Questions about motor learning
While considering the stupidity of being exposed to the basic barbell movements for the first time by participating in a ‘Hero WOD’, I came across a blind spot in my mental model of learning., which I hope you or others on the board can help me address.
We’ve all realized through experience that people can’t be expected to perform a complex new skill that isn’t natural- playing an instrument for example- after a single exposure to correct technique. But say it’s something simple, like contraction of the lumbar spine during a squat or deadlift. How long until this is no longer a cerebral event, and instead is taken over by unconscious processes? How many repetitions before the nervous system learns the pattern and stores it in the motor areas and basal ganglia? How many repetitions before the motor neurons are firing in an efficient sequence? We can assume a hypothetical average person.
I’m curious of the physiological effects for neural adaptation in the motor neurons, basal ganglia, cerebellum, motor cortex, and the role of the frontal lobes.
Also, I’ve realized through experience that sleep has an integral part in learning new movements and skills. So linked are these that in my mind that once myself or a client is fried out on drilling a bar path their first day power cleaning, I’ll often remark that the next step in learning the movement is to get some sleep.
Where can I explore these exact mechanisms? I realize this question is very broad. Thank you for answering or pointing me in the right direction!