The effects of forward-chaining, backward-chaining, and random feedback on learning the tennis forehand groundstroke

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative effects of sequencing knowledge of performance (KP) feedback on the learning of an applied motor skill, the tennis forehand groundstroke. The KP independent variables were: (a) forward chaining KP, (b) backward-chaining KP, and (c) random KP. The learning and performance of this motor skill was determined by five movement form measures and one outcome measure. They included the following: (a) ready position, (b) eye contact, (c) hip and shoulder turn, (d) weight transfer, (e) follow through, and (f) outcome score. Thirty-six participants, 19 females and 17 males, ranging in age from 19-42, served as volunteers for this study. A 3 x 5 RMD ANOVA (p = .05) was used to investigate the differences between feedback groups and practice sessions in the form of quality (mean) and variability (standard deviation) scores. A Newman-Keuls post hoc procedure (p = .05) was utilized to analyze all possible pairwise comparisons for significant main effects and the one significant interaction.

The repeated measures design analysis of variance and post hoc tests indicated the following results: (a) the backward-chaining KP participants had significantly lower variability in their weight transfer form than the forward-chaining KP and random KP groups, (b) no significant differences were found between feedback groups in terms of their quality of performance scores, (c) hip and shoulder turn form improved significantly more under the forward-chaining KP and random KP conditions compared to the backward-chaining KP condition during Sessions 3 and 4, (d) hip and shoulder turn form was significantly better for the random KP group than for the other feedback groups, (e) for all the movement form measures, there was a significant improvement in their movement form from the first practice session to second practice session, and (f) all the participants significantly improved in the quality of their outcome scores during the retention test as compared to the four preceding practice sessions. Taken together, the three KP feedback methods are comparable for teaching novice students a complex motor skill like the forehand groundstroke. However, specific evidence in this study suggested that using a random KP and backward-chaining KP method might benefit learning more than forward-chaining KP. Therefore, teachers should use integrated methods to instruct complex motor skills.