Thread by @AlexJSarama

🧵This is a thread on how I apply differential learning (DL) to shooting. I believe the benefits of non-linear pedagogy are particularly evident with shooting. This season I’ve never done form shooting or given any explicit instruction to “correct technique” as my players shoot.

DL differs to CLA in that the goal is not to manipulate task constraints. Rather, we destabilise existing movement solutions to encourage self-organisation which may nudge the player towards a new, more effective solution aligned with their individual constraints.

It’s critical to first understand context. I like using DL for warm-ups as I think it’s great for opening up degrees of freedom. Also it’s perfect for light training days. I would say we spend considerably more time doing CLA activities however.

These include a mix of 1-on-1’s, 2-on-1’s, 2-on-2’s etc with varying task constraints. That said, DL still plays a key part in what we do. I think it’s the perfect way to get players shooting variably when they just want to shoot instead of live compete. Also high time on task.

While the shooter performs their DL tasks, the passer embraces variability too. So much ⏰ is wasted in trad shooting drills when the rebounder gives chest passes. Random passes while shooter constantly changes location & range. The 👑 of DL shooting shown here in @Kaden79188575

While constantly changing location, range, pass types etc, the shooter executes varying DL tasks. These videos show some of these. Different stances, release speeds, arc height etc. There are an endless amount of ways to do this!

All my players have used a wide array of DL tasks this season. Because they understand the concept well, I completely let them choose what they do. They may decide on three variations and I make a note in my book as to what tasks they did on what day. This naturally promotes SDT

The primary goal of DL is to allow a player to gain information about the solution space and the ways they can shoot in different ways. Rather than just shooting using one movement within this space, through all the movement perturbations in DL, they explore many movements.

Critical: the idea isn’t to shoot the shots they will shoot in the game. These are exaggerated. Some of these variations may indeed look similar (eg diff stances, release speeds), but many of these movements are actually irrelevant and won’t be used in a game…

The goal is NOT to get the player to move in DL exactly like they will move in the game, but rather to perturb the system. This is the idea of stochastic resonance which I learnt from @ShakeyWaits.

Using Rob’s definition of stochastic resonance, the key theory underpinning DL. “The idea is that noise in practice conditions are positive as they help to strengthen a player’s movement solutions. This is is the opposite to blocked or constant practice.”

This is essentially my alternative to traditional form shooting. This season I have given ZERO explicit, internalized feedback to my players on how to shoot. We never do form shooting. The effectiveness of DL had meant there hasn’t been a need to. Another example shown here…

While the ideas shown here are obviously for 🏀, I can see them working for a number of other sports too. Would love to connect with coaches who have been experimenting with DL within their specific sports.

There are an endless amount of DL variables you can use. I’ve shown about 2% in these clips from my overall player development framework that I’m currently writing. The best advice I can give is to let your players invent their own once they understand the concept.

We have been doing DL shooting most practices since the start of Jan. I really believe fresh thinking in shooting is needed. At elite U16 and U18 Euro tournaments not only are the # of threes attempted so low, but the % yields are even worse.

Undoubtedly I believe this is because the traditional approach to shooting at the big clubs remains supreme. Activities such as one hand form shooting are predominant, but totally useless, decontextualised and lacking in any form of task representativeness.

Shooting is VERY complex skill and requires use of the whole body. Instead we must strive to create representative learning environments. This is where CLA comes in, and I see DL as going hand in-hand with this given we acknowledge that no shot will ever be the same.

For all our shooting, we place a big emphasis on making BRADs. Back Rim and Down OR swish. Shots only count if they are BRADs. This is the best external cue for shooting as players have to self-organize to get the BRAD (statistically gives the 🏀 best chance of going in).

Along with DL & CLA activities, the only other shooting we do is pressure training with variability. Eg shooting ladders with diff ranges, set number of BRADs within specific time or score challenge.

Here is a paper by the founder of DL, Wolfgang Schöllhorn. Honoured to be headlining the coaches clinic at the German Final Fours in May and very likely to have one of my three presentations on DL and how I use it. researchgate.net/publication/25…

For all the SSGs I use with a shooting emphasis, check out @BBallImmersion. Our 2-on-1 shooting series is a practice staple and we have a ton of diff task constraints. basketballimmersion.com/courses/

Have had amazing results with this. As a team now we regularly shoot 40%+ from 3PT on 40+ 3PT FGA’s. While it’s impossible to prove what the reason was for this (e.g shot selection, style of play, training guys have done in the past), the % increase since start of season is HUGE.

@threadreaderapp unroll please