Generalized motor program

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A generalized motor program (GMP) is an abstract, mental code, the execution of which results in a movement. The GMP controls a class of movements. A GMP is characterized by constant characteristics that span movement and movement-specific variable characteristics. The theory can be assigned to the information theory approach .

The term comes from the schematic theory developed by Richard A. Schmidt in the 1970s on the storage of abstract draft designs . It assumes that not every single movement is saved as a pattern, but only a single pattern for a whole class of movement of the same character. This has the advantage that less information has to be stored. If necessary, this pattern is called up and adapted depending on the situation.

The validity of this model is disputed.

example

To illustrate this, imagine a basketball player practicing basketball throws from different distances during training: An abstract pattern from a jump shot is stored in his central nervous system. He can call up this pattern and then adjust it to his position on the field and thus the distance to the basket. He does not have to save a specific throwing movement for every conceivable position.

features

Cross-movement constant features

  • The order of the muscle impulses. These can, but need not, be muscle-specific.
  • The relative switch-on time and the switch-on duration of the muscles involved in relation to one another (phasing)
  • The relative force of the muscles involved in relation to one another (relative force)

Movement-specific variable characteristics

  • Total force that is used
  • Muscle selection
  • Total duration of a movement

When moving in the field of sports, both parameters are almost always changed at the same time. If the basketball player is further away from the basket, he has to increase the absolute force and shorten the total movement time in order to transmit a correspondingly higher impulse to the ball.

Schmidt sees another parameter in the choice of the muscle group to be used. However, this parameter allows only a few adjustment options. The basketball player can perform the throwing movement with his left or right arm, but not with one of his legs.

One can record the constant characteristics of a movement with the help of an EMG , e.g. For example, a person can perform a certain movement sequence (e.g. jump shot) several times and let him change the parameters in a targeted manner. In this way, a characteristic profile can be determined for each movement. If one compares this pulse-time fingerprint with others, it can be determined whether two movement sequences are to be assigned to the same class or not.

Sports training principles

If you let Schmidt's model flow into athletic training, three principles should be observed:

  • Reduce movement sequences to individual GMPs, but do not fragment GMPs.
  • Movement parameters vary, but remain within the limits of GMP.
  • Switch movement classes.

The following consequences arise for the training of the aforementioned basketball player:

  • Train jump throws in isolation, without additional actions such as dribbling, passing or an opposing player.
  • Practice jumping throws from different distances to improve the scalability of the GMP.
  • In addition to jumping throws, you can also practice hook throws and lay-ups in order to train the selection of the best movement class according to the situation.

criticism

The validity of this concept is disputed. Based on the theory, z. For example, it can be expected that a change in the temporal structure is more difficult to implement than a change in the duration of a movement in which only the movement phases are stretched or compressed. The change in the time structure would make it necessary to learn a new program. However, these expectations could not be confirmed. In the meantime, explanatory models based on other explanatory approaches are preferred in exercise science .

swell

  • Bock (2006): Movement control and motor learning
  • De Marées, (2003): Exercise Physiology
  • U. Rockmann. (2001): Generalized Motor Programs ( Generalized Motor Programs ( Memento from July 16, 2006 in the Internet Archive ))
  • Schmidt, RA & Lee, Th. (1999): Motor control and learning.
  • Norbert Olivier, Ulrike Rockmann (2003): Fundamentals of movement science and theory.
  • H. Heuer, J. Konczak (2003): Movement control - movement coordination. In. H. Mechling, J. Munzert (Hrsg.): Handbook movement science - movement theory