Modulating the tennis racket grip during motor imagery influences serve accuracy and performance: A pilot study

TL;DR

This pilot study shows that mental imagery of tennis serves is more effective when performed with a loose grip, leading to improved serve accuracy and quality, emphasizing the importance of body posture in motor imagery training.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that grip modulation during motor imagery significantly influences tennis serve performance, suggesting new guidelines for mental practice in sports.

Findings

Both MI conditions improved serve success and quality.

Loose grip MI resulted in higher accuracy gains than tight grip.

Results support the importance of congruence in mental imagery content.

Abstract

There is now ample evidence that Motor Imagery (MI) contributes to improve motor performance. Previous studies provided evidence that its effectiveness remains dependent upon specific guidelines and recommendations. The body posture, as well as the context in which MI is performed, are notably critical and should be carefully considered. The present study in young tennis players (n=18) was designed to compare the effectiveness of performing MI of the serve while adopting a loose grip (congruent MI) or holding tightly and squeezing hard the racket (incongruent MI). Data revealed that both MI conditions contributed to enhance the number of successful serves (p<0.001) and the technical quality of the serve (p<0.001). Interestingly, comparing mean serve accuracy scores showed that performance gains were significantly higher in the loose MI group than in the tight MI group (p<0.02). These findings confirm the critical importance of the congruence between the content of the mental representation and the features of the corresponding actual movement. Overall, the present study further highlights the effectiveness of the loose grip while mentally rehearsing the serve, and might thus contribute to update and adjust specific MI guidelines and recommendations.