lovethetriangle
Rookie
one month camp, apart from full immerssion to the game separately.
one month camp, apart from full immerssion to the game separately.
Its been awhile since I have had such a good laugh-now that is funny!Actually based on your outline, there is a little place in N.Y.C. called Bellvue.
Hi mate
You will need to provide more information. How long have you been playing? What's your competitive background? Are you restricted by geography?
Also the phrase "apart from full immerssion to the game separately" doesn't really make sense...
Actually based on your outline, there is a little place in N.Y.C. called Bellvue.
Dude. I play around your level as well. Though I'm quite a bit older- I would never fathom the idea of trying/thinking I could play at the level you are talking about. The difference between a 4.5 and even a 5.5 is tremendous and as hard as I've tried, I could never even get to that level- much less 6.5 or 7.0. I think it's awesome that you have the desire and resources to try- there's certainly no harm in that- but truth be told, if you were going to get anywhere near that level you would already be there. But hey, for your sake I hope you prove me wrong. Have a great time with it.
Hi mate
You will need to provide more information. How long have you been playing? What's your competitive background? Are you restricted by geography?
Also the phrase "apart from full immerssion to the game separately" doesn't really make sense...
I also run a full time business thus I can't really leave the country for more than a month. I'm thinking Saddlebrooke for a month for the ff:
To give you an idea of the Philippine level, I played a dude ranked 19 and lost 6-1 6-3. He can go shot for shot with the top 5 and I can go shot for shot with him when we rally at full strength (I just can't put it together in sets serve/return still a major prob).
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one month camp, apart from full immerssion to the game separately.
Hi mate
My first suggestion would be to firmly establish where your game is at the moment. Use this coach and take a full stroke inventory - then play some tournaments and get a very accurate idea of where you stand. Only from that point can you make a solid plan to address what parts of your game to prioritise. Only with that plan can you choose the right camp. These camps don't seem to be the best places to get a comprehensive technical overhaul - they are much more useful if you are already fundamentally solid.
Honestly, you stand no chance of making it as a playing pro with your background and age. Dreams are great but you are really up against it. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try - as long as you're not throwing away a future....
Good luck!
We can do a good cop / bad cop if you'd like!
As you pointed out self-awareness is key throughout this. You have to have a realistic idea of where you stand at all times. Hubris will stunt your development and kill you long term.
BET: By hanging with top players, I don't mean I go 7-6 6-4 with them or even take sets from them. I can rally with them, do drills, and hold my own. My biggest problem right now is footwork, it's not big, it's HUGE. I have the forehand, the backhand, the height for serve, and the craft, but I just never moved my feet growing up, ever. And because of this, I'm currently going full blast fitness wise as I'm training my core/balance/biomechanics/footwork/speed/plyo/flexibility and I just know this is going to do something incredible with my game. Bet, thanks for your honesty and effort to help.
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You are welcome Triangle. The thing that seems like BS is not your NTRP ranking, since you rate yourself quite low, it seems somewhat conservative thought the questions and advice you've been asking for don't inspire much confidence in your rating. But it doesn't matter what we think, or really, what you think. The best way, as some of us were saying is to play some tourneys. Figure out where you are now and then think about how to go FROM THERE. Establish small goals, not far ahead of where you actually are now. I am certain that Davis cup, satellite level play is way too far ahead of where you are. (though I would be happy to be wrong, for your sake).
Yes, the footwork might be BIGGER than even you think. It's the FIRST thing I used to look at in competitive juniors. Most of the other things can be learned. I can't overstate how vital it is at the pro level. Even the slowest of guys there, are really quick. Except some 6'4 + players and they are very quick relative to their size.
Plyometrics, can be helpful. But only to a certain extent. I spent a number of years training competitive athletes(not tennis) with plyos and weights. The plyos can help establish get the nervous system firing at it's best, develop your balance and muscles and basically help you achieve your best. But if you have relatively slow feet, then your ultimate potential is limited. This usually isn't that big of a deal for rec. players. I think any healthy, reasonably fit person has the potential to be a 5.0 player if they had the skills. But as you get higher, well there are lots of people who just don't have it physically in them to play the highest levels. Athleticism does become a real barrier. This happens even to fast-tracked juniors sometimes. Sometimes you can compensate to some degree with a LOT of firepower.
How is your serve? You say you have the height for the serve, but aren't you 5'11? That's tall enough to be potentially a very good server, it's not really tall enough to dominate 6.0's with the serve, unless you're roscoe tanner and even he was a bit on/off with the serve. This tends to be true of all the little man/big servers...Johansson, Becker, Kiefer, Chang etc.
Thanks for the detailed reply, bet.
My question's seem trivial because honestly, before I joined this site, I can now officially say that I didn't know **** about tennis despite playing for over a decade. As Bungalo Bill mentions in several posts, tennis is far from instinct, and that's what I always thought it was. I just played to play, never being conscoius about footwork, ball trajectory, percentage tennis, blah blah blah. I just hit. I know I have talent and a ****load of heart, and now I'm beginning to understand what tennis is all about.
The reason I create the trivial threads is because I want to find out what the 'dogma' is with regard to every aspect of the sport. If there is a universal theory for each aspect, that's where I'd like to start. I really want to begin paying attention to detail.
I'm working on my serve, and its getting stronger and stronger, and I believe I have the focus to keep a very high percentage. I used to serve just to start the point, now I'm working on the best possible serve for freepoints.
I can't play matchplay for now, I damaged a disc in my back in June and working my way up, my trainer will clear me when he feels i'm ready. Right now just trying to get everything together and get the fitness right. I know the tennis is there.
I'm not doing this for money or fame (I'm not stupid to think I'll get to the worlds top 100 or even 500), luckily for me I'm running a business that is a great fallback and foundation. I just want to be the best player I can be. If the best I can be is top 20 in my country, then so be it. As his airness once said, "I'd rather fail that not try at all". This is why I urge you not to tell anyone that anything is impossible unless you know their full circumstance since confidence and belief plays a HUGE role in things like this.
I believe in myself a whole lot. And I'm gna try to make this happen, I'm here so that I don't just work hard, I want a direction so I can also work smart.
MOZ: What is Hubris? Sent you an email. Thanks for your honesty. Your blog rules.
I don't even think there is anything intrinsically wrong with telling somebody that something is impossible. It is a nice truism to say otherwise and in general, I think it's nice to support people, but if somebody says to me, my plan is to dedicate myself for the next 5 years into developing strong enough arms to flap them and fly. Am I doing them a favour by saying "well, it's not impossible!". In any case, as I said, I think you should pursue your dream but I think realistic goals will help you become the best you can be.
I wish you well.
This same thing happens with girls and modeling. I read a few magazine message boards and it never fails that someone posts something like this:
"It's always been my dream to be a model. I've been told by strangers on the street that I should model....I'm 5'4, do you think I have a shot?"
These people have almost no chance at modeling careers, but who wants to be the one to tell them it is impossible?!
Jeez Julieta, why do you have to squash my dreams????
I can relate, I'm *barely* 5'4"!!!
Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Hey guys, I am a 53 year old 4.5 tennis player and own a successful business in California. I am getting ready to retire soon and am considering training every day/all day. I also have dual citizenship, as I was born in Malta to US parents. What do you think my chances are of playing Davis Cup or getting a top 20 ranking in the beautiful island country of Malta? Please get back to me soon. My decision hinges on your input.
Well first of all, I didn't say this was impossible but I did say your goal is implausible and I don't think you could compete at a pro level as anything other than a joke.
I don't even think there is anything intrinsically wrong with telling somebody that something is impossible. It is a nice truism to say otherwise and in general, I think it's nice to support people, but if somebody says to me, my plan is to dedicate myself for the next 5 years into developing strong enough arms to flap them and fly. Am I doing them a favour by saying "well, it's not impossible!". In any case, as I said, I think you should pursue your dream but I think realistic goals will help you become the best you can be.
As to your tennis development. I won't get into it here. I will say, in all sincerity, it sounds to me, from what you said in this post, that you are going the absolute WRONG way (though perhaps that to is necessary, it's part of learning sometimes) and let me also say, be VERY careful who you listen to on this board.
I wish you well.
Hey guys, I am a 53 year old 4.5 tennis player and own a successful business in California. I am getting ready to retire soon and am considering training every day/all day. I also have dual citizenship, as I was born in Malta to US parents. What do you think my chances are of playing Davis Cup or getting a top 20 ranking in the beautiful island country of Malta? Please get back to me soon. My decision hinges on your input.
Fine, let's remove all semantics that seem to irritate you. Pro is out. Davis cup is out. Top 20 in the country is out. I just want to dedicate my time into becoming be the best player I can be. Now I need a direction.
I would appreciate input on why you believe my tennis development is off, this is exactly the type of knowledge I've come here for.
I don't have pipe dreams. I'm not stupid, there's no way I'm risking my future for this. Sometimes you have to realize that some people just enjoy the process of doing something, without caring for the outcome. Now since not caring for the outcome is stupid in its own way, one must set some form of concrete goals. I love training, I love beating my body up at the gym, I love tennis. I've been blessed with minor success that promises more overtime with the privelage of hours of freetime everyday, so why not do what gives me the most thrill? If it was travelling, I'd travel. If it was cooking, I'd cook.
Again, I'm not asking you tell a blind man that it's possible for him to fly a plane. Just understand that circumstances a relative to every person/every place/every time and before squashing everything he says, gather more information.
My thread title (go pro) may be a bit deceiving, but then again, intrigue gets more replies, so if I lead anyone that direction, I apologize.
**** you joey. Although I must say, this was funny.
This same thing happens with girls and modeling. I read a few magazine message boards and it never fails that someone posts something like this:
"It's always been my dream to be a model. I've been told by strangers on the street that I should model....I'm 5'4, do you think I have a shot?"
These people have almost no chance at modeling careers, but who wants to be the one to tell them it is impossible?!
Look, I think it's good that you've scaled back your bravado a great deal. But don't use revisionist history to paint me or the others who've chimed in as people who "squashed" your goals.
You are the one who said:
And by pro i mean top player + davis cup in a thirdworld country not known for tennis (philippines). Not Fed/nadal pro since that is next to impossible, however I'd like you to correct me if I am wrong.
Here you are speculating on what is possible and asking us to correct you. As I have said REPEATEDLY, I DON'T CARE if you purse anything, including flying with your arms. If it makes you happy, go for it. As I mentioned, I don't necessarily think pursuing unrealistic goals is bad. It may be psychologically rewarding (although inevitable failure can be tough to deal with) and you may learn from it.
If you ask my opinion, I'll tell you. Again, I simply keep saying that if you are serious about pursuing your goal, regardless of what it is, you should play tournaments, find out where you undisputably are(results are all that matters in tournament tennis, not anybody's opinion, including coaches) and set small goals from there.
As to your wrong direction, I was speaking in terms of the type of knowledge you are seeking and the way you are trying to get it. If you are that interested, email me in about 3 weeks and I will gladly discuss it with you! I have a few things to deal with in the real world at this moment!
You can train really hard and then move to America, get a coaching job and tell people you played Davis Cup even if you didn't. This happens all of the time.
Hi Moz, i'm 25, been playing since I was 5, not serious for the most part, focused a little bit in highschool where I became varsity captain and nationally ranked, then captain of a **** college, then all down hill.
Full immersion meaning my life dedicated to it. I think i'm a 4.5-5 now that I've been on this site more and understand the ratings better, but it's still a very hazy system.
Take a trip to Saddlebrook and have Howard take a look at you personally - even for a solid week since you can afford him personally. If anyone will give you a realistic idea of where you stand in the US - he will. And he's seen it all...and you will see it all as many touring pros have homes and play there. They may even give you a hit