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Variable practice in learning the forehand drive in tennis
1University of Athens, Greece. sdouvis@cc.uoa.gr
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|December 31, 2005
Summary
Variable practice enhances motor skill learning in tennis for children and adolescents. This method, involving varied targets and distances, proved superior to specialized practice for improving forehand drive performance.
Area of Science:
- Motor Learning
- Sports Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Motor skill acquisition is crucial for athletic development.
- Practice methods significantly influence learning outcomes in sports.
- Understanding age-related differences in motor learning is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of variable practice on learning the tennis forehand drive.
- To compare the effectiveness of variable practice versus specialized practice in different age groups.
- To examine the relationship between age and the benefits of variable practice.
Main Methods:
- Participants: 80 males (40 children aged 9-10, 40 adolescents aged 18-19).
- Design: 2 (age) x 4 (practice groups: no target, 1, 4, or 5 targets) factorial design.
- Procedure: 18 practice sessions over 40 days, followed by 60 transfer trials.
Main Results:
- Adolescents outperformed children in learning the forehand drive.
- Variable practice led to significantly better performance compared to constant or specialized practice.
- The effectiveness of variable and specialized practice was influenced by the participants' age.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the variability of practice hypothesis in motor learning.
- Variable practice is a more effective strategy for developing tennis forehand skills than specialized practice.
- Age is a significant factor moderating the effects of different practice conditions on motor skill acquisition.