Skill level influences the learning of a taekwondo-based serial task

Abstract

We investigated the influence of skill level on the learning of a new serial task in Taekwondo, along with the underlying aspects of the learning processes. Two groups of Taekwondo athletes, skilled and beginners, practiced a serial task based on basic TKD fighting movements on the first intervention day and were tested for retention in the following day. We recorded temporal elements of the task: response time (RespT), reaction time (RT), movement time (MT), and the time interval between task components (TITC) to analyze performance throughout the acquisition phase and in the retention test, chunking, and the informational aspects related to task performance. Additionally, we investigated online and offline learning processes. Both groups learned the task, but the skilled participants exhibited greater improvements in performance, particularly in the retention test. Best performance of skilled participants appear to be linked to the benefits of chunking in serial tasks. Moreover, skilled participants required less information processing to complete the task, indicating automaticity effects related to chunking. Despite these differences, especially in terms of informational demands, both groups learned predominantly through online learning process. Increasing skill level enhances performance, and influences the learning of new motor skills in a specific sports domain. This advantage may be explained by the superior chunking ability demonstrated by skilled performers, likely resulting from larger experiences within Taekwondo, which facilitated the recombination of previously learned motor skills. The relationship between motor learning and skillfulness warrants further investigation for understanding motor learning itself, but can also assist professionals in organizing practice schedules in sports contexts.