On reflection it is interesting to find out that most of the components of a good serve happen automatically if the basic movement is right. You don't consciously need to force your weight forward or upward or think about shoulder rotation if the underlying action is correct. Technically my main problem was to slow or delay the ball toss but I just couldn't make myself do it. I was willing but psychologically unable. It just felt wrong so I tried everything else for more than a year then went back to the advice I was given in my first lesson.
A child who has lessons from the beginning would not need to think about their service action. It would simply be. But I love my newfound combination of awareness and execution.
I'm sure that there is an analogy here for other areas of life. Firstly, there is a world of difference between academic and practical knowledge. That is never more clear than in obstetrics and gynaecology. I recall one highly credentialled resident, when I was a registrar, being judged with the statement ,"As an obstetrician he makes a very good physician."
Secondly, it is not necessarily wrong to live an unexamined life but full consciousness is more satisfying and might prevent much of our flawed group behaviour, since a group encourages us to give up our independent critical thinking. In tennis I understand my serve. If it becomes faulty I can correct it. Most people can't understand why they are obese, or addicted to smoking or gambling because they are not in the habit of examining the basic principles on which their lives are constructed. Perhaps they are frightened of what they might find, the old existential terror. Don't look. We just want to be told what to do. Perhaps that explains the rise of personal trainers, although the great mass of people can't afford them.For them we have daytime television.
Now I just need to understand the forehand, the backhand and the volley.
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