Some Principles of Feedback and

Practice for High-Performance Shooting

Peter Vint, Ph.D.

United States Olympic Committee

Performance Technology Department
Coaching & Sport Sciences Division
 Outline
Skill
Performance process
Feedback considerations
Types
Functions
Delivery – who, what, how,
and when
Practice considerations
 Skill
Skill:
An ability that has been developed by
practice, training, and/or experience.
Skilled performers demonstrate:
Focused, goal-oriented behavior
Improvements with practice, training,
and/or experience
Effective use of feedback
Types of skill:
Perceptual skill
Motor skill
Cognitive skill
 Performance process

Preparation Intervention
Knowledge of the activity Feedback
Knowledge of performers Physical practice
Knowledge of tools Mental practice
Strategy for observation Physical conditioning

Observation and/or Evaluation and

Measurement Diagnosis
Situation (range or lab) Range of performance
Vantage points, distance Strengths and opportunities
Number of observations Prioritization of faults
Tools for observations
 Feedback

Information about a performance

outcome or result and the factors
responsible for it.
Types of feedback
Intrinsic
Visual, audible, sensory
Extrinsic or augmented
Knowledge of results (KR)
Knowledge of performance
(KP)
Other aspects
Qualitative vs Quantitative
Terminal vs Concurrent
Instantaneous vs Delayed
Immediate vs Summary
Uniform vs Faded
 Functions of feedback
Information and guidance
Provides relevant and useful information to identify,
prioritize, and guide the correction of errors.
Association
Creates associations between stimuli and responses.
Motivation
Provides impetus to continue training, practice, and
providing maximum effort.
Feedback delivery methods
Who should control
feedback delivery?
What should
feedback include?
How should feedback
be delivered?
When should
feedback be given?
Who should control feedback?
Athletes tend to make better use of
feedback when they control its delivery.
Function of experience, maturity, skill
level, and skill complexity.
Novice shooters will tend to take most
advantage of coach-controlled feedback
Experienced shooters should be weaned off
coach-controlled feedback
What should feedback include?
Specific information the shooter cannot gather
directly.
Specific instruction on what can be done to
improve performance.
Limit to factors known to influence performance
Consider time frame allowed for correction
Consider experience and maturity
Useful cues (verbs) to help associate
performance with result.
Greater precision, if useful, for more
experienced/mature athletes.
 Prioritizing feedback
Critical features first
Identify factors that truly
influence performance
Sensitive to training or
maximize improvement
Relationship to
previous actions
Some faults may arise
from others.
Time frame/Difficulty
Some changes are harder
or take longer to realize
(training induced changes).
Priorities between-season
vs within-competition may
differ.
Effects of goal setting
and achievement
Easier to accomplish goals
can enhance motivational
aspects.
 Example: rifle
Score = Final position of round

Initial position Change of

of round position of round

Time Velocity Gravity Air resistance

Speed Direction

Stance Aim Hold Trigger control

How should feedback be given?
Be specific but concise
Keep it positive and
action oriented
Provide more frequent
feedback for novices
Promote introspection to
avoid dependency
Find and use cue words
and phrases that hit the
mark (“7 ± 2”)
When should feedback be given?
Traditional view:
Immediate feedback is best.
Research findings:
Frequent feedback is best during skill
acquisition and for complex skills.
Delayed, reduced frequency, and summary
feedback is generally best for learning.
Faded and bandwidth feedback schedules
should be considered.
Benefits of summary feedback

From Schmidt, Young, Swinnen, & Shapiro (1989)

Take home points on feedback
Provide feedback to maximize learning and competition
performance.
Provide feedback athletes cannot obtain themselves.
Help athletes become introspective and independent.
When ready, provide athletes opportunity to control
delivery of feedback.
Prioritize feedback so it can be acted upon in the time
frame considered.
Provide feedback more frequently early, less frequently
later. Consider delayed, reduced frequency, summary,
and bandwidth feedback.
 Practice
Traditional view:
Conditions leading to the best practice performance
will also lead to the best competition performance.
Criteria for evaluating practice:
Competition results
Consistent performance in different conditions
Aspects of practice:
Scheduling (blocked vs random)
Consistency (constant vs variable)
Blocked vs random
Blocked Practice
Complete “blocks” of
the same task before
moving on to next.
Random Practice
Take different shots in
random order until
same number of shots
achieved.
Benefits of random practice

From Shea and Morgan (1979)

Constant vs variable
Constant
Conditions held constant during
practice
Variable
Conditions different within and
between practices
Factors to consider:
Environmental: light, temperature,
wind, humidity, altitude
Situational: direction, surface,
crowd/ambient noise, fatigue,
pressure
Artificial: distance, speed, gun,
ammo, surface, noise, fatigue,
stimulation
Benefits of variable practice

From Catalano and Kleiner (1984)

Take home points on practice
Design practices to maximize learning and
competition performance.
Design practices that encourage “active
learning” from your athletes to foster
introspection and limit coach dependency.
Consider advantages of:
random versus blocked practice.
variable versus constant practice.
Be creative and keep it fresh.
 Technology to gather and
process information
Quantitative:
Sensors to measure specific
mechanical, neurological,
and physiological output
Qualitative:
Film, audio recorders,
camcorders, coaching
and authoring software
 References
Chen, D.D. (2001). Trends in augmented feedback research and tips for
the practitioner, JOPERD, 72 (1), 32-36.
Hastie, P. & Hannan, P. (1990). Feedback to athletes: Strategies for
improving competitive performance. Modern Athlete and Coach, 28, 7-9.
Magill, R.A. (2001). Augmented feedback in motor skill acquisition. In
R.N.Singer, H.A. Hausenblaus, & C.M. Janelle (Eds.), Handbook of Sport
Psychology (2nd ed., pp. 86-114). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Newell, K.M., Morris, L.R., & Scully, D.M. (1985). Augmented information
and the acquisition of skill in physical activity. Exercise and Sport Sciences
Reviews, 13, 235-261.
Salmoni, A.W., Schmidt, R.A., & Walter, C.B. (1984). Knowledge of results
and motor learning: A review and critical appraisal. Psychological Bulletin,
95, 355-386.
Schmidt, R.A. & Bjork, R.A. (1992). New conceptualizations of practice:
Common principles in three paradigms suggest new concepts for training.
Psychological Science, 3 (4), 207-217.
 Thank you

peter.vint@usoc.org
www.usolympicteam.com