Republic of the Philippine Tarlac State University College of Education Lucinda Campus

Written Report in MAPEH 4

Submitted by: OSIAS C. ERUELA

Submitted to: Prof. MARCELINO P. BALANGUIT

One of the first requisites for the development of motor skills is the ability to recognize the elements of skilful performance. Teachers of physical education and therapist in the field of physical medicine are concerned not merely with performance in various activities, but with skilful performance. Hence in a study of kinesiology, one rightly expects to learn how to recognize the qualities that distinguish between awkward and skilful movement, and to consider the basic principles which underlie motor skills. There are a few general characteristics of skilful which are easily recognized. Efficient refers to the and the force or energy expended. In mechanics we have seen that efficiency is expressed as the ratio of output to input. In human motion it is that ratio of the external work accomplished to the muscular energy expended. Whereas the greatest hindrance to mechanic efficiency is doubtless friction, in human motion it is reproductive muscular effort. The poorly coordinated person and the novice tend to make superfluous movements or to have unnecessary tensions. The characteristics of efficient bodily motion is the absence of waste movements, the use of correct muscles with no more than needed amount of force, and the relaxation of all muscle which do not contribute either directly to the task. It results in smooth less and grace, in what is commonly called well coordinated movement. In relaxation terminology the same quality is known as differential. This mean simply the ability to relax the unneeded muscles while performing a motor skill. It is an important characteristic of skilful hasten the onset of fatigue and increase the intensity. As Steindler has said skilful or perfect motion always involves the least expenditure of effort for the work accomplished. In rapid movements efficiency is characterized by a ballistic type of motion. Another characteristic of skilful performance is accuracy. One may shoot at the basket with beautifully coordinated and efficient movement, but unless the ball goes into the basket, the player is not characteristics already mentioned considered skilful. Accuracy is based on combination of factors, namely, good judgement of direction, distance and force, proper timing, and good muscular control. It is needed in simple acts such as lifting a forkful of food to the mouth, as well as in more complicated acts such as pole vaulting and pitching a baseball. Closely related to the characteristics already mentioned are those of adequate strength, speed and power. Power implies the speed with which force excreted. It is an important characteristic skilful performance in such activities as high jumping, broad jumping, throwing, striking, and kicking, and in speed events such as sprinting and swimming. Judgement has already been mentioned as factor in accuracy. It is more than that, however. In dual and team games and in boxing and wrestling, good judgement is one of the most important characteristics of skilful performance. It implies sizing up of the situation and choosing wisely between several possible responses. It marks the difference between using ones head and acting blindly, between intelligent and unintelligent participation.

The general characteristics of skilful performance may therefore be summed up as efficiency, accuracy, good judgement and adequate speed, strength and power for the task. There are of course the factors of special aptitudes which make one person a potential sprinter, and another potential high jumper. These are related to build, to constitution and to temperament. It is a matter of common observation that greater skilfulness is achieved by individual who happen to be endowed with greater aptitudes or innate capacities for certain kinds of accomplishments. Great individual differences are seen with respect to the various factors of motor ability such as hand-eye coordination, agility, reaction time and finger dexterity. To be sure, all these can be developed by practice, but not everyone can develop them to the same degree, for here is a wide range in native capacity. The truly skilful perform is one who habitually obeys the principle of both anatomic and the mechanical aspects of human motion. His neuromuscular coordination at peak performance; his muscular muscular function is highly efficient; his kinaesthetic sense is well developed; his flexor and extensor reflexes are dependable; the movements of his joints are commensurate with his individual structure; and his techniques of motion are in accord with the law of his physical environment. In short, he has learned how, and has made it his practice, to observe the principles of skilful motion. It is hope that his kinesiology approach to the consideration of fundamental motor skills will help to give the physical education teacher, the athletic coach, the physical therapist, and the occupation therapist the proper background for applying the methods and techniques of his profession. Through a through understanding of the anatomic and the mechanical principles underling the skills, of the demands upon the body by the activities, and of the ways in which application of the principles may lead to more skilful performance, the kinesiology becomes a true educator in the field of motor activities.