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Took this photo sequence this morning... any hints for improvement? Thanks...
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Took this photo sequence this morning... any hints for improvement? Thanks... -
and here is my backhand....
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More dynamic use of your legs. Further stretch of left arm across/towards side fence, for more coil on fh. Faster, more all out stick acceleration. Form looks pretty good! Now use it with some intention to do damage to your opponent, not to just hit lull/rally balls! Practice speeding up your shot, without hitting, shadow drills. TAke small steps, leading to the last one big weight transfer step, dit dit dit_booom. It's your mind that need work, not your stroke so much. No more gentlemanly shots for you.
Either hit and giggle, or hit to damage.
I'd also change the strings. For controlled power: vs team/nrg2, with the nrg2 first three crosses down: 45lbs, next:55lbs to the bottom three, when they get bumped up to:65lbs.Last edited by GeoffWilliams; 04-26-2011, 02:42 PM.Comment
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trying out the (gentlemanly...
) reverse forehand too...
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This is about the best I can do Geoff... (pushing 66....)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuBvWtUYk_4Comment
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You look good! I'd try stretching that left arm harder across at maximum turn on the forehand drive. Hard to see maixmum extension, but my guess is it is pretty good. Reverse looks good too. Fricking backhand looks like Federer. Love the red clay. We need to come film at your club...Comment
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Thanks John.... think you told me that once already, will do... great about the red clay is that it is very easy on the legs to play on....Comment
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too much like "modern" forehand of Berdych
Phil -- I am amazed at your strokes and your spirit at your age. Congratulations.
For your topspin forehand, track the ball with your strings better, out in front of your body. Your first immediate reaction (as soon as your mind tells you "it's coming to my forehand") should be to lay back your wrist so that there is an L angle between your forearm and the racket. It will be easier to do this if you use the semi-western grip, as an american baseball player does. (It looks as though you use an eastern, so that your hand is really not solidly behind the racket.)
As you prepare for (track) the incoming ball, the racket head should be out in front of your body . . strings kinda facing the incoming ball . . .your free hand on the neck of the racket so that your racket arm does not tighten up.
It looks as though you take the racket back too early, so that you do not have a continuous one-piece loop. Also, as you take the racket back, the angle between your forearm and the racket looks kinda like the letter I. That is bad. The topspin forehand should be kinda like a baseball swing or a golf swing, in which the angle from the back of the swing is a V . . and moving to L at contact point (impact of strings to ball). It should be V to L . . .but you have an I to L. You have to muscle the ball too much. The flip or swoosh of your swing is too much behind you. The flip or swoosh should be at impact and forwards after impact . . just like in a baseball swing or in a golf swing.
Do not worry about getting sideways too much . . .It is ok to face the net. At impact, you certainly should be facing the net. If you stay sideways for too long, your hips and hitting shoulder cannot get through the shot. Do not run at the ball (towards your intended impact point) from the side. Instead, run behind the ball, so that you can flow forwards into the ball . . .and be "on balance" after you finish the stroke.
In other words, do not copy most of the ATP pros' topspin forehands. If you copy them, you will have the same holes in your forehand that they have. Most of the rallies on that circuit do not last long. The ATP players are very inconsistent with their forehands. It is pretty boring tennis.
Your topspin backhand looks pretty good, as far as I can tell. But remember not to make the mistake that Federer sometimes makes. If Fed can get behind the ball well, so that he has contact point close to his body yet also very far out in front of his body, Fed hits some of the greatest one-handed topspin backhands. Yet when Fed reaches out to the side of his body for contact point, then he has minimal leverage, which results in a weak or a mishit shot. So run behind your intended contact point . .do not run sideways towards that intended contact point.
In general, you have pretty good stokes. I am impressed with you. You inspire me. Keep up the good work, Phil.Comment
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Thanks....
As I told Don, trying to improve is, IMHO, a task without end... there is always something to improve... it is more the path than the goal that counts...Comment
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EVeryone gets used to the things that they use.Comment
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We become used to doing things, the same way, with the same equipment, in the same manner, unless we intend to improve, change up our string, our tension, our frames, until we find the perfect combination.Comment
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What WBC has described is similar to what I used to do, when I was following the Wegner method. Somewhere in between, I got "corrupted" ... I was copying Federer, Nadal, and the ATP player of the day... and getting worse by the day. WBC's posts reminded me of how I used to hit some years ago, and how nice and uncomplicated it used to be... and there was the added insight of forward orientation. In two weeks, my game has gone up a notch. Today, I went toe to toe with an unbeaten USTA 4.5 player! He was Mr. Speedy, and I was Mr. Consistent with heavy shots. I don't think I will get much better without professional coaching, but I am happy the way things are...
And Geoff, I agree with you 100%. We have to tweak our styles and equipment constantly, though gradually and not abruptly, to seek improvement.Comment
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I know that I am fighting the "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" reality...
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Don't get the context....
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