Forrester PE Dept

Shadow Practice

Shadow practice is a method of learning a skill. It usually occurs at the cognitive stage of learning but can be used at any time. It involves the performer working under no pressure to perform the required skill. 
Examples of using it: 
Shadow practice is commonly used when learning a new skill where the performer has limited or no experience of the movement. A common use of shadowing to improve technique is when performing the Overhead Clear in Badminton (OHC). As mentioned this would be used at the Cognitive Stage of learning when the performer is gathering information on what to do and how to do it. 
During this stage it is vital:

 

• To visualise the skill through demonstrations by a model performance or viewing video footage to build up a mental picture of the skill.

• Break the skill down into a series of subroutines; using practices, which involve only part of the skill or technique, which make the skill, or technique easier to learn.

• Practice sessions will be short in duration to avoid boredom but long enough for meaningful progress.

 

Repetition Drills

Repetition drills, as the name suggests, involves performing a skill repeatedly. The full skill can be repeated over and over again to develop muscle memory making the skill more natural and automatic. Repetition drills can also be used to focus on and practice certain parts (subroutines) of a skill that require development. Focussing on the skill or part of the skill through repetition drills also eliminates the distraction of the game and other skills, and helps to ‘groove’ the correct technique. Varying the practice conditions and including appropriate rest periods are required when completing repetition drills to avoid boredom and fatigue.The following is an example of a repetition drills that can be used to develop performance:

• High serve – OHC return x20 (Someone is practicing the High serve, someone else the OHC

 

 

Pressure Training.

Pressure drills are an approach used which consists of deliberately creating intensive conditions for skill practice, much more difficult than those required in the actual game. Pressure training allows a performer to experience greater pressure during training to give them the chance to learn how to use and cope with pressure effectively during competitions. You must practise pressure situations in training, so they become normal and easy to handle.

 

Advantages of approach:

• Allows you to make the practice more game-like.

• Allows you to perform under similar pressure that you would experience in a game.

• Pressure training may improve the speed of executing skilled movements, and help performers retain the skills under the duress of competition.

Disadvantages of approach:

• If pressure-training continues after the skill breaks down, learners may have their confidence destroyed and the training may be counter productive.

• Performers under mental or physical stress could get muscle tension that leads to poor technique or movement during the activity.

 

Examples of how pressure can be applied to training:

• More attackers than defenders

• More defenders than attackers

• Time bound activity

• Target to reach e.g 5 points

 

Conditioned Games

When working towards making your progression in an activity, you can participate in conditioned games. Any game that is not the full version can be considered as a conditioned game. In this you can concentrate on specific skills or tactics. You can isolate a particular skill you want to work on, or you can tailor the game to suit your needs, based on any data you have collected.For example in football, changing the team size to 6 v 6, on a section of the pitch, makes the game less demanding physically, and can allow new skills to be developed, or the chance to work on team shape with fewer combinations. In tennis and badminton sports the use of a shorter/longer racquet or a slower ball/shuttle can make the techniques of the game easier to learn. Getting more success by adapting the equipment can motivate players to further improve.In most activities simply reducing team size, duration of the game and court pitch size may be enough for learning to take place. Some activities may allow you to change the rules or scoring to encourage more action, more attempts or greater effort. For example in basketball , different points can be awarded for a lay up to encourage this in a game, or in volleyball, allowing 3/4/5 touches in the early part of learning can encourage players to try to build an attack rather than returning ball first time

 

Combination Drills

• Drills can work well when both repetition and different degrees of pressure are involved.

• Badminton players often practice a simple drill which will make them play certain shots or move into certain positions. E.g. High Serve, Overhead Clear, Drop Shot, Net Shot, Underarm Lift.

- This method is used during the associative/practice stage of learning leading towards the automatic stage. 
- During practice it can be productive to set-up training drills that repeat particular techniques with the intention of grooving the technique. 
Drills can be increased in difficulty by making them continuous. These practices are useful for developing the skill in more game like situations and allow the development of court movement to play the shots. They also allow variety to be brought into the practice to avoid boredom and increase the quality and relevance of the practice.

Opposed / Unopposed Practice

Involves altering the level of opposition. 
A football dribbling practice may begin with no defender, then introduce a passive defender (with limited movement) and then finally an active defender (with full movement).
These practises are ideal for building pressure on a player as they move through the stages of learning for a particular skill or technique. Players can be moved on to a greater level of opposition when an appropriate level of success and confidence is reached. 
Unopposed practices are useful tools to use at earlier stages of learning where a skill can be learned without the pressure of opposition. To continue development of performers’ overall performance there must be some practise of skills in game related situations with some level of opposition.

Isolation Drills
Isolation drills are drills or practices that can be used to improve a skills or techniques without opposition or partners. These are especially effective for improving more closed skills. Examples of isolation drills could be goal kicking in rugby, boxing using a punchbag, practicing a serve in badminton. In each of these practices there is no requirement for a training partner or opponent