Motor Skills Through Motor Learning

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Part of having physical motor skills is also training an individual’s mind. The mind sets itself on a particular skill and therefore effects how a person might move or react. Mental practice is defined as the act of reconstructing a motor pattern in one’s mind and involves a person imagining that they are successfully engaging in the target motor behavior (Shariff).” It is the foundation of learning and is the difference between a successful student athlete. It allows one to be able to learn and apply as well as teach others to do the same.

“The implications, for example, for the teaching of are obvious: to enhance the learner’s ability to appropriately select the parameters for ad evaluate the sensory consequences of (novel) movements, the learner should be provided with variable rather then constant practice experience” (Wulf). When an individual learns their motor skills, they should be teaching it to others so that they may share in their talents. Even if it is just learning math problems our learning how to catch a ball, it would still benefit them later if they want to be intelligent and/or athletic.

Results

In one of the ending paragraphs of Stöckel’s article, they stated:

“…Thus, the present findings should be of great interest for teaching skills in a number of sports, which require the flexible coordination of movements on the dominant and non-dominant side, without much decrement in performance. In basketball, for example, the offensive player often does not have the time to switch to his/her dominant side when under pressure from an opponent’s defender…” (Stöckel)

This is very true in the sense that motor skills are there so that athletes may be successful and they may be able to have a natural reaction that will be faster than normal reactions. These may be difficult to obtain, but it will be easy for athlete’s once they learn and maintain their motor skills so that they may be able to retain it later in life to teach or use their skills through motor learning.

Discussion

Motor skills are important in everyday lives. People use these skills in certain situations so they may achieve greatness and sometimes achieve perfection. Even when the mind and body is pushed, they will still have the foundation they need in order to go even further. It is the job of more experienced individuals to teach others, even if they aren’t too experienced on a certain subject. Insight is needed and motor skills through motor learning would provide that for the potentially great individuals.

References

Sharif, M. R., Hemayattalab, R., Sayyah, M., Hemayattalab, A., & Bazazan, S. (August 01, 2015). Effects of Physical and Mental Practice on Motor Learning in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 27, 4, 479-487.

Stöckel, T., & Weigelt, M. (January 01, 2012). Brain lateralisation and motor learning: selective effects of dominant and non-dominant hand practice on the early acquisition of throwing skills. Laterality, 17, 1, 18-37.

Wulf, G. (March 01, 1991). The effect of type of practice on motor learning in children. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 5, 2, 123-134.