Effects of learning methods and motor ability on basic football skills among students

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of blocked and random practice methods on the acquisition of fundamental football technical skills, taking into account variations in students’ motor abilities. Although practice variability is widely acknowledged as a key factor in motor learning, limited empirical research has examined how different practice structures interact with individual motor capacities in sports skill development. To address this gap, an experimental approach was applied involving university students categorized by motor ability and assigned to blocked or random practice conditions. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test. The results demonstrate that blocked practice leads to superior performance in fundamental football skills compared to random practice. Moreover, a significant interaction was identified between practice method and motor ability. Students with higher motor ability achieved better outcomes under blocked practice, whereas those with lower motor ability showed greater improvement with random practice. These findings suggest that tailoring practice methods to individual motor profiles can enhance the effectiveness of training programs in physical education and sports coaching.

Keywords: Motor ability; practice variability; skill acquisition; sports training; technical performance