Session 6 - Learning the up-sweep arm movement

Here is my plan and reflection from practice session number 6!
This up-sweep arm movement is taking me sometime to learn, there will defiantly be another session to follow on this same movement. I am really struggling with getting my kick and arm movement correct at the same time and in time with each other.
This session was planned with reference to Luebbers, M (2013).

Design of session:  

1. Start with the hands at the entry position.

2. Sweep them down and in under your chest, almost touching your thumbs and index fingers together as your hands reach mid-chest.

3. Push them back toward your feet and apart, like you are trying to push the water from the middle of your chest over and down each leg.

4. As hands and arms reach an almost full extension as they move past your waist, throw your hands up (out of water) and out to the side, throw hard enough that arms almost automatically swing over the surface of the water toward the entry position.

This session will follow the Schema theory (Schmidt, 1975), which states that as we learn a new motor skill, we develop a rule that shows the relationship between movement outcomes and things such as out intended goal, the conditions of the performance setting, and the details of the motor programme created to control the movement. I will also focus on the four stages of competence theory (Burch, N . 1970), so I can see if I am progressing through the four stages.

References informing design:  

Luebbers, M.(2013). How to swim butterfly. Retrieved from http://www.swimming.about.com/od/breastandfly/qt/how-to-swim-butterfly.htm

Schmidt, R.(2013). Understanding how we learn motor skills. Retrieved from http://www.humankinetics.com

Burch, N.(1970). Four stages of competence. Retrieved from http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/four_stages_of_competence

    

Statistics/ detailed information collected:  

25 up-sweep butterfly movements were preformed. 

5 were the correct technique.

20 were the incorrect technique. Where I didn't move my arms/hands through the keyhole movement pattern correctly. Or I didn't pull my hands back through the water hard/ fast enough to make my arms sweep over and lift my head to breath.

45 minute practice session. 

Reflection:  

The Schema theory (Schmidt, 1975) really was vivid in this training session. As I still find doing the up-sweep butterfly arms really hard and I had alot of failures compared to success. It was really important to make a rule of the relationship between movement and the outcome goal. My rule was only to do two butterfly kicks to one stroke, and the arm movement needs to be slow, forceful and relaxed. Looking at the four stages of competence theory (Burch, N. 1970) I believe I am still at the second stage (conscious incompetence). I am going to do another session on this same movement.