuous driving in golf or set shots in basketball
Advantages and disadvantages of massed practice:
+ves
Good at the autonomous phase
Good for simple or short duration skills e.g. netball shooting
Ideal for discrete skills e.g. golf drive or basketball set shot
-ves
Can be too exhausting
and/or boring
Could cause drive reduction or mental fatigue
Errors could increase due to repetitiveness.
What is distributed practice?
Practice is in short bursts with regular rest intervals.
E.g. sprinting or swimming
Advantages and disadvantages of distributed practice:
+ves
Good for complex and dangerous skills e.g. trampolining.
Good at the cognitive stage or for less fit performers .
Time for rest, mental rehearsal, reinforcement & feedback.
-ves
Rest intervals may disjoint the practice, causing learning to be hindered.
Long or frequent breaks can be demotivating.
What is varied practice?
Takes place in different environments or situations, different activities are performed in different ways.
E.g. hockey players passing in different practice situations or when attacking in rugby.
Advantages and disadvantages of varied practice:
+ves
Good when the skill has already been learned via fixed practice
Ideal for open skills in games of hockey & rugby
Helps to form S-R bonds, and to develop kinesthesis and schema
-ves
Too many stimuli may cause overload
Can be confusing especially for those in the cognitive phase of learning
Not effective in helping to groove or overlearn skills.
What is fixed practice?
The environment or situation doesn’t change, stays the same.
Practice repeated in the same environment.
E.g. a javelin throw or a dismount from a high bar
Advantages and disadvantages of fixed practice:
+ves
Ideal for closed skills e.g. javelin throw.
Develops motor programmes and competition is replicated.
Can perfect the skill.
-ves
Not suitable for open skills.
Does not prepare for the game situation.
Can lead to chronic or overuse injuries.
