What does 3D analysis tell us about the first phase of the serve?
Last month I introduced a technology and a computer interface that shows how we incorporate 3D measurement and analysis into player development. This on court coaching application goes a step beyond the previous uses of quantitative technology, which have been primarily in academic research. I believe it represents the future of tennis coaching.
The implications and potential benefits of quantitative data are vast. If you had a chance to examine the dimensions of the interface in the first article, I hope you were intrigued by the scope of the information now available to evaluate stroke mechanics. (Click Here.)
The question however is what it all means. Vast amounts of new information can be overwhelming. It can leave the student and coach wondering where to start. I know because I have spent the last several years wrestling with the issue as I integrated this powerful new tool into my coaching practice.
Starting this month, I hope to remove some of the potential confusion that surrounds an applied 3D approach. We'll do this by beginning to break apart the components of the data presentation, and see how they apply to an actual player. We'll start with the serve. This article represents the first in a four part series on what is arguably the most important stroke in tennis.
Brian Gordon is the creator of Gordon Applied Motion Analysis and 3D Tennis Technologies. Currently, he is finishing his Ph.D. in Sport Biomechanics at Indiana University. Some of his initial quantitative research on the biomechanics of the serve has been published in a leading academic journal. But Brian's life long passion for tennis also extends beyond the academic to the applied level.
A USPTA teaching pro and coach with 15 years of experience, Brian has developed revolutionary quantitative training methods for use by working coaches and players. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, 3D Tennis Technologies (www.gamasports.com) offers the only quantitative sports biomechanics analysis package currently available in tennis. Brian is always interested in speaking with individuals or groups committed to advancing player development methodology and the understanding of tennis stroke mechanics. He can be contacted directly at bgordon@gamasports.com.
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