I play in regular company groups twice a week and sometimes we are joined by a really good player who uesd to be some sort on JR champ up in his province-anyway--we tell this guy to take it easy on us but he replies that he can't help it--he shoots on instinct. then the other day i found my self making a shot--on instinct--i didnt have to plan or think about where to hit -it just happened. Is this a normal pattern? That shot making becomes instinct after a while? and that you start making shots withoput thinking about it?? --ive been playing about 18 months(twice a week)
Instinct wins you points but not the game. Usually, instinct is based upon your emotional state. Eventually, it is how you read your opponent's game and play intelligently, progressively strategizing your next move and keeping your emotional state under control to dominate your opponent that will win the game. Just 2 cents, imho.
You are right about the emotional state. When you learn something new, after a while it becomes second nature(is that the same as instinct?) My natural "instinct" most of the time is to slam when I would often be better off dinking it to open spots. That is what I am finding it hard to do--the dink shots-they dont come naturally to me--until my first instinctive dink a few days ago.
well, yes, instinct can be a factor...or just muscle memory.. just yesterday we had a smash-return practise, I was baseline smashing a younger bloke. And 4 times afetr each other I smashed it an inch off the line. he returned 2 out of at least 20. I just couldn't help it, instinct/muscle memory/whatever I just could smash it at an 'easy spot'. I could however smash slower....then he returned them, all... I also have some situations in comeptition when The pressure is on (mens doubles mostly) and I do a shot, hit a winner and go "wait...how did I know they'd react like that, did I think about that?" (like crossourt drops, or fake smashes and drop, or fast deceptive lifts, net intercepts, etc) So, in a weird way, good job on you guys: you are putting him under pressure.
Instinctive decision-making and movement is faster than trying to think and figure things out on the fly. I would definately suggest playing by instinct - just make sure that you train your instincts so that they react appropriately to the situation.
I can't play by instinct, may be it will take me some years more to reach that level . However I find out that thinking about a shot (which shot to play, where to aim at), without having to think about the techniques make me play faster. With enough trainning, we can play many shots without having to think about the techniques. Just name it, and it's pulled out naturally
