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Changes in limb striking pattern: effects of speed and accuracy.
1Department of Physical Education, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth 76129.
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Practice improves arm striking patterns by developing more efficient limb movements. Speed requirements enhance this adaptation, while accuracy demands hinder motor learning in striking tasks.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Motor Learning
- Human Movement Analysis
Background:
- The development of efficient motor patterns is crucial for athletic performance.
- Understanding how practice and task constraints influence motor pattern adaptation is key to optimizing training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in arm striking patterns resulting from practice.
- To examine the effects of speed and accuracy requirements on the development of efficient striking patterns.
Main Methods:
- Ten right-handed subjects performed a striking task under speed, accuracy, and combined conditions over five days.
- High-speed cameras recorded striking patterns, and kinematic analysis assessed joint angles and limb segment velocities.
- Analysis of variance and graphic analysis of segmental angular momentum were employed.
Main Results:
- Subjects initially used a unitary limb action, which evolved into a more efficient pattern with practice.
- Speed requirements facilitated the development of efficient striking patterns, while accuracy requirements impeded this adaptation.
- No significant differences in accuracy were observed across conditions or practice days.
Conclusions:
- Practice leads to more efficient arm striking patterns, characterized by improved limb coordination and increased hand velocity at contact.
- Speed is a critical factor in promoting motor pattern adaptation, whereas a focus on accuracy can limit learning.
- Kinematic analysis reveals that optimizing segmental angular momentum transfer is fundamental to enhancing striking performance.