Reaction time

By increasing the REACTION TIME of an opponent is presenting false information E.G. a dummy in Rugby. it gives the player more time.

Certain stance will suggest a certain movement, the opponent will ANTICIPATE this.

The opponent will process that information to prepare and initiate a response.

When the player changes the movement (does the dummy) it will cause the opponent to re evaluate which creates more time.

The delay in being able to react to the second of the two closely spaced stimuli is called the PSYCHOLOGICAL REFRACTORY PERIOD.

Hicks law states that

• REACTION TIME will increase with the number of STIMULUS RESPONSE choices increase.
• he discovered that the time taken to react increases proportionally to the number of POSSIBLE RESPONSES.
• RESPONSE TIME remains the same, nevertheless.

How can you improve a performers reaction time:

• practice
• improve fitness
• concentration/selective attention
• level or arousal/motivation
• warm up
• anticipation
• STIMULUS RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY- you will react quicker to a well known stimulus

• A motor programme is a GENERALISED SERIES OF MOVEMENTS  or plan of movements stored in the LONG TERM MEMORY.
•  The executive motor programme is updated and modified each time a skill is performed through FEEDBACK.
• Executive motor programmes are made up of SUB-ROUTINES, usually performed sequentially.
• At the autonomous stage of learning, the lower order skills are performed without thought and movement becomes automatic. This means the skill has been GROOVED or OVER LEARNED.