Muscle memory?

[CrazyLefty]

Can someone please explain this concept to me. I hear teaching pros use this terminology often and it doesn't seem to make any sense. A muscle does not have a brain and therofore no memory. I can recall from physiology that a muscle can either contract or not (relax). Is this just a bogus buzz phrase or does it have some scientific basis?

Thanks,

CL

[gzhpcu]

IMHO, it is just remembering what the stroke feels like, and trying to repeat the feeling when hitting.

[vmiller]

It's basically what enables you to execute a stroke without thinking about it.

[CrazyLefty]

It seems that the stimulus for a particular motor pattern would come from the brain and not the muscles. I was just wondering if this was a scientific term or just a bull shit phrase.

[vmiller]

It seems that the stimulus for a particular motor pattern would come from the brain and not the muscles. I was just wondering if this was a scientific term or just a bull shit phrase.

http://www.hhmi.org/cgi-bin/askascientist/highlight.pl?kw=&file=answers%2Fstructure%2Fans_015.html

[CrazyLefty]

Going blindly to the Internet and looking for information is a major problem in the translation of information. Anyone can find a website that states what they want you to believe.

http://www.saintjohnthebaptistchurch.org/vm/index.asp?art_id=8226

You should be vary careful with any information you receive from the net and be critical of the source. Just because you have a PhD does not make you an expert in every subject. "Dr." Packar has a background in Zoology and performs basic physiology research on rats. I would not say that she is an expert in motor learning. If you're looking for scientific information you review the scientific literature or at least do a search in the National Library of Medicine. I cannot find one article investigating or describing "muscle memory" in any peer-reviewed journal. Why? I have found articles identifying a central pattern generator within the central nervous system.

example:
Zehr EP, Duysens J., Regulation of arm and leg movement during human locomotion.Neuroscientist. 2004 Aug;10(4):347-61.

Where and how motor patterns are generated is a controversial topic in motor learning. We should all keep our minds open as to how the body functions. It would make us all better coaches.

[johnyandell]

When he said he was crazy, I wonder what Lefty really meant?? I'm not an expert here so I'm as curious as the next person.

Vic Braden tells me it's not muscle memory--it's all "software" in the brain--a cognitive program. Myself I can feel things when I visualize strokes--but I guess that could just prove the point.

Enlighten us oh Crazy Lefty. I have the feeling you know more than you are letting on...

Vin, don't take this guy too seriously...

[vmiller]

Vin, don't take this guy too seriously...

I won't.

[CrazyLefty]

After doing a little research I found that there are two major schools of thought within the motor control/learning community. The one Vic referenced, a motor programming theory, and the dynamical system theory. They are both describing an extremely complex phenomenon that has not been scientifically proven. The motor programming theory speculates that a motor pattern becomes "hard wired" in the central nervous system and is executed much like a computer program. The dynamical system theory states that a motor pattern is an emergent property that is produced by an interaction between the performer, the environment and the task. The later theory looks at motor patterns as being attractor states in which there are inherent pattern of coordination within the cental nervous system. I think after reading about this I am more confused than when I started the discussion. I would love to hear others comment on this very interesting topic.

Keep talkin that trash we'll pull your card. Knowin nothin in life, but to be legit. Don't quote me boy caus I aint said shit.-NWA

[johnyandell]

Yeah, your description is succinct, clear and incomprehensible--probably just like the theory. It's interesting and I'm sure it has implications for teaching, but what?

There is theory and practice--and academic theory and teaching theory...I'm interested mainly in the later, but it'd be great to feel you were on the same page with or at least consistent with "academic" research...

[CrazyLefty]

One implication is to scheduled practice so that motor patterns are learned more efficiently. Research has shown that people acquire skill more efficiently if practice is variable versus blocked. An example for blocked practice for the serve would be to hit numerous high velocity first serves down the T in succession. Variable practice would call for you to change the velocity, direction and spin of the serve after each shot. During practice the blocked session will have better performance (higher number of serves in the box) compared to the variable practice. This result changes during match conditions or in a testing situation a day after the practice. The performer who varies their practice retains the information in match conditions better than the performer practicing in a blocked manner.

I agree with the concept of teaching and academic theory but I don't think they are mutually exclusive. It would be nice to integrate the information to incorporate the best of both worlds. I don't think independent George would cease to exist if these worlds collided.

[lukman41985]

HAHAHAHA! "If relationship George walks through that door he will kill independent George...a George divided against itself cannot stand!" Man, oh, man. CrazyLefty, are you a fan of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"?

[CrazyLefty]

I love the show, Larry David is a genious much like my man McEnroe. I dig your end quote, where is it from?