What is the theory behind a constraints-led coaching approach? And how can you implement it into your training sessions? CHRIS STABLER explains it all...
Whether helping younger players to discover the game, or teaching more experienced players to refine their technical and tactical skills, coaches need to adopt a learning method.
A constraints-led approach is one such model that has proven effective. But what is it and what can it do for your players?
The constraints-led approach (CLA) is a non-linear model.
Non-linear models focus on unstructured, or less structured, experiential and diverse learning, where players explore solutions, skills emerge naturally and at different rates, and coaching is facilitative and player-centred.
Effectively, the skill should be practised within the context of the game, rather than removed and isolated, as in more traditional, linear coaching methods.
Based on ecological dynamics, where learning takes place through interactions within an ever-changing environment, CLA allows adaptability in technical and tactical skill acquisition by creating an ever-changing learning environment, with skills learned within the context of the game.
Players are encouraged to become adaptable, creative and instinctive problem-solvers and decision-makers.
Other non-linear, game-based models, such as the game-sense approach and teaching games for understanding (TGfU), have similarities in their approach to CLA. However, some key differences exist.
Skill acquisition plus tactical awareness
CLA can be used to enhance both technical and tactical skill acquisition, whereas games-based models focus on tactical awareness and developing game understanding through modified games, often neglecting associated techniques and specific skills.
As a ‘learning environment-centred’ model – rather than a ‘learner-centred’ model – CLA can produce players with not only tactical understanding, but also the ability to self-organise and execute technical skills with a high degree of adaptability and variability.
Facilitating not directing
Game-based models lend themselves to more directive coaching, with explanation and instruction followed by an elevated level of feedback from the coach, as they manipulate aspects of the game to modify performance.
CLA is outcome-focused, and learning and feedback tend to be more intrinsic. Coaching becomes more facilitative, leading to guided discovery, as players become self-organised regarding movement patterns or sequences.
Drills and games
CLA can be applied not only to game-based scenarios, but also to skill zones or drill-based activities, allowing players to further self-organise movement patterns and sequences and produce variability when executing technical skills.
With CLA, coaches first consider the technical and tactical outcomes they want to achieve in a session.
They then consider how to manipulate the learning environment to allow players to self-discover, self-organise and explore possible learning outcomes to find solutions.
To achieve this, they add constraints to the learning environments, which fall into three key areas – the task, the organism (player) and the environment.
Task constraints
By adding constraints to the required skills to perform a task, coaches create a learning environment that allows players to adapt technical movement patterns and/or tactical decisions to produce successful yet variable outcomes.
For example, they could change the rules of the game, pitch dimensions, field positions, and scoring systems.
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