I got rhythm. Who could ask for anything more?

[Littlemissball]

Question for you. I played with three 3.5s recently and am a 3.0. They were amazing. I know they are more athletic, have a lot of air time on the courts and can make winning shots and have beautiful placement and less unforced errors, but it is also something else. There is some kind of coordination and innate thinking out there that they do that I cannot do. They have some kind of fluidity in their movement. What is it? Roger Federer calls it playing with rhythm and confidence. What would you call it? I am thinking so hard out there and you can see my wheels and gears in motion. lol

Best, LMB.

[mykoh]

well you said it yourself, you're thinking too hard. so.. think less, feel more.

be water my friend.
(easier said than done though..)

[IA-SteveB]

As Bruce Lee said:

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

[NLBwell]

I'd call it more hours of playing tennis.

[Mongolmike]

Choose the red pill... everything will become clearer......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjgE8...eature=related

[texacali]

I am a 3.5 and I think the same of 4.0's

[mmk]

Originally Posted by texacali

I am a 3.5 and I think the same of 4.0's

I'm a 3.5 and think I just need more playing time against 4.0s

[texacali]

Same here.

Originally Posted by mmk

I'm a 3.5 and think I just need more playing time against 4.0s

[IA-SteveB]

I can say for me, it is one thing to read official descriptions of NTRP ratings and it is quite another to realize the differences after playing. The gap between players even .5 apart is amazing.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by IA-SteveB

I can say for me, it is one thing to read official descriptions of NTRP ratings and it is quite another to realize the differences after playing. The gap between players even .5 apart is amazing.

The USTA has published in the past that the expected result for players a full 0.5 points apart should usually be about 6-0, 6-0 or 6-0, 6-1. That often seems like an even bigger gap ...

[michael_1265]

Originally Posted by Littlemissball

Question for you. I played with three 3.5s recently and am a 3.0. They were amazing. I know they are more athletic, have a lot of air time on the courts and can make winning shots and have beautiful placement and less unforced errors, but it is also something else. There is some kind of coordination and innate thinking out there that they do that I cannot do. They have some kind of fluidity in their movement. What is it? Roger Federer calls it playing with rhythm and confidence. What would you call it? I am thinking so hard out there and you can see my wheels and gears in motion. lol

Best, LMB.

I'm a 3.5. Come watch me play. You will realize your assumption that 3.5s have some sort of zen-like grace is incorrect Just ask AngleQueen, another forum member who I have played with.

Just relax and hit the ball. You need a lot of repetition to get a feel for where you will need to set up and where your contact point will be. Take an occasional lesson to keep keep the kinks out of your swing. Most of all, stay off your heels! Keep those feet moving, and the rest will take care of itself.

I find that if I can get some sort of rhythmic song into my head while playing, I play much better. There is a scientific basis to this method. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the part of the brain that is involved in complex thoughts and judgments, and you want to keep it out of your tennis swing, for the most part. Having the PFC engaged during a point is kind of like making change for a dollar with the assistance of a cost accountant; it just makes things unnecessarily complicated. Music occupies the PFC, keeping it out of the simple business of executing a tennis shot, which is conducted by the parts of the brain that are evolved for physical performance, and tend not to make a mess of things. So, find a song that works for you, and keep it playing in your head.

[IA-SteveB]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

The USTA has published in the past that the expected result for players a full 0.5 points apart should usually be about 6-0, 6-0 or 6-0, 6-1. That often seems like an even bigger gap ...

I would have expected the scores to be a little closer than that, but I can certainly see it now. When I first started playing again in March, I didn't even know what ratings were. My friend, who was #1 on our high school team and has played a lot ever since is a 4.5, so I felt like if he was that there is no way I am only 1.0 behind him. He is an amazing player and it illustrates for me how far apart .5 really is.

[Mongolmike]

Originally Posted by michael_1265

I find that if I can get some sort of rhythmic song into my head while playing, I play much better. There is a scientific basis to this method. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the part of the brain that is involved in complex thoughts and judgments, and you want to keep it out of your tennis swing, for the most part. Having the PFC engaged during a point is kind of like making change for a dollar with the assistance of a cost accountant; it just makes things unnecessarily complicated. Music occupies the PFC, keeping it out of the simple business of executing a tennis shot, which is conducted by the parts of the brain that are evolved for physical performance, and tend not to make a mess of things. So, find a song that works for you, and keep it playing in your head.

Suggested songs to play in your head.....

If you are a pusher type player - "I'm Your Pusherman", by Curtis Mayfield

If you like to hit moon balls - "Moondance", by Van Morrison

If you hit hard - "We Will Rock You", by Queen

If you are a spinmeister - "Spinning Wheel", by Blood, Sweat and Tears

If you are new, or not sure of your style - "Dazed and Confused", by Led Zepplin

If you like to play mind games with your opponent - "Mind Games", by John Lennon

If you play with a chip on your shoulder - "Angry Again", by Megadeth

If you like the social part of the game - "MMX-The Social Song", by ENIGMA... or maybe you should sing out loud with your team-mates

If you like to cheat to win - "Before He Cheats", by Carrie Underwood

If you have too much time to waste at work typing on tennis message boards - "Too much time on my hands", by Styx.... I'm singing it now....

[OrangePower]

^^^^^
Don't forget: if you are playing mixed - "Mistress for Christmas", by AC/DC

[t135]

3.5's have a long way to go before they can be put on a pedestal and admired from afar. They may seem remarkable to you if you are a 3.0 but unless you aren't very athletic in general, there probably isn't too much difference between you and them.

Sounded like you were describing 4.5 or higher levels to me. Take some lessons and improve your game. It's easy to catch up at low levels like that.

[slowfox]

One coach once said to me, "Footwork is first. The stroke is last. Footwork first." The more I apply his advice, the more I improve. To me, rhythm equates footwork.

[michael_1265]

Originally Posted by Mongolmike

Suggested songs to play in your head.....

If you are a pusher type player - "I'm Your Pusherman", by Curtis Mayfield

If you like to hit moon balls - "Moondance", by Van Morrison

If you hit hard - "We Will Rock You", by Queen

If you are a spinmeister - "Spinning Wheel", by Blood, Sweat and Tears

If you are new, or not sure of your style - "Dazed and Confused", by Led Zepplin

If you like to play mind games with your opponent - "Mind Games", by John Lennon

If you play with a chip on your shoulder - "Angry Again", by Megadeth

If you like the social part of the game - "MMX-The Social Song", by ENIGMA... or maybe you should sing out loud with your team-mates

If you like to cheat to win - "Before He Cheats", by Carrie Underwood

If you have too much time to waste at work typing on tennis message boards - "Too much time on my hands", by Styx.... I'm singing it now....

Or, if you make it to nationals, The Sandbaggers Theme Song

Beck's "Loser" has a nice rhythm, but I can't imagine winning anything with that song in my head.

[Govnor]

All comes down to muscle memory and confidence, like any skill sport.

[Mongolmike]

Originally Posted by michael_1265

Or, if you make it to nationals, The Sandbaggers Theme Song

Beck's "Loser" has a nice rhythm, but I can't imagine winning anything with that song in my head.

I'm not familiar with the song or the show... I did a quick google to see that it is a Brit show about the cold war spies.... what does the term "sandbaggers" have to do with spies? I'm not familiar with using that word in that connection.

[NLBwell]

When I'm play tennis badly
Sometimes I feel like I've been tied to the Whipping Post.