Benefits of a Guided Motor-Mental Preperformance Routine on Learning the Basketball Free Throw

Abstract

While past research has shown the benefits of preperformance routines (PPRs) on athletes’ performances, only a few studies have addressed PPR effects on novices’ learning or performance. This study investigated the effect of motor-mental PPR on learning the basketball free throw. We categorized 45 undergraduate male students into three 15-session training groups receiving (a) a five-step PPR based on Singer’s model, (b) a self-regulation PPR, and (c) no PPR, but only a basketball free throw performance (control group). One week later, we conducted retention and transfer testing. A repeated measures analysis of variance and two-way mixed design analysis of variance showed that, in the acquisition and test phases, the five-step PPR group performed better than the other two groups ( p < .001), and there was no significant difference between the self-regulation PPR and control groups. The results also showed that, in accordance with the specificity of practice hypothesis, participants’ performance decreased significantly on transfer testing when PPR was removed from the experimental groups. A well-guided motor-mental PPR was superior to a self-regulated PPR for novices learning this basketball skill, probably because it increased the participants’ concentration during acquisition and helped them learn it as part of a motor pattern.

Response to Moradi, J. (2020). Benefits of a Guided Motor Mental Preperformance Routine on Learning the Basketball Free Throw. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 127, 248–262.

“…This more deliberate cognitive intervention can be readily observed in the multiple steps of the 5-SA. For example, Moradi's (2020) participants were “visualizing a successful throw until the ball enters the rim.” Such visualization is appropriate when modifying the 5-SA for a pre-performance routine, but the use of imagery within the context of a learning strategy may place more emphasis on imaging only one part of the action, rather than the entire throw for some shots, or imaging the movement without an initial concern for the outcome.…”

“…Similarly, during the focusing attention step, Moradi's (2020) instructions to participants to focus on a point on the rim of the basketball hoop is appropriate for a pre-performance routine. However, within the more exploratory context of early learning, the learner's focus of attention might be better oriented towards cues for part of the movement pattern (e.g., push from the ground; Mullen & Hardy, 2010), or towards more proximal external cues such as the basketball's initial flight path (Wulf et al., 2000, Experiment 2).…”

“…The most obvious difference between performance routines and learning strategies appears in the evaluation step. Moradi (2020) instructed participants to evaluate the outcome of their throw; in contrast, the application of the 5-SA engages the learner in a more intensive evaluation of the outcome and the movement mechanics that led to that outcome, and of the steps in the routine (i.e., “was I ready?”, “how clear an image had I formed?”; Singer, 1988). These examples are meant to clarify how the separate functions of performance routines (to achieve the skill outcome) and learning strategies (accelerated skill acquisition) differentially shape their common motor learning tools (i.e., imagery, focusing attention, evaluation).…”

“…A recent article published in the February 2020 issue of Perceptual and Motor Skills, entitled “Benefits of a Guided Motor Mental Preperformance Routine on Learning the Basketball Free Throw” (Moradi, 2020), demonstrated that introducing pre-performance routines can enhance novices' performance and learning of motor skills. Particular strengths of the study include the 15-week duration of the intervention, allowing for substantial learning to manifest, and the examination of the relative efficacy of multiple pre-performance routines.…”

“…In this response, we wish to discuss three issues that may assist future researchers aiming to build upon Moradi’s (2020) study: (a) When choosing tools to employ during practice, coaches, instructors, and sport psychology consultants should be aware of subtle but important distinctions between pre-performance routines and learning strategies; (b) While the 5-SA has received the most attention in motor learning research, other strategies, such as Zimmerman's three step Self-Regulation Strategy (e.g., Cleary et al., 2006), are worthy of further consideration; and (c) When testing the application of learning strategies to real world settings, it may be more appropriate to control practice time than the volume of trials.…”