My Real Life Tennis Strokes

[djarvik]

You shut your mouth when you are talking to me!

But seriously, he takes the racket too early? Lol. Was that sarcasm or a real advise?

[Coolhand Texas]

Im 5'8, i wonder what it would be like to serve at 6'5.

[jayl0ve]

Me too, and me too

[Sherlock 117]

Hey guys, thanks again for all the comments. I tried to take a few of the points in for my tournament I was in this weekend, and they worked quite well. Obviously it will be some time before my strokes change too significantly. But I really focused this weekend on getting to the ball quicker, bending deeper in my stance, and activating my abs. They made a big difference already. I also changed my serve quite a bit, following the technique described on fuzzyyellowball.com. I will need to practice this more this summer, but it made a HUGE difference already.

I ended up going 4-2 this weekend, my best showing ever at the 4.0 level. Had an awesome doubles match the last match of the weekend. I was making pretty much every single volley including a few returns off of putaway volleys

Hopefully towards the end of the summer I'll get some new vids to show and I hope I will see a positive change by then.

[Sherlock 117]

As the great linguist V. Spadea once said - "racket back early, bend your knees. That'll be sixty dollars pleeze."

Seriously, I really think those are your two biggest problems (and the two most common, even with many active/regular players). Take it back earlier, as soon as you know what side your shot will be on. Knees are harder for big guys, but it's even more important. Especially on lower slice and flat shots.

Good luck.

I've heard people say that in the modern game an early takeback can be detrimental, inhibiting your movement. Any thoughts?

[jayl0ve]

I agree, it is totally outdated and just bad advice. Think Serena and Venus' backhands if you want to see what that advice can do for you...both incredibly awkward looking shots with no rhythm, because they sit there for like 5 seconds with their racquets back It works against girls but against men they would be totally screwed with that technique.

You want to take your racquet back a little before the ball bounces in front of you. When you take the racquet back is dependant on the pace of the incoming shot...you don't want to simply 'take it back early'.

[emate007]

I call bs. As long as you're not stopping right where you are to take a backswing, being prepared earlier can only help. I didn't watch your whole video, but especially on the backhand side you were reacting way too late to a lot of balls, and getting stuck/jammed with tiny t-rex arms. With longer limbs you need more separation from the ball to get better extension. I'll watch the whole thing right now just in case I got a bad sample.

But yes, there is a limit to how early you want to take a backswing. Being too early was clearly not your problem.

[Otlichno]

The earlier you'r racket preparation the more of a chance you get to start going on the offence early. You'r pretty tall so that would without a doubt improve you'r game. (My knowledge of tennis is pretty limited though so I might be wrong )

[Otlichno]

Think Serena and Venus' backhands if you want to see what that advice can do for you...both incredibly awkward looking shots with no rhythm, because they sit there for like 5 seconds with their racquets back

Are you kidding me? Judging by what you say, than no female tennis player has a good looking backhand swing. Serena's backhand awkward? She has one of the cleanest swings on the WTA.

[Sherlock 117]

I call bs. As long as you're not stopping right where you are to take a backswing, being prepared earlier can only help. I didn't watch your whole video, but especially on the backhand side you were reacting way too late to a lot of balls, and getting stuck/jammed with tiny t-rex arms. With longer limbs you need more separation from the ball to get better extension. I'll watch the whole thing right now just in case I got a bad sample.

But yes, there is a limit to how early you want to take a backswing. Being too early was clearly not your problem.

I agree that I get too close to the ball sometimes on my backhand. That is something I am working on with my coach. But that is unrelated from how early or late my takeback is. Honestly I almost never feel late on my backhand, if anything I do on my forehand.

[jayl0ve]

Think Serena and Venus' backhands if you want to see what that advice can do for you...both incredibly awkward looking shots with no rhythm, because they sit there for like 5 seconds with their racquets back

Are you kidding me? Judging by what you say, than no female tennis player has a good looking backhand swing. Serena's backhand awkward? She has one of the cleanest swings on the WTA.

edit: I HATE WOMEN'S TENNIS

[picachu211]

Think Serena and Venus' backhands if you want to see what that advice can do for you...both incredibly awkward looking shots with no rhythm, because they sit there for like 5 seconds with their racquets back

Are you kidding me? Judging by what you say, than no female tennis player has a good looking backhand swing. Serena's backhand awkward? She has one of the cleanest swings on the WTA.

edit: I HATE WOMEN'S TENNIS

Bite me, as your birthday present.

[emate007]

I agree that I get too close to the ball sometimes on my backhand. That is something I am working on with my coach. But that is unrelated from how early or late my takeback is. Honestly I almost never feel late on my backhand, if anything I do on my forehand.

From the first couple minutes, I wrote down a few places that you seemed late, and they were all returns. Did the guy have a big serve? At .38, .45 and 2.15 you seemed to be a bit late. If you just had no time because of an amazing serve, there's not much you can do. But especially at .38 and 45, I can hear the serve and it seems like there's enough time to prepare earlier for a better return. As in moving out of the way and pulling your backswing immediately when you pick a side.
If you're already working with a coach, I'm sure he/she has a better handle on your game than I do, so I'm going to shut up now.
I do like how you rush the net after a good shot, your tactics are solid. And I missed your earlier post that you went 4-2, congrats man!

[picachu211]

You move pretty well for your height, but I think you take your swing too early and when your racquet makes the contact with the ball, it slows down.

you returned above your waist, it looked jammed.

he takes the racket too early?

because they sit there for like 5 seconds with their racquets back
You want to take your racquet back a little before the ball bounces in front of you. When you take the racquet back is dependant on the pace of the incoming shot...you don't want to simply 'take it back early'.

getting stuck/jammed with tiny t-rex arms.

Being tall requires a better timing than shorter guys, not everyone can hit backhand like Safin. Take a note, "what? backhand?" Isner.

[djarvik]

Its not taking racket back, its not the back swing - its preparation.

Its the shoulder-hip turn. When you do that, your racket will be back behind you without your thinking about back-swing etc...

I tend to agree a little with emate and jayl0ve both

In older days (all of you 30 or approaching 30) they used to teach a lot of "back-swing" and some about the weight distribution in your lower body and proper turn of upper. They used to say " take your racket back early and far, make that swing loooong and finish above the shoulder" I was taught like that and many of you it seems too.

Now the process evolved and became simpler. The first and most important thing is "preparation" .... NOT back swing. When you turn your shoulders and hips, don't even think about back-swing, in fact, don't even think about the "finish above the shoulder". ONLY think about your shoulders and hip and swing freely as your heart desires.

If you were a beginner, I would try and correct your swing just a bit....just enough so it would look natural and relaxed......but you are not....your swing is fine, that is NOT your problem at all.

Your timing is also not a problem, in a sense that no matter what we tell you here, it won't help. The wall exercise and a 1000000 repetition with a coach will. You obviously know your timing and if you are late, then you probably well aware of it.

As far as your BH concerned:
(I am talking about routine BH)
1. Recognize where and how fast the ball is going.
2. Turn your shoulders and hips. (don't even think of the swing)
3. Follow the hitting pattern in my previous post.

because they sit there for like 5 seconds with their racquets back
You want to take your racquet back a little before the ball bounces in front of you. When you take the racquet back is dependant on the pace of the incoming shot...you don't want to simply 'take it back early'.

Jay, you play people that hit the ball and only 5 seconds later it lands on your side? C'mon man.....its more like a split second.....and somtimes it is not even enough for you to make the shoulder turn.

NO SUCH THING AS TOO EARLY!