Specific times training

[eaglesburg]

I think that traditionally we tennis players try to work on our game as a whole, occasionally spending extra time on a specific stroke or pattern. However, perhaps it would be better focus on just one thing for a couple of weeks.
For example, you could focus on topspin backhands. You could work on only backhands when using the ball machine or wall. When training off court you could focus on backhand footwork patterns. When playing matches you could scoot to the right a little bit if you are a righty. You could also run around forehands if it is feasible.
This kind of training program would probably have to be used at a time when you aren't playing in a whole bunch of tournaments or leagues so that you could really just focus on the stroke in itself rather than a match.
You could set aside say, a month, to work on something specific. The next month you could work on something else. Or maybe you could do one month of specific training followed by a month of general training.
What are your thoughts on this kind of training regimen?
Thanks!

 

[Ash_Smith]

Do some research into blocked/mass practice vs variable practice (I have posted on it many times here too).

 

[eaglesburg]

Do some research into blocked/mass practice vs variable practice (I have posted on it many times here too).

I feel like focusing on only backhands (just an example) would be kind of in between random and blocked. Truly random would just be like playing normal. Truly blocked would be hitting EXACTLY the same backhand including incoming location, targeted location, speed, spin, etc. However I am just saying to hit as many backhands as possible from different locations to different locations with different incoming and outgoing speeds and spins. I guess with the off court part you could still do sprints and shuttle rubs but limit the actual tennis related footwork part to backhand specific footwork.

So would each individual month be considered random or blocked? It seems to me like a combo of partially blocked and partially randomized.

The entire program as a whole will have both blocked and random components for sure. The blocked parts I already mentioned. The random would be in the alternating months. This would help you implement the improved skill into competition.

This is a separate comment about the program: as you are working on the specific skill you will probably find certain aspects more difficult. For example it could be high backhands down the line. So maybe for a day you would spend some extra time on the ball machine hitting high backhands trying to go dtl. I think that aspect of the month long focused training would more than likely be classified as blocked.

 

[Flatballs]

Highly dependent on the time of the season too. You wouldn't want to be too much concentrated block practice in the middle of a playing season.

 

[eaglesburg]

Highly dependent on the time of the season too. You wouldn't want to be too much concentrated block practice in the middle of a playing season.

Good point. So I guess we can assume off season.

 

[mntlblok]

Do some research into blocked/mass practice vs variable practice (I have posted on it many times here too).

http://tinyurl.com/pf46gws Dang. Can't believe I've gotten this old without ever running across *this* before.

"Because blocked practice leads to better performance during training sessions, athletes and coaches are often led to a false sense of confidence that is shattered during competitions, when predictability and rote learning are no longer guaranteed." It saddens me to think about how many times *this* has proven true. . .

kb

 

[Ash_Smith]

^^^ Yup - it's the way a lot of sports, especially tennis and golf have been taught by a majority of coaches for many years - it's now cultural.

If you do any reading into the science of skill acquisition and motor learning you start to realise how important practice variability and constraints led learning is for long term, robust skill acquisition - and therefore performance.

*NB - I do not like the term "random practice" in this context. No practice should ever be random (random implies without thought or structure), hence why I always use "variable practice"

 

[eaglesburg]

^^^ Yup - it's the way a lot of sports, especially tennis and golf have been taught by a majority of coaches for many years - it's now cultural.

If you do any reading into the science of skill acquisition and motor learning you start to realise how important practice variability and constraints led learning is for long term, robust skill acquisition - and therefore performance.

*NB - I do not like the term "random practice" in this context. No practice should ever be random (random implies without thought or structure), hence why I always use "variable practice"

You would still be doing variable practice because you aren't trying to hit the same exact ball every time. So the question is whether it is more effective to hyperfocus(?) on a particular skill for a period of time and then move on to a new skill and so on, or whether the usual way of improving your game as a whole is a better idea.

 

[Ash_Smith]

^^^Variable practice theory suggests skill acquisition is best served by working on a variety of skills in shorter blocks over a given time, rather than having a single focus for a longer time.

 

[eaglesburg]

^^^Variable practice theory suggests skill acquisition is best served by working on a variety of skills in shorter blocks over a given time, rather than having a single focus for a longer time.

Do dtl bh and cc bh count as separate skills or just one?

 

[Ash_Smith]

I wouldn't necessarily consider that an example of variable practice no, if you were alternating slice and topspin maybe yes.

 

[mntlblok]

^^^ Yup - it's the way a lot of sports, especially tennis and golf have been taught by a majority of coaches for many years - it's now cultural.

If you do any reading into the science of skill acquisition and motor learning you start to realise how important practice variability and constraints led learning is for long term, robust skill acquisition - and therefore performance.

*NB - I do not like the term "random practice" in this context. No practice should ever be random (random implies without thought or structure), hence why I always use "variable practice"

Thanks! Great stuff.

kb