TennisOne Lessons

Reaching 'Unconscious Competency'

Dave Smith TennisOne Senior Editor

Last month, I outlined a general narration of skill achievement beginning with the most novice of proficiency (unconscious incompetence) to that level which we associate with expertise and mastery: Unconscious Competency.

In review, the levels of the achievement paradigm move from Unconscious Incompetence (not knowing we are doing something wrong) to Conscious Incompetence, (knowing we are doing something wrong.)

Then, when we discover new techniques either through study (watching or reading about tennis) or prescription (by a teaching pro or other qualified entity), we start using such proper techniques within a level we can describe as Conscious Competency; a cognizant level of most gross and fine motor movements within a stroke pattern. Finally, as with all activities that entail accomplished patterns and techniques, through proper practice, repetition and general experience, eventually we reach 'Unconscious Competency'…a level of skill that is automatic–without thought.

How does one reach 'unconscious competency?

Players can figure out many ways to get a tennis ball over the net. Yet, such methods usually don't provide for effective play.

While some teaching pros and authors of books infer that tennis players can be almost 'magically' transformed into masterful competitors (as if there was a secret method that money can buy), skilled tennis is never achieved without significant effort and usually a period of discomfort or frustration. The reason for this is that skilled grips, strokes, and footwork patterns are, for most players, not natural or familiar.

Why would we expect anything different? Consider any other skilled activity; Leaning to type with all the fingers, learning to play the piano, guitar, violin or other musical instrument, learning to swing a golf club correctly, or learning ride a unicycle, (just to name a few!) all require elements of skill that are not familiar and require significant training to accomplish.

In my opinion, it diminishes our sport to hear so-called tennis 'guru's say things like, 'Be famous by Friday' or 'Hit like the pros in two weeks.' Such remarks are not only absurd in their context, they fabricate a false belief that tennis can indeed be a simple sport to master. While most people can quickly manipulate a racquet to hit a ball in the general direction of the opposite side of a tennis court, to do so with 'effect' (pace, spin, angle, or disguise), or to effectively return more competent shots by our opponents, (balls hit at us with more pace, spin, angle or disguise!), demands more specific techniques. Such techniques are seldom comfortable or familiar. (This clearly explains the phenomenon of why players can play tennis using unrefined methods, and quickly stagnant at levels far below their potential and end up playing tennis for a lifetime at such low levels.)

Competency infers almost an innate ability to react correctly. Unfortunately, tennis competency is seldom inbred. Whether born with athleticism, that which can lead to accomplish play quicker, or be exposed to general movements that are related to tennis strokes (crossover sports, for example), even the most gifted players have to move through a level of conscious competency before they see themselves executing correctly at subconscious levels. Thus, the mastery of tennis is essentially the same for the gifted and for those of us who have to work at it. The good news is, in my thirty-plus years of teaching tennis, it is almost without exception that all players can indeed achieve skilled tennis strokes and techniques that will indeed lead them to a lifetime of relative skilled tennis. But, the way to such achievement does require a level of dedicated patience and understanding. Because many expect results quickly and don't have a capacity for such persistence, most players indeed succumb to playing tennis within those methods which are more familiar or easier to master.

While most players can reach some level of competitive form, it usually is much lower than the player's potential would dictate. Thus, like so many millions of tennis players today, those who resort to more simplistic techniques will find themselves playing at levels that are usually very amateurish and will find real difficulty when they do want to improve past those lower levels.

Step 1

Education is the first step in learning to reach unconscious competency. When I was growing up in Southern California , I took only 4 group lessons during my junior development. However, I was gifted not in the athleticism department necessarily, but in the visual comprehension department. That is, I was able to see very clearly what skilled tennis players were doing on the court. Every tournament I went to was essentially a lesson because I could decipher the what, how, why and where of the best players.

Many players don't have this ability. To the masses, tennis on TV is often a blur of movements with few spectators able to recognize the subtle to significant patterns of play being executed by the pros. Thus, their education is obtained through teaching pros, books, videos, and/or such vehicles as TennisOne. (In my thirty years of teaching, this web site offers the most valuable and usable information for any player at any level of ability! How I wish I had its resources growing up!)

Thus, your first step is to clearly identify the stroke patterns recognized as skilled and prolific in terms of your development. While learning some pro-level swing components won't come until later, the basic grip, swing pattern and footwork patterns are clearly identified and accessible within the lessons found here at TennisOne. (Within the Lesson Library.)

Step 2

Develop an affinity for the proper grips and general swing pattern that you wish to acquire. This step can be sped up through a variety of practice procedures:

Grips: Do as many fine motor skills using the proper grip. For example, you will want to become comfortable and confident with the continental grip on volleys. Drills include bouncing the ball while kneeling on the ground on one knee; Up-bounces, emphasizing a fairly straight elbow as well as keeping the racquet closer to the body–as opposed to having the racquet head point out away from you. Two-handed ground strokes should include doing bounces with the off hand choked up too. This off hand has an important roll in both controlling the racquet as well as manufacturing topspin on most two-handed strokes. You will want to train this hand on nearly an equal level as your dominant hand in this case.

Swing patterns: Especially for those who are trying to make significant changes in your stroke…or for little kids who are just becoming introduced to tennis. A short period of time establishing a clear and repeatable swing pattern BEFORE trying to hit a ball will improve the ability to acquire a desired swing pattern. Remember, most players will revert back to old habits and swing patterns when it comes to hitting a ball towards a target (or in competition) if they have not clearly defined the more desired swing path.

Young players who work on a repeatable swing pattern before trying to hit balls will have this as their familiar stroke.

Footwork: Like swing patterns and grips, footwork patters will generally revert back to the most comfortable or familiar if not fully ingrained into the player's conscious movements. While there are many acceptable footwork patterns, (from open to closed stances, from jab steps to crossover steps to gravity steps), it is the combination of the correct footwork WITH the correct upper body position and swing pattern that will raise your game. For example, an open stance forehand will make players who don't know to coil the upper body correctly, tend to swing only with the arm.

In my thirty years, I favor learning a closed stance forehand and backhand groundstroke and volley first. I have never seen a player not evolve such strokes into appropriate open and neutral stance strokes as they progress. However, I have found in many who are taught open stance strokes from the start an inability to create the proper upper body positions and balances needed to learn more advanced strokes later.

Step 3

Employ the new technique in competition. This is the last and most important step in acquiring unconscious competency. It is also the most difficult to bring yourself to do. The power of trying to win, or at least keep a ball in the court, can discourage the use of new or unfamiliar techniques. Yet, the simple avoidance of any desired technique will prevent the acquisition and subsequent mastery of the game. It isn't rocket science to realize that a player will never spontaneously start hitting skilled strokes if they never attempt them! My favorite phrase in this area is: "If we avoid that which we desire to achieve, we will only achieve that which we are trying to avoid."

How to employ new techniques

There are ways in which players can employ new techniques in competition and minimize the sense of failure…while at the same time improving the accuracy and effect of the new technique. Too many players attempt a new grip on the serve or volley, a new swing pattern or footwork pattern on groundstrokes, or other new aspect to their technique during competition by swinging essentially as hard as they did with their old, familiar technique. This is common. Yet, such practice does several things…all detrimental to the player's progression within the new stroke:

• By swinging too hard, the player will more likely revert back to their most comfortable swing pattern. Slowing the swing down will allow the player to consciously control the key position points they are trying to achieve.

• Aiming away from the direction the ball is curving to. When a player learns a spin serve, the ball will almost always go much further to the right or left of their target. (Depending on if they are right or left-handed.) For a right-handed server whose new spin serve curves to the left, he or she should aim so-as to fault to the right. (Be careful as many players will diminish the spin to aim the ball more. Instead, turn the body more and try to remain more sideways, aiming more to the right yet still using the spin that curves the ball to the left.)

• Hold your finish longer. When players are trying to develop a new swing element, holding the finish of the shot helps define the shot and create greater repetition of the desired swing pattern.

Conclusion

Players must be willing to fail while employing new techniques. While I have offered concepts to improve the likelihood of success, it is inevitable that players will miss and make errors when trying new shots. As a result of such failure, players are often heard saying things like, "Hey, this serve isn't working," or, "I can't hit this new forehand." Even after only a couple attempts, players will often revert back to their 'safe' old stroke.

Interestingly, players can actually be more successful with their new technique but subjectively feel they are less successful. This is because any new technique will not have the comfort or familiarity of their old methods. Such discomfort can actually convince players they are worse with the new stroke even though they are doing far better with it. In fact, it isn't uncommon for players to be more comfortable making errors with their old stroke than making successful shots with their new strokes!

Remember, every attempt with the new stroke brings you closer to mastery. Unconscious competency is not far behind!

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about this article by emailing us here at TennisONE.

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