Relaxed Tennis, Effortless Tennis website?

[SystemicAnomaly]

Originally Posted by luvforty

... so I watched this video on feeltennis and used the method this evening... definitely feel lot more relaxed and didn't spend nearly as much energy.. this is a great tip!

problem is I don't feel like I was playing with any intensity... felt like relaxed sleep walk out there.

It's really a Yin-Yang/Zen kind of thing. A balance/blending of relaxation and concentration/intensity is seen in elite athletes in most sports. With black belts in martial arts, we see more efficient/effective movements as a byproduct of intensity and focused relaxation.

For further reading on this stuff (and more), take a gander at Adam Smith's article, "Sport is a Western Yoga" (Psychology Today, Oct 1975), Michael Murphy's "Golf in the Kingdom", or Timothy Gallwey's various books on The Inner Game (such as "The Inner Game of Tennis").
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[5263]

Originally Posted by SystemicAnomaly

It's really a Yin-Yang/Zen kind of thing. A balance/blending of relaxation and concentration/intensity is seen in elite athletes in most sports. With black belts in martial arts, we see more efficient/effective movements as a byproduct of intensity and focused relaxation.

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Really good post here about seeking that balance between intensity and relaxed execution. What is amazing for high level athletes, is how relaxed the effort can
be, but still get 90-95% of the results. For example as a football player, I could run the sprints at a pace that was leading the pack on each sprint, but at an
effort that seems only about 50% & could be kept up for a long time. On the other end you had the lineman where that pace was burning them down.
I'm sure these pro players hitting a million balls, often master that razor's edge
of relaxed effort and to "be quick without rushing".

[sureshs]

How much weight do you give to this "effortless" claim? I think effortlessness is just what happens when someone is good at what he does and is enjoying a good spell. It appears effortless to others, but apart from being a nice adjective to which we can all nod our heads in approval, what useful information does it convey?

[Relinquis]

i think the idea from the minimum effort drill is twofold:
- to understand how little effort is needed for specific tasks: getting the ball over the net, creating topspin, hitting near the baseline, serving.
- to have smooth movement, which gives you an understanding of how kinetic energy can be transferred from one body part movement to another

these points allow you to Calibrate your effort to what you want to achieve in a particular shot. You can better manage your effort over a match and have improved feel as you're better able to control your power, i.e. you can hit the same shot at different paces.

[WildVolley]

Originally Posted by sureshs

How much weight do you give to this "effortless" claim? I think effortlessness is just what happens when someone is good at what he does and is enjoying a good spell. It appears effortless to others, but apart from being a nice adjective to which we can all nod our heads in approval, what useful information does it convey?

Consciously focusing on relaxing has allowed me to play better.

I found that I was physically tensing up, literally hunching slightly, in stressful games and points. The talk of "getting tight" is real for many people. So, I interpret the "minimal effort" as a trick to get your to relax the body and focus on hitting the ball.

This relates to a lot of sports. World Class sprinters talk about being "relaxed" which is the opposite of sprinting full speed. What they mean is that they are letting the muscles that need to fire, fire, without hindering the motion by having unnecessary tension or strain in any other part of the body. Not being overly tense can also allow the body to more quickly develop the neural pathways to higher level performance.

[NLBwell]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

they put tension in the off hand while extending in order to pull it over quicker during the swing to increase rotation speed.

You first must stop it moving away from the body and then pull it - it can be one motion or have a pause.

[corners]

Originally Posted by toly

Does Murray really look relaxed? What can you say about his face and left arm muscles? There is tension everywhere and no relaxation in pro tennis.
[/IMG]

Toly, take a look at photos of Federer taken the moment before he starts the forward swing on his forehand. Focus on the thumb of his racquet-hand. What does this imply about the biomechanics of the stroke? Make sure you've got a solid grasp on agonist-antagonist muscle relationships, reciprocal inhibition and SSC.

[luvforty]

actually fed is the only player without any strain on facial muscle... maybe that is why he is goat.

[toly]

Originally Posted by corners

Toly, take a look at photos of Federer taken the moment before he starts the forward swing on his forehand. Focus on the thumb of his racquet-hand. What does this imply about the biomechanics of the stroke? Make sure you've got a solid grasp on agonist-antagonist muscle relationships, reciprocal inhibition and SSC.

Originally Posted by luvforty

actually fed is the only player without any strain on facial muscle... maybe that is why he is goat.

This is true.



Federer face and left hand muscles very often are relaxed. Every rule has exceptions.

Perhaps this is the reason that he has underdeveloped left arm? It seems that there is something incredibly unique (maybe “wrong”) about Federer.

[arche3]

[quote=toly;7122618]This is true.



The tennis zoolander

[morandi]

The way I look at the minimal effort drill, its not so much about relaxing (though that can be a byproduct) but allowing your body to do something in the most effective and efficient way possible. The word "allowing" to me is key, as opposed to forcing yourself. Not over analyzing, but allowing your body to find what it knows how to do.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by morandi

The way I look at the minimal effort drill, its not so much about relaxing (though that can be a byproduct) but allowing your body to do something in the most effective and efficient way possible. The word "allowing" to me is key, as opposed to forcing yourself. Not over analyzing, but allowing your body to find what it knows how to do.

Great way to articulate the idea.

[quote=arche3;7122660]

Originally Posted by toly

The tennis zoolander

Fed practices in the mirror too.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by toly

This is true.



Federer face and left hand muscles very often are relaxed. Every rule has exceptions.

Perhaps this is the reason that he has underdeveloped left arm? It seems that there is something incredibly unique (maybe “wrong”) about Federer.

I think that is a camera effect. Otherwise I would be seriously concerned if his arm was really like that.

[sureshs]

Much of what we think is relaxed is because the pros are prepared, physically and mentally, much earlier. It is the part we miss, giving the illusion of effortlessness.

[sureshs]

I didn't read Rafa's book because I did not think he would actually talk about technical matters. But his insight as quoted on this site is very good. The guy is really bright. There being no perfect stroke and the need for minute adjustments to every ball is a key insight from a master of the game.

[morandi]

Originally Posted by sureshs

I didn't read Rafa's book because I did not think he would actually talk about technical matters. But his insight as quoted on this site is very good. The guy is really bright. There being no perfect stroke and the need for minute adjustments to every ball is a key insight from a master of the game.

This is really true. Every time I fall into the "trap" of wanting to hit perfect strokes it leads to and creates rigidity both in mindset and physically. Does not make for good tennis.

[sureshs]

I am almost beginning to think pros are not the players with the perfect srokes but the ones who can do the minute adjustments efficiently.

[Avles]

The more I see of the Feel Tennis site the more I like it.

I know nothing about coaching tennis, but I've spent some time teaching languages, and some of what he says resonates with my experiences as a teacher.

For example this article on responding to mistakes: http://www.feeltennis.net/how-to-be-...kes-in-tennis/

I try to get across to my students that mistakes are okay, that they are a natural and inevitable part of learning, that they are actually essential to learning, and that they can be signs of progress. But that idea is a hard sell (in part because the grade-and test-centered nature of for-credit classroom instruction encourages a focus on mistake avoidance--maybe this is comparable to an overemphasis on competitive results in tennis instruction).

From what I've seen the students who combine a willingness to make mistakes with a fervent desire to improve are the ones who get the furthest. Maybe that applies to tennis as well...

[TennisCJC]

I think the basic technique is very very important. Rafa's advice and the Feel Tennis site show how dynamic some shots are and yes, each shot is different. You may use a normal follow-thru by your opposite shoulder, you may use a reverse follow-thru, contact may be early or late, you may have weight on L or R foot, open or closed stance.

But, my theory is if you learn good technique for a moderate topspin rally ball, it is the basis for almost all the topspin shots you will hit. Also, good slice technique will become the basis for all your slice shots.

So, I think almost all tennis shots no matter how dynamic the situation benefit from good basic technique. Yes, there are loads of adjustments but the adjusted stroke is a close cousin of the basic stroke and not a new thing.

Just my opinion but interested if others agree or disagree.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by TennisCJC

I think the basic technique is very very important. Rafa's advice and the Feel Tennis site show how dynamic some shots are and yes, each shot is different. You may use a normal follow-thru by your opposite shoulder, you may use a reverse follow-thru, contact may be early or late, you may have weight on L or R foot, open or closed stance.

But, my theory is if you learn good technique for a moderate topspin rally ball, it is the basis for almost all the topspin shots you will hit. Also, good slice technique will become the basis for all your slice shots.

So, I think almost all tennis shots no matter how dynamic the situation benefit from good basic technique. Yes, there are loads of adjustments but the adjusted stroke is a close cousin of the basic stroke and not a new thing.

Just my opinion but interested if others agree or disagree.

That is 100% correct.