The Bridge between Abstract Biomechanics and Tennis Strokes

Abstract

Abstract biomechanics, by definition, are biomechanics in theory , without any application (therefore a geometrical representation of movement). When referring to (abstract) biomechanics and to (applied) technique (“technical form”) their relationship is blurred, not to mention there is no method to effectively make the transition from the former to the latter. In this paper, these terms are explicated and the connection between them is restored through a bridge, called the operating principle or mechanism of the technique. The exemplary field of application is the sport of tennis. In tennis, the operating principle is not of course all that is needed to develop technical form (the application of the theoretical model on one’s body). It is the first step from at least three more, the other ones being the “reference points” and the shot teaching mechanism (the latter being substantially different from the mechanism of the technical form presented here). However, the idea of the operating principle (of the technical form) has never been presented before for any sport. The implications of these insights are important both methodologically and for the development of a teaching method for tennis technical form. Finally, this paper itself bridges two gaps: theory to practice and epistemology to science.