Basics of coordination
The basic idea of coordination is that there are so-called movement programs in the brain, which are used to solve a coordinative task when certain requirements are met. Let us look again at our glass example from the beginning and consider this movement as a stored program. A new task is now to pick a blade of grass from a meadow.
The brain uses the movement program “Glass” and makes additional adjustments. A blade of grass is thinner and harder to grasp than a glass. Therefore the requirement is slightly modified in terms of coordination.
If the movement is successfully executed, our brain stores this modified movement again. Thus, a repertoire of movement programs gradually develops in all areas of life, whether everyday life or sports. This process can be represented in simplified form as a control loop model.
The structure is composed of: These terms are explained step by step and with examples to illustrate how a coordinative movement is mastered and to understand how the brain works with movement programs. The movement task to be mastered is seen as the target. This can be an example of a penalty kick in soccer.
The goal should be executed as successfully as possible. In our case, the best possible solution to the problem is to score a penalty kick. The brain now checks whether it has stored appropriate movement programs for this task and accesses them.
This already falls under the term control. A stored movement sequence is called up and the information is sent via the central nervous system to the corresponding muscles. In the phase of movement execution, two processes take place.
The environmental influences are included in the movement and the movement execution begins. Environmental influences are in our example: The execution of the movement can be influenced by these environmental influences.The movement execution starts now and the run-up must be coordinated with the step length, the position of the ball, the run-up speed, the target ability and the planned impact force. Thus, many coordinative processes run simultaneously to enable a successful accomplishment.
The movement is executed, the ball has been shot and has bounced from the right post into the goal. The target was not reached and immediately afterwards the error analysis starts in the control loop model. This is done during information processing.
The brain analyses the movement retrospectively and determines that the penalty kick was not executed precisely enough. Whether the shooter’s ability to aim or the environmental influences were decisive cannot be clarified exactly. The brain stores the movement pattern and notes that the target was not reached.
Thus, when the movement is recalled again, a change is made to ensure that the problem can be successfully dealt with in the future. With the storage in the movement memory the control loop for the coordinative abilities closes. By applying this principle, the human being learns to solve coordinative tasks and simultaneously trains his coordinative abilities.
- A target
- A control
- A motion execution
- Information processing
- A storage in the movement memory
- The condition of the ground (lawn)
- Weather influences like wind and rain
- Audience noise
- Heckling
