In this presentation, Mike discusses some of the fundamental concepts that all coaches and physical educators should understand to enhance the skill acquisition of their athletes.

1. Mike Young, PhD
Athletic Lab
MOTOR LEARNING
FOR COACHES
@MIKEYOUNG
@MIKEYOUNGPHD

2. Complex processes in the brain occur in response
to practice or experience of a specific skill which
result in changes in the central nervous system
that allow for production of a new motor skill

3. •Introduction
•Motor Learning Basics
•Feedback
•Cueing Strategies
•Practice Design
•Take Home Points

4. Performance in EVERY sport is influenced by
technique AND Physical Capacity

5. To Optimize performance
athletes must be competent
at sport skills AND have the
physical capacities necessary
to meet the demands of
their sport

6. EVEN
SEEMINGLY BASIC
SPORTS INVOLVE
CONSIDERABLY
SKILL

7. Expression of
speed & power
have both
physical &
mechanical
constraints

8. Sprinting is an extremely complex motor task
involving repeated rapid ‘switching on and off’
of practically every muscle in the body

11. Motor Learning

12. Practice Performance
vs
True Learning

14. TRUE learning is
assessed by retention

16. The REAL goal of practice is to prepare us for
the test, assessment or competition

17. “Practice does not make perfect.
Perfect practice makes perfect”
~Vince Lombardi

18. “Practice does not make perfect.
Perfect practice makes perfect”
~Vince Lombardi

19. The notion of “perfect practice” is
flawed because mistakes are an
important part of learning

20. THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH
“PERFECT PRACTICE” ISTHAT
IT IGNORESTHE REALITY OF
PERFORMANCE (GAMES,
TESTS, ETC)

21. FOCUSING ON “PERFECT
PRACTICE” IS SOLELY
TECHNIQUE ORIENTED

22. Read.
Plan.
Do.

28. BASIC GUIDELINES FOR
ENHANCING LEARNING

29. Don’t “cage”
your athletes

31. Embrace
Ugliness

33. Things to Consider
Intrinsic
vs.
Augmented feedback
Knowledge of results
vs.
Knowledge of performance
Novice
vs.
Expert

35. Feedback
Frequency

36. •Less frequent feedback may be beneficial
•Frequent feedback may generate maladaptive short-term
corrections
•May create dependence on feedback

37. Poor
Good
Practice Retention
100%
Feedback
Reduced
Feedback
100%
Feedback
Reduced
Feedback
Performance

38. Poor
Good
Practice Retention
100%
Feedback
Reduced
Feedback
100%
Feedback
Reduced
Feedback
Performance
Don’t be
fooled!

39. Poor
Good
Practice Retention
100%
Feedback
Reduced
Feedback
100%
Feedback
Reduced
Feedback
Performance
TRUE
LEARNING!

40. Less can be more

43. Feedback & Cueing

45. X
X

46. Clear.
Concise.
Concrete.

47. Good Feedback is
like Triage…
Don’t fix a hangnail
before a heart attack

48. CUEING

49. Internal vs External Focus of Attention

50. •External cues improve 20m performance
•External focused cues are superior for sprinting
performance in low skilled sprinters

51. •External cues improve 10m sprint time in collegiate athletes
•Experienced athletes may benefit from external & internal

52. •External cueing improves performance in jumping tasks

53. •External focus may improve stretch-shortening cycle

54. •Internal cues may decrease performance in strength
•External focus improves performance in strength

55. •External focus improves weightlifting technique
•Use cues focused on movement outcome not action

56. Desired Outcome Internal Cue External Cue
Hip Hinge (RDL) Flex hips at your waist Push your butt to to the back wall
First Step (Acceleration) Straighten your back leg Push the ground away
Posterior Pelvic Tilt (Posture) Rotate your pelvis upwards
Point your belt buckle to the
ceiling
Triple Extension (Olympic Lift) Extend your ankle, knee & hip joint Jump the bar and make it float
Vertical Jump (Test) Explode Touch the ceiling

58. •Using analogies assists motor skill acquisition
•Analogy learning produces pressure resistant learning

60. Accelerate like a
plane taking off

61. Elbow the short person

62. Hit the ground like
a sledge hammer

63. You’re running like
a hamster in a
spinning wheel

64. Make your legs
like pistons

66. Incorporating Practice Schedule & Movement Variability

67. Creating a learning
environment
Try to coach without “coaching” by
creating an environment that
facilitates motor learning
Create contextual
interference by varying
trial type & order

68. Creating a learning
environment
Try to coach without “coaching” by
creating an environment that
facilitates motor learning
Create contextual
interference by varying
trial type & order
Tools & specific
environments can
make motor patterns
idiot proof

69. Schedules for Practice?

70. Increase Contextual Interference
to Enhance Skill Acquisition

71. Set Monday Wednesday Friday
1 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
2 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
3 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
4 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
5 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
6 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
7 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
8 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
9 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
Typical Programming Lacks Contextual Interference

72. Set Monday Wednesday Friday
1 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
2 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
3 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
4 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
5 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
6 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
7 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
8 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
9 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
Semi-Blocked - Challenging - Moderate Skilled

73. Set Monday Wednesday Friday
1 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
2 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
3 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
4 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
5 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
6 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
7 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
8 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
9 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
Serial - More Challenging - Intermediate Skilled

74. Set Monday Wednesday Friday
1 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
2 Hang Clean Power Clean Hang Clean
3 Power Clean Hang Clean Clean Pull
4 Clean Pull Hang Clean Clean Pull
5 Clean Pull Clean Pull Power Clean
6 Power Clean Hang Clean Hang Clean
7 Hang Clean Clean Pull Power Clean
8 Clean Pull Power Clean Hang Clean
9 Power Clean Power Clean Clean Pull
Random - Most Challenging - High Skilled

76. Practice Variability?
Increasing Variability Enhances Learning

77. Speed of movement
Variable resistance
Stance width
Load position
Practice Variability?
Increasing Variability Enhances Learning

78. Surface
Shoe type
Foot position
Start method
Alone or with partner

79. Use Tools And
environments
that facilitate
learning

80. Use Tools And
environments
that facilitate
learning

81. FRAMEWORK FOR SKILL ACQUISITION
Contextual Interference
Movement
& Task
Variability
Low Practice
Variability
Beginners
Experts
Intermediate
High Practice
Variability
Low
Contextual
Interference
High
Contextual
Interference
Wu, 2008

82. SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED
ALMOST ALL MOVEMENT INVOLVES A DEGREE OF SKILL
BETTER PRACTICE DESIGN IMPROVES SKILL ACQUISITION WHICH
ALLOWS MOVEMENT TO BE AUTOMATIC, REFLEXIVE & EFFICIENT
THE WAY A MESSAGE IS DELIVERED IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE MESSAGE
UNDERSTAND THE BASICS OF MOTOR LEARNING BEST PRACTICES

83. THANKS
MIKEYOUNG.IT
ATHLETICLAB.COM
LTADNETWORK.COM
ATHLETICLABACADEMY.COM
@MIKEYOUNG
@MIKEYOUNGPHD