Feeling "connected" to your shots?

[Lilguy1456]

Ok...I know some racquets have a brighter or "brassier" feel to them, while others feel softer and duller, but I'm not sure what being "connected" to your shots means. I don't feel as if my control suffers from either feel, so I'm not clear on the phrase. Can someone explain?

[db10s]

Feeling the ball on your strings?

[Lilguy1456]

Originally Posted by db10s

Feeling the ball on your strings?

But why is something you'd want or not want? What's good about that and what's bad about that?

To me, I don't want to feel much...but what is BAD about feeling too little, or too much...haha, it's strange to me.

[Povl Carstensen]

To me it is about pocketing the ball, feeling the "umph". I think you get that the most with a flexible 18x20 racket with small head (90) and rather low tension. I use 22kg syn gut.
Edit: And the good thing about it is that I know I have made good contact when I get that feeling. With larger, more open string pattern rackets it is harder imo.

[maxpotapov]

Originally Posted by Lilguy1456

Ok...I know some racquets have a brighter or "brassier" feel to them, while others feel softer and duller, but I'm not sure what being "connected" to your shots means. I don't feel as if my control suffers from either feel, so I'm not clear on the phrase. Can someone explain?

If you are brushing the ball much, then "feel" is less of an issue. But if you pocket/compress the ball a little more, then you can clearly feel the difference between racquets and/or different parts of the stringbed.

[fuzz nation]

The issue of feel is generally more subjective than just about anything else on the block - impressions can vary big time.

I'd describe the feeling of being "disconnected" as not being able to tell the difference between good or bad contact. If my strings are too tight for me, every hit feels nasty and harsh, but if they're too loose for me, that mushy feeling gives me no idea where the ball is going when I hit it.

Ever walk around in a pair of ski boots (or really clunky work boots)? Although I can feel my legs generally planting on the ground when I do, I get no feel for the surface beneath my feet... very disconnected.

[jtrain_36]

One of the biggest things for me in this regard, is that when I feel "connected" I feel like I can hold the ball for a little longer and change direction of my shot at the last instant.

Whether or not I actually succeed is another story, but that's how it feels lol

[sansaephanh]

Originally Posted by Povl Carstensen

To me it is about pocketing the ball, feeling the "umph". I think you get that the most with a flexible 18x20 racket with small head (90) and rather low tension. I use 22kg syn gut.
Edit: And the good thing about it is that I know I have made good contact when I get that feeling. With larger, more open string pattern rackets it is harder imo.

THAT'S SOME HEAVY SYNTHETIC GUT!

All kidding aside, its all personal preference. I LOVE the response of FXP Tour, but the spin/bite of bhbr or black magic is just sensational and has won me plenty of matches. Deep ball pocketing isn't exactly my ideal feel, but it sure feels ideal when i'm hitting winners in.

[Lilguy1456]

Great explanations...thanks all...I guess it is more about "this feels good to me" or "this feels bad to me." I guess I just don't mind not "feeling" the ball.

[NeverGassed1212]

To me feeling connected to my shots is more about how well I am placing the ball, not so much about the feel of the string bed. I think that when I am connected I am able to make the subtle adjustments to effectively hit short angles and lobs and not just hope they fall in. I have hit plenty of sticks but there are only a few where I have been able to get what I am planning in my head to happen on the court consistently.

[Povl Carstensen]

BTW, the racket I am getting this feeling with at the moment is a Dunlop MW 100 (90"). Perhaps others could share?