When trying to explain how we humans learn how to move, the term ‘degrees of freedom’ is helpful. As we learn over time degrees of freedom diminish (which may sound a little confusing I suppose, lol), but this term was en vogue the last time I opened a book on the subject of motor learning and human performance (as the dust and cobwebs attest). So, here goes…
As we humans learn how to move, the concept of ‘degrees of freedom’ is a useful tool when trying to understand how it all happens. For example, the act of walking for most adults becomes a response to one simple command from the part of our brain that controls walking, long ago reduced to a singular command that no longer requires specific attention. During the learning process as infants we experiment with apparently random movement, seemingly without purpose but it is actually a period of trial and error. Ultimately, superfluous movements are eliminated and we walk…Surprise! Surprise!
Thankfully, as fully developed humans we have learned that every move we make does not require conscience attention, and when we seek to expand our movement library beyond daily and required routines, we can practice and know that degrees of freedom will decrease. Movements and responses will become instinctive without the need for constant thinking…
As a saxophone player (a.k.a. a musician, lol) I have sometimes found thinking to be an enemy, lol)) I always get in trouble when I start thinking, forget the singular act just to play, and not trust the many years of trial and error. I am forever thankful that years of practice and guidance have allowed me to find moments of freedom…Only the future is left for others to decide what happened, lol)))