Smooth operators: promoting skill acquisition in novice tennis players in Kuwait

Within the motor skill acquisition discipline there are many methods that may be employed to enhance practice outcomes. Despite a small number of comparative studies that have tested between different methods, there is a lack of research in non-Western contexts. This investigation examined the influence of three teaching methods—demonstration (D), verbal instructions with demonstration (VID) and the constraints-led approach (CLA)—when acquiring a tennis shot among 24 Kuwaiti children (12–13 years). Performance outcome, expert scoring, learner understanding and preference and upper-limb kinematics were obtained following acquisition, retention and transfer phases. ANOVAs revealed a significant difference for movement kinematics only. There was a significant main effect for condition (F (2,21) = 3.71, p = 0.042, ηp2 = 0.26) and post-hoc Tukey’s test indicated that the VID condition showed reduced jerk compared to the CLA condition, suggesting smoother movement. The main effect of time approached significance (F (1.57,32.93) = 2.93, p = 0.079), while condition by time interaction was non-significant (F (3.136,32.926) = 0.751, p = 0.535). VID was also preferred by 92% of participants and showed superior understanding towards the skill. In conclusion, VID may be advantageous by promoting initial movement smoothness, understanding and meeting many children’s preference.