| Tennis Skills - We all want to better them don't we? | | | | After a while, you understand/learn the proper |
| Yes, even if your name is Roger Federer, Maria | | | | execution, but cannot consistently repeat it - Stage 2. |
| Sharapova, Serena Williams or Rafa Nadal and you | | | | Eventually, you can execute the skill with correct |
| are used to playing at Wimbledon or the US Open, | | | | technique and with reasonable consistency, however it |
| getting more tennis skills under your belt or just | | | | is consciously controlled which means a sacrifice in |
| improving what you already have is high on every | | | | flow & fluidity - Stage 3. |
| tennis players agenda. | | | | Stage 4 is when you forget & don't think i.e. you |
| But, how do you go about it? | | | | master the skill and forget/don't use any technical |
| Well sometimes it's not about your forehand or | | | | instructions - you Just Do It (thanks to NIKE!) |
| backhand and what practise methods you choose | | | | I think it's really important to identify just where you are |
| that counts. | | | | in the scheme of things, so you will have real |
| Sometimes it's just about understanding the process of | | | | expectations about how you should be expecting to |
| learning and improving that will prove most successful. | | | | play on a day by day basis. |
| Not sure what I mean? | | | | The problem I find is that generally most players don't |
| Well here is a story that should I am sure will help you. | | | | understand the 4 stage progression and therefore |
| I was talking to a group of tennis players a couple of | | | | have unrealistic expectations about their level of play |
| weeks ago when I mentioned something I thought | | | | and that only leads to FRUSTRATION & in many |
| would help them through the individual troughs they | | | | cases.....ANGER! |
| were experiencing. | | | | The reason I was quick to talk to the group about it |
| All I did was to explain the 4 stages of learning a tennis | | | | was purely down to the fact that someone sat me |
| skill - so here they are. | | | | down to tell me about it many years ago. |
| The four stages of motor skill acquisition are as | | | | The story is a very interesting and somewhat strange |
| follows: | | | | one, so I think I will save it for another day. |
| Stage 1. Unskilled, Unconscious | | | | But for now, sit down and try to work out where your |
| Stage 2. Unskilled, Conscious | | | | tennis skills level is and see if your newly found |
| Stage 3. Skilled, Conscious | | | | understanding helps you in the way you approach your |
| Stage 4. Skilled, Unconscious | | | | tennis game. |
| How does this work? | | | | P.S. One last thing, don't forget, you will have different |
| Well, as a beginner you find you struggle with skill | | | | parts of your game at different stages so you will |
| execution as well as with understanding why your | | | | need to adjust each of them accordingly. |
| mistakes exist - Stage 1. | | | | |