There are very good discussions in some facebook groups about non linear (implicit) and linear (explicit) coaching in tennis. While we have a lot of studies about implicit learning in sports like basketball, cricket and volleyball, there is still a lack of targeted research in tennis. At the same time accustomed truths beginn to waver. Methodical traditionalism with clear statement to „technique coaching first“ is no more the only way to coach, yes it is heavily critisized. Action approach and game based learning are essential elements in the Play and Stay concept of the ITF and of national tennis associations all over the world with changing constraints like balls, fields, rackets, rules and more. But there is coming up a confrontation between the representatives of a „both is possible“ and those who plead for the purity of implicit learning.
In any case there are some clues that indicate the need to overthink traditional explicit coaching that has a primarly focus on the players technique. Facebook groups in good discussions weiterlesen →
Traditional biomechanical analyses of human movement are generally derived from linear mathematics. While these methods can be useful in many situations, they do not describe behaviors in human systems that are predominately nonlinear. For this reason, nonlinear analysis methods based on a dynamical systems approach have become more prevalent in recent literature. These analysis techniques have provided new insights into how systems (1) maintain pattern stability, (2) transition into new states, and (3) are governed by short- and long-term (fractal) correlational processes at different spatio-temporal scales. These different aspects of system dynamics are typically investigated using concepts related to variability, stability, complexity, and adaptability. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast these different concepts and demonstrate that, although related, these terms represent fundamentally different aspects of system dynamics. In particular, we argue that variability should not uniformly be equated with stability or complexity of movement. In addition, current dynamic stability measures based on nonlinear analysis methods (such as the finite maximal Lyapunov exponent) can reveal local instabilities in movement dynamics, but the degree to which these local instabilities relate to global postural and gait stability and the ability to resist external perturbations remains to be explored. Finally, systematic studies are needed to relate observed reductions in complexity with aging and disease to the adaptive capabilities of the movement system and how complexity changes as a function of different task constraints.
Some things are wonderful 🙂 . One of them is to find somebody, who shares my convictions. Matt Kuzdub, tennis coach, and a facebook friend, has written a wonderful statement about non-linear pedagogy and the dynamical systems theory and what it means for learning and coaching in tennis. I am working with kids and players, who come for one or two hours in the week to play tennis under the guidance of a professional coach. Matt is working with very ambitioned players and goes with them significantly more intense. But he shares my perception: there is a better way to learn and to coach. And it is evidence based!
To the most frequent articles in forums for coaches in social networks belong videos of players in training sequences. Coaches set pictures of their players from practice to get from other tcoaches tips for technical corrections.
In the comments on the videos you will find many motivated and well-meaning advices from colleagues from all over the world. In most cases, this is about „tips“ for changing the technique.
But there are also articles from coaches who ask the right questions about the videos: „In what context was the video recorded?“, „How are the results (not visible in the video) of the hit?“, „Balls were in play or is the play-off from the basket? „, ….)Questions weiterlesen →
„…for most coaches, the design of practice is constructed under the competing constraints of the need for immediate competition success and the demonstration of ability (i.e. to selectors or parents) in practice alongside longer-term learning.“ (Jia Yi Chow, et al: Non-linear pedagogy in skill acquistion, p. 197)
„With explicit instructions by the coaches, children can not perceive all relevant informations. A close attentional focus is the consequence; good and possibly better solutions are overlooked and the divergent thinking is impaired from the start. On the other hand, learning by discovering without instructions allows a wide attentional focus (implicit/differential/action approach/deliberate coaching, FH).“ (Henseling, M./Maric, R.: Fußball durch Fußball. Göttingen 2015) Wide focus weiterlesen →
„For children in the age between six and eleven years, it has been demonstrated in various studies that their game intelligence – and thus their strategic and tactical understanding – are strongly developed if they do not specialize in a sport at an early stage. Instead, when the practice in different sportsgames without instructions (deliberate play)“. (Henseling, M./Maric, R.: Fußball durch Fußball. Göttingen 2015)Deliberate play weiterlesen →
Die Idee vom „Einschleifen“ der „richtigen Technik“ ist immer noch eine häufige Vorstellung im Tennistraining. Auf www.innercoaching-Blog.de zeigen wir anhand von Studien, Beispielen aus der Praxis und vielen Drills, dass es bessere Wege des Tennis Lehren und Lernens gibt. Einer der Pflastersteine auf diesem Weg ist das „differenzielle Lernen“. Es lohnt sich wieder einmal der Blick über den Tellerrand zu den Fußballern. Marco Henseling hat in dem Blog spielverlagerung.de einen übersichtlichen und gut verständlichen Artikel geschrieben.
Differential learning:
You have walked only on all fours and now you want to learn to walk on two legs? Then you could proceed like this:
Plan A:
You are looking for a straight line on level ground and a target you want to go to (see graphic) and now you always go from a starting point to a destination point and so on.
„… a broad range of methods of development across the coaches, such as coaching courses, academic qualifications, playing and coaching experience, reading, and so on, and that there was a genuine desire among all of the coaches to become better and continually improve.“ (Andy Abraham, Developing expert coaches requires expert coach development: Replacing serendipity with orchestration. Research Gate 2009)
