Hierarchical Organization

A skilled act may be thought of as following a hierarchical organization pattern, whereas an unskilled act lacks such organization

Skill Phases

Preliminary movements • get ready for skill o footwork, balance, posture,

“ready stance”

Phase 1

Phase 2

Back-swing or recovery movements • take place just before force-producing

movements, prepping body for force o i.e. back-swing in badminton or golf

Phase 3

Force-producing movements • executed to produce force for impact or

propulsion o i.e. forward swing of leg in soccer kick

or of arm and stick in hockey slap shot

Phase 4Critical Instant

• point that determines how effective execution of a skill is ultimately going to be o i.e. when foot hits ball in soccer shot, tennis racket

hits ball in backswing or hand hits volleyball in serve

• Cannot make any adjustments at critical instance to alter its effectiveness, must make changes beforehand

• Passes so quickly that it is almost unobservable (but possible using videotape analysis)

Phase 5Follow Through • Takes place after critical instant. Crucial to

a skill being completed successfully o i.e. basketball jump shot (follow through

with hand in “cookie jar”• it slows body parts down and is

therefore important in preventing injuries that can occur when abruptly stopping.

Classification of Skills

• Possible classification systems: team vs. dual vs. individual; summer vs. winter, etc.

• A more comprehensive classification of motor skills:– According to the effects of environment on learning

and executing skills

Possible classification systems: team vs. dual vs. individual; summer vs. winter

A more comprehensive classification of motor skills:– According to the effects of environment on

learning and executing skills

Closed skills Open skills

Stable & predictable environment

Variable & unpredictable environment

Closed Skills

• performed under constant, relatively unchanging conditions

• the movement form itself is often the goal of the skill

o e.g., gymnastics routines

Teaching Strategies for Closed Skills

• Goal: stereotyped movements that consistently produce the desired response

• Strategy: learning environment structured so that the desired response will occur

• Repeating the selected movement pattern consistently without allowing external influences to affect the performance– e.g., noise

Open Skills

• Environments are continually changing and require performers to adjust and respond to the environment around them

• Responses cannot be made effectively far in advance

• Demand the capacity to adapt, anticipate, and be flexible in responses

Teaching Strategies for Open Skills

• The learning environment should closely approximate the environment in which the skill will take place

• Learners should exercise variability and adaptability and different scenarios that approximate real environment

• Learners may be wise to identify patterns in the environment that provide information about the movement of objects and players

Open-Closed Continuum

Open skills Closed skills

Learning Progression For Open Skills Along the Open-Closed Continuum

• Start learning with making the skill more closed (e.g., one pitch speed)

• Once a certain level of proficiency has been achieved, make the skill more open (e.g., live pitch)

o i.e., remove a component of uncertainty of the skill in order to simplify its overall execution

Enhancing Your Learning Potential

• Clear understanding of:– Anatomical structures in limiting human

movements– Biomechanical principles affecting movement– How the body moves most efficiently– Where our energy comes from– How to maintain healthy, injury-free body– etc.