Practice and a bit more.

practice is something that everyone agrees is what makes people in choosen skills, fields.  Sometimes it can be termed hard work.  You are what you practice, you are what you eat, you do what you do.  these phrases carry the same kind of message that what you repeat is what you become and this paradigm appears all over.

what does a maths test examine?  whether a person can answer questions (they don’t change all that much year to year) so one simply must practice enough to become proficient at the posed questions.  Does this mean that now you can use mathematics in the work place?  only if it is similar enough to what you have practiced and that what you have practiced can be transferred to this “new” problem.  if you want an A at GCSE maths you must practice, bottom line.  

the issues are people don’t want to practice or don’t make the time to practice (or don’t have the time) there personal requirement.  I was lucky at GCSE maths as for whatever reason I didn’t need many reps to get it but I know people who did, my wife for example, she practiced her butt off to obtain the grade.  

another example is French, or any language for that matter.  I passed French and I most certainly didn’t learn any I just rep’d what I needed to pass the exam.  learnt it like a parrot and boom..done..but I don’t rep french anymore and so lost 99% of it.  Spanish I rep at reading and writing..no listening and limited speaking (in my own head) and you know what..im pretty good at reading and writing and suck at the rest. why?  no reps!  

Now, there is (im sure, I think i use some) learning methods and teaching methods that almost bypass the need for so many reps and reach the same result.  I have heard it term Accelerated Development before in the tennis world.  I think the UK tennis education has done a great job in this as this is what we need to do in the UK due to lower numbers and a multitude of opportunities for young people.  We need to get the success fast so that kids stick at the game..but there is still a requirement for reps and practice.

the amount of practice and reps is partially individual and also goal orientated.  for example if you want to play for the senior county cup team you need to be a certain level (county dependent, weaker for my county) and this requires a certain amount of work.  If you want to go to the USA for college then you must reach a certain level and this also requires a certain amount of work.  If you want to make the top 100 then this requires a certain amount of work.  If you want to play for a laugh with your mates once a year then once a year is all you need.

there is no substitute for practice.

finally, the LTA rating system. it seems flawed at times, but it also dosn’t. the issues are to do with the amount of matches played by players, when they play them (mini tennis, u12, u18 etc) and the huge imbalance created by choices of these factors.  I will also throw into the mix the reps required to reach a level (individually).  to try to illustrate..take a u12 8.1 who has just started competing but is accelerating drastically..they enter a grade 4 locally and get a 6.2 in the first round.  The 6.2 has played a lot (obviously) and probably has reped alot but how much better is a u12 6.2 than this particular 8.2..could be not much.  does the result matter..reality no, actually probably to everyone..8.2 if wins is over the moon and may want to play more..6.2 may say, oh well a respect the situation and continue to get better or may give up as this is not in the script.  Many scenarios..but consider it from a reps point of view.  If the 8.2 just carrys on not doing much and dosn’t practice they will fall later on..if the 6.2 carrys on they will reach a higher level?  what it takes is continued practice to get better and better..it took me many years to reach the dizzy heights of a 3.1 (now 3.2) and what do I need to go higher..practice (at the right level but practice).

I am sure there is more on this paradigm that is practice but my laptop is about to die..thoughts are most welcome on this..

the tennis engineer! 

 

The Tennis Player’s Posture – The Value of Balance

You are probably aware that tennis is a one sided game in terms of dominant hand and you have probably readily accepted that imbalance is prevalent in the tennis player? Have you noticed that the common process is that tennis players are expected to have imbalances as if to say it supports the game they play? I would like to show the downside of imbalance and the value of balance and that actually one does not need to be imbalanced just because you play tennis.

Posture forms an important part of therapeutic processes, something for yogis, Pilates, osteopaths and physiotherapists, right?  Wrong!

Full Article link below

The Tennis Player’s Posture – The Value of Balance

Find your center!

The Tennis Engineer.

Key Messages from Tactical Movement

Tactical Movement is a concept that encompasses all of the 4 performance factors and their linkage in particular the limiting effects of each factor on the overall desired outcome and development goal.  It is a holistic approach to player development putting tactical and physical “contextual” competency at the heart fuelling technical and mental development for a rounded a competent tennis player.

The article recently posted entitled Tactical Movement, I admit was a bit on the long side.  It was a few month process to write and it will become central to the Tactical Movement Workshop I am putting together (rough outline is at the bottom of this article should you be interested).  The aim of this post is to bring out the key messages from the article that form the basis of the thinking behind tactical movement.

Limitation Model,

The limitation model states that the tactical intention governs the requirements technically and physically.  Mentally a player must understand the overall process and the application of the techniques (both racket and physical) and also relate the practices and drills to achieving the tactical intention. Since the mind governs the body the understanding and application limits the technical response to the tactical outcome.  underpinning technique is bio mechanical fluidity and within technique comes footwork and movement patterns that are best suited to the tactical intention.

Therefore there is a requirement to develop physical “contextual” competence that includes footwork, movement and body function in conjunction with racket skills with the overall outcome of a tactical desire.  Within coaching, there must be intervention that addresses this area.

360 approach

The 360 approach calls for attention to be paid to developing footwork and movement patterns to support technical and tactical requirements.

Through a complete sequence of execution from initiation to recovery a player’s body function capability is the limiting factor in what is possible.  Professional players do what they do because they can and even they can and will do it better with improved body function.  In a coaching environment, working with developing players, development can occur if the players body can do what it is being asked to and hence the degree at which they can do it increases.

Quality Factor

In striving for the best quality players must be challenged and taught effective means to push the quality factor.  The body limitations, positioning, court coverage, footwork application and recovery will directly impact the quality factor.

Movement and Footwork

Movement and footwork have a tactical relationship with the game and can be developed and progressed.  Players can be taught how to cover court effectively, which footwork steps to apply when and appropriate recovery within situations.  Further more each of these areas can be broken down and developed from static function of the body to dynamic implementation with the ball. As one may break down the forehand cross court and one can also develop the function of the body to aid in this stroke and furthermore consider the ways of reaching the stroke and recovering from it.  Depending on the situation will depend on the requirement of the body, footwork and movement.

What is coming…

In the coming months my aim is to produce and re visit articles that tie this concept up into a deliverable.  From theory to practical exercises and drills to facilitate the development of young players (primarily in U10 mini tennis) but also applicable to older performance players.

A rough outline could be

• Limitation model
• Movement concepts (flight, move in balance, fluid move – Action Zone)
• Emergencies and opportunities (coping and exploiting)
• Holistic approach, exploiting comfort zones, exploration and growth within coaching
• Application/handling Pressure (importance of movement and footwork and court coverage)
• Technique is movement
• Basic bio-mechanics and functions of the body (general and tennis related)
• Tactical Movement (Pro analysis, U10 mini tennis)
• Practical development of Tactical Movement (static/dynamic exercise, footwork development, progressions to ball)

Thoughts?

Thanks for reading

 

Mike!

 

“Centre” – a little anecdote

The table I am sat is wobbly and to say the least annoying.  I look around for an obvious solution to the problem presented.  I find an old magazine, newspaper or bear mat and I fold the object to a suitable size and place it under the affecting leg.  The table ceases to wobble (for now) and my issue is solved.  Until of course the object deteriorates or the dog chews it or it is removed for some reason and the table reverts back to its old self of wobbliness.  the table has no way of adapting to this situation as it has no mind but it does rock to its so called or perceived centre.  It is just when the table is called upon to be functional the problem presents itself.  The degree of the problem is also a question in that the problem has to become suitably bad before anything is done about it.

The human body can be likened to this situation where there is a compensation or an inhibition but the body can adapt to function (or perceive to function) until one day it decides no.  The body adapts to what the requirements are but the degree at which it can perform the requirements are dependant on how the body currently functions.  If it functions optimally (or as close to as possible) the outcome is arguably good in the required function.  At least it gives the person the best possible chance. 

We could simply replace the table with a new one that doesn’t wobble but in the case of the body this isn’t a solution (apart from in obvious situations and I am not referring to enhanced aesthetics).  

In my work as a tennis coach I have been presented with a child who is struggling to serve due to techniques I have instructed previously.  Not that these techniques are wrong but since I have been with Anatomy In Motion (www.anatomyinmotion.co.uk) I have recognised that there is no wonder the serve is struggling. I have looked at segments of the chain where there are problems and low and behold a foot issue presented itself where the player struggled to absorb weight into the foot when performing the serve and had to constantly reposition the foot to accommodate the action.  This led to mishaps up the chain and hence affected the outcome of the serve.  Attention to improving the foot function allowed a smoother transition of weight into and up through the serve. 

In this case there was no wedge to place under the wobbly table but to educate the body to function optimally (or closer to optimum) to improve the serve.  

There are other situations where I have seen children essentially being prescribed wedges to stop their table wobbling.  What happens when the wedge is moved?  the table wobbles again.  This is the same for the child with a wobble stopping wedge.  Once it is removed the body reverts back.

As a sports coach I am starting believe in a relationship between body and requirement and that the body is our primary tool.  We need allow time to focus on allowing the body to function optimally if it is not and this will help players in their development.  

The question is do we as coaches need to skill up our knowledge in body function, posture, gait etc or do we outsource this to another professional?  I have chosen to delve into this subject as it fascinates me. For me this is a definite requirement of the modern day athlete but who is responsible for it?  

Vertical Jump

Vertical Jump Comparisons

Hotspot Training offers a Vertical Jump Measurement system that operates using the time of flight to calculate the vertical raising of a person’s centre of mass.  The system runs of a 16bit processor allowing a certain degree of accuracy in timing and displays cm:mm.

The system works by using a dot that is configured to be sensitive enough to trigger when the athlete jumps up leaving the dot.  It is then triggered again when the athlete lands back on the dot.

?????

There are some interesting debates about testing and testing equipment and what can be used and compared.

Firstly one must consider the “fair” test criteria probably first studied in school.  This is where testing environments, equipment and methods are repeatable each time a sample is collected.  If they are not the same or the conditions considered acceptable then data cannot be compared.

In the case of the vertical jump there are a few methods and testing units that are available for use.  Each operates in different ways and more interesting are that of the athlete and the method of data acquisition.  For example using the “chalk and wall” method or something like the “Vertec” the athlete looks up aiming for the target and there is no consideration to the landing or where they land.   This method could be considered a pure vertical jump as everything is in the correct plane.  Any shifts in landings will result in lower scores.  When a system involves a landing the athlete will potentially alter the mechanics. In addition the athlete has a host of variables also such as fatigue level, warm up etc that can hinder the tests (example of this later).

The main requirement for a vertical jump system is that it shows progression and improvement that somewhat correlates with current accepted methods.

Tests

The Hotspot vertical jump system was tested against two methods (chalk and wall and Vertec) and proven to correlate with progression and give indications within a few cm.  In reality the Hotspot is likely to be the more accurate of the methods due to resolution of measurement in the others.  Also the plane in which the athlete must execute is also likely to be more accurate using the small dot.

In initial tests the athlete was asked to jump using each method separately and the results read within 2cm of each other.

In another test two athletes were asked to use Hotspot and Vertec at the same time.  In both cases the results from Vertec and Hotspot were within approximately 2cm.  These heights were 52cm and 61.2cm

The Hotspot, when tested incrementally with Vertec showed correlation with the progression in height.  Vertec was set at known heights and incremented 10cm each jump and Hotspot results followed this pattern.

In a final test Hotspot was used as a training tool for an athlete to complete 5 jumps at 90% of maximum. This meant the athlete attempted to replicate effort level and jump approximately 52cm.  Hotspot readings for these 5 jumps were with 3cm of this number.

Other findings

In recent data comparison, a tennis player was tested using an electronic jump mat system and the score recorded was 32cm. According to an S&C coach who had worked with the player previously this value was considered low.  In using the Hotspot a week later the player recorded a 42cm jump.  This is a big difference and there is no way of confirming which reading is correct but feeling was that the 42cm jump is more appropriate.

Conclusion

The conclusion to be drawn from all this is that Hotspot is a valid training and testing option for vertical jump.  It can demonstrate improvement and correlates with that of other non-electronic systems.   There can really be no comparison between systems and modalities and whatever testing environment and equipment is chosen must remain consistent.  Hotspot, therefore offers an affordable and useable option for testing vertical jump.

Don’t miss these..

Emergencies and Opportunities

http://3dtrainingconcept.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/situations-emergencies-vs-opportunities/

3 Movement Concepts

http://3dtrainingconcept.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/3-movement-concepts/

Association Training

http://3dtrainingconcept.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/association-training/

Enjoy x

Performance Enhancement Tool kit

The Performance Enhancement tool kit is a simple and effective way to personalise training.  Whether it be for a specific game style in an individual sport, a certain position or improving certain muscle groups this approach will get you on the dot faster.

Again there is a 360 degree approach to this and it is important to consider options and potential solutions from many angles.  For example a right back in football will have certain things in common with the vast majority of right backs but with deeper investigation there could be slight variances due to the manager setting the team up differently or a certain style of play and also not to forget the individual flare and personality.

Moving through the process the movement patterns and variations that can be applied must be set and of course every thing linked back to game day.  What can we expect the player to do on the field and for what reasons?

Within each movement pattern there will be physical obstacles to over come.  These could be in the form of muscles not functioning as well as they could or technique at certain points within the movement pattern.  This could be down to the brain having not been educated, a strength issue or some other issue.  The point is that we can find it fix it and work with it all the time in and out of the movement patterns.

With this approach we have a detailed overview of the actual requirements from all angles. We have designed specific patterns and drill variations to enhance the players performance.  We have given the body a well rounded view of what we want and how to get better and finally we monitor every time and all the time.

In monitoring we build up players confidence with the movements (maybe after and injury), we demonstrate the point relevant to the tactics so we get buy in and we have a much better handle on whether the drill, activity works within the game played at the weekend.

Simple really but very effective

Example case coming soon…

Make it count x

Simple Movement Training for Tennis

Tennis  Movement Training – Phase 1 – Vector Training

Download Phase 1 Simple Tennis Movement 

Introduction

Tennis is a dynamic sport requiring a host of skills in order to play the game well.  Alongside techniques of strokes, tactical understanding and mental abilities is that of movement and footwork.  These would come under the heading “physical” but is more than simply going to the gym and crunching weights or running on a treadmill.  Tennis movement is specific and in phase 1 the aim is to introduce you to simple movement concepts that you can improve and that will also double up to improve your fitness.

3 Vectors

Movement in tennis can be broken down into 3 vectors.

1. Forward & Backward
2. Lateral
3. Diagonal

Vectors must have direction and a magnitude.  In this case we look at direction and 2 “magnitudes,” distance and speed. 

Movement Steps

Tennis movement can be simply broken down into 3 or 4 distinct types.

1. Side steps / shuffles
2. Cross over steps (X overs)
3. Running (fwd/bwd)
4. Dynamic Cross overs (combination of X over / side step)

Within the game you will be required to use all of these either in isolation or in a complex combination.  Within phase 1 of Tennis Movement Training there will be drills to develop and enhance all vectors and movements

Download Phase 1 Simple Tennis Movement 

Hotspot System Setup

To know if you are improving you need to measure the drills. Hotspot can help you do that and provide accuracy and repeatability so that you have the confidence that you are improving.

To use the Hotspot system with the drills outlined is simple.

1. Use the mode button to select “COUNT” mode (Press start to confirm)
2. Set the number of dot’s to be hit in your drill
   1. Remember if you use the “0” start mode the first dot starts the timer and is not included in the total count
   2. You can return to dots after 0.5s, be sure to include all of the hits in the drill
   3. Press start to confirm and use the mode button again to select the “0” remote start
   4. Press start and go!

Download Phase 1 Simple Tennis Movement