Lesson video

Hello there and welcome to this lesson on massed, distributed, fixed, and variable practice from the sports psychology skill and ability unit.

My name is Mr. Broome, and, as I said, welcome to the lesson.

This one's particularly good for those of you who are interested or maybe already involved in coaching sports.

By the end of today's lesson you should be able to identify how different practice structures can be used effectively in different situations.

And here are our keywords for today's session.

There are five keywords in the lesson: practice, massed practice, distributed practice, fixed practice, and variable practice.

These are all words you might already recognize from the lesson title, and next to them are their definitions.

As you can see, the lesson itself is divided into two parts, and our first section is called "Using massed and distributed practice effectively.

" Now, I hope this isn't a surprise to you, but to improve how well we perform skills we must practice.

There are surely no skills that you can perform that you've managed to improve without practicing them.

Now, a coach who wants to improve somebody's skills should plan the practice session according to the needs of the learner and the requirements of the skill.

And this is something you're going to be able to talk about in a lot more detail at the end of today's lesson.

Now, there are different structures a coach might use to ensure the practice session is as effective as it can be.

Let's take this example.

I want you to imagine that this is a 30-minute practice session focused on improving backhand technique.

We can see the coach using some manual guidance there to help the learner improve their backhand.

Here is a timeline of the session.

We have along the bottom of our timeline naught to 30 minutes 'cause it's a 30-minute practice session.

Remember?

And here is the practice taking place during those 30 minutes.

As you can see, we have a big block of practice there and something you should notice is there were no breaks.

It was 30 minutes spent entirely practicing without any break.

Here we have another picture, but it's the same skill.

We're learning backhand technique.

And let's compare the previous timeline to a different session.

There we have again naught to 30 minutes along the bottom.

It's the same duration for the practice session, but hopefully, what you'll notice here is that the practice is divided into three blocks, and in between each block there is a break.

Very different practice session structure than on the previous slide.

So the 30 minutes of practice in this session have been interspersed with rest intervals or breaks.

Here are our two timelines again.

The top timeline, if we remember, didn't have any breaks.

It was 30 minutes of practice without stopping.

And practice without any rest or any breaks is called massed practice.

The second of our timelines, if we remember, showed two breaks and practice with rest periods is called distributed practice.

Lots of our keywords coming through in that slide there.

Here's a quick check for understanding based on what we've learned so far.

So which of these shows a massed practice session?

Is it A, B or C?

Yes, well done, if you said A.

What we have there is a 30-minute practice session.

There are no breaks at all.

And, hopefully, you remember that massed practice means no breaks, whereas timeline B shows quite a considerable break in the middle of two blocks of practice, and timeline C, we have those two small breaks in between three blocks of practice.

But the fact that there is a break in B and C means it couldn't be massed practice, it must be distributed practice.

Alex has a question.

He's wondering why a coach might use a massed practice structure.

Now, this is something you might like to pause the video here and have a think how you would reply to Alex's question.

However, here are some reasons why massed practice structure might be used by a coach.

They might use it because no breaks means more time to practice.

You might think that the time you have is so valuable that using it to have a break or a rest period would be a waste of time.

Massed practice is great when you want to practice a closed skill repetitively.

So here we have a golfer on the driving range practicing their golf swing.

Now, when golfers go to the driving range, generally they will hit ball after ball after ball over and over without needing any breaks.

It's also good when you want to practice a basic skill which doesn't require much concentration.

Why is that?

Well, when skills require lots of concentration they can get quite tiring and you might need a break to recover.

But with basic skills that don't require much concentration, perhaps you can manage to practice for the whole amount of time available.

And it's also great if the learner or the group of learners can cope and they don't get tired or lose motivation despite the fact that there aren't any breaks.

Now, Jacob has a similar question to Alex, but he's asking why a coach might use distributed practice structure.

Again, perhaps you want to pause the video here and think how you would reply to Jacob.

And, as a quick hint, the previous slide will really help you, even though that was about massed practice, to perhaps consider why distributed practice might be suitable.

So here are some of the reasons why distributed practice is often used.

Well, the break allows for feedback from the coach or perhaps an opportunity for the learner to perform some mental rehearsal.

Distributed practice is good for practicing complex skills which can get tiring.

So it might be that you need the break in between turns of trying to practice the complex skill.

Distributed practice, as we know, gives us breaks, and breaks allow for recovery time.

So it might be that the athletes or the learners need some time to rest, and recover, and get a drink of water or some quick snack.

Distributed practice structure is also really good for beginners because beginners might get bored quite quickly.

If we think back to that backhand tennis practice that we talked about earlier, which was 30 minutes long as a massed practice structure, 30 minutes for a beginner is probably going to be a little bit too long before they get bored and perhaps even a little bit too long before they get too tired to practice effectively.

Here's a check for your understanding then.

Which of these is not, and note it does say "not," a factor that would persuade a coach to use distributed practice.

Is it A, that the learner is unfit and will benefit from breaks?

Is it B, the coach needs opportunities to give feedback?

Is it C, that the coach wants to fit in as much practice time as possible?

Or is it D, that the skill very complex, and will be mentally tiring?

Okay, so remember we were looking for something which is not a factor that would persuade a coach to use distributed practice.

And well done, if you recognized that C, the coach wants to fit in as much practice time as possible is not a reason to use distributed practice.

This coach in our example here wants to fit in as much practice time as possible, and so break times, which you get in distributed practice, are not going to help his goal.

They are actually going to take away some of that time instead.

Second check for understanding.

Is this statement true or false?

Distributed practice would suit a gymnast who is learning how to tumble.

Well done, if you said that that is true.

A gymnast would benefit from having a distributed practice structure when they're learning how to tumble.

And why is that?

Well, tumbling is a complex skill, and it's intense and tiring.

The gymnasts will benefit from breaks to recover and possibly receive feedback from one of their coaches or to be able to mentally rehearse before their next practice attempt.

Tumbling, as we said, is intense and tiring.

So using a massed practice structure, and just tumbling, and then getting up again, and tumbling again immediately afterwards without any breaks would be exhausting for that gymnast.

And they will really benefit from the opportunity to have some breaks.

Here is a practice task on using massed and distributed practice effectively.

Here we have a scene from a cricket game.

And we're focused on the batter.

So the batter in this image is an experience batter, but has only recently decided to learn to bowl for the team as well.

First question then.

How do you think this will impact how the coach structures their training sessions based on the fact that they are experienced in one skill, but a beginner in a different skill?

I would like you to make one suggestion for how the coach would structure the batter's batting practice and one for how they would structure the bowling practice considering what you've learned already about massed and distributed practice, and make sure that you justify your answer.

So pause the video here, write down your answers, and I'll see you in a moment with some suggested answers.

Okay, so how would the coach structure this batter's batting practice?

Well, ideally, they would use a massed practice structure.

And why is that?

So the batter is experienced, we know that, and so they'd probably just prefer to have plenty of time to practice, not to keep having to stop and start.

The batter will be able to give themselves feedback.

That's the benefit of their experience.

They can tell themselves whether the shots that they're playing are good ones or whether they're using the correct technique because they've been experienced in batting for so long.

And, because of their experience, they should also be fit enough to bat for a long time without any need for a break.

Finally, batting is a mostly closed skill, for those of you who understand open and closed skills, and it suits repetitive practice.

How will it differ when it comes to bowling because we know that this person is an experienced batter, but a beginner when it comes to bowling?

And so the coach would ideally use distributed practice here.

So we've got here, haven't we, an example of one skill being coached in one way or practiced in one way and a different skill being practiced in a different way?

Why would that be?

Well, because they're at the beginner stage distributed practice will allow the coach to share lots of feedback.

They might have a few attempts at bowling and then have a short break while the coach tells 'em how well they've been performing.

Now, bowling repeatedly can be very tiring, even for experienced players, and breaks will be needed to recover.

And bowling is also a complex skill that can be mentally as well as physically demanding.

Breaks will help to keep motivation levels up and, of course, they'll give him an opportunity to recover from that physically demanding skill as well.

Well done, if your answer recognized that this cricket player will benefit from different practice structures with different types of skill because of their experience in both.

That brings us onto the second part of today's lesson, and this one is titled, "Using fixed and variable practice effectively.

" So massed and distributed are not the only practice structures a coach can choose between, and we might choose the practice structure according to whether a skill is open or closed.

Now Andeep's got a question for you.

"Can you recall the difference between open and closed skills?

" And if this is something you are not familiar with, you would probably benefit from going to watch a lesson on classification of skills on continua before continuing with this part of our lesson on fixed and variable practice.

Perhaps pause the video here, if you are familiar with them, and maybe jot down some of the differences between open and closed skills.

Okay, so with open skills and closed skills, we are concerned with environmental factors.

Now, environmental factors might include other people or the weather.

And generally, if a skill is open, it means that they're performed differently every time, and they're heavily influenced by those environmental factors, whereas closed skills are not influenced by environmental factors, and indeed they're performed in the same way every time.

Let's just have a recap, then, with this check for understanding.

Which of the following skills are classified at the open end of the environmental continua?

Which of these skills are open skills?

Well done, if you recognize that a layup in basketball and passing in water polo are indeed open skills.

Why is that?

Well, a layup in basketball is affected by all sorts of people, in particular the opposition who are trying to stop you from scoring.

And in passing in water polo, it's very similar in that the opposition will probably be trying to take the ball from you or intercept your pass, and your teammates will determine how far you have to throw the ball or where you have to throw the ball based on where they're positioned in the pool.

And so environmental factors having a heavy influence on those two skills, whereas javelin and tennis serves are closed skills because they are generally performed in exactly the same way every time.

Sam has a question for you, and their question is, "How might practice be different for open skills compared to closed skills?

" Again, with these questions you might want to pause the video and think how you would answer Sam's question before I reveal some more information.

So the nature of closed skills, the fact that they are performed in the same way every time, means that they only need to be practiced in one way, and that way is to repeatedly practice it in the same environment.

No variation is required, and this is called fixed practice.

Here's an example of fixed practice.

We have a closed skill of archery, and an archer will practice with the same target, the same distance, and the same equipment over and over again.

There is no need for them to vary what they're doing because the skill is the same every time.

Is this or false?

Practicing a routine from a diving board should use a fixed structure of practice.

The answer was true.

So well done, if you recognize that a diving board routine should use a fixed practice of structure, but why is that?

Well, diving routines are closed skills.

This is really important.

Closed skills and fixed practice go hand in hand.

The skill of diving doesn't vary.

They are the same every time.

This means there is no need to vary how it is practiced, and using a fixed structure to repeat it over and over is best.

There's no need to go to a higher diving board to practice it or to jump into something other than the swimming pool.

It's the same every time, and it should just be practiced as such Fixed practice.

Let's go back to Sam, and they asked the question, "How might practice be different for open skills compared to closed skills?

" So how about open skills?

Well, they're performed in a variety of different ways, aren't they?

If you pass in football, it might be a long pass, a short pass, it might be in windy conditions.

All sorts of different environmental factors influence the way you pass the ball in football, and the practice of open skills should reflect this.

The skill should be practiced in different situations and different positions, just like when they're performed in competition.

And this is called variable practice.

Here's an example of variable practice.

So if you are learning to dribble in football, well then the practice should include varied speeds, varied space, varied opposition, varied situations, varied positions on the pitch, and varied tasks.

Every time you dribble in football in the game itself, it will be very different from the last time you dribbled, and so your training or your practice should reflect that.

And you can see that lots of things can be varied to ensure that's achieved.

Okay, so a quick check for your understanding so far.

Which of these three skills would suit variable practice?

Is it A, kayaking?

Is it B, playing a shot during a badminton rally?

And I just want to be clear that that's not the serve.

It's a badminton rally.

Or C, a rugby tackle?

Well done, if you recognize that actually two of those skills would be suitable for variable practice.

First of all, the badminton rally because if you've ever played badminton or watched racket sports, you'll know that during a rally you might take your next shot at a completely different part of the court than the previous one.

You might take it from the back, and then need to move to the front to take your next shot.

You might play on the forehand side, the backhand side.

You might play overhead.

And so certainly when we're practicing our badminton shots, variable practice will be required.

The same goes for rugby tackling.

Rugby tackling happens in lots of different ways.

Here we can see that two of the players in the blue jerseys are tackling the player at the same time.

Occasionally, that might happen in a game, but at other times there might be just one person available to tackle.

You're tackling people of different sizes and different shapes at different speeds and different parts of the pitch.

And so again, variable practice will be needed for practicing rugby tackling.

Well done, if you spotted those.

And, of course, A, the kayaking, much more closed skill, much more suitable to fixed practice.

Okay, here's a practice task on using fixed and variable practice.

And I'd like you to complete this table.

So I've made a list there for you of skills, and I'd like you to tell me whether the skill is open or closed and, secondly, whether fixed or variable practice would be best for teaching that skill.

Pause the video here, and complete the table, and I'll be back with you in a second with some answers.

Right, here's our table again, and here are the answers.

So is a badminton serve open or closed?

Well, it's a closed skill and would benefit from fixed practice because badminton serves take place in the same part of the court and in the same way.

There are different types of serve, and so you may have thought variable, but, generally, you would use a fixed type of practice for the badminton serve, whereas the badminton smash, this is a shot that can be played in all parts of the court.

It might be that the shuttle comes at you at a certain height that's different from the previous time you had to smash it.

And so variable practice will be required here.

Dance routines are closed in nature, and, therefore, fixed practice will suit a dance routine.

They will practice the same thing over and over.

A table tennis top spin drive.

That's an open skill.

It all depends on the the return from your opponent as to how you play that top spin drive.

And so it's an open skill, and, therefore, requires variable practice.

Volleyball setting is similar in that it could happen in lots of different ways with the ball coming at you at different speeds, and at different heights, and at different parts of the court.

And so variable practice will be needed.

Handstands in gymnastics, that's a closed skill.

There's one way to perform it.

And, therefore, you can use fixed practice.

Finally, netball shooting.

Netball shooting happens in lots of different parts of the circle in netball.

Could be up against all sorts of different types of opposition, and so variable practice will be needed to practice that skill.

Well done, if you recognized the relationship there between closed skills and fixed practice and open skills with variable practice.

That brings us onto our summary for today's lesson.

Let's remember that skills must be practiced, if they are to be acquired, and maintained, and improved, that a coach may choose to use massed or distributed practice structures, depending on numerous factors, including the experience and the motivation of the athletes, that massed practice does not include breaks, whereas distributed practice does, and that coaches may also use fixed practice in which the skill is practiced in a stable and unchanging environment, or variable practice, in which the skill is practiced in a variety of settings and conditions.

Well done.

Hope you enjoyed that lesson.

Hope you learned a lot about how practice might be structured.

And if you are involved in coaching, this is something that you maybe consider next time and really pay attention to who you are teaching, what their experience level is, how motivated they are, and what the skill would suit.

Good luck, if that applies to you.