So You Want to Learn Implicitly? Coaching and Learning through Implicit Motor Learning Techniques

Abstract

Implicit motor learning is an established motor learning technique that has been largely overlooked outside of academia. It is beneficial to learners in that it allows them to perform undisrupted even in the face of stress and other adverse conditions. This is thought to be due to a reduced ability to ‘reinvest’ acquired knowledge – something that can cause the performer to ‘manually override’ what should be an automatic movement. The problem with traditional forms of implicit motor learning is their impracticality in applied settings. To that end, in this paper we attempt to provide a jumping off point for practitioners by briefly outlining the theoretical concepts of implicit learning and the difficulties it faces. From there, we explore alternative techniques that are more practical but impart similar, if not identical, benefits to performance.