Tennis Improvement Memo 018. Understand the Essence of Improvement to Grow Easily

▶ Putting an end to the "High or Low Takeback?" debate

There are several "essentials" to improving at tennis.

For example, regarding the takeback, Kimiko Date used to pull her racket back low, whereas Ai Sugiyama set hers high.

In other words, the answer to the question, "Should I pull my takeback low or set it high?" is "It doesn't matter which."

That is to say, it is not an essential.

It is something left to the individual's habits and personality.

▶ "Concentrating on the ball" is the essence of tennis improvement

On the other hand, "concentrating on the ball" is an essential.

Simply put, it means watching (or feeling) the ball well.

There is no player who can hit well without looking at the ball.

As proof, there is likely almost no player who can hit a clean shot while blindfolded against a ball flying from the opponent's side.

Even if there were a player who could hit while blindfolded, the performance achieved would be higher without the blindfold, right?

An essential is basically something that admits no exceptions (*Note 1) and is an immutable and universal content that applies to all people, things, and objects.

▶ "Form instruction" masks the essence

However, when you get caught up in the "form" taught by conventional tennis instruction, you tend to lose sight of the essence.

Whether you hit with an open stance or a closed stance, whether you bend your knees or not, whether you cock your wrist or not—"it doesn't matter which."

It is left to the individual's habits and personality.

It also depends on the situation.

Therefore, it is not an essential.

The "phenomenon" of form that appears on the surface masks its opposite, the "essence."
Quite literally, it "covers up" the content from the surface
.

▶ "Hitting timing" is the essence for playing well

On the other hand, for example, "hitting with good timing" is an essential for playing tennis well.

No exceptions are allowed.

Because a nice shot without proper hitting timing is impossible (*Note 2).

Especially when there is advice regarding "form" that has become common sense in sports instruction, why not try to be skeptical and ask, "Is that an essential?"

I can state clearly that there is not a single essential element in form.

▶ Getting caught up in "phenomena" makes tennis difficult

When you get caught up in superficial phenomena that are not essential, tennis becomes complex and difficult.

Takeback high? Low?

Stance open? Closed?

Cock the wrist? Don't?

"It doesn't matter which."

It is left to the individual's habits and personality.

It also depends on the situation.
The essence is an essence that admits no exceptions for anyone, such as watching the ball well or having the right hitting timing
.

Therefore, takebacks, stances, wrist cocking, etc., are not essentials.

▶ Being conscious of "form" does more harm than good

Rather, thinking about or being conscious of such forms during play does more harm than good.

Body movements become jerky, and you become unable to concentrate on the ball.

Eventually, you deepen the worry of "Why can't I do it even though I intend to do exactly what the coach says?" and become self-denying.

You doubt your own sense and athletic ability, and even though it is "just tennis," it is "still tennis," and the more seriously you take it, the more you might even lower your QOL.

▶ Not going well is "not limited" to tennis

When things are not going well, not limited to tennis, it is suspected that the approach is "deviating from the essence."

It is like dieting not going well because you only sweat without drinking water, so body fat does not decrease.

Calorie counting is also nonsense.
There is no way that a sophisticated body reacts exactly according to calorie calculations
.

If you consume more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.

That weight and body shape are controlled by this difference is likely the main argument of modern medicine, nutrition, and the media.
However, there are some people who live healthily without eating or becoming emaciated, which is called "inedia".

The essence admits no exceptions.

Our sophisticated bodies are not simple enough to be controlled by calorie counting.

▶ "Getting sick" mentally from calorie counting and calorie restriction

There are people who are thin despite a high-calorie diet.

There are people who are overweight despite a low-calorie diet.

It is not an essential.
It is also an "essential" that if you misjudge the essence, everything will go wrong
.

Rather, worrying about or calculating calories does more harm than good.

More than physical problems, you will become mentally ill.
In fact, such examples are occasionally seen in women's marathons and the like
.

▶ "Essential tennis improvement method" that accelerates growth

Back to the topic.

If you grasp the essence (and eliminate everything else), tennis is much simpler.

I will explain in detail in future "Tennis Improvement Memos," but since there are few essentials, the tasks to work on are limited to just a few.
Because they are limited, you can concentrate and repeat them many times, so the growth speed for improvement will accelerate rapidly
.

On the other hand, in form correction of conventional tennis instruction, there is no end to the precautions you must be conscious of, such as grip, stance, takeback, forward swing, follow-through, stance, knee bending, elbow straightening, shoulder rotation, and more.
Moreover, when you become conscious of one, another is neglected, which is a cat-and-mouse game
.

▶ The "power" of the essence

The essence is simple, so it is easy.

Because it is easy, you improve quickly.

As you improve, you no longer need to be conscious or think about it, making things even simpler,your play becomes automated, and you rise to even greater heights.

It is a simple principle.

This is the power of the essence.

*Note 1
The reason I add the caveat "basically" is because in blind tennis, where players have visual handicaps, they do not "see" the ball but instead focus on "hearing" the sound of the bell inside the ball bouncing to find the point of impact.

*Note 2
There are cases where a beginner's mishit due to poor timing becomes an ace as a drop shot, but this is not classified as a "nice shot."

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