INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MECHANICS Synergistic issues of motor learning sequences as an outcome of its internal refactoring Nicolae Neagu, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Motricity Sciences Department, Tîrgu Mureș, Gh.Marinescu st.38, Romania (Phone: +40.732.500.183; Fax:+40.211.944; e-mail: [email protected]) Dana Badau, “George Baritiu” University, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Brașov, Romania, Lunii St. 6, Brasov, (e-mail: [email protected]) Cristina Branea, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Physiology Department, Tîrgu Mureș, Romania Gh.Marinescu st.38, (e-mail: [email protected]) Abstract - The current study is mostly addressed to athletics coaches who deal with the selection and training of athletes II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND for hurdle events. The research aims to develop few certain aspects of beginner and advanced athletes, training for A. Purpose of the study professional athletics, within the orientation stage to short hurdle races. Our brief presentation intends to develop several HE development of this study conducts to an emphasized particular aspects, less approached in the literature of motor Tof the reconfiguration effects and also, restructuring of the learning and on selection field for children and juniors. In original operational model of motor learning on the motor learning process, approached as a synergetic and characteristics of the constituent inferential sequences. inferential procedure, certain internal reconfigurations of Refactoring may eventually lead, even to a redesign of the learning units can be defined as effective refactoring steps, entire learning process, if the post-sequential results (the aimed on forming high level and very stable motor skills. sequential outputs) are not the expected ones. During the Some of them may describe aspects of a narrow field of motor learning process, each learning sequence (learning unit investigation, consisting in supportive arguments based on – LU) will be completed through a demo of the stage-level of good practice experiences. the motor structure learnt at the time, accompanied by a so- called application-level test (test level) or sub-sequential test, Keywords – Body centre mass, Clustering of algorithms, to check the characteristics of fairness (the incremental- Inferential learning process, Mnemonics, Procedural driven), or, where appropriate, correction of errors of refactoring, Refactoring principles, Synergistic process. execution (type decremented) as learning outcomes in that sequence, reported to the original pattern. Along with this process, another mini-project is following- I. INTRODUCTION up, with ameliorative effect on the topokinetic component N the input stage of such a learning unit (LU) as a part of (refers to the development of motor skills involved - I learning acting microsystem (LAM), an initial model is particularly the speed and explosive strength), leading to an configured by a designer, as a pattern that is to be achieved by amplification effect on the level of motor aptitudes, a the algorithmic organization of the motor learning process, compulsory incremental condition, in order to achieve the under the independent variable intervention (i.e. an inferential final motor pattern, both in terms of morphokinetic (acting method of motor learning and assessing the individual system - learning-consolidation-training [LCT], individual technique of sprint hurdling). In most cases of motor learning running technique over hurdles) and topokinetic (higher and assessing a new motor skill, the athletes do not have in parameters of individual running speed, speed-reaction and their own motor portfolio the appropriate structure that is to be execution), such as those of the explosive strength, mostly the tested. impulse force of the lower limbs etc. Therefore, we cannot apply a pre-test based on this trial. Hence we could develop later on, a series of other assessment B. Relationship between human motor genotype and tests which could be applied, that are correlative to the skill phenotype on refactoring procedure of motor that is to be learnt. In fact, the form of the movement learning process performed at maximal morphokinetic parameters should lead to the execution of other parameters, these being also N fact, this is one of the main features of motor learning in maximal, but topokinetic. I high performance sport. Motor learning process cannot As we refer to high performance sport, we cannot dissociate replace motor-aptitudes development, which must accompany the two characteristics of the motor operation to be taught and by complementarity the motor skills acquisition. Thus, we assessed. Obviously this association is mandatory and stress the idea of the phenomenon to be deliberately induced, compulsory in the cases of sports in which the assessment of at the mutual potentiation between the two interventions upon movement is mixed (morpho-topokinetic type), as in the case the motor aptitudes and skills [12]. (Fig.1). of sprint hurdling [11]. Issue 3, Volume 5, 2011 157 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MECHANICS Area II and topokinetical view. This could be a new paradigm of Area I Area III Inferential process analysis, in the context of our applied research. (Fig. 4). It could be: It could be: (between Area I and Area III) Individual topogramme Individual morphogramme (dynamic aspects) (technical aspects) Learning Acting Microsystem (LAM) Individual motor aptitudes Individual motor skills (speed, power, coordination etc.) (individual coefficient of technicality - IC ) Tch Algorithm No.2 Inferential learning process (Between Learning Units Fig. 1. Several aspects of mutual potentiation in motor learning process No.1 and No.3) Algorithm Algorithm No.2 Algorithm Algorithm No.1 Algorithm No.3 Algorithm Algorithm No.2 Algorithm No.3 Algorithm No.4 Algorithm No.1 Algorithm No.4 Algorithm No.1 Particularly important will be the following rule: the acquisition of a particular motor skill should be mandatory, as Learning Unit No. 1 Learning Unit No. 2 Learning Unit No. 3 well as the proper development of motor aptitude-support. Developing positive effects of the means and methods used in motor learning, without action upon the motor aptitudes Fig. 4 A notional pattern of structural and chronological organization of the involved are not sufficient to produce general and specific algorithms before refactoring intervention in motor learning process [12] quality performance bounds. More specifically, a perfect individual running technique Otherwise, the inference sought by us, could be over hurdles, extremely refine as execution will not transformed into a repetitive linear process on its longitudinal automatically lead to a final course of the hurdles race at the conduct, described sometimes by the presence of interference identical level with that of speed race on the same distance [5]. phenomena (with disrupter effects) between the The final course of hurdles race (CHR) will be achieved by operationalized sequences of the motor learning units, and the cumulative course performed by that athlete on the speed beyond. Instead of inference learning process, it will be race (CSR) with no hurdles. On this result is to be added the developed an interfering modular process in stagnation or lost course over passing each hurdle, multiplied by the number even decremented, with many unnecessary consumption of of hurdles (defined as individual coefficient of technicality - resources [1]. This loss will induce effects which will disturb ICTh) [12]. The sum of the two timing components will result the psychomotor behavior with pedagogical and time- the individual performance, which will be measured. consuming failures alike [11]. Otherwise, without the high individual speed rate, without a Negative learning becomes a significant risk when this proper individual rate of speed reaction, without a high level process forwards towards motor morphogrames and of individual acceleration and in the absence of a higher index topogrames with increasingly detailed and at a complex level, of explosive leg strength, the result will be a modest one [4]. more refined and difficult to be executed in the target of See below two potential situations, in this presented context qualitative and quantitative parameters that were initially (Fig. 2 and 3). configured for the final pattern to be. As they reach the terminal stages of learning, with repeated and continuously ()CHR-C SR improved (iterative) executions, such as: execution → error Speed running over the hurdles (60 m.hurdles race) → correction → partial error → correction → correct execution → practicing proper execution - these H1 H2 H3 H4 G5H H6 degenerates, in unnecessary and time consuming repetitions, demotivating alike. From some estimates, we can appreciate Speed running race ( 60 m.on the flat) that their duration could reach a weight of approx. 50% of the planned duration of a learning unit. Fig. 2 Low level of individual coefficient of technicality (ICTh) [12] In the elaboration process of learning algorithms, as each ()CHR-C SR one reaches its final stage, sequential tests should be introduced, as inferential elements in designing a systemic- Speed running over the hurdles (60 m.hurdles race) serial motor unit, with double assessment features: •feed-back regulator of the sequence already performed and •feed-forward proactive and anticipatory-corrective, Speed running race ( 60 m.on the flat) for the next sequence, and thus, predictive assessment on Fig. 3 High level of individual coefficient