Motor Coordination Hobbies

Hobbies and Motor Coordination

Hobbies can help us practice and improve our motor coordination in an enjoyable, sustainable way. Hobbies can also foster mindfulness, further enhancing our motor coordination.

What is Motor Coordination

Motor coordination is defined as “the ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently”, or “the ability to perform both fine and gross motor tasks with a high degree of success“.

Motor coordination is a fundamental aspect of our daily lives, underpinning everything from the simple act of picking up a pen to the complex movements required in sports. It refers to the ability to use different parts of our body together smoothly and efficiently to perform tasks.

Can Motor Coordination be Improved with Practice?

Yes, motor coordination can be improved with practice:

Our research shows that practice can lead to changes in coordination as reflected by changed indices of motor synergies.
The Effects of Practice on Coordination – PMC

The process of improving motor coordination with practice called motor learning:

Motor learning occurs as a result of practicing motor skills and is associated with long-lasting changes in the brain driven by cells known as neurons.
How do motor behaviors get better with practice? – Science in the News | Harvard University

While there are dedicated exercises to improve motor coordination, they can often be tedious and disengaging, making it difficult to maintain a regular practice routine.

Hobbies Can Be a Great Way to Practice and Improve Motor Coordination Skills

This is where hobbies come into play. Hobbies requiring motor coordination offer an enjoyable and efficient way to enhance these skills. They involve a variety of movements, providing a comprehensive workout for coordination. Being enjoyable and engaging, hobbies foster persistence, crucial for skill improvement.

Hobbies Foster Mindfulness, Improving Motor Coordination

Practicing coordination might be different than practicing other physical skills. Unlike strength and endurance, coordinating is “not something where you can just show up and go through the motions“.

Coordination requires attention, and attention requires mindfulness.

Following both interventions, meditators and novices improved the stability of their anti-phase coordination pattern and their attentional performance.
Frontiers | Mindfulness meditation and bimanual coordination control: study of acute effects and the mediating role of cognition

Hobbies can promote mindfulness, making them a sustainable, enjoyable, and effective way to improve motor coordination.