A couple of weeks ago I posted part 1 of this series that looked at different motor learning concepts/terms and how they pertain to footy, specifically scheduling (block v random), explicit v implicit learning, focus of attention, challenge point framework and feedback.
Today we look a bunch more as we go off the mantra, you can't teach or learn what you can't label.
Skill Acquisition - player development attained via motor learning principles that are highly context dependent and guided by the practice environment such as players practicing the same kicks in games at training for maximum transfer, unpressured kicks to unpressured targets
Ecological Approach x skill aries from interactions between the individual and their environment v isolated skill which is actually skill rehearsal which are not the same
Motor Learning x skill development via goal-oriented problems to expand your bag of solutions
Dynamical Systems Theory x how complex systems (the body) change in a non-linear manner relying on self organisation to adapt to variable environments meaning players will find successful solutions at different times depending on session design quality
Constraints x used to shape movement through the individual (kicking, handballing, marking, intention) - task (rules, scoring system, consequence) - environment (indoor, outdoor, wet, dry) relationship
Individual Constraint x any athlete specific characteristic such as height, reach, speed, endurance etc
Task Constraints x the specific task of completing the exact task you’re training for
Variation – the fluctuations of individual - task - environment constraints (differential learning)
Constraints Led-Approach x the altering of the 3 constraints to force athletes to find different solutions where you consistently alter 1 of them to maintain a high level of game representative design
Perception-Action Coupling x the connection between what you see and how you act where what you see decides how you move and how you move dictates what you see
Affordance x the bag of solutions an athlete is afforded to choose from given the exact environment they are currently in meaning the specific things that players see that allows them to problem solve which also takes into account their own action capabilities. As the biggest midfielder of all-time, Patrick Cripps doesn't have break away speed out of stoppage so he wont be as adapt at finding affordances to do exactly that but his size and strength does afford him the ability to take opposition tackles and feed out to outside options.
Attunement x with many choices to make its the athletes sensitivity to execute a skill within specific environments and then selecting the best solution to do so. Lachy Neale is a great example of attunement at stoppage knowing exactly where the exits are coupled with elite clean hand action capabilities
Representative Learning Design x replicating the game environment in practice via constraints and problem solving in a games-based approach that contains the same information as games do
Problem Solving x challenges the athlete to discover better/new/more solutions in practice
Degrees of Freedom x the quantity of available movement options an athlete has in a given situation referring to solving the same problem many different ways and/or being able to solve many problems in the same way
Attractor States x repeating stable movement solutions despite micro-variance such as kicking stationary to kicking on the run to kicking being chased to kicking being tackled
Invariant x elements of a given movement essential to completing the task where all players must have a great ball drop and a strong penultimate lunge-step when kicking
Variant x style related elements of a movement individualised to each athlete and their movement solutions such as left footers having a hook foot
Contextual Interference x combining different skills in the same session to increase the retention of both so focusing on 2 concepts per training session but alternating blocks of time dedicated to both such as center bounce clearance x 10mins, defensive 50 rebound x 10mins, center bounce clearance x 10mins, defensive 50 rebound x 10mins, center bounce clearance x 10mins, defensive 50 rebound x 10mins
Flow State x being fully immersed in an activity to find the perfect balance to generate an outcome and during this time you'll be doing everything unconsciously and on instinct to a high level (in the zone)
