I’m not sure where this quote originated from, or even what the exact wording is, but I’ve heard it several times:
“Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.”
I’m sure this isn’t anywhere near a clinical definition of the word, but you can certainly see the point of the original author. How can you think your results will be any different if the process you follow is the same?
Unfortunately this is often the attitude many tennis players take regarding their games, without really knowing it or thinking about it. These players fall into two main categories, and I’d like to spend a few minutes writing about one of them. These players get trapped doing the same thing again and again and again, stalling their improvement and sticking themselves in a rut. Hopefully reading about this type of player will motivate you to work on your own game!
Old Dogs and Old Tricks
I used to deal with these types of players all the time in my lessons, however after being at my current club long enough to build a reputation for my style of teaching I see them less and less. These players typically are somewhere around middle aged, and have been playing tennis for at least a couple years, often times a decade or two. When I first graduated from college and started teaching, the “Old Dogs” would drive me absolutely crazy. Why? I couldn’t believe that an active tennis player would sign up for a private or group lesson, and then tell me that they didn’t want to change their strokes. What?? Isn’t that the point of getting instruction? To learn new information, and then apply it to their own games in order to improve? How can you possibly improve without making a change anyway?
Often times the Old Dogs will tell me: “I don’t want to mess up my game trying new stuff, I just want to get better at what I already do.” *sigh* Is it possible to improve your game by getting better at what you already do? Well sure, technically it is, but are you going to jump to completely new levels of play? No, you won’t, not unless big changes are made to your game. There are large fundamental reasons why one player is at a 3.5 level, and another one at 5.0. You can’t take 3.5 level technique and skills, and make them successful at a 5.0 level of play, changes must be made in order to move from one level to the next. Sometimes those changes are substantial, and they may feel uncomfortable at first, but without making them at some point you will get stuck where you are.
One Step Back, Two Steps Forwards
You probably wouldn’t be reading this blog unless you were pretty serious about truly improving your game, the “jump to another level of play” type of improvement. So let me encourage you heartily: have long term vision for your tennis game! Fully expect that when you make changes in your game to conform more closely to high level players thing won’t feel comfortable right away. In fact I’d recommend expecting that it won’t feel comfortable at all for several weeks depending on exactly what the change is, how different it is compared to what you were doing before, and how natural of an athlete you are. Just because it “feels wrong” to you initially doesn’t mean it isn’t technically correct. Trust the person who’s instructing you, assuming that they have the credentials and experience to make them worthy of your trust. Take what they say and go with it completely, commit to the change and give it your full effort. Only then will you get the full potential out of your lesson and out of yourself as a player.
So if you’re truly serious about improving your tennis game, don’t be insane! Find out what changes you need to make, and get working as soon as possible. You can do it.
