Skills 2
Physical Education: AQA GCSE, topic 6.1.2
Classifications of Skills - Basic vs Complex
Skills can be classified on a spectrum (continuum) from basic to complex. This relates to who is learning the skill (beginner or expert), the level of decision making and the difficulty of the skill itself.
Basic skills
- In basic skills, not many decisions need to be made, they are usually carried out by a beginner and they are easy to learn.
- Walking and jumping are basic skills.
Complex skills
- Complex skills need a high level of decision making. They are usually carried out by experienced performers and they can take a long time to learn.
- Bowling in cricket is a complex skill because a performer needs the coordination of several movements to effectively run up and deliver an accurate ball with spin or at speed.
Classifications of Skills - Open vs Closed
Open or closed skills relate to what is happening in the environment and whether the skill is going to be affected by an external (outside) factor or not.
Open skill
- In an open skill, the way the skill is performed is affected by the environment you are in (positioning of the opposition, the weather or the terrain (type of ground)).
- These are usually externally paced skills (outside the control of the performer).
- A pass in football depends on the position of the opposition players, the performer's position on the pitch, the weather conditions and the terrain.
Closed skill
- In a closed skill, the way the skill is performed is not affected by the environment you are in (i.e there is no impact from the opposition, the weather or the terrain etc).
- These are usually internally paced skills (within the control of the performer).
- A somersault in gymnastics is not affected by external factors because it is a skill that is being performed in the performer's own time. There is no pressure from the opposition.
Classifications of Skills - Self-paced vs Externally-paced
Whether a skill is more self-paced or more externally-paced depends on who or what is controlling the skill, the speed or the rate.
Self-paced
- The performer initiates (starts) the skill. Therefore, the performer decides when to start and the speed or rate of the skill.
- For example:
- During the long jump, the performer starts the run up when they feel ready.
- During a marathon, the runner decides the pace they feel they need to run at.
Externally-paced
- An external factor initiates (starts) the skill. This could mean that an opponent decides when to start and the speed or rate of the skill being performed.
- For example:
- When receiving a serve in badminton, a performer returns a shot when the opponent serves. The opponent decides when to serve and how fast to serve.
- When marking an opponent in handball, your movement depends on the movement of the opposition (you move when they move).
Test yourself on Skills 2
Is bowling in cricket a complex or basic skill?
Is walking a basic or complex skill?
In basic skills...
Is the physical act of moving a chess piece a basic or complex skill?
What makes a skill basic or complex?