CORE 2 FACTORS AFFECTING PERFORMANCE (FQ1) HOW DOES TRAINING AFFECT PERFORMANCE ATP/PC SYSTEM Fuel: Creatine Phosphate is fuel, only used after ATP has been used Efficiency of ATP Production: ATP is rapidly available however the supply is very limited if the demand is high Duration: 10-12 seconds. ATP splitting (2sec) cretin-phosphate (8-10sec following) Cause of fatigue: The inability of the body to continually resynthesise ATP. Occurs when the body has used up all its stored CP. By-Products: heat CONTINUED Recovery Time: creatine phosphate is naturally replenished by the body in up to 2 mins Intensity of effort: very high, 85-100% of max effort, explosive actions Examples: 100m sprint, weight lifting, discus, javelin, high jump LACTIC ACID SYSTEM Fuel: glycogen (carbohydrates are broken down in the body as blood glucose. Stored glucose is glycogen) Efficiency of energy production: ATP is supplied rapidly but requires large quantities of glucose Duration: varies, if working at high intensity, one minute. If working at moderate intensity up to three minutes. Submaximal even longer Cause of fatigue: build up of hydrogen ions due to production of lactic acid By- Products: pyruvic acid CONTINUED Recovery Time: 20mins-2hrs to break down lactic acid, if glycogen all depleted , it takes 24hrs to replenish glycogen stores Intensity of effort: 75-85%. This is the point at which lactic acid is produced Examples: 200m, 400m sprint, 100m swim, 800 run AEROBIC SYSTEM Source of Fuel: Carbohydrates, fats, glycogen, protein Efficiency of ATP production: Extremely efficient in the provision of energy for long periods of time Duration: From 2-3 minutes to hours depending on the intensity of effort Cause of fatigue: The depletion of glucose to the working muscles Waste Products: Carbon Dioxide which is breathed out, water which is removed from the body as sweat and water vapor, cooled as evaporated off skin CONTINUED Recovery Time: can take up to 48hrs depending on intensity Intensity of effort: low intensity, up to 75% Examples: marathon, long distance walking, netball triathlon TYPES OF TRAINING & TRAINING METHODS Aerobic training Anaerobic training Flexibility training Strength training AEROBIC Aerobic training's main objective is to increase an athlete's ability to use oxygen. This involves training the larger muscle groups (arms, chest and legs) to efficiently combine with the cardiovascular system to supply a higher volume of oxygen to the athlete and therefore improve performance. Continuous training Fartlek Training Aerobic interval training Circuit training CONTINUOUS Continuous training involves sustained effort – no rest intervals. Training must persist beyond 20 minutes to be categorised as continuous. The heart rate must rise above the aerobic threshold and remain within the target zone for the entire time Examples include jogging, cycling and aerobics. The two types of continuous training are: LONG SLOW DISTANCE TRAINING HIGH INTENSITY, MODERATE DURATION FARTLEK The word FARTLEK means SPEED PLAY. Participants vary their speed and the terrain on which they are working. This engages both the aerobic and the anaerobic system. It resembles a combination of interval and continuous training. It is good for most athletes but particularly beneficial for games players. AEROBIC INTERVAL Aerobic interval training involves alternating sessions of work and recovery. An athlete performs a given amount of work, such as 8, 400m runs to repeat every 2 minutes. The the rest period is very short compared to the time taken to complete the task. This short rest period does not allow enough time for full recovery and thus maintains stress on the aerobic system. This training method effectively develops aerobic endurance. Circuit CIRCUIT training develops aerobic capacity and has the potential to make substantial improvements in muscular endurance, strength and flexibility. Participants move from one activity to the next after completing the required number of repetitions or allocated time period. Circuit training can be aerobic or anaerobic in nature depending on the type of activity, the time spent at each activity and the number of circuits required. The effectiveness of circuit training relies heavily on how well the overload principle is applied. ANAEROBIC Anaerobic training uses high intensity work coupled with limited recovery. Anaerobic training is shorter in duration than aerobic training, lasting less than two minutes. Activity is brief but effort is maximal and short rest periods. Anaerobic training develops greater tolerance for the lactic acid created as a result of the work. Different types of anaerobic training can develop different energy systems. ANAEROBIC INTERVAL Anaerobic interval can best be described as sprint training over short distances using maximal effort. Most anaerobic interval training is directed towards the development of speed. E.g. 100m sprinting and sports such as touch football. To develop speed while focusing on technique, rest periods need to be extended slightly to allow lactate to disperse as this build up can inhibit quality movement. FLEXIBILITY Flexibility training is designed to improve the possible range of motion of a joint and reduce the likelihood of an injury. There are a number of ways in which flexibility can be developed including static stretching, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) and ballistic stretching. Each of these types of stretches can be used to develop an individual’s flexibility and improve overall performance as a result. STATIC During static stretching, the muscle is slowly stretched to a position(end point or limit) which is held for about 30 seconds. The movement is smooth and performed slowly, taking the muscle to a point where there is stretch without discomfort. Static stretching is safe and is used extensively in the rehabilitation of injury and in the warm up and cool down of training sessions. BALLISTIC Ballistic stretching involves repeated movements such as swinging and bouncing to gain extra stretch. This is potentially dangerous as it activates the STRETCH REFLEX. Ballistic stretching should only be used by advanced athletes after a thorough warm up and other styles of stretching. Movements must be executed rhythmically to avoid jerky actions and too much momentum at the end point of the stretch. PNF PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION This is a progressive cycle incorporating a static stretch, an isometric contraction and a period of relaxation in the lengthened position. It is aimed at stretching and strengthening the muscle in a safe movement. Resistance is provided by a partner or a fixed object. PNF is useful in rehab as the isometric component strengthens the muscle. DYNAMIC Dynamic stretching attempts to mimic movements experienced in a game. It is popular for warm ups and pre-training routines. Actions attempt to reduce muscle tightness rather than lengthen muscle fibres. It is more controlled than ballistic but still not as safe as static and PNF due to the tension placed on muscles and joints. An example is arm circling. STRENGTH TRAINING Strength training involves the use of resistance which helps to increase the amount of force a muscle can exert. Muscles are required to contract in a number of ways and each of these needs to be trained in a specific way. Isotonic contractions require the muscle to lengthen and shorten against a resistance, isometric contractions involve no movement, while isokinetic contractions involve the exertion of force at all angles of a joint movement. FREE/FIXED WEIGHTS Free weights are dumbells and barbells. Dumbells are two weights of equal size held in each hand to execute a movement. A barbell is a long bar that is weighted or has extra weights added to each end with a cuff. Fixed weights refer to universal pin weight systems for example where the weights are more secure and the machine assists with balance ELASTIC Resistance bands are a cheap and portable form of resistance training and are commonly used in home gyms. Bands are anchored by a wall fixture or against the body. The strong rubber bands are stretched, creating a resistance HYDRAULIC The resistance provided by hydraulic exercise equipment is directly related to the amount of force provided by the user. The harder you push or pull and the faster you move, the more resistance you create. Instead of free weights or a weight stack, the machine has a cylinder with a valve you use to adjust the setting. Most allow you to make a few adjustments to the cylinder to further tailor the resistance to your needs. HYDRAULICS They are designed to apply pressure in both directions, both lifting and lowering. These types of machines are typically designed to be used in settings in which you participate in a 30minute circuit-training program. Each machine is designed to target a specific muscle group. PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING Progressive Overload Specificity Reversibility Variety Training Thresholds Warm Up Cool Down PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD Implies gains in fitness will occur only when the training load is greater than normal and is progressively increased as improvements in fitness occur. Training produces certain physiological changes that allow the body to work at a higher level of intensity. As the body becomes familiar with a particular level of training stress, it adapts to it and further training at this level will fail to sufficiently stress the system. SPECIFICITY Implies that the effects of a training program will be specifically related to the manner in which the program is conducted. The principle implies the greatest gains will be made when the activity in training programs resemble the movements in games and the activity. REVERSIBILITY This implies that fitness gained can be lost just as quickly. Fitness increases with activity and decreases with inactivity. The longer the build up of fitness, the slower the decline will be. VARIETY Using the same drills and routines will not be productive as repetition without creativity leads to boredom. Mental well being is vital to maximize effort in physical training. Cross training increases interest and motivation. TRAINING THRESHOLDS Refers to the levels of intensity that can improve our physical conditions Aerobic Threshold: level of exercise intensity which is sufficient to cause a training effect. This a approximately 70% of a persons max heart rate Aerobic training Zone: a level of intensity which causes the heart rate to be high enough to cause significant training gains Anaerobic Threshold: a level of intensity in physical activity where the accumulation of lactic acid increases very quickly in the blood. WARM UP Reduces the risk of injury by increasing joint mobility (flexibility) Increases heart rate and body temperature Improves mental preparation Warm up should consist of: General Body warm up e.g. jogging Specific flexibility exercises (shouldn’t stretch cold muscles, flexibility >by 20% when warm) Calisthenics-sit ups and push ups Skill rehearsal COOL DOWN Minimises muscle stiffness and soreness Helps disperse lactic acid Helps prevent blood pooling Cool Down should consist of low intensity aerobic work and some stretching PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS IN RESPONSE TO TRAINING RESTING HEART RATE This is a reliable indicator of how hard the heart is working A trained athlete should have a lower resting heart rate than an untrained athlete Continued aerobic training should decrease the resting heart rate Rates as low as 40 bpm are possible for highly conditioned athletes STROKE VOLUME A substantial increase in stroke volume is a long term effect of endurance training As a result of an increase in blood plasma there is more blood in circulation following training( can increase by as much as ½ a litre after eight days of training). This causes the ventricles to fill more than in the untrained athlete and will also cause more forceful contractions which results in less blood remaining in the ventricles Regular training causes the left ventricle to more completely fill during diastole The increased oxygen available to working muscles results in improved performance CARDIAC OUTPUT Cardiac output in trained individuals is much higher during exercise than untrained individuals This greater output is achieved through increases in stroke volume As we grow older decreases in stroke volume will result in decreases in cardiac output OXYGEN UPTAKE Maximal oxygen intake (VO2 max) refers to the maximal amount of oxygen that muscles can absorb and utilise at that level of work This is relatively easy to estimate using submaximal tests such as the bicycle ergometer test or the 12 minute run Measurements are expressed in ml/kg/min I.e. How much oxygen is consumed per kilogram of weight every minute OXYGEN UPTAKE Training appreciably increases VO2 max this is most evident in untrained athletes who will see the greatest improvement The highest recorded value for a female 74ml/kg/min The highest recorded value for a male is 94ml/kg/min It would normally take an 8-12 week period of training to see an appreciable increase in VO2 max LUNG CAPACITY No matter how efficient the cardiovascular system is in supplying blood to the tissues, endurance is hindered if the respiratory system does not supply enough oxygen to meet demand Total lung capacity is about 6000ml in males slightly less in females Vital capacity is the amount of air that can be expended after maximal inspiration – this increases slightly with training LUNG CAPACITY Residual volume is the amount of air that cannot be moved out of the lungs – decreases slightly with training Tidal volume is the amount of air breathed in and out during a normal respiration – appears to increase at maximal levels of exercise but is unchanged at submaximal and rest HAEMOGLOBIN LEVEL Haemoglobin is contained in the red blood cells of the body. Most oxygen in the body is transported by the haemoglobin in the red blood cells Haemoglobin levels increase as a result of training and this increases oxygen carrying capacity Training increases blood plasma as well as increasing red blood cell numbers. MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY This refers to an increase in muscle size. As an immediate response to training, the muscle fibres increase in size as more fluid goes to the muscle. As a response to extended training, the muscles used will increase in size again as the fibres adapt to the training load and lead to an overall increase in muscle size. FAST/SLOW TWITCH MUSCLE FIBRES The effect of training on the type of muscle fibre developed relates directly to specificity. Fast-twitch (Explosive Movement). Slow-twitch ( Longer Slower Contraction). Low to moderate activity will recruit slow-twitch fibres and increase the cross sectional area of these fibres. These fibres have a high aerobic endurance capacity and they are recruited also in our daily lifestyle. MUSCLE FIBRES Fast-twitch muscle fibres need to be specifically developed through particular types of training. E.g. speed training & plyometrics. Any training athletes do for fast-twitch fibres must be maintained, otherwise the effects of training will be lost due to reversibility. It is a documented fact that athletes of dark skin origin have genetically more fast-twitch muscle fibres. (FQ2) HOW CAN PSYCHOLOGY AFFECT PERFORMANCE? MOTIVATION Motivation is the increased state of arousal or excitement an individual experiences when trying to reach a optimal level of performance. Motivation greatly influences the amount of interest and effort an athlete gives to a task. Motivation is a personal thing and what motivates one person may not motivate another person at that point in time. POSITIVE & NEGATIVE MOTIVATION The use of positive motivation tends to be more effective than negative motivation in improving an individual’s performance. It results in higher levels of improvement in performance, and tends to last longer than any gains made from the use of negative motivation. INTRINSIC & EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION Individuals who are motivated to perform because of intrinsic (internal) feelings are said to be intrinsically motivated. This is believed to be more effective than an athlete relying upon extrinsic (external) factors for a successful performance. REINFORCEMENT • The type of reinforcement an athlete receives may also affect an athlete’s motivation. Reinforcement refers to the consequences that arise as a result of the behaviour. It can be positive or negative and internal or external. • Reinforcement most often comes in the form of rewards (positive reinforcement). The rewards reinforce the act and let the athlete know that further progress will be rewarded in the same way. Athletes should be continually reinforced as they progress towards producing the desired response. ANXIETY TRAIT ANXIETY Trait Anxiety refers to a general level of stress that is characteristic of each individual. Trait anxiety varies according to how individuals have conditioned themselves to respond to and manage stress. ANXIETY • STATE ANXIETY State anxiety is more specific. It refers to a heightened presence of distress in response to a particular situation SOURCES OF STRESS • • • • The non specific responses of the body to a demand placed on it. It can come from a number of places e.g. parents, media or from within e.g. how you cope with a certain situation/problem. Stepping outside comfort zone Break up of relationship Change in playing conditions Making a big decision that could affect others AROUSAL • The level of stress under which you operate is important: • If you are not under enough stress, then you may find that your performance suffers because you are bored and unmotivated. • If you are under too much stress, then you will find that your results suffer as you find it difficult to focus on technique and fail to flow with the performance. AROUSAL • Where stress is too high, your performance can suffer from all the symptoms of stress. Your flow can be disrupted, you can be distracted, and competition can become threatening and unpleasant. • In the middle, at a moderate level of stress, there is a zone of best performance. If you can keep yourself within this zone, then you will be sufficiently aroused to give a high quality performance, while not being over-stressed and unhappy. • Within this zone is called OPTIMAL AEROUSAL OPTIMAL AROUSAL • This zone of optimum performance is in a different place and is a different shape for different people. Some people may operate most effectively at a level of stress that would leave other people either bored or in pieces. It is possible that someone who functions superbly in a low level competition might experience difficulties in high level competition. Alternatively someone who performs only moderately at low level of competition might give exceptional performances under extreme pressure. • Not only will the zones of optimum performance be in different places for different athletes, they will also be different heights and different widths. This is why you must take responsibility for controlling your own levels of stress, particularly in a team situation: if the team generally needs motivation, but you are in an optimum zone, then paying attention to a motivating team talk may move you to a state of being over-stressed. Similarly if some team members need to be relaxed, then relaxation techniques applied to an entire team may move you to a state of bored demotivation. • You may also find that fine and complex skills are less tolerant to stress than simple skills - your zone of optimum performance may be narrower for very difficult skills than for the basic skills of the sport. FINDING OPTIMAL AROUSAL LEVELS • An effective way of finding the stress level at which you operate best is to keep a training and performance log. In this record the quality of every training session or performance, along with the level of stress that you felt during that performance. If you have stress monitoring equipment, and can score your performance, then this gives you hard, objective figures to use in your training log. If you do not have the ability to do this, then record your subjective views of the stress levels you felt and the quality of • After a time review the training log - this should give you some good information on the way that you respond to stress. This information will help you to decide and implement a stress management program that is appropriate to the different sporting situations you find yourself in. INCREASING AROUSAL • Increase your rhythm and rate of breathing • Focus on the task at hand • Stretch and exercise more prior to play • Listen to upbeat music prior to play • Visualize powerful forces (e.g., leaping cheetah, rocket blast) • Draw energy from the crowd DECREASING AROUSAL (1)Breath deeply and slowly from the diaphragm (2) Engage in a popular form of meditation (3) Quietly repeat a key word or phrase to yourself (e.g., calm, easy, cool) (4) Direct your focus on performance rather than outcome (5) Engage in Progressive Muscle Relaxation-briefly tensing and relaxing muscle groups, noting differences between tension and relaxation DECREASING AROUSAL Dictate your own pace and take your time between points Practice adjusting your level of arousal on a regular basis until you find the level at which you perform best. You'll know it when you are optimally aroused! MANAGING ANXIETY Athletes need to be able to manage anxiety effectively if they are to achieve their optimal performance level. Anxiety can be defined as the concerns, thoughts and feelings associated with an approaching performance PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE MOTIVATION AND MANAGE ANXIETY • • • • Concentration/Attention skills (focusing) Mental Rehearsal/Visualisation/Imagery Relaxation Techniques Goal - Setting CONCENTRATION/ATTENTION SKILLS (FOCUSING) • This refers to the ability of the athlete to focus their thoughts and energy into the task at hand. It allows for distractions (e.g. a crowd) to be minimised. MENTAL REHEARSAL/VISUALISATION/I MAGERY • This involves practising the performance in your mind. • When mentally rehearsing you produce a successful performance over and over again. • This allows you to picture a performance in your mind and gives your body a ‘map’ or ‘blue print’ to produce a movement. • It helps the performer focus on the movements required to produce an optimal performance. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES • These are ways to reduce the risk of over-arousal before a performance. • Relaxation helps lower the stress level of the body before a performance. • E.g. Meditation, Progressive muscular relaxation GOAL SETTING • Setting goals allows an athlete’s progress to be planned and monitored over a period of time. • It can also increase motivation and commitment levels of the athlete. • Goals need to be realistic and achievable in the time frame established. • Goals may relate to areas such as the overall performance, specific skills involved, strategies and fitness. (FQ3) HOW CAN NUTRITION AND RECOVERY STRATEGIES AFFECT PERFORMANCE? NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Macronutrients: Protein Carbohydrates Fat These are the major nutrients which supply energy and are essential for growth and development. Micronutrients Vitamins Minerals Water These are essential nutrients but do not supply energy CARBOHYDRATES Ideal fuel for activity Complex-cereals, wholegrain, fruit and vegetables Simple- cakes, sweets, biscuits Should be predominant energy source Muscle and liver glycogen is synthesized directly from carbohydrates Only source of fuel used during anaerobic Glycolosis (short, high intensity) Brain and nervous system rely on carbohydrates exclusively as they are unable to use either protein or fat Muscle glycogen stores take 24 hrs to restore Glycogen sparing – this is the metabolism of fat instead of carbohydrates during endurance work even though the body has sufficient energy stores of carbohydrates Glycogen – this is the storage form of carbohydrates found in muscles and liver FAT Important for low intensity, long duration Becomes fuel supplier as glycogen reserves become depleted Dense in energy however needs more oxygen for metabolism and ensuing energy production. Results in increased respiration, increased body temperature and increased need for fluid Endurance athletes have no need for extra fat Unsaturated fats are best, found in vegetable and fish oil Excess fat, carbohydrates and protein is stored in fat cells PROTEIN Important for structural role in holding the cells together and in growth as well as repair and maintenance of body tissue Used as energy source under extreme conditions Athletes need 1mg of protein for every kilogram of body weight WATER Second to oxygen as an essential life providing element Body stores water both within the cells (intracellular) and outside the cells (extra cellular) Doesn’t provide energy Losses higher than 15% can be fatal PRE-PERFORMANCE NUTRITION A high complex carbohydrate meal should be consumed several hours prior to an event so it has time to be digested properly. E.g. spaghetti bolognaise. Two hours prior a carbohydrate based snack to top up glucose levels. E.g. muffin Continued hydration with water or carbohydrate drinks prior to competing. CARBOHYDRATE LOADING Carbohydrate Loading: This is a process that seeks to maximize the amount of glycogen stored in the muscles and liver, for use during aerobic performance. There are variations in the process for athletes to consider. NUTRITION DURING PERFORMANCE Depending on the length of the activity, nutritional demands will differ. Any activity under one hour only requires hydration with water and food is not necessary. Endurance athletes E.g. Triathlete will require hydration from water and possibly energy drinks. They will also need to eat carbohydrate snacks E.g. bananas during the event. POST PERFORMANCE NUTRITION After performance nutrition includes a meal that contains protein (for repair of tissue) and carbohydrate to replenish blood sugar levels. Endurance athletes eat basically anything carbohydrate as soon as possible after the completion of their event. Foods with protein are also essential as is hydration for the next 24-48 hours depending on the length of the event. SUPPLEMENTATION Supplementation is the process used by athletes who cannot derive sufficient nutrient intake from their food consumption to meet their needs. In many cases normal dietary intake is in fact sufficient and athletes using supplements are then taking in unnecessarily high amounts of certain nutrients. VITAMINS/MINERALS Vitamins are essential to maintain bodily functions. Most athletes get the required amount through their diet or a multivitamin. Excess vitamin intake is expensive, wasteful & potentially dangerous. Minerals are also essential for the body to function properly. Iron & calcium are the two minerals that are most commonly deficient in athletes. Inadequate supplies will affect performance and contribute to health problems. PROTEIN Proteins function is in the growth, repair & maintenance of body tissue. Research supports the idea that most athletes do not need or benefit from protein supplementation. Some supplementation in specific cases such as strength athletes, endurance athletes in heavy training and possibly adolescents undergoing a growth spur is acceptable. CAFFEINE Caffeine improves cognitive processes such as alertness, improved concentration, improved memory & reasoning following mild consumption. It does not appear to enhance performance in short term high intensity activities such as sprinting. Some studies suggest it should be avoided to avoid dehydration from its diuretic properties. Caffeine has ergogenic aid properties as it promotes “glycogen sparing” CREATINE PRODUCTS Creatine cannot be stored in the body therefore the idea of supplementation is supported by many athletes, particularly those involved in predominately anaerobic programs. Creatine supplementation may assist with muscle hypertrophy when weight training but it does have negative effects such as cramps, weight gain and the possibility of developing renal disease. RECOVERY STRATEGIES PHYSIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES NEURAL STRATEGIES TISSUE DAMAGE STRATEGIES PYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES PHYSIOLOGICAL STRATEGIES COOL – DOWN NUTRITIONAL PLAN Fluid Recovery Fuel Recovery NEURAL STRATEGIES HYDROTHERAPY MASSAGE TISSUE DAMAGE STRATEGIES CRYOTHERAPY This involves the use of cooling to treat injury or quicken recovery from performances, particularly those that involve collisions and/or sustained intensity. ICE, ICER & ICE BATHS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES POSITIVE DEBRIEFING SESSIONS READING LISTENING TO MUSIC WATCHING MOVIES PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION MEDITATION VISUALISATION FLOATATION POSITIVE SELF TALK (FQ4) HOW DOES THE ACQUISITION OF SKILL AFFECT PERFORMANCE? STAGES OF SKILL AQUISITION COGNITIVE ASSOCIATIVE AUTONOMOUS COGNITIVE – Also known as the learning stage. The cognitive stage is the first learning process of the learner. It is during this stage when the athlete is first introduced to the new skill and then attempts to perform it for the first time. During this stage mot of the learning process has been done. The athlete’s skill levels are very low but they quickly adapt and get better. There are lots of errors and lots of feedback. ASSOCIATIVE Also known as the practice stage. This stage is when most practice is performed. There are less errors then in the first stage but they still occur. Errors start decreasing and more understanding begins to be processed by the athlete. AUTONOMOUS Also known as the automatic stage. This stage is the final stage in when there are very little or no errors. For the athlete it is no longer necessary to concentrate on the action so much, and there is more internal feedback. They have the correct kinaesthetic movements involved. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LEARNER PERSONALITY HEREDITARY CONFIDENCE PRIOR EXPERIENCE ABILITY PERSONALITY Some individuals possess certain personality traits, I.e. confidence, curiosity, reliability, are more likely to learn motor skills quickly. They are also more likely to attempt new skills and to strive to achieve their potential HEREDITARY It would seem that skill acquisition would not be hereditary because they younger generation would still have to go through the learning process. However important factors in skill acquisition such as slow or fast twitch muscle fibres are hereditary which helps in a persons ability to learn. Motivation is also hereditary which helps in the learning process. Other hereditary factors include a person’s somatotype (endomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph), gender and age. CONFIDENCE • People with confidence are more likely to attempt a new skill. • People with confidence are also more likely to not be put off by failure at early stages. • It is important for coaches to build a level of confidence in every new athlete. PRIOR EXPERIENCE • Some skills occur in other sports so it is an advantage if an athlete has a general idea of the movement from a past movement. This is known as a positive transfer of learning. • When prior learning in another skill makes it more difficult to learn the new skill this is known as a negative transfer of learning. ABILITY Some athletes, although much hard work is put into obtaining the skill, have an underlying influence that makes them perform better or more gracefully. Ability may come down to one or more of the following three areas… Kinaesthetic sense – an awareness of body positioning an muscle movement during performance. Multi-limb coordination – the capacity to structure movements that involve many body parts into a fluent and effective performance. Perceptive sense – the capacity to receive and interpret information effectively, thus enhancing the quality of the response. THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT • The learning process should take place in a safe and comfortable environment for the learner. • By achieving this environment the learner can focus on the new skill rather than be distracted by external problems. NATURE OF THE SKILL Skills can be categorized into several groups. Open skills are skills that are performed in circumstances that are unpredictable and totally uncontrollable. This may include windsurfing or bull riding. They tend to externally-paced, which means the timing of the movement is greatly influenced by external factors. Closed skills are skills that take place when circumstances are always the same and constant. They very rarely affect the outcome of the skill. Egg, throwing a javelin, free throw in basketball, chess. Gross motor skills are skills that involve large groups of muscles such as running, swimming and hurdling. Fine motor skills are skills that involve only small muscle groups, such as knitting, archery release. Discrete skills have a distinct beginning and end that can be identified. E.g. Shot put Serial skills involve a sequence of smaller movements that are assembled to make a total skill. E.g. Lay Up Continuous skills are skills that do not have a beginning and an end. Examples are swimming, running. Self Paced skills are movements where the performer determines the timing & speed of execution. Externally paced is where an external source controls the timing. THE PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS DECISION MAKING STRATEGIC & TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT DECISION MAKING Productive decision making is best achieved through: OBSERVATION-coaching boards, demonstrations & observation of skilled players and their movements during a game. QUESTIONING-by the coach for particular scenarios. WHOLE,PART,WHOLE APPROACH-A game strategy needs to be taught as a whole so players can see the overall plan. Individuals then need to learn their specific roles. Players then need to walk through emphasising good technique & execution. The strategy then needs to be practised against noninvasive opposition. VARIATION- Exploring variation of strategy is important. Players need to be encouraged into innovative & imaginative options. CREATIVITY-Players need to be involved in all processes to make worthwhile contributions and feel valued. This is productive in developing decision making skills. STRATEGIC & TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT Strategic understanding refers to the way we play, where we should be and what to do. Tactical awareness is about utilising ways of gaining an advantage over an opponent. Tactical awareness matures gradually through using drills & mini-games that provide players with matchlike situations. Strategic & tactical development is built on: TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY, UNDERSTANDING & SKILLFULL EXECUTION PRACTICE METHODS MASSED DISTRIBUTED WHOLE PART MASSED/DISTRIBUTED Massed practice involves a continuous practice session, with the rest intervals being shorter than the practice intervals. Distributed practice(or spaced practice) involves a broken practice session, with the intervals of rest or alternative activities being longer than the practice intervals. WHOLE/PART PRACTICE Whole practice is when movements in a sport are practiced as a whole. This may be the case when a tennis serve is practiced through the whole range of movement to get a feel for it. Part practice is when the full range of a skill is broken down and the individual components are practiced by themselves. E.g. in a tennis serve the throw up of the ball or just the follow through may be practiced. FEEDBACK Feedback is the information provided to the learner about the nature or result of their performance. All learners derive internal feedback from performing a particular skill and from external sources such as the coach. Feedback is provided following analysis of the output. INTERNAL/EXTERNAL Intrinsic or internal feedback is when an athlete gets a kinaesthetic sense for the movement they are performing. E.g. such as seeing the ball and hearing it hit the bat. Extrinsic, or external feedback is the feedback that an athlete gets from another person, such as a coach or parent, on how they are performing the skill and what they can do to correct it. CONCURRENT/DELAYED Concurrent feedback is feedback received during performance. Delayed feedback is feedback which is given when the athlete is finished, after the skill is completed. KNOWLEDGE OF RESULTS/KNOWLEDGE OF PERFORMANCE Knowledge of results feedback is information about the outcome of a movement. E.g. what distance was covered in the long jump. Knowledge of performance is feedback given to an athlete about skill weakness that they have, which is not making them achieve full potential. This may be the case in tennis when a tennis player is not getting full power in their shot because of poor stroke technique. The coach will advise them on how to improve this. ASSESSMENT OF SKILL & PERFORMANCE To improve performance, assessment needs to be made. Each type of performance has a number of ways by which it can be measured. An athletes skill can be observed and analysed, tests can be used and they can be judged in competition. CHARACTERICTICS OF SKILLED PERFORMERS Kinaesthetic sense: This is the awareness of body and muscle positioning while performing a skill, during performance. A cricket player feels the hit of the ball was smooth. Anticipation and timing: The athlete’s capacity to accurately predict and read the game or the movement, and then act accordingly. This may include an intercept in football. SKILLED PERFORMERS Consistency: A skilled performer is likely to always give a consistent performance whereas the unskilled performer is not. Technique Technique is a procedure applied to a particular task. Good techniques have been established whereby players can learn to carry out the procedure in the most effective manner. OBJECTIVE & SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES Objective measurement is when the result is unanimous based on the fact that they cannot be changed. E.g. electronic staring and finishing in swimming, archery. Subjective measurement is when the results are influenced by judges etc. the methods of measurement are not obvious to the user. E.g., gymnastics, diving. Strategies that are in place to make subjective measurement more even and fair are… Prescribed judging criteria. Using people with the required expertise. Ensure that everybody concerned with the competition is aware of the criteria. Use a panel of judges. Using judges that have no personal affiliation with any of the athletes. When a number of scores is presented, the highest and lowest score are disregarded then the remaining scores are averaged out. Using established measurement such as checklists and rating scales. VALIDITY & RELIABILITY OF TESTS Validity is the honesty of a test – that is, the degree to which it measures what it is supposed to measure. E.g. The standing broad jump measures power. This is valid. Reliability refers to the degree of consistency of a test – that is, the ability of the test and tester to produce the same results on successive occasions. Again the standing broad jump is reliable as it is simple and easy to set up and measure accurately in almost any environment. PERSONAL V PRESCRIBED JUDGING CRITERIA Objective measurement of a performance can assist in making a subjective or personal opinion. Subjectiveness is based on a judge or selectors opinion. In a dance routine, a judge may view the dancer to have an aesthetically pleasing performance, therefore a subjective measurement. When she makes an objective measurement by using a scorecard or checklist, it may further support her argument that the dancer performed a great routine.