TOM’S ONLINE TENNIS LESSON - Science says!
    
Welcome to Tom’s Online Tennis Lesson, sponsored by
TennisWarrior.com, “Where you can learn to think like a pro!”

Before beginning, you should know that I am NOT against science
or any of the stunning discoveries science has made. The
application of science to tennis has been both useful and
confusing. Often the missing link to clear up the confusion is
common sense. In fact, anything you learn from anyone, including
myself, must be couched in common sense.  

For instance, many of you know that I teach with little
technical information and a lot of repetition. A tennis stroke
is more about developing a feel through repetition than forcing
a host of different technical skills on a player. A player
should develop his own game with his own individual style, form
and personality. What I often hear about this concept is, “No
technical skills?! You just let players do whatever they want?
What if a player chokes up on the racket and holds it on the
throat? Then what do you do? Let them do whatever they want?” My
answer is, “I would tell that player to hold the racket on the
handle.” You must apply common sense procedures to the knowledge
that anyone teaches you. Just because I place repetition and
individuality first does not mean I cannot give a player common
sense information and correct guidelines.  

With this in mind, what you learn from scientific studies and
the many scientific devices (like slow motion video) must be
couched in common sense. Although, I must admit, applying this
to science can be difficult. Mainly because science is so
sophisticated and so exacting that the tendency is to believe,
this must be right! And it often is right, but this does not
mean the application to a given field is correct. And herein
lies the problem!

For example, what I call the “professional model syndrome” is a
source of much confusion and misapplication. Doing a scientific
study using sophisticated slow motion videos you can take
excellent videos of professional tennis players in action. Then
you can watch as a pro hits the stroke this way or that way with
the wrist firm or the weight forward, etc. With this
“professional model” you are now supposed to do the same. A pro
may hit a forehand groundstroke out in front with his wrist in a
certain position and this now becomes the ‘technique’ you should
emulate.

Not a bad idea! The problem is that scientific studies cannot
measure the PROCESS by which a pro has reached that point! The
video just shows the final RESULT. What science is breaking down
is the RESULT of all those months and years of experience and
placing it in a 'technique' category. Somehow you are now
supposed to take this technique WITHOUT THE PROCESS OF
EXPERIENCE OR REPETITION and begin keeping the wrist firm or the
weight forward. Sorry, but this is just not going to happen. Not
unless you have gone through a PROCESS OF EXPERIENCE AND
REPETITION which will prepare you correctly to assimilate and
apply that information according to your OWN INDIVIDUAL STYLE
AND FORM.

What is left out of the scientific equation is the thousands and
thousands of times a pro mistimed the forehand before he
mastered it. Science cannot measure all the internal human
elements that come together to develop a top-notch professional
stroke. The process is too intricate, too personalized and too
individualized for science to categorize because you learn a
stroke by the blending of many different senses unique to you to
develop a feel for a given stroke. Steffi Graf was notorious for
hitting the ball with her forehand farther back than most
players. This may not be scientifically correct, but she had one
of the most explosive forehands in the game!

You may be thinking, “how much better she would have been if she
had performed the forehand according to the scientific study.”
Well, maybe yes and maybe no...who knows! If she was forced,
against her natural instinct, to hit the ball in front with her
forehand maybe she would have become frustrated and quit the
game of tennis! Or maybe because it was not her natural feel to
hit like this she would have had a horrible forehand. Again, who
knows! Who cares! Science does not play the game of tennis,
humans do! That’s why you can use science or slow motion videos
of pros to help your game, but do not eliminate the fact that it
was the process more than the exact technique that is the unsung
hero! Use your common sense and develop your own unique game.

I remember watching a video by Vic Braden called, “The Science
and Myths of Tennis.” In the video, Vic points out that when
serving, the best height to toss the ball is approximately to
the top of the racket when reaching up. According to science,
tossing the ball to this height makes it easier to time the
serve. If the ball is higher, then your timing would be more
difficult because of the extra drop before you hit the ball. Vic
then adds that the debate goes on about the correct height to
toss the ball on the serve. What do the pros do? Some toss the
ball lower and some toss the ball higher than the scientific
mark. Again, you must add individual feel, style and form into
the equation.  

So there you have it, science says this is the best way and
science says that is the best way....but is it? USE YOUR COMMON
SENSE AND TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS AND YOU WILL AVOID SCIENCE
FICTION!

Your tennis pro,

Tom Veneziano

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