IM tasks are measured in average milliseconds away from the beat. A student is asked to move their body to a slow rhythmic beat, usually 54 beats per minute. The computer measures exactly when the student actually makes the move compared to when their ears actually heard the target sound. The difference is measured in milliseconds - 1000 ms per second - and displayed on the computer. Averaging all the hits together will give a ms average for that task. Generally I have discovered that with different averages, students display different emotions and thoughts. Here's a picture of what I see in terms of IM performance:
100 ms or larger - Students often loose the beat and can not figure out how to get back into the rhythm. They often require what's called hand over hand help. The IM provider will help them find the beat.
60 ms - 100 ms - Student begins to be able to do task independently, but when they lose the beat they may require help to refind it. 60 ms can be quite frustrating for some. 60 ms is right in the middle of the average range for adults who are not IM trained so it is very common..... but when you are actually scoring a 60 ms, you feel 'off'. The computer gives you such direct, quality feedback, that you can definitely see 60 ms is not 'on the beat.' But... because gains are often made fairly quickly from when the individual becomes independent to 30 ms, students often feel a great sense of accomplishment during this part of training.
30 ms - Student are now just beginning to feel some confidence that they can do it. Plateaus frequently happen here. The younger child, under 9 years or so, may end here, though some young students are able to make it into the 20's or even teens.
20 ms - Here is when a student begins to have internal confidence. They trust in their ability to be successful and this often generalizes into the world outside of IM. IM become self rewarding, external motivators are no longer needed. My goal is to get as many tasks as possible under the 20 ms mark. When a student reaches 20 ms, they often experience a huge amount of functional gains.
15 ms - Students that score here enter an almost meditative state, extreme focus in a relaxed, yet highly motivated mental state. You simply can not reach this level with out three key factors - focus, motivation, and relaxation. You are 'in the zone' so to speak. There is a major difference between 15ms and 25ms though it's only 1/100th of a second difference. Those who have gone from 25ms down to 15ms definitely express that the peaceful, relaxed, focused state of 15ms is worth the effort! 15 ms is FUN!
