The phenomenology of continuous improvement

In this chapter, the phenomenon of continuous improvement is introduced and it is suggested that conscious processes play a crucial role in the maintenance and improvement of performance proficiency among skilled performers. This thesis is intriguing because it runs counter to a body of research warning us of the perils of thinking too much, or even at all, about highly practised movement. By contrast, it argues that continuous improvement is mediated by a performer’s ability to reflect and consciously guide their action during practice and performance. It critically evaluates some of the dominant paradigms in the skill acquisition literature, including information processing approaches and theories of embodiment, and explains why the book’s stance is intellectualist and pragmatic in nature. Lastly, it provides an overview of the remaining chapters in the book.