Is Anyone Out There Constantly Messing With Your Technique On Shots?

[ask1ed]

Seems like every time I go out I try a diff. fh/serve.

Do you use video?
Pro lessons?
Restring a lot?
Mess and fuss with your game, sort of like golfers do?

If you haven't seen video of yourself it's a lot harder to see what you're doing wrong.

[SystemicAnomaly]

Are you getting too much conflicting input from various sources?

My father was fond of saying, "There are only 2 ways to do something; the right way and the wrong way". However, many of us have come to realize that this really isn't true... esp when it comes to tennis. We have found that there are usually several "good" ways to execute a shot or stroke, and a whole lot of inferior ways to perform the same stroke.

It's a great idea to try some experimentation every once in a while but it would probably be best for you to stick with a particular style or method for a while before moving on to the next variation. Give yourself time to master a particular approach before discarding it or before you try to alter your stroke further.

If you go to a pro for lessons, find one who has a good eye for technique (if technique is your primary concern right now). Make sure that you've got a pro who duznt have a rigid approach (one that has the same philosophy as my Dad). A good pro will realize that each player is different & we can't all fit inot the same mold.

Video feedback can be a very useful tool. It duznt give u immediate feedback but it duz show you things about your strokes (or your game) that you may not have realized. Or perhaps a pro has said pointed out a flaw that duznt really register til we see it for ourselves in a video.

A good pro is great for immediate feedback & guidance. The video also serves as a great (delayed) feedback tool for learning about certain tendencies in our strokes or in our game.

Even tho' I can easily spot flaws in the strokes of other players or students, it's not all that easy to detect my own flaws. I will be able to detect some of my own flaws that have crept into my game. However, other flaws may not come to light unless I get feedback from another pro or from viewing myself on a video tape.

[300Gkid]

yea, thats exactly like me, every time i play i keep experimenting with my grip ect. i think i finally have it right :D

[andyroddick's mojo]

i do too sometimes. Sometimes I change my forehand to be a little more loopy, so right now I'm trying to build my perfect form that fits me. Hope I get it soon!

[arosen]

I suggest you focus on where and how you want the ball to go, and adjust your tech to fit accordingly. Play matches, see what you can and cannot do.

[Tomba]

I like using video and try to figure out how to strengthen a certain shot. When I feel confident, I hire a professional level player and trade shots with him until I feel satisfied.

[Rickson]

Raul the cheat always tries to correct my strokes, but the irony to that is he's lost about 100 straight sets to me and that's no exaggeration. The last time Raul won a set was December of 2004 and yes, he cheated to get the set win. Raul claims my groundstrokes are short and slow, but he's just speaking sour grapes from constantly losing. Raul also claims his serve is much faster and more technically sound than mine, but he doesn't even have a backscratch. During his serve, Raul's racquet head goes about to the middle of his head at its lowest point. My racquet head goes all the way down to my lower back during the serve so there goes his theory. I never listen to Raul because my groundstrokes and serve are obviously not what he says they are. If my strokes were exactly the way he described and he keeps losing to me, what does that say about his game? Many times, "friends" will give you bad tips because they're just trying to criticize you, so just do what works for you and don't listen to the Rauls of the world.

[BillyBee]

What I like to do is just rally with someone for a good 90 minutes. It's hard to diagnose and improve your strokes if you play nothing but matches. But when I rally with someone for at least an hour once or twice a week, I can really see what I'm doing and make small adjustments to improve my strokes.

I'm not a big believer in repeatedly tinkering with your technique. But if you just constantly hit ball after ball you'll find yourself making little discoveries that add power and accuracy. I think it's all about muscle memory to groove your strokes.