Clearing Up Some Questions and Freezing Up

[Roy125]

I have a few questions that I've been wondering if they're right or not.

1. If I were to hit a ball that keeps my opponent behind the baseline, they are not in a position to attack right?

2. Simple question, but using an abbreviated motion during a serve gives you better timing while using the full motion gives you more power?

3. Using the bounce-hit-bounce cadence helps in preventing freezing up when preparing to hit a ball?

4. What are the benefits of changing from an eastern grip to an extreme eastern forehand grip? Would it be really noticeable?

Thanks in advance for answering.

[Geezer Guy]

1. True. The smart play when pushed back behind the baseline is to hit a rally ball and look for an opening. However, that's not to say that your opponent will always do the smart thing. They may feel desperate and try something crazy, and it may work. Or they may have a great forehand (for example) and this ball is right in their strike zone so they decide to give it a ride.

2. Maybe, but not necessarily. I'll bet you can get just as much power from an abbreviated motion (if we're talking about the same thing).

3. I think bounce-hit-bounce is usually used as a way of timing the incoming ball. I'm not sure what you mean by "freezing up".

4. I'm not a grip guy, but I don't think JUST changing your grip would have a noticeable effect. Changing your swingpath would give you more topspin, which may be what you're after.

[Roy125]

By freezing up, I mean like a deer in the headlights on an incoming ball.

[Blake0]

Originally Posted by Roy125

I have a few questions that I've been wondering if they're right or not.

1. If I were to hit a ball that keeps my opponent behind the baseline, they are not in a position to attack right?

2. Simple question, but using an abbreviated motion during a serve gives you better timing while using the full motion gives you more power?

3. Using the bounce-hit-bounce cadence helps in preventing freezing up when preparing to hit a ball?

4. What are the benefits of changing from an eastern grip to an extreme eastern forehand grip? Would it be really noticeable?

Thanks in advance for answering.

1. True, although some good players can attack from there.
2. Depends. You can get as much/more power with a abbreviated stroke. Serve is mainly about having good technique and being able to "Sync" them together (timing). There really isn't a need to be really bulk, although strength is necessary to serve well for a longer time and to reduce risk of injury.
3. You freeze up usually when you're nervous, and when you freeze up you either become stiff (any part..like your feet could stoop, or your arm, or your whole body), you're mind will stop working/slow down (tennis-related..you start to read the ball late and basically you're "feel" part of the game goes down the drain). Bounce-hit-bounce helps you gain a rhythm and helps the anticipation part of freezing up. If your body freezes up then you'll have to stop thinking about whatever you are and being nervous, so it could help by distracting your mind from being nervous.
4. That slight of a grip change does have quite a bit of change in the stroke. You will be forced to hit with a more vertical stroke or the ball won't go in, so you'd get more spin.

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

Originally Posted by Roy125

I have a few questions that I've been wondering if they're right or not.

1. If I were to hit a ball that keeps my opponent behind the baseline, they are not in a position to attack right?

2. Simple question, but using an abbreviated motion during a serve gives you better timing while using the full motion gives you more power?

3. Using the bounce-hit-bounce cadence helps in preventing freezing up when preparing to hit a ball?

4. What are the benefits of changing from an eastern grip to an extreme eastern forehand grip? Would it be really noticeable?

Thanks in advance for answering.

Originally Posted by Roy125

By freezing up, I mean like a deer in the headlights on an incoming ball.

1) Depends on you and your opponent. If your balls keep them behind the baseline but aren't good enough to keep them from hitting good shots, you're screwed. You can essentially hit a dip drive from up to about 3-5 feet behind the baseline and actually score a winner. Off the backhand it's unlikely though. So if your ball sits up with little pace, you're in trouble anyway. Among two evenly matched players, generally the one behind the baseline is in no position to attack. However, if the right opportunity presents itself, they'll still hit a winner from behind the baseline. Your job is to make sure your rally ball will never give your opponent any such scenario.

2) Depends on the player.

3) Deer in headlights means MOVE YOUR FEET!

4) When I first did it, I didn't notice anything. If I switched back now, I'll notice it, but I can still hit with it. Switch to semi western and you'll notice a huge difference. Best grip overall really...

[Bungalo Bill]

Originally Posted by Roy125

I have a few questions that I've been wondering if they're right or not.

1. If I were to hit a ball that keeps my opponent behind the baseline, they are not in a position to attack right?

Not necessarily. Give me a ball I can run around my backhand and I will attack it. Players can attack other balls as well like a high ball and send it to a place they know you are going to have difficulty maintaining control. They can follow that and attack it further. Attacking simply means you are going on the offense. You can be behind the baseline and attack balls hit to you.

It depends on the ball you give them.

2. Simple question, but using an abbreviated motion during a serve gives you better timing while using the full motion gives you more power?

Technique, timing, and clean contact is what provides power. It really depends on what you can get out of your serve. Maybe in theory it does but in reality it depends on the player.

3. Using the bounce-hit-bounce cadence helps in preventing freezing up when preparing to hit a ball?

I don't know if it helps with freezing up but it can certainly help with your timing. Freezing up is an odd term because it paints the picture that the person didn't swing. With hit-bounce-hit, you swing. However, I guess in a weird way it can help.

4. What are the benefits of changing from an eastern grip to an extreme eastern forehand grip? Would it be really noticeable?

I guess an extreme eastern is a semi-western? Or inbetween? The nice thing about going to a mild semi-western is you dont have to change the common Nike Swoosh swing path with this grip.

[Roy125]

I've always wondered why people choose the abbreviated motion over the full motion when serving.

Bill, by Nike Swoosh swing path, do you mean the WW forehand?

[USERNAME]

Originally Posted by Roy125

I have a few questions that I've been wondering if they're right or not.

1. If I were to hit a ball that keeps my opponent behind the baseline, they are not in a position to attack right?
Most likely not, they can attack its just a low % shot.
2. Simple question, but using an abbreviated motion during a serve gives you better timing while using the full motion gives you more power?
No, good technique gets you good timing and power.
3. Using the bounce-hit-bounce cadence helps in preventing freezing up when preparing to hit a ball?
Never used it so I cant say.
4. What are the benefits of changing from an eastern grip to an extreme eastern forehand grip? Would it be really noticeable?
YES, you will notice it. The extreme eastern will give you a very flat and penetrating ball, but clearance will suffer.
Thanks in advance for answering.

See bold...

[Roy125]

Originally Posted by USERNAME

See bold...

Extreme eastern as in between the eastern and semi-western grip right? I thought that moving my grip to a more extreme position would give me more clearance O.o.

[Bungalo Bill]

Originally Posted by Roy125

I've always wondered why people choose the abbreviated motion over the full motion when serving.

Bill, by Nike Swoosh swing path, do you mean the WW forehand?

Nope, just the normal swing path the extends to the target low to high.

[USERNAME]

Originally Posted by Roy125

Extreme eastern as in between the eastern and semi-western grip right? I thought that moving my grip to a more extreme position would give me more clearance O.o.

Ok, I thought u were moving your hand counter-clockwise, yes it will give you more clearance but still not a ton.

[fuzz nation]

Service motion: Abbreviated or full needs to be well timed (unrushed) to be useful. If one motion or the other is more natural or comfortable for you, that's the one to use. Both serving types can produce the same results, but the full motion just takes more of a progression to get setup at the serve's "release point" from which you go up to contact.

I like the deer-in-the-headlights image. I can just picture myself in a trance taking a moonball right on the forehead! I prefer to avoid a cadence for an incoming ball. Once I split-step, I want to pop to either side and rush my preparation so that I can set up as soon as possible and shuffle-step until the ball comes into my hitting area. That's me - if I'm shuffling and waiting to pull the trigger, I'm less likely to be too early or late like I might if I use a longer cadence in my preparation.

With a little more experience, you won't have to worry at all about freezing. You'll recognize what shot to use and instinctively move to set up on the ball as soon as it's hit to you.

If you feel as though it's tough to make the spin you want with your comfortable forehand stroke, you might like using a mildly more extreme grip. Keep in mind that the more extreme you go, you'll probably also need to make contact farther out in front of you to control the ball well. Be ready to experiment with that a little bit if you try a different grip.

[Zachol82]

Not sure what you mean by extreme-eastern. Is it not the same as an extreme western-grip but just hit on the other side of the racquet instead? If so, you would need to hit more vertically to get the ball in, but I don't see why you would want to do that, since you're losing a lot of power brushing up on the ball instead of hitting through it, unless it's a defensive shot.

[fruitytennis1]

emtreme-eastern is between eastern and semi-western.