Functional Stability
A Tool for Skill Acquisition. A
Coaches’ Perspective
Stephen 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
2007)
The ability to express force production,
force reduction and force stabilisation in
general movement.
Walking, running, lunging, bending,
pushing, pulling, rotating, reaching,
bracing.
………and combinations of these in multijoint ,multi-directional, multi-plane
environment
To execute sports specific movements or
actions whether running, jumping ,throwing,
catching, kicking or hitting……..
……at optimum speed with precision, style and
grace in the context of the sport (Gambetta
2007)
Performance Continuum (Giles)
Physical literacy, Movement vocabulary physical
competence. Multi joint multiplane multidirectional
MJ, MP, MD, Force production, force reduction,
stabilisation specific to the sport
Skill acquisition – arena skill development
Injury prevention
Technique under fatigue, decision making 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
Performance
Enhancement
Injury Prevention
Physical Competency
Physical Literacy
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
Non-Locomotor
(NL) Skills
Run
Manipulative
(M) Skills/ Ball
control
Throw
Hop
Kick
Turn
Skip
Control
Balance
Jump
Bounce
Pivot
Gallop
Catch
Stretch
Taxonomy of Movement Skills (adapted from Burton & Miller, 1998)
Twist
Specialised Movement Skills
L
M
(adapted from Burton & Miller,1998)
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
Performance
Enhancement
Injury Prevention
Physical Competence/ Functional Stability/
Skill Acquisition
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 target
Lift throwing arm high and back
Step towards target with opposite
leg
Rotate body towards target
Bring throwing arm across and
down to follow through
Using FS to refine the
Performance Criteria
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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
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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).