馃敩Research
NewAn ecological dynamics approach to motor learning in practice: Reframing the learning and performing relationship in high performance sport
Flavius Andrisca
8 April 2026
36 views
enU7-U11U12-U16U17+EnvironmentFoundation
Ian Renshaw, Keith Davids, Mark O鈥橲ullivan, Michael A. Maloney, Rian Crowther, Chris McCosker
School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (Australia), Sport & Physical Activity Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University (UK), Sport & Physical Activity Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University (UK) + AIK Football, Research and Development Department (Stockholm, Sweden, Performance Services, Australian Institute of Sport (Australia), National Cricket Centre (Australia), School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University (Australia)
Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology路2022
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajsep.2022.04.003CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Description
This paper looks at how learning is approached in high performance sport and questions the limits of more traditional methods.
The authors argue that preparation time should be used in a way that directly influences performance, not treated as something separate from it. From this perspective, learning is understood through the relationship between the player and the environment, which can look different in training compared to competition (Button et al., 2020b).
Using an ecological dynamics lens, the paper suggests that practice design should better reflect the conditions of the game, so that what players experience in training connects more clearly to what they face in performance.
An ecological dynamics approach to motor learning in practice Reframing the learning and performing relationship in high performance sport.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667239122000089?via%3Dihub
Applied Summary
This study argues that learning should not be separated from performance. Instead of treating skill as something built internally through repetition, it is seen as an ongoing adaptation to the environment. Practice becomes more effective when it reflects the conditions of the game, allowing players to perceive, decide and act in context. The closer training tasks are to real performance situations, the higher the chances that what is learned will transfer to competition.
Relevance for Coaches
If you still design sessions where learning happens first and performance comes later, this paper challenges that assumption. It shows why many drills fail to transfer and why players struggle to adapt in real game situations. It helps you rethink session design so that training situations actually prepare players for what they face in matches, not just for controlled exercises.
Concrete Application
Replace isolated drills with tasks where players interact with opponents, teammates and space from the start. Check your exercises with a simple question: does this look and feel like the game? If not, adjust constraints (space, pressure, rules) so decisions and actions resemble real situations.
Assumptions about the Child
The player is not treated as someone who stores techniques, but as a system that adapts continuously to the environment. Learning emerges through interaction, not instruction. Each player finds functional solutions based on their own constraints, not by reproducing an ideal model.
Limits and Risks
The paper is largely conceptual, with limited direct empirical validation of long-term performance outcomes. Most examples come from high performance settings, leaving gaps in how these ideas apply in youth or grassroots environments. There is a significant risk of misapplication. Without a clear understanding of constraints and information, coaches may create tasks that look dynamic but do not reflect the game. Finally, fully representative practice is difficult to achieve. Key elements of competition, such as pressure, consequence and context, cannot be fully reproduced, which can limit transfer.
Pedagogical Intent
This work targets the ability of players to adapt their actions in relation to the environment, rather than reproduce fixed techniques. It supports autonomy by placing players in situations where they must perceive, decide and act without constant instruction. Learning emerges through interaction with teammates, opponents and task constraints, not through isolated repetition. The coach鈥檚 role shifts from prescribing solutions to shaping conditions where players can find their own. This activates a relational dynamic where behavior is continuously shaped by the game context, not controlled externally.
Working Hypothesis
If practice tasks are designed to closely reflect the conditions of the game, then players will show more adaptable and functional behaviors in competition, because perception, decision and action are calibrated through continuous interaction with relevant environmental information.
Failure Conditions
Unsuitable Context
early beginnerslow coach expertisehighly structured environmentstime-constrained sessionsrehabilitation contexts
Probable Misreading
remove all structureno repetition neededchaos equals learningsmall-sided games are always enoughtechnique is irrelevant
Pedagogical Risk
loss of stability in basic actionsshallow learninginconsistent performanceconfusion for playerspoorly designed tasks that look realistic but lack meaning
A structured terrain report from anyone who has applied this resource in real practice.
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Quick Info
Type
馃敩Research
Status
NewVersion
v1.3
Language
en
Age Groups
U7-U11, U12-U16, U17+
Duration
30 min
Complexity
advanced
Secondary Themes
GameCoachPlayer