Factors influencing caster board skill acquisition

Hiroo Suzuki^1*Takehito Hirakawa²Yuji Yamamoto³

• ¹Ryukoku University, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan
• ²Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Osaka, Japan
• ³Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan

In motor learning research, various whole-body movement tasks have been examined using a the dynamical systems approach. Prior studies have highlighted that differences in learning strategies and variability in movement contribute to individual differences in motor learning. Building on these findings, this study observed the learning process of seven beginners attempting to ride a caster board for the first time until they were able to stand on it. Specifically, we aimed to compare and contrast differences and commonalities in the learning process to identify factors contributing to individual differences and to clarify the motor skills crucial for mastering the caster board. To quantify movement changes associated with learning, we analyzed the initial velocity of the board and the amplitude of trunk rotational movement. We calculated trial-by-trial changes in these variables and examined which variable showed greater change for each participant. Across all participants, both initial velocity and trunk rotational movement increased with practice. These findings suggest that accelerating the board's initial velocity, which contributes to stability, and increasing the amplitude of trunk rotational movement, which generates propulsive force, are both critical for mastering the caster board. However, the number of trials required to achieve the learning task varied by over 100 trials among participants, and individual differences were also observed in the movement patterns at task completion. Case-based analysis revealed that these differences were influenced by the movement patterns performed in the early trials and by the variability in movement patterns executed across trials.