Univeristy of Wisconsin-Madison: Track and Field- Aaron Thompson by Aaron Thompson

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 16:59:41 UTC

2012 Big Ten Championships 4x400 start

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:00:32 UTC

2015 Big Ten Championships 600 meter dash start

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:00:56 UTC

2011 WI State Championships- 4x400 Celebration

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:04:29 UTC

Stanford Invitational 400 meter Hurdles (Flotrack Video)

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:50:13 UTC

4x100 Meter Handoff: Standford Invitational

Mental Imagery

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:55:01 UTC

This is a picture of me in the starting blocks at the Big Ten Indoor Championships during my freshman year in college. It is a snapshot of me going through the Mental Imagery process. In this moment my heart is racing and I have the most uncomfortable feeling of anxiety in the center of my body (butterflies). I am trying to counteract these performance variables by imagining myself getting out of the starting blocks fast. I am about to run 400 meters and the most difficult aspect of the race is dancing the fine line between running to fast in the beggining of the race and running too slow. In this moment, I am simply trying to mentally imagine the exact effort that I will give at the start of the race. This mental imagery is giving me increased ability to start the race at the desired speed.

Perceptual Motor Abilities

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:55:56 UTC

This is a picture of me receiving a blind hand off from my teammate Ryan in the 4x100 meter relay. It represents Perceptual Motor Abilities because it takes a tremendous amount of skill and timing to run full speed, throw your hand back and get the baton. The skill that i developed to do this action requires proficiency in several different perceptual motor abilities. These abilities include the following: Multi- limb coordination- the ability to coordinate the movement of a number of limbs simultaneously; reaction time- ability to respond rapidly to the signal from my teammate Ryan to throw my hand back; Speed of arm movement- ability to rapidly make a gross, discrete arm movement when i throw my hand back (its Ryans job to be accurate with the baton); manual dexterity- ability to manipulate objects with hands and arms such as when i grab the baton and move it forward without dropping it.

Bilateral Transfer

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 17:59:44 UTC

This is a video of a 400 meter hurdle race from this year. It represents Bilateral transfer because throughout the race i use two different lead legs (the first leg that goes over the hurdle). My dominant or preferred lead leg is my right leg and my left lead leg is my non-preferred leg. The process of learning to use both legs was difficult but the process of learning to use my left leg happened faster than the original process of learning to use my preferred leg. It was easier to develop my left leg because the skill components and the processing elements were very similar for both legs. Therefore I was able to continuously refer to the action of hurdling with my preferred leg when trying to learn the same skill with my left leg. This process is deemed Bilateral transfer.

Physical Proficiency Abilities

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 18:02:41 UTC

This is a picture of me running the 600 meter dash at the 2015 Big Ten indoor Championships. It represents physical proficiency abilities because the skill that is required to run this event at this level correlates to a lot of different physical proficiency abilities. The abilities that i think relate are as follows: Dynamic Strength - the ability to repeatedly or continuously move or support the weight of the body; Dynamic flexibility- ability to make repeated, rapid movements requiring muscle flexibility; Gross body Coordination- ability to perform a number of complex movements simultaneously; Stamina- Ability to exert the entire body for a prolonged period of time.

Intrinsic (Inherent) Feedback

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 18:14:49 UTC

This is a picture of my celebration after i anchored the Brookfield East 4x400 meter relay at the 2011 WI state meet. It represents intrinsic feedback because I intrinsicly/inherently knew that I succeeding in moving my relay from 5th place to 1st place. I knew that i had done this because visually saw that I crossed the finish line first (in the same way that someone can visually see that they made a basketball shot). This picture is a snapshot of one of the most special and memorable moments of my life.

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 18:27:28 UTC

Performance and Learning Variables

adthompson2 — 2015-05-15 18:28:25 UTC

This is a picture of the McClimon Track Complex at UW. It represents performance and learning variables because this is where I have practiced for the past 4 years. This is where I have gone to meet my both of the 2 coaches that I have had throughout my track career. These coaches are learning variables because when they are removed their effect still remained with me. I have personally noticed this learning variable because I still have do certain things that my first coach used to tell us to do. He was a great coach and i miss him a lot (he coaches at a different University now). The performance variables are represented by all of the different types of weather conditions that i have experienced on this track. I have expereinced heavy rain, snow, extreme heat- you name it.