What are the differences between coordination, control and skill? A look at a 3 stage model of skill acquisition and its implications for coaching and motor learning research. Articles: Coordination, control and skill Change in Motor Learning: A Coordination and Control Perspective More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support the podcas...
Feb 18, 2020•25 min•Ep. 171
Applying perception-action principles to concussion and behavioral injury risk. How does concussion affect an athlete’s perception of affordances and action boundaries in their environment? Articles: Increased Risk of Musculoskeletal Injury Following Sport-Related Concussion: A Perception-Action Coupling Approach Does Concussion Affect Perception-Action Coupling Behavior? Action Boundary Perception as a Biomarker for Concussion. Intersession Reliability and Within-Session Stability of a Novel Pe...
Feb 11, 2020•24 min•Ep. 170
Does training blind under non-vision conditions result in improved performance when the athlete returns to full vision conditions? Does it allow a performer to become more sensitive to information from other senses (e.g. proprioception and audition) or is learning specific to the conditions of practice? Articles: Improved Muscle Activity Following Motor Training Without Vision of the Throwing Motion in Baseball Pitchers Seeing is Believing: Blind Putting Drills Confer No Advantage to the Novice ...
Feb 04, 2020•20 min•Ep. 169
How might we periodize skill acquisition in a manner similar to physical training – taking into account factors like specificity, load, progression and reversibility? A look at the skill acquisition periodization and periodization of skill training frameworks. Articles: Development of a skill acquisition periodisation framework for high-performance sport Skill Training Periodization in “Specialist” Sports Coaching—An Introduction of the “PoST” Framework for Skill Development More information: ht...
Jan 28, 2020•26 min
A look at some recent studies investigating generalized, perceptual-cognitive training for sport. Is there any evidence that training perception and cognition out of context will result in transfer to improved performance on the sports field? Articles: The Effectiveness of Different Visual Skills Training Programmes on Elite Cricket Players Perceptual vision training in nonsport- specific context: effect on performance skills and cognition in young females Off-Court Generic Perceptual-Cognitive ...
Jan 21, 2020•17 min•Ep. 167
How do we use information from our environment to select between different opportunities for action (i.e. affordances)? How do we pickup this information? A look at exploratory head movements in teams sports and the affordance competition hypothesis. Articles: Don’t Turn Blind! The Relationship Between Exploration Before Ball Possession and On-Ball Performance in Association Football Principles of the Guidance of Exploration for Orientation and Specification of Action Cortical mechanisms of acti...
Jan 14, 2020•16 min•Ep. 166
A look at a few different ways to adapt training to promote motor learning. Learner-controlled practice schedules, the win move/lose stay method, and adaptive, algorithm based schedules. Articles: Performance-Based Adaptive Schedules Enhance Motor Learning Transfer of Training from Virtual to Real Baseball Batting Win-shift, lose-stay: contingent switching and contextual interference in motor learning Allowing Learners to Choose Self-Controlled Practice Schedules for Learning Multiple Movement P...
Jan 08, 2020•20 min•Ep. 165
Comparing and contrasting some different methods for using visual constraints during practice, including stroboscopic training, spatial and temporal occlusion. What transfers to competition? Articles: Effects of Visual Control Training on the Shooting Performance of Elite Female Basketball Players The impact of a training intervention with spatial occlusion goggles on controlling and passing a football The Education of Attention in Aiming at a Far Target: Training Visual Control in Basketball Ju...
Nov 20, 2019•21 min•Ep. 164
Part 4 in my series on the CLA. What is the purpose of adding constraints in the constraints led approach to coaching? How does this differ from what has been done in the past? What are the different ways constraint manipulations can be used? How do constraints influence movement? Me on the Talent Equation Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/user/9625186/rob-gray-2 Improper Deceleration Example: https://www.mlb.com/video/miggy-ruptures-biceps-on-swing-c2147243383 More information: http://perceptio...
Oct 29, 2019•20 min•Ep. 163
Revisiting the theory of differential learning. How does it differ from contextual interference? How much structure should we use when varying conditions in practice? What is stochastic resonance? Articles: On the optimal degree of fluctuations in practice for motor learning Invited commentary: Differential learning is different from contextual interference learning Differential Learning as a Key Training Approach to Improve Creative and Tactical Behavior in Soccer What Is Stochastic Resonance? ...
Oct 22, 2019•27 min•Ep. 162
Are there benefits to doing interleaved practice with partner? Is it better if you work on the same or different skills? Articles: Manipulations to practice organization of golf putting skills through interleaved matched or mismatched practice with a partner More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support the podcast and receive bonus cont...
Oct 15, 2019•6 min•Ep. 161
Why can even relatively short breaks (like a rain delay or waiting for an opponent to take their turn) hurt performance? Why do athletes sometimes seem to completely misperceive the position of their body or how they are moving? A look at the process of calibration as linking frames of reference. Articles: A serial‑position curve in high‑performance darts: The effect of visuomotor calibration on throwing accuracy Old School vs. New School: The Application of Data & Technology Into Baseball M...
Oct 08, 2019•16 min•Ep. 160
Is there one optimal movement solution for any given task? If not, can we identify the optimal movement pattern for each individual? How can knowledge of performance feedback be used to achieve optimality? Articles: Kinematic information feedback and task constraints In search of sports biomechanics’ holy grail: Can athlete-specific optimum sports techniques be identified? Should Common Optimal Movement Patterns be Identified as the Criterion to be Achieved? Constraints on the Complete Optimizat...
Oct 01, 2019•19 min•Ep. 159
A look at motor learning as a search within perceptual-motor workspace in the Search Strategies Approach theory. How do performers find stable regions in this workspace, and how does their search depend on their intrinsic dynamics and how they are coached. Articles: Search Strategies in the Perceptual-Motor Workspace and the Acquisition of Coordination, Control, and Skill More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook p...
Sep 24, 2019•20 min•Ep. 158
How do we coordinate movement across our different body segments and with respect to the external environment? A look at a specific example of a coordinative structure in baseball batting. Articles: A functional modulation for timing a movement: A coordinative structure in baseball hitting More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support th...
Sep 17, 2019•13 min•Ep. 157
How consistently do you need to move in order to consistently be successful in a sports skill? Is low variability in movement kinematics a key to achieving your goal? How should we be measuring and conceptualizing movement variability? Articles: Timing an attacking forehand drive in table tennis The amount and structure of human movement variability The relationship between variability in baseball pitching kinematics and consistency in pitch location More information: http://perceptionaction.com...
Sep 10, 2019•20 min•Ep. 156
How soon should you give an athlete performance feedback? Is there any value in delaying it a bit? What is happening in the time between an action finishing and feedback being processed? Articles: Feedback delay attenuates implicit but facilitates explicit adjustments to a visuomotor rotation An interpolated activity during the knowledge-of-results delay interval eliminates the learning advantages of self-controlled feedback schedules More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Ga...
Aug 27, 2019•9 min•Ep. 155
How exactly is peripheral vision used in sports? What are the costs and benefits of different gaze strategies? A look at gaze anchors and visual pivot points. Articles: What do we see out of the corner of our eye? The role of visual pivots and gaze anchors in sport Peripheral Vision in Martial Arts Experts: The Cost-Dependent Anchoring of Gaze More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subsc...
Aug 21, 2019•13 min•Ep. 154
Articles: Taekwondo Fighting in Training Does Not Simulate the Affective and Cognitive Demands of Competition: Implications for Behavior and Transfer Batting Practice Is Probably a Waste of Everyone’s Time https://www.kinovea.org/ More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support the podcast and receive bonus content Credits: The Flamin' Gro...
Aug 13, 2019•11 min•Ep. 153
A look at a recent study on learning new gait patterns. Which is better: practicing the criterion task the whole time, progression from easier to difficult or random practice? Articles: Learning new gait patterns is enhanced by specificity of training rather than progression of task difficulty More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Suppor...
Aug 06, 2019•8 min•Ep. 152
A look at the equilibrium point hypothesis of motor control. How can movements be controlled both actively (voluntarily) and re-actively (involuntarily)? Articles: Evolution of Motor Control: From Reflexes and Motor Programs to the Equilibrium-Point Hypothesis The Equilibrium-Point Hypothesis – Past, Present and Future More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscri...
Jul 23, 2019•15 min•Ep. 151
A look at some recent motor learning neuroscience articles. Can we achieve gray matter plasticity through motor learning? How are motor synergies reflected in brain activity? What are the neural mechanisms underlying the benefits of self-controlled feedback? Articles: Motor repertoire and gray matter plasticity: Is there a link? The human sensorimotor cortex fosters muscle synergies through cortico-synergy coherence Neural mechanism underlying self-controlled feedback on motor skill learning Mor...
Jul 15, 2019•14 min•Ep. 150
A look at the role of motor noise in motor learning? How to we minimize the effects of noise on motor control? Do we choose movement solutions that are less noisy? Articles: Using noise to shape motor learning Motor Learning Is Optimally Tuned to the Properties of Motor Noise More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support the podcast and ...
Jul 02, 2019•12 min•Ep. 149
A look at the 1995 article by Jane Clark which provides an excellent overview of the dynamical systems approach to skill acquisition. Articles: On Becoming Skillful: Patterns & Constraints More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support the podcast and receive bonus content Credits: The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action Mark Lanegan...
Jun 18, 2019•18 min•Ep. 148
A look at a couple new studies examining the CLA to skill acquisition. How does the presence of an opponent influence the kinematics of a tennis serve? Can we correct technical errors without using explicit verbal instruction? Articles: Effect of environmental constraints on multisegment coordination patterns during the tennis service in expert performers Constraints-led approach to coaching the power clean More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles...
Jun 11, 2019•9 min•Ep. 147
A look at 3 recent studies evaluating the effects of different types of instruction (explicit, analogy and focus of attention) on performance, movement kinematics and motor learning. Articles: The acute effects of analogy and explicit instruction on movement and performance The effects of instructional cues on performance and mechanics during a gross motor movement Changing one’s focus of attention alters the structure of movement variability More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Res...
May 21, 2019•17 min•Ep. 146
A look at a couple of recent motor learning articles. Does incidental training lead to protection against choking under pressure? How do we acquire a new movement skill? Do we initially explore the solution space randomly (what has been called motor babbling) or do we use goal-related feedback right from the start (goal babbling)? Articles: Limiting motor skill knowledge via incidental training protects against choking under pressure Goal-related feedback guides motor exploration and redundancy ...
May 15, 2019•17 min•Ep. 145
What are the limitations of current perceptual-cognitive and brain training technologies that use an isolated, process driven approach to improve perception and decision making in athletes? How can these be improved by following the principles of Ecological Dynamics? How can VR training be better used to allow an athlete to explore the affordance landscape and make context-dependent decisions? Articles: Evaluating Weaknesses of “Perceptual-Cognitive Training” and “Brain Training” Methods in Spor...
May 07, 2019•16 min•Ep. 144
A look at Naturalistic and Recognition-Primed Decision Making. How do we make quick and effective decisions when faced with complex, time pressured situations? How do we bring our previous experience to bear in these situations? Can this approach be applied to sports? Articles: Naturalistic Decision Making A Recognition Primed Decision (RPD) Model of Rapid Decision Making Recognition Within the Decision-Making Process: A Case Study of Expert Volleyball Players More information: http://perception...
Apr 16, 2019•21 min•Ep. 143
Is the role of affordance perception just action selection? Or does it also play a role in action control? What does it mean to “know one’s limits”? Articles: Affordance-Based Control of Visually Guided Action Controlling speed and direction during interception: an affordance-based approach More information: http://perceptionaction.com/ My Research Gate Page (pdfs of my articles) My ASU Web page Podcast Facebook page (videos, pics, etc) Subscribe in iOS/Apple Subscribe in Anroid/Google Support t...
Apr 09, 2019•19 min•Ep. 142
