Broken practice is similar to blocked practice in that you are hitting the same club to the same target with the same shot type. However, it is different in that you are stepping out of the hitting area after each shot.
For example;
- You hit a 7 iron towards your target
- Then you walk out of the hitting bay
- Do a full routine (practice swing/re-grip/lining up etc) before going back in an hitting another shot.
This small act of breaking up the rhythm of block practice acts to improve our ability to access learned motor skills.
Performance is typically lower than during blocked practice, due to the more difficult nature of having to re-start and re-access the movement. However, due to the higher contextual nature of the practice (it is more similar to real golf due to the addition of the routine) retention of learning is higher on the golf course.
Also, due to the fact the routine is being practiced, the brain is making a link between routine and motor pattern, so it is more likely to improve retention on the course.
This type of practice can make a good intermediary step between block practice and more random versions.
I discuss different modes of practice as well as their practical applications in “The Practice Manual – The Ultimate Guide for Golfers”. The book also takes some more complex motor learning theories and makes them easy to understand. Click Below to learn more
