How to play "less stiff" and more relaxed?

[maleyoyo]

Originally Posted by Power Player

I think the problem is more based on movement though. I think he should be moving more. Once I really focused on footwork and prep, and stopped thinking about my racquet arm, I smoothed out my strokes.

If the ball is coming at you easily and you dont have to move, it just reinforces low footwork activity.

I think that is because you have a more solid fundermental than he does. I notice that he tightens up as he hits the balls as if the ball weighs 10 lbs and coming at him 100 mph which is common for rec players.
You are right about the movements though I think that would be the next step.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by maleyoyo

I think that is because you have a more solid fundermental than he does. I notice that he tightens up as he hits the balls as if the ball weighs 10 lbs and coming at him 100 mph which is common for rec players.
You are right about the movements though I think that would be the next step.

good observation about tightening up right before hitting.

[charliefedererer]

Yoda - Feel the Force (Yoda Remixed) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GITb6rzpTWM

Some are born with great reflexes, quickness and hand eye coordination.
But even these practice to make tennis appear more like an art than hard work.
(While it's interesting hearing their childhood coaches gush at how a Federer or Sampras could make the progress in one or two session that others would take months to accomplish, they still had to work years to perfect their craft.
They couldn't play with "the force" if they didn't work so hard to make it look so easy.)



Great footwork is real key to getting in into position to hit as many balls as possible as quickly as possible.
You've got to be coming out of split step every time your opponent strikes the ball in order to get to most of them comfortably to hit it balanced and relaxed.
You've got to recover as quickly as possible to be ready to come out of a split step on that next shot, and the next and the next.


Match play often involves shots hit on the run, or when you are jammed.
Successfully playing these uncomfortable shots is a key to success - not just having fluid strokes.
The problem with match play is that oftentimes rallies never start - the point is over on the serve or return.
We waste a lot of time clearing balls from the court and getting ready to serve and return.
After a match, we may have only hit a relatively small number of balls under pressure, and not gained a lot of experience on how to hit them back with some zip and/or spin.

I have a hitting partner that we usually have two 3 hour sessions a week playing points that start with a moderately hard ball fed deep to the forehand or backhand.
We really try to play full out continuously with only occasional short break.
Almost every ball is hit on the run or forcing in some way.
We both take the net after any short ball.
There are lots of half volleys, difficult volleys and overheads with the ball coming out of the sun.
The hard shots are hit frequently enough to really develop a pattern to how to approach them.
In match play it is then a matter of execution rather than figuring out what will work (with a real expectation of success.)
We are both used to playing for an extended period feeling slightly out of breath with our hearts pounding, just like basketball, soccer and better tennis players do.



Practice serve and returning with a practice partner. Getting jammed, how to read a serve, being comfortable as possible with tough serves is key to returning in a more "relaxed" and effective fashion.



If you are intimidated by speed, hit with a hard hitter. You won't magically become relaxed until you train your reflexes for the timing necessary for a bashed ball.


A ball machine can be an effective way to work on getting comfortable with uncomfortable shots.
Fire to a position you have to run to.
Turn up the speed the and spin every time you fill up the bucket.
Even in one session it is amazing how you can be running and hitting shots you only rarely hit back at the beginning of the session.
This works great with running to volley and difficult half volleys too.


You can even work on uncomfortable shots at the wall.
Stand too close so you are often jammed or have to hit half volleys.

[mad dog1]

jackb1, i saw your latest vid in the racq-aholic's thread. although it was just 3 forehands, you look more relaxed in that vid hitting w/ a partner. you still have a tendency to pause and watch the ball after hitting your shot instead of recovering and getting ready to react to your partner's shot.

[kiteboard]

YOu need to shadow swing a few hundred thousand times.

[Magnetite]

You need to stretch every morning by the looks of it.

Also, yoga or massages.

I would tell you to use your legs and trunk more, but it's probably hard to do if you don't loosen up more.

Stretch your back out too.

[travlerajm]

One thing jumps out about your vid:

You don't prepare for the swing until the last instant, which forces you to rush the swing in a jerky motion. You start by turning the shoulders early enough, but then you wait to complete the takeback until too late. Then, at the last instant, you yank the racquet back quickly and then jerk it forward into the ball.

If you watch pros, they all use a high takeback, with the head of the racquet at or above your head. And they get the racquet to this high takeback position early (usually lifting the racquet at the same time as the unit turn). Then, from the high takeback position, they usuall start the swing simply by rotating the body toward the ball and letting gravity sweep the racquet forward like a pendulum. Finally, from the bottom of the swing, they accelerate the racquethead to drive it forward with power through the hitting zone.

If you stay slow and relaxed through the takeback phase of the swing and the racquet drop part of the swing, it will feel more smooth and natural when you accelerate the racquet forward on the final "driving" part of the swing.

[Mountain Ghost]

Most players put 20 percent of their conscious attention and energy on the stroke preparation (backswing and positioning) and 80 percent on the stroke completion (forward swing and finish). I would suggest a reversal to 80 percent on the preparation and 20 on the completion.

MG

[Cheetah]

That's how I approach it. I'd say I put 80% of my conscious attention on prep. I win!!

[TheCheese]

Think of swinging fast instead of swinging hard. You want to feel like you're whipping your arm rather than forcing it through the swing path.

It's something you have to develop. It takes a lot of practice to be able to swing as fast as possible without actively forcing your muscles (which actually causes you to lose energy).

You also have to have good footwork. If you set up your feet properly, you should be able to effortlessly generate power. If you don't, you're going to want to force your arm to correct for your positioning and it'll make swinging "effortlessly" even more difficult.


Also, after watching your video again, I see one of the main problems. The acceleration of your racket head is far too abrupt. You go from zero to 100 almost immediately. Your stroke should be continuous from preparation to the end of the swing. You go to your takeback, stop, then accelerate all of a sudden making your strokes seemed forced and jerky.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by travlerajm

One thing jumps out about your vid:

You don't prepare for the swing until the last instant, which forces you to rush the swing in a jerky motion. You start by turning the shoulders early enough, but then you wait to complete the takeback until too late. Then, at the last instant, you yank the racquet back quickly and then jerk it forward into the ball.

If you watch pros, they all use a high takeback, with the head of the racquet at or above your head. And they get the racquet to this high takeback position early (usually lifting the racquet at the same time as the unit turn). Then, from the high takeback position, they usuall start the swing simply by rotating the body toward the ball and letting gravity sweep the racquet forward like a pendulum. Finally, from the bottom of the swing, they accelerate the racquethead to drive it forward with power through the hitting zone.

If you stay slow and relaxed through the takeback phase of the swing and the racquet drop part of the swing, it will feel more smooth and natural when you accelerate the racquet forward on the final "driving" part of the swing.

great tips Trav...I will try an earlier and higher looping takeback.

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by travlerajm

One thing jumps out about your vid:

You don't prepare for the swing until the last instant, which forces you to rush the swing in a jerky motion. You start by turning the shoulders early enough, but then you wait to complete the takeback until too late. Then, at the last instant, you yank the racquet back quickly and then jerk it forward into the ball.

If you watch pros, they all use a high takeback, with the head of the racquet at or above your head. And they get the racquet to this high takeback position early (usually lifting the racquet at the same time as the unit turn). Then, from the high takeback position, they usuall start the swing simply by rotating the body toward the ball and letting gravity sweep the racquet forward like a pendulum. Finally, from the bottom of the swing, they accelerate the racquethead to drive it forward with power through the hitting zone.

If you stay slow and relaxed through the takeback phase of the swing and the racquet drop part of the swing, it will feel more smooth and natural when you accelerate the racquet forward on the final "driving" part of the swing.

Great Post, getting my head around this stuff a few years ago made an enormous step forward in my game.

[CheekyMullet]

I have a question related to this topic. Sometimes I feel that on a follow through I stop my shoulders when they are parallel to the net and I don't follow through properly. Today I did a few shadow swings, tried to relax my motion and let the racket do the work. To describe the feeling it was like the racket is trying to constantly fly off my hand the entire follow through and the weight of the swing rotated my hitting shoulder to face the net. Is this how it is supposed to be(feel) or is it unimportant?

[Alchemy-Z]

I chew gum

[NLBwell]

Originally Posted by TheCheese

Think of swinging fast instead of swinging hard. You want to feel like you're whipping your arm rather than forcing it through the swing path.

It's something you have to develop. It takes a lot of practice to be able to swing as fast as possible without actively forcing your muscles (which actually causes you to lose energy).

You also have to have good footwork. If you set up your feet properly, you should be able to effortlessly generate power. If you don't, you're going to want to force your arm to correct for your positioning and it'll make swinging "effortlessly" even more difficult.


Also, after watching your video again, I see one of the main problems. The acceleration of your racket head is far too abrupt. You go from zero to 100 almost immediately. Your stroke should be continuous from preparation to the end of the swing. You go to your takeback, stop, then accelerate all of a sudden making your strokes seemed forced and jerky.

Thus the tip about using the section of rope or a whip. You can also practice swing with a kids little league baseball bat, trying to stay as loose as possible - it is too heavy to force around or you would hurt yourself.
Lots of words on here, but doing something about the problem is what actually helps. Just train the body to be loose and efficient.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by Mountain Ghost

Most players put 20 percent of their conscious attention and energy on the stroke preparation (backswing and positioning) and 80 percent on the stroke completion (forward swing and finish). I would suggest a reversal to 80 percent on the preparation and 20 on the completion.

MG

great advice....thanks!

[aimr75]

I try and shadow swing when i can which helps i think. Its hard to make it translate on the court as you will tighten up when a ball is coming at you..

Sometimes while on the court practicing, i try and not think about the incoming ball, but more so how i am feeling throughout the stroke. I may completely shank or screw up the shot, but it at least gives me the feeling of being more relaxed on the court so that i know how it actually feels. This way I can discern when I begin to tighten up and adjust

[watungga]

Originally Posted by Timbo's hopeless slice

just hit a million balls until one day you realise you just aren't even thinking about technique anymore..

Ok, say I hit a million balls and every next shots after that are like, long and out! And I'll say to myself, oh ***ck, there's something wrong... I followed a freakin million strokes the wrong way..."

[ski racer]

visualize playing with the hand, not the arm and racquet Credit: oscar wegner

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by ski racer

visualize playing with the hand, not the arm and racquet Credit: oscar wegner

not sure exactly what this means