Practice Methods

- Long sessions where you practice the skills continuously without any intervals for rest.

- Can be used when coach wants to simulate performance conditions where there is an element of fatigue.

Advantages:

- Good for the grooving in of skills and saves time as skills do not need to be re-introduced after breaks.

- Good for skilled and highly motivated performers who have good levels of fitness.

- Good for discrete skills of short duration.

Disadvantages:

- Can lead to boredom or fatigue so learner may lose concentration.

- The fatigue can lead to a decrease in levels of performance and poor learning.

- Does not allow for extrinsic feedback as there are no breaks.

- Practice sessions have rest intervals to allow time to recover both mentally and physically.

- Research has shown this is the most effective form of practice.

Advantages:

- Good for beginners and learners with low levels of motivation and fitness.

- Good for the learning of continuous, dangerous and complex skills.

- Rest intervals allow learner to receive extrinsic feedback and they can perform mental practice.

Disadvantages:

- It is more time consuming than massed practice.

- A specific movement pattern is practiced repeatedly in the same, stable environment.

- It allows movement patterns to be overlearned and become habitual.

- It is sometimes called a 'skill drill'.

Advantages:

- Most suitible for closed skills that require specific movement patterns to be overlearned and become habitual.

Disadvantages:

- This method is not suitible for open skills as they should be learnt in changing environments to match how the skill is performed in a real situation.

- A skill is prectised in many environments.

- The practice conditions must be realistic as possible.

- Techniques are adapted to suit the environment.

Advantages:

- Most suitable method for open skills.

- Practising in a variety of environments develops schema.

- Develops learner's perceptual and decision-making skills.

Disadvantages:

- The learner must have established the skill's motor programme in a fixed practice environment before being introduced to varied practice so they do not lose confidence when attempting the skill in this environment.