ABSTRACT

Practice involves repetition. In Latin, repetitio est mater studiorum, "repetition is the mother of study" fits as well as it did during Roman times. However, P. L. Bernstein describes an updated concept of practice in his phrase, "repetition without repetition". Several different types of practice systems are used in sport. Part practice refers to the performance of smaller sub-skills or drills of a goal skill. Part practice is the most common approach in gymnastics. Whole practice involves attempting the entire skill, and relying on practising the whole skill for learning. Part practice proceeds from the assumption that the target skill can be broken down into smaller segments. Practice can be organized in terms of blocks of learning trials, or the trials can be prescribed randomly. Blocked practice refers to the idea of performing many repetitions of the same skill or drill pursuing mastery. Random practice refers to prescribing tasks in an unsystematic fashion.