Dr. Donald L. Green 19 July 2023
This exercise is an excellent way for coaches to begin a deeper understanding of Fine Motor Skill Development; however, you must be able to commit to several minutes to fully appreciate the depth at which the Basic RiderCourse prepares novice riders for motorcycle use; however, before jumping into the exercise, a quick story about an observation that led to some epiphanies.
On a recent trip abroad, I had the opportunity to ride on a train system allowing me to practice one of my favorite past times – observing the daily actions of others. In this particular case, I noticed people’s everyday use of phones on the train – typing and taping in various ways but consistently engaged with their devices. The interesting phenomenon was that even after the messages were complete or the use of the device was done, a very noticeable activity continued. The fingers continued to repeatedly move as if the action was not complete. This is to say that muscle memory was so ingrained that people (yes, multiples) showed the same muscular steps without conscious effort (autonomous). Not only was the observation dominant and repeatable, but the motions continued in some cases where people were definitely asleep.
So let’s think about the hours, days, weeks, months, or years of practice it took to cause the fine adeptness of using a mobile device in a way the autonomic response of the hands continued the action. To further draw into a correlation, the fine motor skill necessary to type quickly on the phone takes a pretty precise development to swiftly type emails and texts on the very small virtual keys in an accurate manner.
Now – on to the practical application part of the article. To complete this exercise, you will need 1) a place to write, 2) a standard-size piece of paper, and 3) a pencil or pen of your choice. To prepare, draw a quick line down the middle of the paper to separate the left and right sides. Write a heading on each side, Left on one side and Right on the other, forming two columns. Now the fun begins.
Exercise Part 1: With your dominate hand – print your name under the corresponding. Follow this action by switching to your non-dominant hand and do the same. It’s time for self assessment. What are the differences between your dominant and non-dominant hand? Why do you think these differences exist?
Exercise Part 2: In the same order (dominant/non-dominant), write your name in cursive, asking the same self-assessment questions. I suspect that while writing in cursive, you may find difficulty with both your dominant and non-dominant hand. If you want to make it even more challenging, write someone else’s name or a phrase you don’t normally write in cursive and see how out of practice you are!
Before moving on to the 3rd and final part, let’s discuss a little of how Motor skills are developed. When learning a new skill, it is important to break down the motor skill in individual steps – from simple to complex, parts to whole, or gross to fine. Much like previously mentioned, changes in accuracy require practice. In order to acquire and retain the skill, effort must be expended.
There are three stages in development – the Cognitive, Associative, and Autonomous phases.
The Cognitive phase is when a learner is new and unfamiliar with the specified task. A thought process may begin with “What are the individual steps to make something happen?” Considerable cognitive effort (or thought) is necessary so the learner can determine necessary movements to achieve the movement appropriately. Comfortable activities that work are retained for future use, where uncomfortable signs provide dissonance and misunderstanding. When actions feel right, performance is greatly improved in a short amount of time (accelerated).
During the Associative phase – hopefully, the learner has found the most-effective way to do the task and begins to make advantageous adjustments in performance. Improvements become more gradual, and the movements should become more consistent. If the Cognitive phase is not accomplished in a simple to complex manner or a step is skipped, complications can stifle the Associative activity. The Associative phase can extend for a long time. To be successful, the tasks in this phase should be more fluent, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing.
The Autonomous phase can take extended periods and rarely resolves in a few hours or even several days. It can take several months to years to reach. During this phase, the learner’s complex actions, or fine motor skills, can now “automatically” be completed without paying attention to performing them. By being autonomous, there is more space or bandwidth for other cognitive tasks without potential miss-steps. Examples of being autonomous include walking, talking, or breathing – jobs that take little or no thought.
Exercise Part 3: This will take most of your time. Over the next few hours or days, practice with your non-dominant hand – repeating both the printing of your name and the writing of your name in cursive. Give yourself time to practice and assess over time if there are any improvements.
Could you consider how this applies to a clutch or brake application and why Exercise 1 introduces control use and operation individually? The concept is also reinforced in the clutch lever’s fine control in slow maneuvers, separating, or using minimal throttle application during Exercises 2 and 9 to support a less complex combination of motor skills. Using clutch articulation and not relying on the throttle to gently move forward until a finer development happens and multiple actions can be combined without thought. The same could be said for slowing using front and rear brake application, ensuring the throttle is completely closed when the brake levers are applied. In each case, taking the appropriate time for the individual student can mean the difference between a more complete understanding and comfort or a potential misunderstanding leading to crashes or incidents.
I hope the exercise provokes thought and allows a deeper understanding of why motor skill development is more complex than just providing instructions and accepting minimal completion as autonomous action.
