Types of Presentation in Sports Skills

In sports, when athletes are learning or refining skills, coaches may use different teaching methods to ensure effective learning. The four main methods of presentation are: the whole method, the part method, the progressive method, and the whole-part-whole method. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and their suitability depends on the nature of the skill and the athlete's experience.

1. Whole Method

Explanation

• In the whole method, the entire skill or movement is taught and practiced as a complete action, without breaking it down into smaller parts.
• This approach is often used for skills that are simple or that flow continuously, where breaking the skill into parts may disrupt the natural flow.

Example

• Tennis Serve: A player learns to serve by practicing the whole motion from start to finish, without isolating any part of the serve (e.g., toss, swing, follow-through).

Advantages

• Maintains skill integrity: By practicing the whole skill, athletes develop a sense of the complete movement and rhythm.
• Faster overall learning: Suitable for simple, continuous movements that don't require complex decision-making.

Disadvantages

• Difficult for complex skills: Complex or intricate skills with multiple components might overwhelm the learner.
• Potential for poor technique: If the athlete makes mistakes in one aspect of the movement, it may be hard to isolate and correct the error without breaking the skill down.

2. Part Method

Explanation

• The part method involves breaking a skill down into smaller, manageable parts and practicing each part separately before combining them into a whole. This method is particularly useful for complex or multi-phase skills.

Example

• Gymnastics Vault: A gymnast practices different parts of the vault (approach, take-off, flip) separately before attempting the whole routine.

Advantages

• Focus on technique: Allows learners to focus on mastering each part of the skill before combining them, improving technique.
• Reduces complexity: Helps learners manage complex skills by isolating individual parts.
• Effective for beginners: Especially useful for athletes with limited experience in the sport.

Disadvantages

• Lack of fluidity: May lead to a lack of coordination between parts, as the individual components might not flow smoothly when put together.
• Time-consuming: It can take longer to learn the whole skill as the athlete must practice each part separately.

3. Progressive Method (Chain Method)

Explanation

• In the progressive method, the skill is broken down into parts, but each part is added progressively in a chain-like sequence. Once one part is mastered, the next part is added to it, building on the previous part until the full skill is learned.

Example

• Swimming Stroke (Breaststroke): A swimmer may first learn the arm movement, then add the leg kick, and finally integrate breathing into the stroke, building each element step by step.

Advantages

• Gradual progression: Allows the athlete to build skills progressively, making learning manageable and structured.
• Retention of skill integrity: As each part is added, athletes can practice the flow between components, maintaining the fluidity of the movement.
• Adaptable to complex skills: Ideal for complex skills where complete mastery of each part is necessary for the whole skill to work effectively.

Disadvantages

• Time-consuming: Progressing through each step may take time, especially for complicated skills.
• Risk of incomplete learning: Athletes may not have the full picture of the skill until later stages of practice.

4. Whole-Part-Whole Method

Explanation

• The whole-part-whole method starts by teaching the skill in its entirety, then breaks it down into parts for focused practice, and finally, the complete skill is reintroduced. This method provides both the benefits of practicing the whole skill and the ability to refine parts that need improvement.

Example

• Basketball Free Throw: A player first attempts a full free throw, then practices the individual elements like stance, grip, and follow-through separately. Finally, the player practices the entire free throw again, incorporating the refined parts.

Advantages

• Balanced approach: It combines the benefits of seeing the whole skill first and focusing on problem areas.
• Improves skill retention: Athletes experience the complete skill early on, which helps with understanding how the parts fit together.
• Effective for skills requiring fine-tuning: Allows for correction of specific parts of a skill while still understanding the overall movement.

Disadvantages

• Complex: Requires more time and effort to teach compared to methods that focus only on the whole or parts.
• Potential for confusion: Reintroducing the whole skill after breaking it down can lead to confusion if the athlete has not fully mastered the parts.