MOTOR LEARNING
What is Motor learning? (Sophie O)
Motor - in physical education and studies of the body this refers to movement.
Learning - the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught.
Motor learning refers to the brain's ability to develop control over the body' muscular skeletal system to produce coordinated and timed movements in response to the demands of the surrounding environment.
The level of motor control displayed is affected by the age of the performer, the musculoskeletal development of the performer and the experience the performer has in the environment they find themselves.
All motor learning occurs in response to the requirements of the surrounding environment.
Motor control:
The brain's ability to produce smooth controlled movement.
Significant advancements in our understandings of how humans learn and develop both knowledge and movement. Traditionally motor learning theories focused on the process of developing new physical skills by training the body to perform specific contractions of the muscles in smooth and coordinated ways.
In recent times skill acquisition a more intricate and complicated process than simply learning to control body movements. Learning how to control muscles may not be the central focus of motor learning.
Theories now move away from focusing on the 'performance' of the movement and concentrate on 'outcome' of movement. Central to change the idea that each individual must develop own way of moving in order to achieve the same result. To find movement that is successful, suits you and is similar to the 'good technique'.
Motor learning not about teaching muscles how to move but about producing movement that will result in success. Development of the ability to construct a variety of actions designed to achieve specific results for specific situations. It doesn’t matter how you do it as long as it just gets done. Physical performance of a skill is actually only a minor component in being a successful physical performer
Motor learning is also stimulated in response to the environment a person finds themselves in and once physical growth ceases it is this type of motor learning that continues. In this sense a performer must continually place the body in environments that require new Movement patterns if motor learning is to continue throughout life. Consider the learned ability to kick. The kicking skill only develops if the surrounding environment allows access to the ball.
With enough practice within a specific sporting environment, motor learning allows skills to develop to very high levels.
Movement patterns:
Particular movements or series of movements that are strung together to achieve an objective.
The age of the performer again affects motor learning as the body matures and the abilities of the muscular skeletal system begin to deteriorate. This decline can be seen as a loss of speed, strength, flexibility, agility and endurance. While the brain might still be capable of producing skilled coordinated movements, the body may no longer respond adequately to the brains commands. For example, a 60 year old man can quite often recall the glory days of his glory days of his sporting career, but cannot reproduce them physically.
Whilst old age limits motor learning motor learning and physically ability, it is not always the case.
Motor - in physical education and studies of the body this refers to movement.
Learning - the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught.
Motor learning refers to the brain's ability to develop control over the body' muscular skeletal system to produce coordinated and timed movements in response to the demands of the surrounding environment.
The level of motor control displayed is affected by the age of the performer, the musculoskeletal development of the performer and the experience the performer has in the environment they find themselves.
All motor learning occurs in response to the requirements of the surrounding environment.
Motor control:
The brain's ability to produce smooth controlled movement.
Significant advancements in our understandings of how humans learn and develop both knowledge and movement. Traditionally motor learning theories focused on the process of developing new physical skills by training the body to perform specific contractions of the muscles in smooth and coordinated ways.
In recent times skill acquisition a more intricate and complicated process than simply learning to control body movements. Learning how to control muscles may not be the central focus of motor learning.
Theories now move away from focusing on the 'performance' of the movement and concentrate on 'outcome' of movement. Central to change the idea that each individual must develop own way of moving in order to achieve the same result. To find movement that is successful, suits you and is similar to the 'good technique'.
Motor learning not about teaching muscles how to move but about producing movement that will result in success. Development of the ability to construct a variety of actions designed to achieve specific results for specific situations. It doesn’t matter how you do it as long as it just gets done. Physical performance of a skill is actually only a minor component in being a successful physical performer
Motor learning is also stimulated in response to the environment a person finds themselves in and once physical growth ceases it is this type of motor learning that continues. In this sense a performer must continually place the body in environments that require new Movement patterns if motor learning is to continue throughout life. Consider the learned ability to kick. The kicking skill only develops if the surrounding environment allows access to the ball.
With enough practice within a specific sporting environment, motor learning allows skills to develop to very high levels.
Movement patterns:
Particular movements or series of movements that are strung together to achieve an objective.
The age of the performer again affects motor learning as the body matures and the abilities of the muscular skeletal system begin to deteriorate. This decline can be seen as a loss of speed, strength, flexibility, agility and endurance. While the brain might still be capable of producing skilled coordinated movements, the body may no longer respond adequately to the brains commands. For example, a 60 year old man can quite often recall the glory days of his glory days of his sporting career, but cannot reproduce them physically.
Whilst old age limits motor learning motor learning and physically ability, it is not always the case.
Definitions: (Ivie V)
Motor learning: The brain's ability to develop control over the body's muscularskeletal system to produce coordinated and timed movements in response to the demands of the surrounding environment.
Motor control: The brain's ability to produce smooth controlled movement.
Movement patterns: Particular movements that are strung together to achieve and objective.
Motor skill: The ability to move the body in specific patterns in response to the environmental circumstances associated with a particular physical activity
Subroutines: A collection of neural impulses fired off to the muscles to produce part of a larger movement pattern.
Neural impulses: Electrical signals sent by the brain to stimulate muscle movement.
Motor program: A series of organised and coordinated subroutines designed to produce a specific movement pattern.
Parameters: Motor program settings that are established on each execution of a skill to ensure it is suitably adapted to the current situation.
Force parameter: The effort with which the muscles contract, setting the strength, speed or power of a subroutine movement.
Speed parameter: Controls the timing of individual subroutines to ensure the whole motor program remains coordinated and retains its rhythm.
Effort flow parameter: The amount of change that must occur to the subroutine movements to compensate for the variables of force and speed.
Skilled performance: Occurs when a practised movement pattern produces a successful result.
Learning models: Theories that attempt to explain how humans gain knowledge or skills from instruction or practice
Motor learning theories: Learning models specifically designed to explain the process of skill acquisition
Skill acquisition: The process of improving the construction and manipulation of movements for the purpose of achieving specific results; typically associated with the gaining of specific motor techniques.
Classifying motor skills:
Motor skills can be grouped into a range of classifications based in different criteria:
Type 1: Discrete continuous and serial movements. Classification based on the length of time the motor pattern can continue.
- Discrete skills: Skills that are performed for a specific period as they have a distinct beginning and end for example a volleyball serve.
- Continuous skills: Skills where the movement pattern has no specific start and end. These skills can continue for an unspecified period of time, and this time is usually dictated by the environmental factors surrounding the skills at the time the skill is being used for example walking.
Discrete and continuous skills develop and link together to form serial skills.
- serial skills: Skills that string together a number of other skills to produce a seemingly continuous performance.
Type 2: Locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative movement skills. Classification based on the amount of movement in the motor pattern.
- Locomotor skills: skills that require the whole body to move about a space for example running.
- Non-locomotor skills: Skills that are performed on the spot for example balamcing.
- Manipulative skills: Skills that incorporate an object or piece of equipment that must be controlled as part of the movement pattern for example serving.
Type 3: Fine and gross motor skills. Classification based on the level of muscle recruitment in the movement pattern.
- Gross skills: Skills that recruit large muscle groups in order to produce large body movements or to move the entire body around a space for example cycling.
- Fine skills: Skills that recruit small muscle groups to produce precision movements. Motor skills can be placed on a continuum of fine to gross for example aiming.
Type 4: Open closed movement skills. Classification based on the environment in which the movement pattern is performed.
- Closed skills: Skills that are generally performed in predictable environments where the performance of the skill is totally internally paced. The environment for closed skills is 'predictable' as generally ther are very few variables to consider when applying the skill and the success of the skill relies heavily on the performer's ability to perform the skill consistently for example conversion kicking in rugby league.
- Open skills: Skills that are generally performed in unpredictable environments where the performance of the skill is totally reactionary. As open skills are used in reaction to what is happening in the performance environment, performers must develop the ability to 'read the play' or anticipate an opponents movement to be successful.
Motor learning: The brain's ability to develop control over the body's muscularskeletal system to produce coordinated and timed movements in response to the demands of the surrounding environment.
Motor control: The brain's ability to produce smooth controlled movement.
Movement patterns: Particular movements that are strung together to achieve and objective.
Motor skill: The ability to move the body in specific patterns in response to the environmental circumstances associated with a particular physical activity
Subroutines: A collection of neural impulses fired off to the muscles to produce part of a larger movement pattern.
Neural impulses: Electrical signals sent by the brain to stimulate muscle movement.
Motor program: A series of organised and coordinated subroutines designed to produce a specific movement pattern.
Parameters: Motor program settings that are established on each execution of a skill to ensure it is suitably adapted to the current situation.
Force parameter: The effort with which the muscles contract, setting the strength, speed or power of a subroutine movement.
Speed parameter: Controls the timing of individual subroutines to ensure the whole motor program remains coordinated and retains its rhythm.
Effort flow parameter: The amount of change that must occur to the subroutine movements to compensate for the variables of force and speed.
Skilled performance: Occurs when a practised movement pattern produces a successful result.
Learning models: Theories that attempt to explain how humans gain knowledge or skills from instruction or practice
Motor learning theories: Learning models specifically designed to explain the process of skill acquisition
Skill acquisition: The process of improving the construction and manipulation of movements for the purpose of achieving specific results; typically associated with the gaining of specific motor techniques.
Classifying motor skills:
Motor skills can be grouped into a range of classifications based in different criteria:
Type 1: Discrete continuous and serial movements. Classification based on the length of time the motor pattern can continue.
- Discrete skills: Skills that are performed for a specific period as they have a distinct beginning and end for example a volleyball serve.
- Continuous skills: Skills where the movement pattern has no specific start and end. These skills can continue for an unspecified period of time, and this time is usually dictated by the environmental factors surrounding the skills at the time the skill is being used for example walking.
Discrete and continuous skills develop and link together to form serial skills.
- serial skills: Skills that string together a number of other skills to produce a seemingly continuous performance.
Type 2: Locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative movement skills. Classification based on the amount of movement in the motor pattern.
- Locomotor skills: skills that require the whole body to move about a space for example running.
- Non-locomotor skills: Skills that are performed on the spot for example balamcing.
- Manipulative skills: Skills that incorporate an object or piece of equipment that must be controlled as part of the movement pattern for example serving.
Type 3: Fine and gross motor skills. Classification based on the level of muscle recruitment in the movement pattern.
- Gross skills: Skills that recruit large muscle groups in order to produce large body movements or to move the entire body around a space for example cycling.
- Fine skills: Skills that recruit small muscle groups to produce precision movements. Motor skills can be placed on a continuum of fine to gross for example aiming.
Type 4: Open closed movement skills. Classification based on the environment in which the movement pattern is performed.
- Closed skills: Skills that are generally performed in predictable environments where the performance of the skill is totally internally paced. The environment for closed skills is 'predictable' as generally ther are very few variables to consider when applying the skill and the success of the skill relies heavily on the performer's ability to perform the skill consistently for example conversion kicking in rugby league.
- Open skills: Skills that are generally performed in unpredictable environments where the performance of the skill is totally reactionary. As open skills are used in reaction to what is happening in the performance environment, performers must develop the ability to 'read the play' or anticipate an opponents movement to be successful.
Building blocks and motor programs: (Lauren S)
A motor program is an abstract representation of movement that centrally organizes and controls the many degrees of freedom involved in performing an action.
A motor program is an abstract representation of movement that centrally organizes and controls the many degrees of freedom involved in performing an action.
- Before birth brain is learning to control the body movements
- These subroutines to begin with are very simple' moving arm/ clenching fingers
- First subroutines then become second nature
- Basic subroutines are then linked together to create a more complex motor program - involves more increasingly intricate movements
- Muscle control allows for developmental motor programs (e.g) infant from standing to walking
- Subroutines are manipulated and assembled in different ways to create a variety of new motor programs - increasingly more complex
- Subroutines are thought for as building blocks for skills
- More subroutines that are learned, the more building blocks are obtained for constructing new skills
- Subroutines consist of one skill that has been broken down into mini routines
- Subroutines ensure for more precise and accurate success rate when performing the skill as on
Click on the YouTube link below to see an example of one skill broken down into mini subroutines to understand the concept of the skill.