Tennis Muscle Memory

What is muscle memory? Why is it important in learning how to play tennis?

Muscle memory is the repeated movement that allows the brain to adapt to the repetition. Another technical term for muscle memory is "motor engram." This is important in tennis because a player needs to be able to replicate the same technique over and over, especially in tight situations.

So what are the five stages of muscle memory? And how do they help get your tennis game to the next level?

The five stages of muscle memory are the process a player can go through in order to "own" the new or enhanced technique. The first stage is shadowing. The second stage is hitting a ball fed to the player. Third is moving to hit a ball. Fourth is live ball drilling. And fifth is match play under pressure.

As a tennis coach it is critical to take the student through each stage of this sequence. It is almost impossible to change bad technique without going through each step. We teach the player how to swing like the pro players through meeting certain reference points that are "fundamental commonalities" among all the great ball strikers. This is done in sequence.