Strange Little Things That Helped You

[DolgoSantoro]

Are there any tips or things you tried that you thought were really weird but somehow helped your strokes? If so, what?

I have one, today I noticed that when Safin hits a backhand he juts his left elbow out like he's trying to elbow someone behind his back. You can see it in this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrCyCbXe1d0

So just for kicks I tried it out and noticed I was hitting my backhand a lot cleaner and harder.

Feel free to comment or share something weird you found

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Whenever I get myself in a funk (I usually get myself into a funk for a week or two where I'm just not hitting well), and it's usually because I'm not moving my feet. I'd like to do this:

Put keys or coins in my non-ball pocket during warm-ups, so if I hear the jingles, I know I'm moving my feet. If I'm not hearing the jingles, it reminds me to move them feet.

[2ManyAces]

I exhale like Roddick.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by 2ManyAces

I huff and puff like Roddick.

Corrected for you

[2ManyAces]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Corrected for you

true dat. I also stare into my opponents soul. Freaky.

[LeeD]

Positive attitude, confidence in my shots, and willing to miss a few to tune in later. Works wonders for a whole match.

[PhrygianDominant]

My forehand is pretty streaky. It is a modern, open stance SW with a finish around my upper left arm, topspin for control, but mostly pretty flat. It is probably my most technically correct stroke, and I absolutely need it to win a game. It is very good at my level when it is on, but can go off for a few points. If it goes off....I prepare early and point at my contact point with my left hand (righty) as I am getting set up, racquet back, start my loop, etc... I don't move that pointing arm until I start my swing to contact. This usually irons it out.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by 2ManyAces

true dat. I also stare into my opponents soul. Freaky.

Sort of along the same line, I flex in front of my opponent. If that doesn't work, I sh!t bricks.

[rufus_smith]

During the pre-match warm-up, I will hit several groundtrokes by hitting the ball way out in front of me, more so than I would in the match. Really helps me get off to a good start on my groundies.

Sometimes in warm up, I will pactice some serves standing about one foot inside the baseline and try to not fault. I think it forces me to get more arc or spin on the ball to get the ball in the serve box in a shorter distance. I think it helps to prevent long faults, my nemesis, when doing proper serves.

[sundaypunch]

Originally Posted by rufus_smith

Sometimes in warm up, I will pactice some serves standing about one foot inside the baseline and try to not fault. I think it forces me to get more arc or spin on the ball to get the ball in the serve box in a shorter distance. I think it helps to prevent long faults, my nemesis, when doing proper serves.

For my daughter, the opposite works. She has a tendency to hit spin serves short. I have her practice and warm up by trying to hit them long - about halfway between the service line and baseline. They usually still land in.

When she does this she ends up with deep serves with a lot more spin.

[pvaudio]

Focusing on getting my left shoulder pointed at the incoming ball on FHs. Makes sure I have a complete unit turn and don't need to muscle the ball.

[mikeler]

I stopped imbibing heavily before matches. Man I play a lot better now.

[ThoughtCrime]

Just before I hit a ball, I imagine "lines" of how I am going to hit the ball with my racket. It's hard to describe, but for say a slice, the lines go from low to high across the ball if you get what I mean. That and visualizing hitting the ball, it may sound strange but it helped.

[anubis]

I try to make sure that I drop my left shoulder when I serve. That seems to help to pull the ball down into the court.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by anubis

I try to make sure that I drop my left shoulder when I serve. That seems to help to pull the ball down into the court.

I think for most people this will end up with them pulling the ball down into the net. For me, the thought process is to have everything going up and to have the wrist snap bring the ball down. That's when I'm serving the most effortlessly and consistently.

[KenC]

My hitting coach tells me to watch the ball with my back foot.

[USS Tang]

I warm up with non-dominant hand. Then, once match begins, I switch. Psyches them all out. Never fails.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by USS Tang

I warm up with non-dominant hand. Then, once match begins, I switch. Psyches them all out. Never fails.

I like it. Reminds me of one of my favorite comedies:

[danno123]

I've been working on moving my feet while hitting. When hitting a forehand, I'll either: (1) hit closed stance and hop approximately 180 degrees; (2) hit open stance and pivot on the ball of my outside foot while hitting; or (3) hit closed stance but allow my back leg to swing forward as I hit, so I end up in an open stance at the conclusion of the shot. On my one-handed backhand, I do #3. I incorporated these movements to help speed my recovery after the shot but they actually have helped my strokes.

When hitting an approach shot, I don't chip and charge, I hit a chip while charging.

[LeeD]

Hope that works for you.
For me, the things done during a stroke are incidental to the movement you need to hit the stroke. If it comes, great. If it don't, I still needed to hit the ball.
Just too many little setup steps to ever run thru the shots for me.