The Perception & Action Podcast 157 – Coordinative Structures in Skilled Performance
Sep 17, 2019
Explore the intricacies of movement coordination in baseball batting. The discussion highlights how players use ground reaction forces to generate bat speed and adapt swing timing to various pitch types. Learn about Katsumata's fascinating study, measuring the impacts of pitch speed on swing segments. The podcast reveals how batters simplify complex movements into functional units and make compensatory adjustments for unexpected pitches, showcasing the impressive adaptability of skilled performance in the sport.
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Coordinative Structures Simplify Movement
- A coordinative structure links body segments so they act as a single functional unit to simplify control.
- It creates self-regulating constraints that shape motor learning by reducing degrees of freedom.
Task, Body, And Environment Interact
- Batting requires coordinating internal body dynamics and external environmental timing to meet task goals.
- Successful coordinative structures emerge from organism, environment, and goal constraints interacting.
Example: Step, Weight Shift, Then Rotation
- Kat Samada's baseball study shows hitters step forward to shift weight and then rotate to generate bat speed.
- The front-foot step fixes the foot so hip and upper-body rotation can transfer ground reaction forces into the swing.