Muscular Involvement Continuum Precision of skills GROSSFINE Gross skills are those which involve large muscle movements Gross movements can be associated with power, strength or endurance E.g. hammer throwing Fine skills involve intricate movements using small muscle groups Fine skills are often associated with the control, accuracy, speed or direction of a skill E.g. wrist/finger action of a spin bowler in cricket

Environmental Influence Continuum how environmental conditions affect the movement skill OPENCLOSED Closed skills are not affected by the environment They are performed in the same way each time, are habitual, pre- determined and self paced E.g. a handstand in gymnastics Open skills are affected by the environment as the situation may be different each time the skill is performed The skills are perceptual and will need to be interpreted and adapted to in a different way each time Open skills are externally paced and in an environment that is unpredictable E.g. receiving a serve in tennis.

Continuity Continuum how clearly defined the beginning and end of the movement skill are DISCRETE SERIAL CONTINUOUS Discrete skills have a definite beginning and end. In order for the skill to be repeated it must start again E.g. a penalty in soccer or hockey Serial skills are where a number of discrete skills are put together to form a whole action These skills usually have a set order in which they are performed E.g. triple jump Continuous skills do not have a clear start and finish. The end of one cycle is the beginning of the next The movement skill usually has to be repeated several times to be meaningful E.g. swimming and running

Pacing Continuum the level of control that the performer has over the timing of the movement SELF-PACED EXTERNALLY PACED Internally pace/self paced skills are controlled by the performer, who decides when to begin and what the speed and rate of the action will be Self paced skills are normally closed skills. E.g. a discus throw The environment controls the pace in externally paced skills and not the performer. The performer commences the skill in response to this outside influence. Externally paced skills are open skills E.g. receiving a pass in netball, changing direction in sailing

Difficulty Continuum how much though or cognitive involvement there is in a skill SIMPLE COMPLEX Simple skills have little information to process, few decisions to make and a small number of sub-routines E.g. swimming, sprinting Complex skills need the performer to concentrate because of the high degree of cognitive involvement. Complex skills have a high perceptual load leading to many decisions which have to be made. The skill will have many sub routines. E.g. a somersault in trampolining, a tennis serve

Organisation Continuum how closely linked the sub routines of the movement skill are LOW ORGANISATION HIGH ORGANISATION Low organisation skills are made up of sub routines that are easily separated and practised by themselves E.g. swimming strokes High organisation skills cannot be easily broken up into smaller parts and would generally be taught as a whole skill E.g. a cartwheel