3.5 to 4.0 Action Plan?

[LeeD]

Another mental thing that will accelerate your progress.
Seems right now, you spend all your energy just hitting the ball. That is noble, but there is no use hitting the ball without a specific, preconceived TARGET! When you hit, you specifically hit DTL or CC, against the ball machine. You get plenty of practice hitting up the middle when you hit with a live partner. Hitting to your partner is the worst practice you can have, as every player plays the way they practice!
You can't help hitting BACK to your partner, so practice those wide shots against the machine, and against 2 other players.
Remember, WHERE you hit the ball is just as important as HOW you hit the ball.

[asked_answered]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Hitting topspin returns is easy for anyone fit and not injured.
All you do is prep lower than the projected height of the serve, swing low to high, and barely close the racketface at impact. Adjust after your first return.
You already know which serve the server is attempting. You have seen his second serve bounce height, and know it's time of travel. You only need a quick shoulder turn, slight takeback, and swing.
You should be practicing your serves. When you practice your serves, your partner practices his returns of your serves. TRY THINGS. In practice, percentage play is not needed. You need to push your limits, then reign back for match play.
You can never tell how hard you can serve if you're always worried about getting the ball IN.

Thanks, Lee!

[asked_answered]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Another mental thing that will accelerate your progress.
Seems right now, you spend all your energy just hitting the ball. That is noble, but there is no use hitting the ball without a specific, preconceived TARGET! When you hit, you specifically hit DTL or CC, against the ball machine. You get plenty of practice hitting up the middle when you hit with a live partner. Hitting to your partner is the worst practice you can have, as every player plays the way they practice!
You can't help hitting BACK to your partner, so practice those wide shots against the machine, and against 2 other players.
Remember, WHERE you hit the ball is just as important as HOW you hit the ball.

I totally agree! Thank you!

[Sakkijarvi]

I agree with LeeD on your serve. Your feet never leave the ground, so you'll never get enough torque, spin and pace serving that way. You have to go UP and attack the ball, think in terms of your max vertical leap and you begin to get the idea. That height, that energy ... separates the men from the boys in terms of serve. You look too young to be pinned to the earth.

[asked_answered]

Originally Posted by Sakkijarvi

I agree with LeeD on your serve. Your feet never leave the ground, so you'll never get enough torque, spin and pace serving that way. You have to go UP and attack the ball, think in terms of your max vertical leap and you begin to get the idea. That height, that energy ... separates the men from the boys in terms of serve. You look too young to be pinned to the earth.

Thanks for the tips, Sakkijarvi!

[LeeD]

OTOH, BTJohnson has a pretty good game, 5-5.5, and his feet never leave the ground by more than one inch.
Now if he actually rose 9" off the tarmac, to increase his target size and add some real power, he might be 5.5-6.5 levels.

[asked_answered]

Here's some forehand practice from this morning where I tried to hit with more power (and generally aimed crosscourt):

Forehands

[TXdad]

I would 1. Up the pace of the machine, decent 4.0s won't give you so much time, i.e. they will move you around and 2. Keep your head still as you make contact (something I am working on), it makes a big difference. Best of luck.

[asked_answered]

Originally Posted by TXdad

I would 1. Up the pace of the machine, decent 4.0s won't give you so much time, i.e. they will move you around and 2. Keep your head still as you make contact (something I am working on), it makes a big difference. Best of luck.

Thanks for the tips!

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by asked_answered

Here's some forehand practice from this morning where I tried to hit with more power (and generally aimed crosscourt):

Forehands

Hey bud, nice hitting!

I work on the ball machine lots myself, and I find here's a few things that might help you.

1) The ball machine isn't a replicate for a practice partner, so I utilize it as such. What I do is up the pace by about 20% more then what you are doing now, and slow it down roughly 10%. I use the ball machine as something to groove stroke mechanics with, not wind myself. Give yourself enough time to really set up between shots hitting with proper mechanics. Nothing is worse IMO then rushing when you don't have to. (Even in matches I try and do the same thing. Give lots of time if possible!)

2) You're hitting fairly closed stance on most of your forehands. Nothing wrong with that (Berdych is the same way) But I find it a lot easier to get loads more pace with a more open stance. Obviously you won't get to a full open stance all the time, but hitting a more semi-open stance would help on getting that inherit power. Not sure if it's something your comfortable working on but once I switched over to that, it REALLY upped my power potential from leg and core rotation. Plus, bending the knees up's it as well.

Happy hitting! (Once I get a video done up, I'll send it your way! )

-Fuji

[asked_answered]

Originally Posted by Fuji

Hey bud, nice hitting!

I work on the ball machine lots myself, and I find here's a few things that might help you.

1) The ball machine isn't a replicate for a practice partner, so I utilize it as such. What I do is up the pace by about 20% more then what you are doing now, and slow it down roughly 10%. I use the ball machine as something to groove stroke mechanics with, not wind myself. Give yourself enough time to really set up between shots hitting with proper mechanics. Nothing is worse IMO then rushing when you don't have to. (Even in matches I try and do the same thing. Give lots of time if possible!)

2) You're hitting fairly closed stance on most of your forehands. Nothing wrong with that (Berdych is the same way) But I find it a lot easier to get loads more pace with a more open stance. Obviously you won't get to a full open stance all the time, but hitting a more semi-open stance would help on getting that inherit power. Not sure if it's something your comfortable working on but once I switched over to that, it REALLY upped my power potential from leg and core rotation. Plus, bending the knees up's it as well.

Happy hitting! (Once I get a video done up, I'll send it your way! )

-Fuji

Thanks for the feedback and tips, Fuji! I'm looking forward to seeing your video!

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by asked_answered

Thanks for the feedback and tips, Fuji! I'm looking forward to seeing your video!

I'll send you the video I got from my lesson yesterday! You might be interested in seeing the technique I'm using.

That being said, it's only a side view and not one facing the court!

http://v.coachseye.com/colr

-Fuji

[LeeD]

That's an interesting service motion.
Don't think ONE pro serves like that.
Not sure about giving up 10" of distance by standing that far back.
But nice strong swing.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by LeeD

That's an interesting service motion.
Don't think ONE pro serves like that.
Not sure about giving up 10" of distance by standing that far back.
But nice strong swing.

Thanks LeeD.

Definitely I've been standing waaaaaaay too far back lately. I'm not sure when it popped up, but we discussed it yesterday and it's something I'm planning to work on. It's pretty different with a really wide platform base so it does look a bit odd.

-Fuji

[LeeD]

Hey, if it works for you, your serve is strong, is consistent, and it is placed well, you can't argue with the results.
I'm more of the KISS principle, keeping it simple for my simple mind.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Hey, if it works for you, your serve is strong, is consistent, and it is placed well, you can't argue with the results.
I'm more of the KISS principle, keeping it simple for my simple mind.

Definitely! It's interesting we are the same level hey?

-Fuji

[LeeD]

Well, you have played recently near the 4.5-5 levels. I have'nt been there in 27 years....
And in singles, as PowerPlayer mentioned, I'd be bagelled by u guys, with my "superior" movement and speed.
One of the old fart I play with, a 67 year old, who beat me bagels last year (one of my peers in doubles, except I haven't lost to him in doubles yet, out of 6 sets now), says a senior, no matter what level he WAS, cannot be a real 4.5, just due to slowness.
I know there's that recent example of a 63 year beating a partying Div1 player in a match, but that would never happen again.

[LeeD]

Oh, and found out two year's ago NationalChamp 65's plays at SanPablo courts a couple times a year, while visiting a daughter here. Records are close to even, between Roger, my 67 year old bud, and him.
He's the taller of the two slicers I've seen at SanPabloPark, a very consistent hitter.

[asked_answered]

Originally Posted by Fuji

I'll send you the video I got from my lesson yesterday! You might be interested in seeing the technique I'm using.

That being said, it's only a side view and not one facing the court!

http://v.coachseye.com/colr

-Fuji

That's definitely a nontraditional serve style, Fuji, but it certainly looks like a powerful one from the angle filmed. (Obviously much better than mine!)

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by asked_answered

That's definitely a nontraditional serve style, Fuji, but it certainly looks like a powerful one from the angle filmed. (Obviously much better than mine!)

Hahaha better? Probably not! More powerful? Possibly! I had it clock in in the triple digits last week.

I can't really pinpoint what makes it so different to be honest. I know my stance is reaaaaally wide, and that I'm quite a bit back from the baseline, but other then that it seems almost normal! Haha!

-Fuji