The Athletic Skills Model (ASM) provides coaches with a framework to think about skilful movement across the lifespan, encompassing transfer of learning theories, a concentric and holistic approach, and creating challenging environments.
By Dr Martina Navarro1,2 & Alex Beckey1,3
1 The Athletic Skills Model UK
2 University of Portsmouth
3 St Mary’s University
ASM Building Blocks
The ASM consists of three building blocks to develop adaptable and versatile movers. It’s an integrative approach that develops physical literacy, motor competence, coordination and physical capacities in a unified training programme.
1. Basic Movement Skills (BMS)
The Basic Movement Skills consists of ten fundamental forms of movement (BMS) to move skilfully across the lifespan. The 10 fundamental forms of movement are:
- Balancing and falling
- Romping and fighting
- Moving and locomotion
- Jumping and landing
- Rolling, tumbling and turning
- Throwing, catching, hitting and aiming
- Kicking, shooting and aiming
- Climbing and scrambling
- Swinging
- Music in motion
2. Coordinative Abilities (CA)
- Adaptability (i.e. the ability to adapt)
- Balance ability (i.e. the ability to maintain and restore balance)
- Coupling ability (i.e. the ability to synchronise movements)
- Kinetic differentiating ability (i.e. the ability to couple sub-movements in a precise and efficient manner)
- Spatial orientation ability (i.e. the ability to determine your position in space in relation to relevant information)
- Ability to react (i.e. the ability to respond fast and appropriately to a problem/situation).
- Rhythmic ability (i.e. the ability to perceive and move on and off rhythm)
3. Conditions of Movement (COM)
The ASM proposes that training these properties in isolation is not effective and suggests using five different, more practically feasible ‘conditions’ needed to perform successful movements in physical activities and sports. The five conditions of successful movement are:
- Agility (i.e. manoeuvrability)
- Flexibility (i.e. limberness)
- Stability (i.e. posture/balance)
- Power (i.e. force and speed)
- Endurance (i.e. local and total endurance).
The ASM Continuum
The ASM building blocks (BMS, CA and COM) are integrated using the ASM continuum. Based on an initial Basic Movement Skills Analysis, the ASM continuum offers coaches guidance to design training programmes, activities and exercises to develop versatile movers in a structured manner. The ASM Continuum has four interacting categories that are important for a versatile development.
