Functional Stability

A Tool for Skill Acquisition. A Coaches’ PerspectiveStephen McKeown Alison Macfarlane

Aims. An opportunity to enhance one’s understanding of:

Principles of Functional Stability

Qualitative skills analysis from a functional perspective

The importance of integrated approach to skill acquisition incorporating functional stability

How to acquire and develop fundamental and specialist movement skills using principles of functional stability in a coaching environment

An interpretation of Functional Stability

Why is it important?

Physical competence (Gambetta Physical competence (Gambetta 2007)2007)

The ability to express force production, The ability to express force production, force reduction and force stabilisation in force reduction and force stabilisation in general movement.general movement.

Walking, running, lunging, bending, Walking, running, lunging, bending, pushing, pulling, rotating, reaching, pushing, pulling, rotating, reaching, bracing.bracing.

………………and combinations of these in multi- and combinations of these in multi- joint ,multi-directional, multi-plane joint ,multi-directional, multi-plane environmentenvironment

To execute sports specific movements or To execute sports specific movements or actions whether running, jumping ,throwing, actions whether running, jumping ,throwing, catching, kicking or hitting……..catching, kicking or hitting……..

…………at optimum speed with precision, style and at optimum speed with precision, style and grace in the context of the sport (Gambetta grace in the context of the sport (Gambetta 2007)2007)

Performance Continuum (Giles)Performance Continuum (Giles)

Physical literacy, Movement vocabulary physical Physical literacy, Movement vocabulary physical competence. Multi joint multiplane multidirectionalcompetence. Multi joint multiplane multidirectional

MJ, MP, MD, Force production, force reduction, MJ, MP, MD, Force production, force reduction, stabilisation specific to the sportstabilisation specific to the sport

Skill acquisition – arena skill developmentSkill acquisition – arena skill developmentInjury preventionInjury prevention

Technique under fatigue, decision making under fatigue, Technique under fatigue, decision making under fatigue, speed under fatigue, power under fatigue.speed under fatigue, power under fatigue.

Building Blocks (Elphinston, 2008)

Stability, Mobility, Posture, Body Awareness, Symmetry and Balance provide the foundation for sporting movement development and injury resistance

Why is it important?

World Class Performance (Elphinston,2008)

Issues in technical efficiency can be compensated with outstanding physiology, mental toughness and determination. How much better could these athletes be, and how much longer could they perform at world class level with all systems fully optimised?

You must have the physical competence to do the technical stuff, and the technical qualities to do the tactical stuff…..in that order. (Giles 2005)

Adapted from Giles, 2008

Physical Literacy

Physical Competency

Performance Enhancement

Injury Prevention Skill Acquisition

Hypothesis: FS can be used as foundation for A&D FMS

Functional stability is a key component for teaching FMBS.

One does not necessarily have to have FS as a pre requisite for acquiring a FMS and SMS. This process is not linear.

FS is not purely a vehicle for conditioning the athlete, injury prevention or rehabilitation (Although these are important).

Athletes should learn, feel and be aware of being functionally stable as an integral part of the process of acquiring and developing FMS and SMS.

Fundamental Movement Skills

Locomotor (L) Skills/ Travel

Manipulative (M) Skills/

Ball control

Non-Locomotor (NL) Skills

Run Throw Twist

Hop Kick Turn

Skip Control Balance

Jump Bounce Pivot

Gallop Catch Stretch

Taxonomy of Movement Skills (adapted from Burton & Miller, 1998)

Specialised Movement Skills (adapted from Burton & Miller,1998)

L M NL L

Run, send and receive

Turn and throw / kick/ receive/ control

Zig-zag run

Dribbling Twist and throw/ receive/ control

Shuttle run

Run and bounce Throw and receive on one leg

Agility ladder / spot tasks

Run and throw / kick/ receive/ control

Bounce and pivot / turn

Footwork patterns (dance mat activities)

L M NL

Field and Throw in Cricket

Feed and Receive in Hockey

Side Step Send and Receive in Football

Rebound Catch in Netball

Macfarlane and McKeown

Physical Competence/ Functional Stability/ Skill Acquisition

Performance Enhancement

Injury Prevention Self Advocacy

What should an athlete learn, feel and understand on their skill acquisition journey?

Efficient:

Transfer of Body Weight Use of balance Use of gravity to initiate

movements and generate momentum/power

Use of posture related to base to enable MJ, MP and MD actions

Management of acceleration and deceleration

Use of rhythm, fluency and timing

Use of kinetic chains

Sequencing

Proprioception

Management Philosophy

In order to optimize the function of the

body we must recognize muscle synergies and train movements not muscles. We must recognize that we are training connectivity through unity in movement that is integrated not isolated. (Gambetta, 2007)

Skill Analysis

Observe the following skill. Discuss with a colleague what key

components of functional stability need to be applied in order for the skill to be performed successfully

How well is the skill being performed from a functional perspective?

Conventional Performance Criteria

Eyes Focussed on targetLift throwing arm high and backStep towards target with opposite

legRotate body towards targetBring throwing arm across and

down to follow through

Using FS to refine the Performance Criteria

Movement initiated by impulse which creates chain through hips to shoulders

Use of hip to initiate arm preparation and throw (sequence)

Upright relaxed posture allows trunk rotation and arm action with flow

Transfer of body weight through the centre with a natural unconscious follow through towards the target

Whole action is rhythmic and fluent

Let’s Get Practical

How can one coach FMS and SMS functionally?

Volunteers Please!

Specialised Movement Skills with Functional Stability

An Example

Volleyball and Functional Stability

Conclusion

Learning efficient effective movement is not a linear progression

It should incorporate an integrated approach that allows the learner to understand, feel and be functionally stable as a means to acquire movement skills

Functional stability is a pre requisite for optimal and sustained high performance

Bibliography

Burton, A.W., Miller, D.E.(1998) Movement Skill Assessment. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, Illinois.

Cook, G.(2003) Athletic Body in Balance. Human Kinetics, Publishers, Champaign, Illinois.

Elphinston, J.(2008) Stability Sport and Performance Movement. Lotus Publishing.

Gambetta,V.(2007) Athletic Development, The Art and Science of Functional Sports Conditioning. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, Illinois.

Giles,K.(2005) Developing Physical competence a cornerstone of LTAD, Movement Dynamics

Hippolyte,R.(1993) Volleyball: A Movement Education [Video] British Volleyball Federation.

Morely,D., Bailey,R.(2007) Talent Development in Physical Education. National CPD Module.[Video] Youth Sport Trust.

Further Reading

Behm,D.G.(2009) The use of instability training to train the core musculature. Appl.Physiol.Nutr.Metab.Vol 35.

Borghuis,J.et al(2008) The Importance of Sensory-Motor Control in Providing Core Stability. Sports Med. 38(11) 893-916.

Chek, P, (2000) Movement That Matters. C.H.E.K Institution. Keogh,J.(2010) Can Common Measures of Core Stability Distinguish Performance in a

Shoulder Pressing Task Under Stable and Unstable Conditions? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 24 (2).

Knudson, D.V., Morrison, C.S., (1997) Qualitative Analysis of Human Movement. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, IL.

Leetun,D.(2004) Core Stability Measures as Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Injury in Athletes. Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise 36(6).

Okada,T (2010) Relationship Between Core Stability, Functional Movement and Performance. Journal of Strength and Research.0 (0).

Pilakowski,L.(2008) Volleyball Balance Drills. www.volleyballmag.com Nov. Stanton,R.(2004)The Effect of Short-Term Swiss Ball Training on Core Stability and

Running Economy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(3) 522-528. Strattan, G.,Ward, P. and Smeeton, N. (2002). Foundation sport skills. Top Line Report,

Sport England. Yaggie,J.(2006) Effects of Balance Training on Selected Skills. Journal of Strength and

Conditioning Research 20 (2).