Abstract

Of the various types of preperformance preparatory behavior that are acquired during motor learning, the effect of a practice motion performed just prior to execution of an actual motion is not yet fully understood. Thus, the present study employed a golf putting task to investigate how a practice motion in the preparation phase would affect the accuracy of motor control in the execution phase and how proficiency would influence this relationship. To examine the impacts on kinematics and final ball position, the velocities of practice strokes made by tour professional and amateur golfers were experimentally manipulated in the following three conditions: the equal condition, which presented a target that was at the same distance during the practice strokes and the actual stroke; the confusing condition, which had two different distances during the practice and actual strokes; and the no condition, which did not include a practice stroke. The results, based on final ball position, indicated that practice strokes in the equal condition were linked with the highest accuracy levels during the actual stroke in both professionals and amateurs. In the confusing condition, regardless of skill level, the velocity of the actual stroke was influenced by a faster or slower stroke during the pre-shot phase. These relationships between the practice and actual strokes imply that the golfers effectively utilized kinesthetic information obtained during the practice strokes as a reference for the actual stroke. Furthermore, the differences in proficiency level indicated that the club head velocity of amateurs in the no condition was significantly faster than in the equal condition. Therefore, the present results imply that the role of a practice stroke may differ between professionals and amateurs.

Highlights

  • Humans can acquire various skills through learning

  • Of the various types of preperformance preparation that focus on the practice motion of a motor task, the present study investigated specificity of training in the relationship between a motor skill during the preparation phase and accuracy of movement during the execution phase

  • Simple-effects testing indicated that the impact velocities of the practice strokes for both the 1.2-m distance, F1,19 = 29.56, P < 0.001, f = 1.24, and the 7.2-m distance, F1,19 = 15.96, P = 0.001, f = 0.92, were lower than those of the actual strokes and that the impact velocities of both the practice strokes, F1,19 = 333.41, P < 0.001, f = 4.19, and the actual strokes, F1,19 = 1417.67, P < 0.001, f = 8.64, differed significantly between the 1.2- and 7.2-m distances

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Summary

Introduction

If an individual repeatedly practices a motor task, their behavior becomes more accurate (e.g., Crossman, 1959; Proteau et al, 1992) and patterned through the learning process, and acquires consistency (e.g., Magill, 1989; Dhawale et al, 2017). Assessments of human motor skills when attempting to achieve a target, such as exploring the environment, have demonstrated that behaviors performed just before a trial and practice motions for a trial are just as important as the execution of the movement. Of the various types of preperformance preparation that focus on the practice motion of a motor task, the present study investigated specificity of training in the relationship between a motor skill (golf putting) during the preparation phase (practice strokes) and accuracy of movement during the execution phase (actual stroke). The present findings will further the current understanding of human motor control as well as that of preperformance routines, which are often discussed in sports psychology

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