Tag Archives: video analysis

MATCH DAY VIDEO ANALYSIS- PART 2

Posted on October 15, 2020 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

MATCHDAY VIDEO ANALYSIS

Pre-Match Routines:

  • Equipment preparation
  • De-stressing versus over stressing environment
  • Managing the overflow of adrenaline
  • Opponent profiling
  • Proper nutrition and hydration
  • Use of dynamic stretching
  • Essential warm-up routines
  • Quiet time visualization

Match Performance:

  • Proper use of between point rituals and changeover rituals
  • Strokes: efficiencies and deficiencies
  • Patterns and plays: strengths and weaknesses
  • Identifying the actual cause of the errors
  • Opponent dissecting/match awareness
  • Score management and real-time problem solving
  • Emotional performance state
  • Universal movement flaws (Footwork)
  • Cognitive processing speed (Hesitation)
  • Correctly spotting and playing positive and negative “Mega” points
  • Length of peak performing
  • Controlling the “energy-flow” of the match

Post-Match Rituals and Routines:

  • Recovery
  • Static stretching
  • Nutrition and hydration
  • Opponent scouting
  • Match logs

 

As I conduct high-performance player assessments around the world it is amazing that even top ITF players and their coaches have never even heard of quantifying their performances in such detail.

As parents, it is up to you to organize video analysis and review sessions. As coaches, it is up to you to suggest video analysis and review sessions to be initiated. And it is up to you, the player, to be willing to “allow” video analysis and review sessions. 

 

Why Video Analysis Doesn’t Help

Posted on August 14, 2018 by in Tennis Professional Interviews

IMG_080_R_WHITE

By Frank Giampaolo

 

While it’s enlightening and even exciting for athletes to see themselves hitting in slow motion on a split screen serving next to Roger Federer, it typically doesn’t help. Why? Cognitive dissonance is too powerful for most students to overcome. So, what does the psychological term, cognitive dissonance mean? It refers to the discomfort the athlete experiences by simultaneously holding two contradictory mental habits (motor programs.) The flawed behavior they own and the new behavior that they don’t quite recognize. As a result, the constructive and informative video analysis leads to temporary learning due to the athlete’s internal conflict with change. Let’s unfold the mystery.

 

Research shows that replacing an old stroke with a new one takes approximately 3-6 weeks of deliberate, customized, focused practice. Sticking with the replacement plan requires the discipline and patience of both the athlete and the coach. Most athletes are interested in the improvement, but not committed to the process. Most athletes don’t possess the resolve to feel uncomfortable as the natural cycle unfolds. Understood that in the realm of improvement; it gets worse before it gets better.  The following is a typical scenario demonstrating why improvement via video analysis often doesn’t stick.

 

The coach shoots the video and offers the athlete suggestions. Motivated and convinced the change is needed, the student focuses for a week or two on their new skill set.  At the 2- week mark, like clockwork, they can‘t resist competing. So they call Bertha, whom they have never beat, to play a practice match armed with an unrealistic new “weapon.”  “Sunday morning you & me. It’s finally go-time!” The athlete prematurely competes two weeks into their transformation. Their old stroke is dismantled, and their new version isn’t fully formed. Catastrophe strikes as the new stroke predictably breaks-down under competitive stress. The athlete then says “I know what Coach Frank said, but I can’t lose to Bertha again. I’m going back to my old one.”

 

Here’s the psychology: The older more comfortable version of the stroke will initially overtake and resist the new stroke in the first few weeks because the flawed old stroke still feels more comfortable. After all, the athlete has been loyal, nurturing and motor programming the lousy stroke for years. The inner conflict between the new and old often stops the metamorphosis dead in its tracks.

 

“If the pain the athlete suffers from losing is greater than the pain he suffers from changing a flawed stroke, the prognosis is good. If the pain of changing is greater than the pain of losing, the prognosis isn’t so good.”

 

Can video analysis help athletes? Of course, but improvement stems from the time and effort they put into the rerouting process. Some athletes will choose to speed up the transformation with several hours of on-court deliberate, customized, focused practice sessions along with hours of neuro priming per week. Athletes that embrace this route have an excellent prognosis. The normal, less committed athletes believe that merely seeing themselves on video will magically change their strokes. It won’t. Even if they choose to set aside one hour a week for a couple of weeks; it’s just not enough to override the old motor program.

 

The time dedicated to the project after the video shoot dictates the speed and effectiveness of the transformation.

Match Day Video Anaysis

Posted on May 1, 2016 by in Match Charting and Video, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is a re-post of Maximizing Tennis Potential Free Monthly Newsletter. Happy Sunday, Frank
black_ebook_design2One of the most neglected tennis parent jobs is simply setting up a video camera on match day to quantify performance data. For reason I don’t understand, this seemingly simple task is ignored.

Identifying the actual causes of your child’s losses and applying the appropriate solutions is the first step in maximizing your child’s potential.

Wasting time and money on lessons that have nothing to do with the causes of your child’s losses is both ineffective and unproductive. After all, it’s your job to assist your hired coaches in maximizing your child’s potential.

Parents, if your child isn’t getting the results they’re capable of getting, this newsletter is for you!

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order 

MATCH DAY VIDEO ANALYSIS

Experts agree that visual learning is the most common learning style. Professional athletes in every field get a leg up on their competition by analyzing their performance through video replay. Match day video analysis quantifies performance and reinforces future quality instruction.
More often than not, tournament champions have developed skills that go far beyond good strokes. Often it is the underdeveloped, hidden components that separate the early losers from the champions. Video analysis of match day performances can provide proof of actual tennis performance versus perceived tennis performance.
Often, parents and coaches see the same re-occurring performance nightmares match after match but guess who’s never actually seen the event from a clear prospective? The Athlete.
During the heat of battle, over analyzing the performance is not advisable. It is highly recommended to persuade players, along with their coaches, to self-diagnose match day issues via video after the event. Parents if you are not providing your child’s coaches with match day videos, you’re not doing your job.

“After each tournament, hire an experienced coach to analyze match day performance alongside your child.  This is a non-hitting classroom session.”

Parents, keep in mind that it is often meaningful to video the pre-match routines and rituals, the actual match and the post-match routines and rituals. Flaws in any of the three phases may lead to poor performances and serious lack of results.
Note: Below are twenty five essential issues that often separate the early round losers from the champions. It may be beneficial to break out the video camera for proof and /or clarity. Hire a trained eye to assist in spotting those hidden match day flaws and give your child a real chance at performing at peak potential. (Video recording can be done with a smart phone or with a mounted video camera.)

Pre-Match Routines:
1) Equipment preparation
2) De-stressing versus over stressing environment
3) Managing the overflow of adrenaline
4) Opponent profiling
5) Proper nutrition and hydration
6) Use of dynamic stretching
7) Essential warm up routines
8) Quiet time visualization

Match Performance:
1) Proper use of between point rituals and changeover rituals
2) Strokes: efficiencies and deficiencies
3) Patterns and plays: strengths and weaknesses
4) Identifying the actual cause of the errors
5) Opponent dissecting/match awareness
6) Score management and real time problem solving
7) Emotional performance state
8) Universal movement flaws (Footwork)
9) Cognitive processing speed (Hesitation)
10) Correctly spotting and playing positive and negative “Mega” points
11) Length of peak performing
12) Controlling the “energy-flow” of the match

Post-Match Rituals and Routines:
1) Recovery
2) Static stretching
3) Nutrition and hydration
4) Opponent scouting
5) Match logs

As I conduct high performance player assessments around the world it is amazing that even top ITF players and their coaches have never even heard of quantifying their performances in such detail.
As parents, it is up to you to organize video analysis and review sessions. As coaches, it is up to you to suggest video analysis and review sessions to be initiated. And it is up to you, the player, to be willing to “allow” video analysis and review sessions.  

Match day analysis is a staple for NCAA college athletes and professional tennis players and their entourages. Evaluating performance is essential for growth.  I recommend two important steps prior to beginning the process of match day video analysis:

1) Purchase a High-Speed Video Camera. It is often essential to utilize slow motion play back to actually catch the hundreds of issues not seen by the human eye. Parents reading this may ask “Isn’t it expensive to purchase high speed cameras and play back equipment?” The answer is …no, if you have a smart phone, it’s as easy as purchasing the “Coaches Eye” App. It costs under $10.00 in most countries. It is a great product.

2) Hire a Well-Trained Teacher. A high tennis IQ coach is essential to quantified data. A well trained eye can spot dozens of issues that simply pass right by 95% of the parents and players watching the exact same film.

Most coaches do practice court “static” stroke mechanic’s video analysis. Coaches, please take it one step further and begin to apply match play video analysis. It often dispels the confusion over what players believe they are doing and the reality of their performances. It will assist the entourage in discovering a whole new world of improvement opportunities.

CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

OPPONENT PROFILING

Posted on October 27, 2015 by in The Tennis Parent's Bible

GREETINGS,

Just last week while watching 60 Minutes, I was reminded of how important pre-game preparation truly is for the high performance successful athlete.  The show interviewed Darrelle Revis, NFL’s highest-paid corner-back.  I was in awe of his incredible dedication to his physical, mental and emotional athletic skills. Not only did he work on his athletic skills, he spent hours and hours reviewing high speed videos of all the opposing teams’ wide receivers during actual game play. This excellence does not come by chance- it comes with resiliency, hard work, dedication and a growth mind set. Darrelle’s dedication to opponent profiling makes him one if the highest paid corner-backs in the NFL.  How is your child’s opponent profiling skills?

The following is an excerpt from the second edition of
THE TENNIS PARENT’S BIBLE COMING SOON!black_ebook_design2

OPPONENT PROFILING

Top competitors are continually seeking an advantage. One of the best strategic (mental) and calming (emotional) advantages comes from scouting an upcoming opponent. Casually observing is one thing, but profiling the opponent is a skill set. Each playing style has an inherent group of strengths and weaknesses. Opponent awareness is an important part of match day preparation. Player profiling involves looking past strokes.
NOTE:  Whenever possible, as I coach players from the 12’s to the ATP/WTA pros, I apply the below profiling topics.

Opponent Profiling:

  • Make an effort to scout an upcoming opponent beforehand.
  • Scout opponent’s primary style of play.
  • Scout opponent’s preferred serve patterns (especially on mega points).
  • Scout opponent’s preferred return of serve position and shot selection on both first and second serve returns.
  • Scout opponent’s favorite go-to rally pattern.
  • Scout opponent’s dominant short-ball option.
  • Scout opponent’s preferred net rushing pattern.
  • Scout opponent’s stroke strengths and weaknesses (Advanced players should also consider the strengths and limitations of strike zones.)
  • Scout opponent’s movement, agility and stamina efficiencies and deficiencies.
  • Scout opponent’s frustration tolerance, focus, and emotional stability.

Opponent profiling should continue from the pre-match phase, all the way through the actual match and into the post-match. Intelligent athletes even jot down notes regarding the opponent’s game on their post-match match logs. This is used as a reminder for the next time the two meet.

Looking Past Strokes:
During the warm up, the uneducated player/parents/coaches often think Player A has the match in the bag.  But what they do not realize is that Player B often wins because of their ability to identify and execute a game plan exposing their opponent’s weakness. Player A may have great looking fundamental strokes but “hidden” flawed mental and/or emotional components. Player B may have average looking strokes, but an incredible proficiency in their mental game. Hence, giving player B the edge due to his ability to isolate weaknesses or exert emotional intelligence at crunch time.