A comparison of physical practice and mental/physical practice on the accuracy scores of the long, high singles serves in badminton

Bibliography: pages [47]-50.The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of physical practice only with mental/physical practice on the accuracy scores of the long, high singles service in badminton. Subjects for the study were 79 undergraduate students at Northern Illinois University during the 1986 Spring Semester. Subjects chose one of three introductory badminton classes. Intact classes were used, and the three treatment groups were (a) physical practice, (b) control, and (c) mental/physical practice. A modified form of the Scott and French badminton long, high service test was used as a pretest and posttest measure. The training period consisted of 12 sessions, each 15 minutes in length. The physical practice group practiced a series of drills for the serve. The control group did not practice the serve. The mental/physical practice group alternated their serve practice with 2 days of physical practice and then 2 days of mental practice for the 12 sessions. Data from the pretest scores were subjected to an analysis of variance to determine any significant differences among the groups. Since no significant differences were found, the posttest data were subjected to planned orthogonal comparisons. Results indicated no significant differences among any of the groups. It was concluded from this study that there is no difference in the serving scores of those subjects who physically practiced the serve and those who alternated physical and mental practice or did not practice the singles serve in badminton.M.S. Ed. (Master of Education