5.1.3

Outline the different approaches to classifying motor skills.

            Size of the Musculature Involved:

(i)    Gross Motor Skills are movements that involve large muscle groups such as arms and legs.

Ex: walking, jumping, running, and kicking

(ii)  Fine Motor Skills involve much smaller muscle groups and often require high levels of hand eye coordination.

Ex: playing the piano, playing darts, and catching a ball

The Stability of the Environment:

(i)    Open skills are those that a significantly affected by the environmental conditions. The environment is largely variable and unpredictable and the performer has to adapt their movements accordingly.

Ex: jumping for a rebound in basketball

(ii)  Closed skills are skills that are performed in a more stable and predictable environment and can be internally paced by the performer. Closed skills follow set movement patterns and are performed in the same way each time.

Ex: Archery

Distinctiveness of the Movement:

(i)    Discrete skills have a clear start and finish. Brief and well defined (obvious when it starts and stops)

Ex: forward roll gymnastics, golf swing, and penalty stroke (hockey).

(ii)  Serial skills involve linking together skills to form a longer, more together complex movement.

Ex: series of flips and summersaults, triple jump (hop, skip, jump)

(iii) Continuous skills are where the end of one cycle of movement is the beginning of the next. They are repetitive and rhythmical and take place over a long period of time. A distance, a target or a set time usually governs the time that the skill is performed for.

Ex: swimming, running, and cycling

            External-Internal Paced Skills:

(iv) Externally Paced Skills: The environment, which may include opponents, controls the rate of performing the skill. The performer must pay attention to external events in order to control his/her rate of movement. These skills involve reaction, and are usually open skills.

Ex: in ball games the performer must time his actions with the actions of other players and the ball.

(v)  Internally Paced Skills: The performer controls the rate at which the skill is executed. These skills are usually closed skills.

Ex: javelin throw, discus.

            The Interaction Continuum:

(vi) Individual Skills are those skills that are performed in isolation from others. Only one performer is involved at a particular time.

Ex: archery and the high jump

(vii)                  Coactive Skills are those skills that are performed with someone else, but with no direct confrontation.

Ex: Swimming and track events

(viii)Interactive Skills are where other performers are directly involved and can involve confrontation. This is because there is an active opposition and this directly influences the skill.

Ex: rugby, water polo, and soccer