Video modeling and imaging training on performance of tennis service of 9- to 12-year-old children

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to analyze, in a pilot study, the effects of video modeling and imagery training over 24 weeks on tennis service performance. Three groups of 9- to 12-yr.-old tennis players participated: (a) a physical practice group, who received physical training, (b) a physical practice + video group who received physical training plus watched a video modeling mental training, and (c) a physical practice + video + imagery group who received physical training plus video modeling and imagery mental training. The results for the intragroup pre-post-test comparisons showed that tennis performance did not significantly improve for the physical training group. The groups given mental training showed improvement from pre- to postintervention. Finally, the posttest comparison between groups indicated that there were significant differences between the group given physical training only compared to the groups given mental training but that the latter two did not differ significantly from each other.