Methods of Practice

Shadow Practice

This is a good method for learning the basic movements or subroutines of a skill or technique.  It involves shadowing the movements of the skill or technique without the involvement of any objects.  For example, in badminton you would move to the back court and hit an imaginary shuttle to shadow an overhead clear.  It is most useful for performers at the cognitive stage of learning as it reduces the pressure and decision making aspects of the shot.  Performers at the associative or automatic stage may use this type of practice as a game related warm up but would move quickly onto more demanding and game-like practices, whereas a beginner may use this as a larger part of their session 

Repetition Drill – Unopposed / Self Feed

This involves repeating the action of a skill or technique over and over to learn the skill by muscle memory.  As we perform a skill more and more our muscles become used to the timing and co-ordination required to perform the skill with fluency.  In badminton we could feed the shuttle to ourselves by throwing it up and hitting it over the net using an overhead clear.  As it is unopposed or self feed there are still relatively few decision making aspects so we can practice the skill under relatively little pressure to allow us still to concentrate on grooving the technique and putting the subroutines into the correct order.  This type of practice would be used mainly by performers at the cognitive stage of learning as we are practising in a closed context.

Repetition Drill – Opposed / Partner Feed

This also involves repeating the skill over and over to learn by muscle memory but there is slightly more pressure involved and more decision making aspects to the performance.  In badminton, our partner would now serve so we are now practising in an open context as every shot we play will be different.  We no longer have the decision when to play the shot or from which position on the court because our partner now decides when and where to serve the shuttle.  We have to react and move to play the shuttle a little differently each time.  This type of practice would normally be used by a performer at the associative stage of learning to try to develop better, timing, co-ordination, fluency and economy of effort when playing the shot.

Pressure Drill

This is similar to a repetition drill as you are repeating the skill over and over but there is an added element of pressure.  For example, when performing an overhead clear in badminton my partner will serve a shuttle every 6 seconds whether I am ready or not.  I must play an overhead clear, move to the net, shadow a net shot then return to base ready for the next shot.  This makes the practice more gamelike as there is more movement involved, I am not always moving to the back court and I may not always be in my base position to start my preparation phase for the overhead clear.  This practice would be used by performers at the associative or autonomous stage to refine their technique whilst practising under pressure.

Target Practice

Repetition and pressure drills and be done as a target practice drill by setting a specific area of the court where we want the shuttle to land.  We can set ourselves a percentage target of how many shots we aim to land in this area.  This can act as a good motivator and help keep the performer focused as it gives them a challenging but achievable goal to aim for. 

Sequence Drill – Combination Rally

This practice allows us to practise a number of shots in a more game-like scenario.  It may be we are still focusing on improving one particular shot, but through a combination rally we are trying to develop our ability to perform the shot automatically.  This is because we are less able to focus entirely on the technique of one particular shot as we are also playing different types of shot within the rally.  This practice would be used by a performer at the autonomous stage of learning to refine their technique and practice under a high level of pressure.

Conditioned Game

Practicing a skill or technique in a game or game-like scenario helps motivate and focus the performer as they have a target to aim for, i.e. beating their opponent.  There could be a condition on the game that encourages you to use the shot you are trying to develop, e.g. you score 2 points for a winning shot with that shot.  This allows you to practise the skill under high levels of pressure and perform in an open context as every shot played will be different dependant on height and speed of the shuttles flightpath and our own and opponent’s position on court.  This is more suited for performers at the associative or autonomous stage of learning but can also be used by cognitive learners to build up game experience and avoid boredom of constant drill practices in a session.

Full Court Game

Like a conditioned game this allows the performer to practise in an open, game-like, high pressure setting and creates a similar scenario to that of a competitive match.  Again this is more suited for performers at the associative or autonomous stage of learning but like conditioned games, can also be used by cognitive learners to build up game experience and avoid boredom of constant drill practices in a session.