ABSTRACT
The theory of deliberate practice is a framework that details how practice can lead to improvements in performance and the attainment of expertise. Deliberate practice was predicted to differ from other activities by being more relevant to improving key aspects of performance, more effortful, yet relatively low in inherent enjoyment. The ratings are linked to some potential constraints inherent in long-term engagement in deliberate practice. Deliberate practice in sport is an activity engaged in by some athletes with the intention of improving specific aspects of competition performance. A potential limitation of previous research on deliberate practice is that very few, if any, researchers have addressed differences in the quality or efficiency of the deliberate practice engaged in, which might be expected to explain a substantial proportion of variance in eventual attainment. The monotonic benefits assumption has led to the popular belief that the start of engagement in deliberate practice in a sport should occur very early in childhood.
