I have started learning tennis at 36. So, obviously, the learning process has been slow, difficult, frustrating, and at times exhilarating. Its started getting better however, in the last 1 month. It is interesting to look at this learning from the Kolb's cycle perspective.
Kolb's theory is that a human goes through 4 stages while acquiring a new skill, and I can now, really correlate to this theory. The stages are -
1) Unconscious Incompetence - you don't know that you don't know
In the first 4 weeks, the coach used to scream at me, "Racquet Back" all the time. And I just could not understand what he was talking about! I was not even conscious of the mistakes that I was making. The whole thing was a just a flurry of events. I would see the fuzzy yellow ball coming towards me, and give it a whack. The ball would often go sailing out of the court. I was at the first stage as per Kolb's theory. I was not even aware of my incompetence.
2) Conscious Incompetence - you become aware that you don't know
In the second month, things changed a bit. I became aware of many things - why I needed to take the racquet back, why a good swing was needed, why having the right grip was important - still however, I could not execute any of the instructions correctly. I was aware of my mistakes, but still was not able to correct them. I was conscious of my incompetence. As per Kolb, this is the preparatory ground for learning to start happening.
3) Conscious Competence - you know that you know
This is the third stage of learning the skill. One becomes aware of one's mistakes and makes the corrections. Things start to happen. However, one still lacks fluidity in executing the skill. I am nowhere close to being competent at tennis but I do have flashes of it, and the learning has started to happen. The racquet goes back, the right foot is forward, and I execute my left-handed forehand with the follow-through. I am very conscious of these actions however.
4) Unconscious Competence - you don't know that you know
This is Nirvana. One has achieved mastery of the skill, and it all flows. One hits a beautiful forehand and cannot explain how that happened in words. The masters - Federer, Nadal etc . are at this stage of evolution
