old dogs-new tricks

Mastering sports-specific skills as a masters athlete involves understanding the physiological, psychological, and biomechanical factors that differentiate their training and skill acquisition processes compared to younger athletes. Let’s explore the evidence supporting tailored approaches for skill acquisition, incorporating foundational principles such as neuroplasticity, deliberate practice, and the role of experience.

Neuroplasticity and Motor Learning

Research has shown that neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections—persists into older age, suggesting that skill acquisition is possible for masters athletes. A study by Taubert et al. (2010) demonstrated that older adults can undergo structural brain changes due to motor skill learning. This neuroplasticity implies that while the process may be slower than in younger individuals, masters athletes still have the capacity to learn new skills.

There is hope, the science says so. However, rate of new skill uptake to perfection will be slower than is common for younger athletes. If we take the tomahawk as an example, we have to consider not only the motor pathways but also the anatomical and physiological constraints imposed by an ageing neuromuscular system. To ready yourself for new skill acquisition you must understand the underlying changes needed to your body.

toma time

Executing a field hockey backhand or tomahawk hit is a complex skill that requires the coordinated function of several key muscle groups and movement patterns. Understanding these elements is essential for masters athletes looking to learn and improve this technique effectively.

Key Muscle Groups

Core Muscles

The core is vital for stability and power generation during the backhand hit. Engaging the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis helps maintain balance and provides a strong base from which to execute the stroke. The core's role in transferring forces from the lower body to the upper body is crucial for generating torque (Kibler et al., 2006).

Upper Body Muscles

Shoulders (Deltoids, Rotator Cuff)

The deltoids are critical for shoulder abduction and flexion during the swing. The rotator cuff stabilizes the shoulder joint throughout the hitting motion, preventing injury and ensuring control (Huang et al., 2015).

Latissimus Dorsi

This large back muscle plays a crucial role in shoulder adduction and extension, helping to generate power during the follow-through of the hit (Snyder et al., 2014).

Forearm and Wrist Muscles

The flexor and extensor muscles of the forearm contribute to wrist flexion and extension, enabling precise control and follow-through of the stick.

Lower Body Muscles

Quadriceps and Hamstrings

These muscles are important for flexing and extending the knees during the hitting motion. Strong legs provide the necessary stability and power to execute a solid backhand hit (Baker et al., 2014).

Glutes (Gluteus Maximus and Minimus)

The gluteal muscles are vital for hip extension and internal/external rotation, facilitating the transfer of force from the ground through to the upper body (Schoenfeld, 2010).

Calves (Gastrocnemius and Soleus)

These muscles assist in providing stability and power generation through ankle plantarflexion, supporting the overall kinetic chain during the hit.

Key Movement Patterns

Weight Transfer

Effective backhand hitting requires a significant weight transfer from the back foot to the front foot at the moment of impact. This shift engages the lower body and core, contributing to the overall force of the stroke (Wilkins et al., 2013).

Rotational Motion

The action of rotating the trunk stores elastic energy that contributes to the power of the hit. The core and upper body rotate as a unit, enabling the stick to strike the ball with maximum force and accuracy (Kibler et al., 2006).

Follow-Through

The follow-through is critical, as it impacts the direction and speed of the ball. A controlled yet fluid follow-through helps maintain balance and control, ensuring effective ball placement (Snyder et al., 2014).

A skills master - of similar physical stature to myself so I tend to use him as a benchmark-mentor in skill improvement

Deliberate Practice

Deliberate practice refers to focused, goal-oriented training designed to improve performance. A meta-analysis by Macnamara and Baumeister (2016) highlights that quality practice, rather than mere quantity, leads to better skill acquisition. Masters athletes should engage in deliberate practice, focusing on specific strength and conditioning improvement required as a physiclly capable platform for the backhand.

In tackling the tomahawk a step by step approach is best with realistic goals for skill acquisition and consisent execution.

Goal Setting

Masters players can benefit from setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to maintain focus and motivation during skill acquisition (Locke & Latham, 2002).

Feedback Loops

Utilizing both intrinsic and extrinsic feedback optimizes learning. For example, immediate feedback from coaches or video analysis aids in refining techniques (Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 2007).

Get a mentor, a younger player who is not too physically dissimilar to you. For example, when looking for benchmark skills and oversight are you built more like Ashley Jackson or Hayden Shaw?

Experience and Contextual Learning

Enhance your tomahawk learning through ensuring context is in play. Vary your backhand hitting so it includes passing, crosses and finishes starting unopposed to tracked to opposed; from single player application to small group application focused on game scenarios. A study by McPherson and Kernodle (2007) emphasized that integrating tactical knowledge within practice sessions enables athletes to apply learned skills more effectively in game scenarios. This is especially relevant for older athletes, as they can draw on their experience to relate new skills to previously acquired knowledge, enhancing their learning process.

Motivation and Self-Determination

It is crucial to consider motivational factors in skill acquisition for masters athletes. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) suggests that higher levels of intrinsic motivation lead to improved skill acquisition outcomes (Deci & Ryan, 2000).In looking to acquire a commanding backhand to aid this intrinsically motivated mindset it’s important you are underpinned by:

• autonomy to act and to practise

• having a small but meaningful network of social connectedness with mentors and peers who will undertand, encourage and support you in a new skill acquisition

• having the underlying physical and neuromuscular competence to enable new skill acquisition.

  Tailoring training programs to ensure that athletes find joy and satisfaction in learning new skills is paramount. Coaches and mentors can foster this motivation by offering challenges and promoting a supportive learning environment.

As is our approach with everything at voitto the following bibliography references studies and theories that underscore the necessity of approaching skill acquisition in masters athletes with an evidence-based perspective that meets their unique physiological and psychological needs. Engaging in structured, motivated, and well-supported training regimens can significantly enhance their ability to learn and master new sports-specific skills throughout their athletic careers.

Bibliography

Baker, D., et al. (2014). "The Effect of Strength Training on Power Output in Elite Female Field Hockey Players." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(6), 1673-1680.

Coyle, E. F. (2004). "Cardiovascular and Metabolic Responses to Endurance Training." The Journal of Physiology, 554(2), 269-277.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). "The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior." Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.

Huang, C. Y., et al. (2015). "Shoulder Joint Kinematics in multiple upper limb activities." Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(3), 301-308.

Kibler, W. B., et al. (2006). "The role of the scapula in shoulder injury: A concise review." British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(5), 386-390.

Kraemer, W. J., et al. (2002). "Physiological responses to a short-term resistance training program." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(1), 40-54.

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). "Building a Practitioner's Guide to Goal-Setting: A Methodological and Theoretical Analysis." American Psychologist, 57(9), 705-717.

Macnamara, A., & Baumeister, R. F. (2016). "The Power of Practice: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relationship Between Deliberate Practice and Performance in Sports." Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(3), 333-350.

McPherson, S. L., & Kernodle, M. W. (2007). "The Role of Knowledge Structures in the Development of Expertise in Soccer." International Journal of Sport Psychology, 38(1), 24-38.

Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). "Squatting Kinematics and Kinetics During Resistance Training." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3348-3356.

Shumway-Cook, A., & Woollacott, A. (2007). Motor Control: Translating Research into Clinical Practice (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Snyder, B. J., et al. (2014). "Kinematic Analysis of Shoulder and Elbow Motion in Overhead Sports." The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28(8), 2378-2386.

Taubert, J., et al. (2010). "Dynamic changes in the human brain structure during motor learning." NeuroImage, 49(1), 1262-1270.

Wilkins, A. M., et al. (2013). "The Role of Gravity in Weight Transfer during the Field Hockey Backhand Hit." Journal of Sports Sciences, 31(6), 622-631.