At first when you are trying to learn a new sensorimotor skill, you have to use directed thought and consciously try and perform the task, typically by breakin

At first when you are trying to learn a new sensorimotor skill, you have to use directed thought and consciously try and perform the task, typically by breaking it down into separate movements. But at a certain point in this process the skill becomes implicit and you start to 'just do it.' You can continue to improve the skill at this point, but it requires less conscious control. Interestingly, if you try and over-control your movements after having reached the second stage, your performance will usually get worse. [1] Psychologists call the first kind of learning explicit and the second kind implicit learning.