Key planning informationPrinciples of effective practice

When creating and carrying out a development plan to develop physical skills, performers should follow the principles of effective practice.

Following these principles allows for the development plan to be developed and carried out in a manner that will promote skill acquisition and improvement whilst ensuring the mental well-being of the performer remains high during training.

The principles of effective practice can be remembered by learning the acronym VPSMARTER:

• Variety - no session should be identical to the previous one and a range of approaches should be used to help boost motivation and improve a skill(s) in numerous different ways.
• Progression - the demands in each session should be gradually increased. This ensures that skill development does not hit a plateau.
• Specific - the approach selected should be tailored to fit the skill and experience levels of the performer. It should match their stage of learning and not be too hard or too easy.
• Measurable - the long-term goal for the development plan and the short-term goals used in each session should all be measurable. They should have figures included that makes it easy to see whether goals has been reached or not.
• Achievable - the approaches used in each session should provide skilled challenges that are attainable. This can help ensure performers work their hardest during sessions as they know progress is within their reach.
• Realistic - approaches used should mirror the demands of competition. This will ensure any skilled developments can be easily transferred back into games.
• Time - sessions should be set for the appropriate amount of time. Approaches should be carried out for a long enough period to enable the performer to groove the skill and access necessary feedback. However, it should not be too long as tiredness may arise and skill levels may drop along with confidence.
• Exciting - sessions should be exciting and fun in order to maintain motivation levels. Adding in competition to approaches can help whet the appetite of performers and make them want to attend training.
• Recorded - create a training diary to help keep track of your progress. Doing this will let you express your feelings after sessions and help chart your skill development by tracking your goals at the end of sessions.