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Contextual Interference

Contextual Interference

The learning phenomenon where interference during practice is beneficial to skill learning. That is, higher levels of contextual interference lead to poorer practice performance than lower levels while yielding superior retention and transfer performance (Magill & Hall, 1990).
Low contextual interference is typically referred to as blocked practice while high contextual interference is referred to as random practice.
Blocked training/practice consists of performing a skill over and over (repetition after repetition), the same order of drills, predictable progressions, etc.
While blocked practice consists of varying skills often & quickly (repetition without repetition), changing the order of drills, unpredictable schedule, etc.
Below you will see what a traditional football practice might look like (Traditional). This practice schedule will typically be the same every single practice with the same/similar drills used during each period. On the right you will see what a Random practice schedule might look like. This schedule would change day to day and it would be encourage to vary the skills/drills during each period.