Abstract
[Objective] To determine the motor learning effects of two types of instruction procedure on postural optimization training using functional reach (FR). [Subjects] Twenty-eight able-bodied university students (17 males, 11 females), who volunteered to participate in this studys, were assigned randomly to an ItE group, to an EtI group or to a control group. The ItE group received external focus of attention (EFA) with knowledge of results (KR) after internal focus of attention (IFA) with knowledge of performance (KP). The EtI group received IFA with KP after EFA with KR. [Methods] The horizontal distance between the lateral malleolus and the fingertip (FR distance) and the location of the center of gravity were measured at pre-test and at the first (1 day after practice) and second (7 days after first retention test) retention tests. After the pre-test, participants performed 10 daily FR trials on four consecutive days (practice phase). The ItE group and EtI group received different verbal instructions and feedback for two days at time. The control group received no instructions on any of the four days. The FR distance was measured after all trials. [Results] The ItE group was divided into high performers and low performers. The EtI group’s performance was significantly higher on the second, third, and fourth days of the practice phase, and in the first and second retention tests when compared to the pre-test. [Conclusions] The results of this study suggest that EtI can improve the performance on a few individuals. However, ItE might improve performance remarkably when subjects are able to understand IFA with KP appropriately in the first practice phase.
