Practice improves even the simplest movements

Three subjects practiced accurate, fast elbow flexions of 54 degrees to a 3 degrees wide target. Movements of 36 degrees, 54 degrees and 72 degrees were then tested. Comparison over the three distances showed that the normally monotonic relationship between movement distance and movement time is alterable by specific training. Subjects learn to go faster over the practiced distance by refining their neural commands to the muscles. The benefits of practice only partially transfer to other distances. We conclude that many of the relationships seen among movement variables in simple tasks are plastic in nature and affected by prior experience.