Studia Kinanthropologica 2025, 26(1):31-37 | DOI: 10.32725/sk.2025.006

Block and variable skills training in school physical education

R. Peřinová
Univerzita Karlova, Fakulta tělesné výchovy a sportu

The aim of the study was to determine whether variable practice is feasible in a mainstream school setting and whether our research population, consisting of a school classroom, would lead to a higher rate of skill retention compared to block practice. The study was based on previous research focusing on the influence of contextual interference, but it took a new didactical perspective on this issue in the context of a standard Czech school environment. Thirty-eight sixth grade elementary school pupils participated in the research investigation. The effectiveness of block and variable drills in the acquisition of three specific movement skills was investigated in physical education classes. The selected skills were new and attractive to the participants and matched their level of difficulty. Training was conducted in two groups (girls and boys) under equivalent conditions, with one skill practiced in block and the remaining two skills practiced variably. Each skill received a total of 30 minutes of practice divided into three weeks. Learning outcomes were assessed immediately after the end of practice and then after a four-week break using a retention test. Comparison of block and variable practice mode using Mann-Whitney U test showed that variable practice was the more effective learning method for our sample. The guided interviews and observations showed that the variable training placed higher demands on the organisation of teaching, the motivation of the pupils and the didactic competence of the teacher. Overall, it can be concluded that variable practice is feasible in school physical education conditions and may be more effective than the traditional block approach in terms of skill retention.

Keywords: motor learning; retention; physical education; juggling

Received: December 12, 2024; Revised: March 13, 2025; Accepted: March 19, 2025; Published: May 12, 2025  Show citation

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Peřinová R. Block and variable skills training in school physical education. Studia Kinanthropologica. 2025;26(1):31-37. doi: 10.32725/sk.2025.006.
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