Have a Question for Me?

[uspta4201423750]

Hey John, I made that change in my backhand that has worked great for me and realized that when I told you about it, I had forgotten the article about the 4 variations to some extent. What I actually did was converted my bent right arm on the take back to a straight arm—not at contact.

Correct me if I’m wrong but that seems to make a huge difference. Are there 4 possibly different variations of take back arms or more? It would make a good article! Roddick’s straight/straight take back seems to be the weakest out there despite his superior athleticism and skill with the serve and forehand. On the take back my right is now straight and my left is bent.

The straightening of the right seems to disable it and gives my left arm more control. It now feels more like another (lefty) forehand rather than 2 arms formerly bent and both fighting for control. The contact point for me is definitely bent/bent because I always try to windshield wiper over the ball. It seems that if the ball is either close to your body or you’re windshield wipering, that you’re forced to go bent/bent. The straight left arm at contact seems to be reserved for the Lansdorp left arm dominant, flat, penetrating shot that Davenport, Novak, Maria and most on the tour hit.

The straight right arm at contact seems to be the right arm dominant, flat, penetrating shot. What do you think? Oh, I also wondered if you ever thought of an article that examines other differences in strokes like take backs, like the higher (Donald Young) or more conservative (Lansdorp). or the loop verses straight back or Nalbandian/Safin style where the backhand racquet head dips first and then pops up.

P.S. I’m really enjoying my new Philipousis serve that I learned from the Goldstein articles; I have real problems with a frozen shoulder, but that trick gives me momentum to fight through the stiffness.


Thanks for taking the time to consider my thoughts; I definitely appreciate it! Harry Kingsley

[johnyandell]

I wouldn't say fail. If you haven't played much intense competitive tennis it may seem like a mystery. Actually he played much better in his first grand slam final than many players. He'll do better next time. Winning in that situation is not about technique.

[ochi]

Tsonga's simple strokes go wrong

What happened to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's strokes in the Aussie final? How could such fine, simple, seemingly fool-proof techniques fail him?

[ochi]

Tsonga

John, I just watched Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overwhelm Rafa Nadal, and hope you are already putting down your thoughts. I very much look forward to reading them. In the meantime, I am going to run parts of the tape in slo-mo, for a better look at the simplicity of Tsongas' strokes, especially the serve. It's well before dawn here in New Jersey, and I'm too keyed up to go back to sleep.

[johnyandell]

A thoughtful and provocative question. Not sure there is a black and white answer though.

One thing for sure, the players teach the coaches. Technique evolves because players find ways to hit the ball better or faster or heavier or whatever.

But the players that lead the way are a tiny handful at the very top. Even other top pros try to model them. I know because I've seen it personally with players in the top 50 and higher.

I don't think we have to worry about the vast majority of players--even high level ones-being crushed in their creative technical development. I do think certain things are fundamental-until some new player redefines the term for us again.

Don't you think you can see with your eye when something is "working"? Even if it's different. Pete's serve. Federer's forehand. Agassi's backhand, etc.

With most players we see, however, our eyes tell us something is off or could be better, usually much better. Hence the process you describe, going inside the motion with video to identify and remodel.

If you have a young genius that is destined to create new technique, you'll sense that like Lansdorp did with Pete's serve and reverse forehand. If that occurs, do what he did and stay out of the way until you understand what is happening-then you can teach it to other players the way Robert did.

[CraigC]

The future

John-
I'm not sure if this question has been asked so pardon me if I'm double dipping here.
If we study the techniques of the top players, attempt to visualize the positions of those players, and then teach those positions to our younger students, I'm wondering if we will be coaching a style that is outdated by the time the players get to the tour level. The game has changed so drastically over the last ten years, albeit do to technology. Do you think the double-bend, the four basic finishes, and the current grip structures are the components of future success.
In my coaching, I am looking towards the future of the game, following the evolution of the strokes over the last twenty years, and trying to create some means to stay ahead of the current game. Any thoughts on this, and what the forehand might look like in ten years? Are there things that are mandatory to hit the ball well, or is everything flair and nothing fundamental?
-CC

[johnyandell]

All the programs Dartfish included have pluses and minuses. All Sports Motion is great and I have played around with it some myself.

The price issue has been a stumbling block. In my own coaching I use simple side by side QT movies. But everyone finds there own way about which softwares and how to use them. Many people swear by the capabilities of Dartfish and use it everyday.

I think you will see some movement in prices if not immediately then in the fairly near future.

As for the series, Joe Dinoffer is doing something very much like that with the footage of his daughter. The Rick Macci articles are pieces of that puzzle. So are the ones from Lansdorp.

For msyelf, I'm not really a developmental coach---we'll add as much good new info as we can from as many credible voices as we can as times goes on.

[yungbessen]

Motion Analysis Software

John:

I know you wrote a few articles on free ways to evaluate our own swings side-by-side with the strokes in the archive. You also implied that Dartfish is fantastic. It unfortunately is quite expensive. Do you have any experience with the less expensive systems such as MotionPro (there are several others)?

As for the site, I love it! How about an article or series of articles describing a complete training program for a competitive junior?

Thanks.

Steve

[johnyandell]

Craig is renaissanceboy@aol.com

I'm not sure having a feature on yourself in Tennis is such a good thing at age 6. Where's the upside?

As for the academies, well, obviously, you need to get in contact with them.
IMG/Bollettieri does scholarships though I don't know the details. Ted Meekma is the guy in charge. I'd go on their site and email him and ask him what the steps are. At later ages, the kids with the high national rankings are going to qualify for what USTA is doing.

On the backhand, I think you mean bent right and straight left--except for a leftie. The other way is impossible.

[uspta4201423750]

I read the most recent Tennis Magazine in which they highlight Jan Silva and other young phenoms. If you have a kid like that, how do you get him noticed by the big academies that would consider a scholarship for these kids? I then saw Jan Silva footage on the tennis channel later today, he was good, but my son is the exact same age and does everything from full court whereas this kid does it all from the service line. He would roast that kid but no one would ever know it! Thanks, Harry Kingsley

P.S. Craig C. was supposed to forward me cool game/drill ideas a while back and I lost his email. If you could provide it for me again, I would greatly appreciate it.

P.S.S. Forget what I said about bent/bent on the backhand. Bent with the left arm and straight with the right is amazing. You were right!

[johnyandell]

Roddick does seem to push more with the back leg than some players--not sure I would attribute his serve entirely to that.

On the "open stance" serve. To me an extreme pinpoint like Venus has is not an open stance, at least by any of the characteristics of open stance on the other shots. Open stance means loading on the outside foot nearest the ball with the most of the leg drive coming from that foot--not sliding it forward and standing on the toe. Irregardless of pinpoint or platform the leg drive on the serve is mainly front leg.

If you read Scott Riewald's article on serve injuries you'll see what are generally perceived as the flaws in this type of footwork. It tends to lead to the torso opening more and probably too soon, bending at the waist, and contact to the right with little chance to generate topspin. Venus would probably serve great-or at least fast-regardless of her mechanics. You can't help but wonder if she had a different motion what it would all be like.

[uspta4201423750]

I read an article at some point that pointed to Roddick's balanced use of both legs is what gives him so much more velocity than others. I also noticed that if you look closely at Venus Williams in the stroke archive, she is completely open stanced in the set to launch position (after the foot slide), and Serena is between neutral and open (fastest servers in the history of women). I find that many who drag or slide the back foot open their stances prior to contact. If the torso rotates properly, don't you get the same benefit as you get from an open stance forehand (facilitating better, longer follow-through). What do you think? Harry Kingsley

[johnyandell]

I tried to imagine how (or why) anyone would benefit from an open stance serve. Since most of the forward and upward push is with the front leg, it's difficult to see any possible advantage. That plush the restriction in the turn. But you never know someone might devise something totally new. (I just doubt it.)

On the rackets I don't follow junior rackets at all so maybe someone else has a thought there.

On the recovery my drill for that is to feed the second ball faster than normal and cut down the interval.

[uspta4201423750]

3 questions: 1) I've read articles on the open-stance backhand, forehand and volley. What about an open stance serve? 2) I also wonder if you know of a 25 inch graphite (not aluminum or some alloy) frame that is lighter than the 25 Prince junior Diablo. 3) Thirdly, do you know of any great tricks or drills to train a young player to recover from shots behind the baseline or up at net? Thanks, Harry Kingsley

[johnyandell]

I've heard Vic say that but not sure whether it's literally true. I'm not sure that the serving motion in general--like pitching--is a recipe for long term shoulder health. Others may know more about this--is it the kick per se, or the exact contact point on how some players kick it--or just the serve???