September 25th, 2006
Whenever you start doing something after a long pause from it, you generally suck. But since you've been doing it in the past, you're don't suck like a beginner, you just suck cause you're out of shape. And that's why the first few times you improve rapidly. You go from zero, nothing, to almost-showing-signs-of-ability. In short, the steep curve. Today was my third time playing and I'm about half way to the level I once was at my peak.
Of course, after reaching the almost-decent level, the steep curve ends. Then comes the polish phase, which takes forever. I played football for 10+ years and I would have maybe 1 games in 10 when I felt it went off like clockwork. The rest of the time it was always part good, part not-so-good. And always working on the polish, repeat ad nauseum. Tennis is looking really good at the moment, I've drawn up a schedule to play twice a week and there seem to be more people out there interested in playing. Today was a beautiful 2 hour session, it started to drizzle toward the end, gorgeous.
My game still needs a lot of work, I'm slow and my reflexes are off. But once I get the basics to a half decent level, there'll be plenty of time to polish, polish, polish.
With a solid schedule that shouldn't be a problem. I admire you for doing this, I am notoriously bad at getting my act together on anything related to sports.
Yeah I know exactly what you mean with the good/not so good thing. It's the same with all kinds of sports except those you never get the chance to play consistently, like ping-pong or badbington, where you know you got limited time to put on the show and so you either rule or suck badly. The curve thing can be very strange. To me, in addition to being in good shape, the level of my performance is usually determined by two things: my mental approach (desire to play, concentration, confidence, humility, expectation, willingness to put in the effort) and the if it's "one of those days where everything goes my way" or the opposite - which you can do nothing about. But then there's the approach and fitness of your companion, the weather, the food you ate just before, the result of Juve's last match etc. which all influence me in some some extent too. Actually I never really know if today is a good or not-so-good day when I go out to play. I could train for weeks and yet suck or not play in 6 months and do surprisingly well. I'm thinking mainly about soccer here, of course I wouldn't know anything about tennis... :D