Block versus Random

[stotty]

Your thoughts on this 15 minute video....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_5nWKyRzKM

I have my thoughts on the subject but I would love to hear those of others on the forum....

[eaglesburg]

Have there been any studies comparing random and variable practice where it would just be repeated patterns but of different shots?

If these studies are true, then maybe tennis players shouldn't constantly drill crosscourt.
Some people might say that you might have trouble actually using a newly learned technique with random, but in that case you could just slow things down.

[tennis_chiro]

Your thoughts on this 15 minute video....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_5nWKyRzKM

I have my thoughts on the subject but I would love to hear those of others on the forum....

I work a lot with machines that can feed the same ball to the same place over and over, but except in the rare case where I am really struggling to get the least little success for a student, I always insist that the ball move and change so that the student has to read and adjust to each ball differently and incorporate movement.

I think one of the big reasons we don't have the success we used to have from American players is that juniors don't play enough sets. Generally, they practice much more than players of 30 years ago and are much more technically proficient, but they are not as good as competitiors, certainly not on the world stage. Sometimes it seems like pulling teeth when I try to tell a junior that they need to play at least 8 competitive sets a week. They will spend hour upon hour being fed balls by their parents and hitting crosscourts and down the lines; and that practice is certainly necessary to build skill, but the random practice of actual match play can not be overlooked; and, sadly, it has become secondary for most of our junior players.

don

[bottle]

Great thought. And in teaching myself the see see (topspin angle) as my signature shot I now plan to make more of an effort to apply this random principle even in self-feed, i.e., toss the ball here and here and there etc.

[bottle]

At Eastside

Last night in doubles I got to play with zi-zi (Aziz), a teaching pro. He is much younger than I. Much better too and smooth as silk and sharp as a tack.

Despite these qualifications of his, I listened if he spoke. Of course I will listen to anybody-- what's the harm in that?

The first think he told me was to play up on his first serve. Second think, play up whenever possible. Third think, play up "just to be easier on yourself."

Then when I had a slow floater at the net and did a little double-clutch which allowed good placement, he said, "Nice read."

Did he see this same video put up by Stotty (https://www.youtube.com/watchv=m_5nWKyRzKM)? Or is it just that all great minds think alike (untrue by the way).

Reading, planning, technique: Do we have to place them in any particular order? I don't think so.

[eaglesburg]

Last night in doubles I got to play with zi-zi (Aziz), a teaching pro. He is much younger than I. Much better too and smooth as silk and sharp as a tack.

Despite these qualifications of his, I listened if he spoke. Of course I will listen to anybody-- what's the harm in that?

The first think he told me was to play up on his first serve. Second think, play up whenever possible. Third think, play up "just to be easier on yourself."

Then when I had a slow floater at the net and did a little double-clutch which allowed good placement, he said, "Nice read."

Did he see this same video put up by Stotty (https://www.youtube.com/watchv=m_5nWKyRzKM)? Or is it just that all great minds think alike (untrue by the way).

Reading, planning, technique: Do we have to place them in any particular order? I don't think so.

That link didn't work for me. Could you repost it?

[bottle]

That link didn't work for me. Could you repost it?

I had the same trouble with recent attempts to re-post it but made it work when I went back to # 1, Block vs. Random, Stotty's original. Otherwise look for Train Ugly, I guess. But here's another try. I'm curious (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_5nWKyRzKM). Yup, works for me.

[eaglesburg]

Thanks, it works now.