[video] Wall hitting

[TomT]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

This is precisely my feeling. With the wall you also lose the critical, at the risk of being nerdy, but critical visual data that you need to alter your next ball. For example, if you hit the ball just above the white line, you assume BAM! that'd be a winner. However, you have little sense of perspective because you're not on a tennis court to see how far in or far back you are. So, if you hit that sizzling winner on the court and it turns out you'd be in no-mans land, that ball's going well long.

Good points, imho.

[vil]

I don't try to make big statements here but I think that wall is a great addition to your regular practice specially if you have no partner, as long as you are aware of its limitations. I understand what you mean pvaudio that you have no judgement of depth but you also see how high you are hitting and how far you are standing. That should give you pretty good idea where the ball would be going in court situation. Now, me personally I use wall mainly for 2 things: consistent & clean contact and footwork. I don't care that much about the rest. I never felt the wall would somehow affect my judgement on court. Your eye-brain-hand coordination will automatically adjust once you start hitting against humans. One thing I really find interesting is, if I have a wall practice hit before my partners (for doubles) arrive, then once I start playing with them, I feel like I have lot of time to set up for a shot and I'm hitting much better.

[TomT]

Originally Posted by vil

I don't try to make big statements here but I think that wall is a great addition to your regular practice specially if you have no partner, as long as you are aware of its limitations. I understand what you mean pvaudio that you have no judgement of depth but you also see how high you are hitting and how far you are standing. That should give you pretty good idea where the ball would be going in court situation. Now, me personally I use wall mainly for 2 things: consistent & clean contact and footwork. I don't care that much about the rest. I never felt the wall would somehow affect my judgement on court. Your eye-brain-hand coordination will automatically adjust once you start hitting against humans. One thing I really find interesting is, if I have a wall practice hit before my partners (for doubles) arrive, then once I start playing with them, I feel like I have lot of time to set up for a shot and I'm hitting much better.

And these are even better points, imho.

Never really thought about the difference in prep time between wall and court hitting, but it does make sense that a bit of prior wall hitting might translate to a perception of having lots of prep time, and thus being more relaxed and fluid, when hitting on court.

[ShoeShiner]

Two bounces for practising with enough time to ready position and split step.

We can know where the ball land to the ground even we are practising with the wall, geometry principle will help. But practising with the plain wall is not much value added. The wall with exact scale same as the real court is necessary.

If we know the nature of how the ball flies and its path, we can predict before it lands to the ground. Projectile principle, dynamic mechanic principle will help us predict the path. When the ball reaches the highest point in the air(just before it drop), we will know suddenly where the ball lands(even it spins), after the ball bounced we will know suddenly how high/far of the ball(even it spins). Most of the shots are predictable if you know the principle enough how to predict the ball path(topspin, underspin, drive, flat are different ball paths but they have principles).
We have to practise much much more for quick reaction. With some more experiences, when the ball reaches the highest point in the air, we will know suddenly where the exact position in court we should run to wait the ball.

We can not be level up with just wall hitting drills, fitness training, or other training. Matches play with various players and also with the players better than us are necessary.

[sportsfan1]

You seem to be consistent. How high and wide is the wall you are hitting against?

[psv255]

Originally Posted by ShoeShiner

Two bounces for practising with enough time to ready position and split step.

We can know where the ball land to the ground even we are practising with the wall, geometry principle will help. But practising with the plain wall is not much value added. The wall with exact scale same as the real court is necessary.

We can not be level up with just wall hitting drills, fitness training, or other training. Matches play with various players and also with the players better than us are necessary.

I agree with everything you've said, except a wall with the same scale as a real court. If focusing on technique and footwork, they aree applicable regardless of the layout of your surroundings. Of course, there is little pace and spin coming back from the wall, and much more will come from an opponent, but putting the ball into the court is something to be done on a tennis court. I can see where hitting too close or too far from a wall may become problematic, but from my own experience, I would hit shots against the wall that would surely be out, but then go to the court right away and be relatively consistent.

Originally Posted by sportsfan1

You seem to be consistent. How high and wide is the wall you are hitting against?

The wall is part of a handball court, about 25 feet wide and about the same in height. I'm standing about 30-35 ft from the wall.

[psv255]

Originally Posted by boramiNYC

you have a very loose arm which can be both good and bad. good cuz you can generate lots of pace with just arm swing but bad cuz there could be dis connection between arm and the rest of the body. you need to strengthen your shoulder rotator muscles so your arm is always well centered in the shoulder socket joint. find the thrower's ten exercise and do them. and try to contact the ball right near the max performance zone in the range of motion of the shoulder. you'll need to move your legs a lot more with purpose to place your body at the right spot and orientation to do this. this will help your consistency a lot and ability to handle faster pace.

one more thing on FH prep your arm and racquet higher racquet more upright and use the wrist for more topspin. now it's mostly for pace. open the stance a little more and l like how your balance is not leaning backward too much. keep it on the middle and front.

I'll definitely start the Thrower's Ten and be sure to adjust my forehand. Thanks borami!