Sport and Exercise Science Section – An Introduction

Sport Science is a commonly used term these days. But what does it mean? In general, it is a multi-discipline endeavor that seeks to understand the function of the human body during sport and exercise activities. It encompasses several specialties including Biomechanics, Physiology, Motor Control, Motor Development, Psychology, and Nutrition.

This section of Truth in Tennis will touch on Sport Science concepts that are relevant to player development. Particular attention will be placed on Motor Control and more specifically Neurocognitive Motor Control (NCMC). NCMC has rarely received attention in player development. Most parents, players and coaches have probably never heard of it and, if they have, they likely have no idea what it means or its implications to success on the court. I believe this is the new frontier in player development.

Neurocognitive Motor Control (NCMC) – NCMC is the process of utilizing sensory information from multiple sources to produce a given movement action. The main components are sensory input, integration of the sensory input in the brain centers, and motor output commands to the muscloskeletal system. The implication to player development is that the quantity & processing speed of sensory input integrated to hit THE correct shot is paramount to success. This ability is highly genetic, yet each individual should be able to improve what they have.

NCMC Training – TCPR puts so much emphasis on the importance of NCMC in performance that we are specifically developing protocols to train these systems. We strongly believe, and research backs this up, that NCMC function can be improved. The articles in this section will highlight our efforts to design these protocols. The results of our efforts will made available to the tennis industry through our Neuro Tennis Program.

Exercise Physiology – This discipline can be subdivided into Functional Physiology and Muscle Physiology. Although less emphasis will be placed on these concepts, we believe a basic understanding of the primary physiological systems is necessary for coaches serious about player development. In particular, basic overviews will be provided for bioenergetics, the cardio-respiratory system, and muscle function.