Motor Learning Outcomes of Overhand Throwing Using Visual and Verbal Cues with College Aged Novices

Previous studies have shown that focus of attention, in the form of instruction and feedback, is highly effective in increasing learning (Shafizadeh, 2013). Cues facilitate the learning of motor skills (McCullagh, Stiehl, & Weiss, 1990; Masser, 1993; Zetou, Tzetzis, Vernadakis, & Kioumourtzoglou, 2002) because they direct the performer's attention to regulatory conditions in the environmental context and also to the key movement components of a skill (Shafizadeh, 2013). Cueing technique has frequently been shown to be effective in overcoming the potential problems associated with visual modelling in novice performers (Shafizadeh, 2013). This is also shown in verbal analogies as well. The purpose of the analogy is to make the performer focus on the movement instead of individual body parts such as the elbow or wrist during a throw. Studies demonstrated that focusing attention on movement goals (external focus) rather than on movements themselves (internal focus) led to faster learning (Shafizadeh, 2013). The current investigation is designed to analyze the learning benefits of visual and verbal external cueing incorporated into the overhand throwing routine of a novice while also examining kinematic changes and confidences of throwing. The investigation will include 15 male and female subjects, aged between 19-28 years of age. The testing involves 45 throws, as well as confidence scoring, over 3 testing days. 15 throws will be performed each testing session and separated into 3 sets of 5 throws with a 2-minute rest period between sets. The first session will serve as a pre-test, the second session will serve as the testing session, and the third session will serve as the retention test 48 hours following the second session. The retention test allows to establish whether learning has occurred over the course of the investigation.