One key concept in motor learning that’s worth knowing is how we actually learn new skills—it doesn’t just happen all at once or in a straight line. Everyone learns at their own pace and in their own way. One of the most influential frameworks to explain this is Bernstein’s stages of learning, which center around the idea of “degrees of freedom.”
So, what are degrees of freedom? Think of them as all the parts of your body you can control—joints, muscles, ligaments, and so on. The tricky part for your brain and body is figuring out how to manage all of these moving parts to create smooth, skilled movements. Bernstein broke this learning process down into three stages:
- Freezing Degrees of Freedom – When you’re just starting out, you tend to lock up certain joints or body parts to simplify the movement. It’s a way to stay in control, but it can look (and feel) stiff and robotic.
- Freeing Degrees of Freedom – Once you start getting the hang of things, you begin to “unlock” those joints. Your movements become smoother, more natural, and better coordinated.
- Exploiting Degrees of Freedom – At this point, you’re moving like a pro. You’re not just in control—you’re using the natural forces of your body and the environment (like momentum and gravity) to make your movement more powerful and efficient.
A great way to picture this is to think about how a car works. Imagine trying to steer each wheel separately—not very practical, right? Instead, cars use axles to coordinate the wheels, making driving way smoother. In a similar way, your body learns to group muscles and joints into functional “teams” (or synergies) that work together more efficiently.
For coaches, trainers, and anyone helping others learn movement skills, understanding these stages can really help. It gives you a roadmap to guide people from stiff and awkward to smooth and adaptable. And for learners, it’s a reminder that every clunky rep is just a step toward more fluid, efficient movement.
