Scientific Basis for Learning Motor Skills

Motor learning – involves the neuromuscular systems( nervous and muscular) of the body

Factors that promote learning of motor skills:

1. Perception – is the most important concept in motor learning. It is the process of receiving
and distinguishing among the available stimuli resented – ability of the student to
perceive things thru the senses (see, hear, feel, taste and understand) the speed, distance
and shapes of objects.
- Difficulties in any of these areas make the learning of motor skills more difficult

2. The student should have an understanding of the nervous system because of its possible
assistance in the development of motor skills.
- Nervous system – organized nerve cells and nerve tissues
o Coordinates, controls, regulates responses to stimuli, directs behavior and
conditions the phenomenon of consciousness

3. Effective motor learning is based on certain pre-requisite factors – muscular strength,

dynamic energy, ability to change direction, flexibility, agility, peripheral vision,
concentration and understanding of the mechanics of the activity

4. Skills should not be offered to students unless they have reached a level of development
that commensurate with the degree of difficulty of the skill

5. Each individual is different from the other individual- differences should be recognized.

6. The physical educator should be familiar with the learning curve as it applies to
individuals. Learning curves are not always constant and they differ for each individual.

7. Learning takes place most effectively when the students has a motive for wanting to
learn. Motivation is an inducement to action. The greater the motivation, the more is
the learning.

8. Learning takes place more effectively when the student intends to learn.

9. Education is a doing phenomenon. A person learns by doing.

10. The student should know the objectives toward which he is working.

11. The student should receive feedback that indicates the progress that is being made.

12. Progress will be much rapid when the learner gains satisfaction from the learning
situation.
13. The length and distribution of practice periods are important consideration for effective
learning.

14. As a general rule, learning is more effective when skills are taught as whole skills and not
in parts.

15. Over learning has value in the acquisition of motor skills

- 3 conditions that retain skill
o When the greatest skill proficiency is gained thoroughly during the early
stage of learning
o When skills have been learned under a distributed schedule rather than a
massed practice schedule
o When the performer is highly motivated in respect to the mastery and use of
skills
16. Speed should be emphasized in the initial stages of the motor skill learning

17. Transfer of learning can facilitate the learning of motor skills. A skill learned in one
situation can be used in another situation.

18. Mental practice can enhance the learning of a motor skills. Mental practice is the symbolic
rehearsal of the skill with the absence of gross muscular movement.

19. A knowledge of mechanical principles increases the student’s total understanding of the
activity in which he is participating – principles that involve levels, laws of motion, gravity
and other factors are closely related to skill performance

20. Implementation of the principles of reinforcement will enhance learning

21. Errors should be eliminated early in the learning period.

- “It’ s easier to start a habit than to stop one”
22. The learning situation should be such that optimum conditions are present for efficient
learning.

23. A learning situation is greatly improved if the student diagnoses his own movement and
arrives at a definite conclusion as to what errors are being committed.

24. The leadership provided determines to a great degree how much learning will take place.

25. The student should become less dependent on the physical education instructor for help
and guidance.

26. PE teachers should be concerned more than just the teaching of motor skills.
PLANES OF REFERENCES

1. Saggital plane – vertical plane described as the anterior or posterior plane(antero-

posterior)
- divides the body equally into right and left halves
- flexion and extension movements occur in this plane

2. Frontal plane – coronal / lateral plane

- Divides the body laterally from side to side, dividing it into front and back halves
- Abduction and adduction are the movements occur in this plane

3. Transverse plane – horizontal plane

- Divides body into superior or inferior halves – body’s upper and lower limits
- Rotational movements occur

AXIS OF THE HUMAN BODY

Axis - axis is a straight line around which an object rotates. Movement at the joint take place in
a plane about an axis. There are three axis of rotation.

1. Sagital axis - passes horizontally from posterior to anterior and is formed by the intersection of
the sagital and transverse planes.
- Front to back

2. Frontal axis - passes horizontally from left to right and is formed by the intersection of the
frontal and transverse planes.

3. Vertical axis - passes vertically from inferior to superior and is formed by the intersection of the
sagital and frontal planes.
- Perpendicular to the ground

Describing Movements

1. Extension occurs when the angle between two adjacent segments in the body increases
as the ventral surfaces of the segments move away from each other and occurs in a
sagittal plan about a frontal axis. An exception is extension of the thumb, which takes
place in a frontal plane about a sagittal axis.

2. Flexion occurs when the angle between two adjacent segments in the body decreases
as the ventral surfaces of the segments approximate each other and occurs in a sagittal
plane about a frontal axis. An exception is flexion of the thumb, which takes place in a
frontal plane about a sagittal axis.
3. Abduction/Adduction. These are movements in the frontal plane about the sagital axis
and involve moving the body part away or towards an imaginary centre line. Abduction is
taking the body part away from the central line and adduction is moving it towards.
Adduction can also be moving the body part across the centre line and to the other side
of the body, shown in the hip abduction video below. Amongst the joints capable of
abduction and adduction are the shoulder and hip. Other abduction and adduction
movements include the fingers. If you splay your fingers and move them apart, this is
abduction as they are moving away from the centre position. When you bring the fingers
back together, this is adduction, as you are adding them back to the centre line
4. Rotation. Rotation movements are in the transverse plane and include any twisting
motion. Joints which permit rotation include the shoulder and hip. These are both ball
and socket joints. We can also rotate our necks and backs due to a series of smaller joints,
including the atlanto-axial joint which is a pivot joint in the neck between the first two
vertebrae (C1 and C2). Rotation of the hip and shoulder can be broken down into internal
or external rotation (also sometimes known as medial and lateral rotation respectively).
 Cardinal Planes and Axes of Movements
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Cardinal_Planes_and_Axes_of_Movement

References
1. Jump up↑ Tim Huffines. Anatomical Position and Cardinal Planes. Available
from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDxfe5Ny6zM [last accessed
22/02/13]
2. Jump up↑ Physiotutors. Anatomical Planes & Axes Explained. Available
from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq8cE-EDtuE