Practice Methods

Practice Methods

Distributed Practice -

• Regular breaks
• Skill practiced in short bursts
• Mental rehearsal can be practiced
• Breaks can include activities that aren't related to the main practice as long as they won't cause negative transfer
• For example, a basketball player may play table tennis during their rest periods

Massed Practice -

• Very little to no rest periods
• High intensity
• Continuous training method
• For example, repeatedly practicing shooting in netball

Varied Practice -

• The performer comes into contact with a range of experiences
• Relevant experiences are stored in the long-term memory and can be used for motor programmes in the future
• For closed skills, the practice conditions must remain constant to resemble the 'true life' situation
• It is useful for open skills as it allows performers to experience a number of diverse situations that can be stored in the long-term memory and be revisited if the situation occurs again
• For example, it can be used for a footballer to have a range of experiences that can help in a game

Fixed Practice -

• The environment is fixed and doesn't change, therefore…