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Variable training: effects on velocity and accuracy in the tennis serve
Hector Hernández-Davo1, Tomás Urbán, Jose Manuel Sarabia
1a Sport Research Center , Miguel Hernandez University , Elche , Spain.
Journal of Sports Sciences
|April 8, 2014
Summary
Variable practice, a method for enhancing motor skills, significantly improved tennis serve accuracy in young players. This approach appears effective for closed motor skills, unlike previous assumptions.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Motor Learning
- Skill Acquisition
Background:
- Variable practice is recognized for improving open motor skills.
- Its efficacy in closed motor skills, like the tennis serve, is debated.
- Understanding optimal practice strategies is crucial for athletic development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of variable practice on a closed motor skill.
- Specifically, to analyze its effects on the tennis serve performance.
- To compare variable practice with consistency-based practice in young tennis players.
Main Methods:
- Thirty young tennis players (average age 13) were divided into two groups: variable practice and consistency practice.
- Both groups completed 12 training sessions, with 60 serves per session.
- Performance metrics, including accuracy and serve velocity, were measured.
Main Results:
- The variable practice group demonstrated a significant improvement in serve accuracy compared to the consistency group (P = 0.035).
- Serve velocity increased in both groups following the training interventions (P = 0.001).
- Variable practice conditions showed a notable advantage for accuracy enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Variable practice is an effective strategy for improving the accuracy of closed motor skills, specifically the tennis serve.
- The findings challenge previous notions regarding the limited applicability of variable practice to closed skills.
- This study supports the integration of variable practice methods in tennis training programs for enhanced skill development.
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