Development of Foundational Movement Skills: A Conceptual Model for Physical Activity Across the Lifespan

Abstract

Evidence supports a positive association between competence in fundamental movement skills (e.g., kicking, jumping) and physical activity in young people. Whilst important, fundamental movement skills do not reflect the broad diversity of skills utilized in physical activity pursuits across the lifespan. Debate surrounds the question of what are the most salient skills to be learned which facilitate physical activity participation across the lifespan. In this paper, it is proposed that the term 'fundamental movement skills' be replaced with 'foundational movement skills'. The term 'foundational movement skills' better reflects the broad range of movement forms that increase in complexity and specificity and can be applied in a variety of settings. Thus, 'foundational movement skills' includes both traditionally conceptualized 'fundamental' movement skills and other skills (e.g., bodyweight squat, cycling, swimming strokes) that support physical activity engagement across the lifespan. A proposed conceptual model outlines how foundational movement skill competency can provide a direct or indirect pathway, via specialized movement skills, to a lifetime of physical activity. Foundational movement skill development is hypothesized to vary according to culture and/or geographical location. Further, skill development may be hindered or enhanced by physical (i.e., fitness, weight status) and psychological (i.e., perceived competence, self-efficacy) attributes. This conceptual model may advance the application of motor development principles within the public health domain. Additionally, it promotes the continued development of human movement in the context of how it leads to skillful performance and how movement skill development supports and maintains a lifetime of physical activity engagement.

Effects of motor skill interventions on fundamental movement skills in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review

“…FMS are significantly correlated with high levels of physical activity and fewer health concerns among youth with TD (Lubans et al 2010;Holfelder & Schott 2014;Logan et al 2015;Barnett et al 2016b;Hulteen et al 2018), and FMS interventions improved FMS proficiency (Tompsett et al 2017). Given that children and adolescents with ID tend to present deficits in FMS, which may persist as the youth develop, improvement of FMS components (i.e.…”

Motor competence, perceived physical competence, physical fitness, and physical activity within Finnish children

“…The development of MC constitutes a foundation for human motor behavior as these skills are noted as both direct and indirect building blocks for a multitude of lifetime activities . The development of a strong foundation of MC requires the development of coordination and control of complex multisegmental movements that are grouped according to their focus on stability, locomotion, and manipulation/projection of objects .…”

Fundamental movement skills in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review

“…Among children and adolescents with TD, FMS have been considered particularly important for promoting physical activity participation and, by extension, for inducing health benefits (Hulteen, Morgan, Barnett, Stodden, & Lubans, 2018). Indeed, several systematic reviews have indicated a positive association between FMS and physical activity among children with TD (Holfelder & Schott, 2014;Logan, Webster, Getchell, Pfeiffer, & Robinson, 2015; Lubans, Morgan, Cliff, Barnett, & Okely, 2010).…”