VIDEO: Revised Strokes/Serve and New Racquet!!

mmeyer1 · Jul 19, 2009

Hey everyone this is the first video i've posted in over a month. In that month I have been re-tooling my forehand to make it flatter, and changed up my service motion to keep my toss more consistent, and purchased a pair of Dunlop AG100's After watching my last video, I realized that I needed to be more aggressive and I tried to do that in this video. I have here one video of my friend and I rallying a bit, then another video of various points we played. Any further points of advice or tips are welcome and appreciated!

OLD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyFnCelIq_A&feature=channel_page

NEW:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx7NdXKIJSA&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4QkCDWcrp0&feature=channel

nfor304 · Jul 19, 2009

you look like a giant playing on a mini court in the old vid

mzshot · Jul 19, 2009

What happened at the end of the second video? Sounded like they were saying "call the police".

Blake0 · Jul 19, 2009

First off..if you're the guy in the blue...you really need to work on your footwork..right off the back on your first vid in your new section you start off lunging for a ball.

Also, you should work on your balance or maybe its a bad habit....but on almost every forehand you hit you lift up your front foot.

Another thing is to have more of a shoulder turn. Make sure on your forehands you turn your shoulder so they're perpendicular to the net.

Aw...i just read that you're the guy in the white..

...just regard this post for your friend so you get a better hitting partner next time

.

Blake0 · Jul 19, 2009

First off it seems to me you played better in your old video..maybe because your hitting partner was better..:neutral:.

On your 1hbh, you often open your shoulders up too early, and i recommend using your left arm and pulling it back (so you sort of feel a pull at your shoulder blades) when you hit, so your shoulders don't open up too early.

Some things i'd recommend working on would be approach shots..some of them sort of sit up almost near the center of the court, (2:52, 3:42 on your first new video) where higher leveled players can pass you easily. Try to keep them deep to a corner (preferably flat or slice, but can use topspin), or a short skidding slice approach at certain times that bounce closer to the service line.

Another thing to work on would be volleys..they don't seem to be penetrating enough..doesn't necessarily have to be fast, but it has to stay low after the bounce almost skidding if not completely..

imalil2gangsta4u · Jul 19, 2009

It looks to me that you got a lot better. Your strokes look a little more effortless. The backhand is better than the forehand for sure since you are hitting it deeper and with more pace. Also your net game looks solid.

if you dont mind me asking:

1. what racket/strings did you switch to now? ( new or original 200 )
2. what camera are you using?
3. WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF VID 2??

jasoncho92 · Jul 20, 2009

Omg i would hate to play with you guys. Dont play so lazily and dont try to go for winners

mmeyer1 · Jul 20, 2009

I must say I never noticed my shoulders opening up on my backhand, I will have to make some more adjustments for next time. My hitting partner in this video is usually very consistent and solid, I guess he was having an off day when we hit. I will eventually put up a video where I am hitting with the same partner as the first vid for a more meaningful comparison.
My racquets are Dunlop Aerogel 100 strung with luxilon fluoro 17g at 50lb on the mains and gosen OG sheep 55lb on the crosses. The video camera is a panasonic PV-GS180. And just to clarify, at the end of the second video there was a fight breaking out between some old guy and another guy who was waiting for the court for a long time, and that was why I kept looking over there if you noticed.

mmeyer1 · Jul 20, 2009

jasoncho92 said:
Omg i would hate to play with you guys. Dont play so lazily and dont try to go for winners

I wasn't trying to be lazy to on court, my body language just always makes me look like I am being lazy, when that's just the way that I carry myself :-? I will try to work on being more energetic out there, I do look sluggish in some moments...

And one of the main criticisms from my old video was that I was not being aggressive enough and just sort of hitting the ball for the sake of hitting it, so I went out with the intention of trying to hit flatter and hit more winners. The video of my friend and I rallying was taken after a good warmup so we were just trying to put the ball past each other, not really worrying about consistency.

3lowdown · Jul 20, 2009

lazy loopy shots.

Bungalo Bill · Jul 20, 2009

mmeyer1 said:
...my body language just always makes me look like I am being lazy...

This comment made me chuckle.

Which one in the video are you?

And one of the main criticisms from my old video was that I was not being aggressive enough and just sort of hitting the ball for the sake of hitting it, so I went out with the intention of trying to hit flatter and hit more winners. The video of my friend and I rallying was taken after a good warmup so we were just trying to put the ball past each other, not really worrying about consistency.

Interesting.

mmeyer1 · Jul 20, 2009

Bungalo Bill, I am the guy in the black shorts and white tank top. As for the loopiness, I have been trying to work on flattening my shots relative to my old video but most of my rally balls have a high arc to them which gives most people trouble and helps me stay in rallies longer. Most of the time when I lose to high level players it is because they are able to take my shots on the rise consistently and put me in defense mode. The higher level guys I hit with in the first video are on vacation, so they weren't around for me to film with, but I will get another video with them when they are back in town.

The Wreck · Jul 20, 2009

I noticed a definite improvement from the old video to the new one. Someone made the comment earlier that you looked better in your old video, and I think this is due to the fact that you were hitting through the ball more. In your newer video your forehand form is better, but you're brushing the ball a lot, not really getting any penetration with your shots and also dumping balls into the net. You hit through the ball better originally, and I think if you can combine that with your improved form, your forehand will be significantly better.

mmeyer1 · Jul 20, 2009

Lol, I thought I was brushing too much in the old video, but I guess I still do it unconsciously, thanks for pointing that out.

masterxfob · Jul 20, 2009

your game looks better, but it's hard to tell with such a poor hitting partner. he doesn't hit with any pace, has no variety in his spin, has horrid footwork, and can't read/predict where the ball is going. you are clearly better than him and you probably should not be playing with him too much if you're looking to improve.

that said, anyone can look good/better playing with someone several levels below them. once your better hitting partners get back, take vids with them.

Gee Willikers Batman! · Jul 20, 2009

masterxfob said:
your game looks better, but it's hard to tell with such a poor hitting partner. he doesn't hit with any pace, has no variety in his spin, has horrid footwork, and can't read/predict where the ball is going. you are clearly better than him and you probably should not be playing with him too much if you're looking to improve.

that said, anyone can look good/better playing with someone several levels below them. once your better hitting partners get back, take vids with them.

My thoughts exactly.

I think you should pick a better partner. The only thing I got from this video was, "your partner does not know how to return"

mmeyer1 · Jul 20, 2009

Gee Willikers Batman! said:
My thoughts exactly.

I think you should pick a better partner. The only thing I got from this video was, "your partner does not know how to return"

In my partner's defense, he said the lighting was poor on his side of the court (you can see the difference when the camera is from his vantage point) and I was serving harder than I did in the last video because I switched up my service motion to keep my toss more consistent, not to mention that the AG100 (which I am now in love with) is a friggin CANNON on the serve! I swear he usually does not play this poorly, and before i switched racquets he was returning my serves fairly regularly.

For sure though, next video I post will be with a partner whom is of equal or greater skill level :]

Drop Shot 11 · Jul 20, 2009

You're barely hitting and it's inconsistant...

Larrysümmers · Jul 20, 2009

nice courts. We have to mow our courts. The worst part is its hard courts. And there are bugs everywhere and they are just nasty. And with your courts I don't have to pay to play. Just pick a fight with and old man. haha

pvaudio · Jul 20, 2009

Sorry, but that video was useless. There is no pace, and yet you're still making a huge amount of errors. A small tip for your 1HBH that really helped me when learning: when getting ready to hit the ball, after you take your step towards it and make contact, your hitting hand is naturally going to go up and right. It has to to get pace and topspin. Your left arm, however, isn't doing anything right now. Try to reach behind you with your left arm so that your left and right arms are always at the same angle from your chest. Look at this federer vid if you can't visualize what I'm saying. It helps you with your balance a lot which is what you're struggling with.

Also, with the 1HBH, you're hitting and opening your shoulders at the same time. ABSOLUTELY NOT. You need to keep your chest closed until the followthrough is complete. Otherwise, you'll end up "pulling" your arm across the ball, resulting in shanks, mishits, short balls and no accuracy. The tip I listed above forces you to to this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZncVNX4vIOM&feature=related
^^ Note how he doesn't move his head until well after contact. There's no need to, looking at the ball can't aim it after it's been hit.

aimr75 · Jul 20, 2009

pvaudio said:
Also, with the 1HBH, you're hitting and opening your shoulders at the same time. ABSOLUTELY NOT. You need to keep your chest closed until the followthrough is complete. Otherwise, you'll end up "pulling" your arm across the ball, resulting in shanks, mishits, short balls and no accuracy. The tip I listed above forces you to to this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZncVNX4vIOM&feature=related
^^ Note how he doesn't move his head until well after contact. There's no need to, looking at the ball can't aim it after it's been hit.

not advocating it, but just observing Warwrinka and mauresmo.. they seem to open up their shoulders more then others.. could be wrong, but it appears that way

pvaudio · Jul 20, 2009

aimr75 said:
not advocating it, but just observing Warwrinka and mauresmo.. they seem to open up their shoulders more then others.. could be wrong, but it appears that way

Federer, Haas, Henin and Gasquet don't. Frankly, Henin has the best 1HBH in the history of all of tennis, so I'll take her technique over she-man Mauresmo or 2nd best "swiss miss"ed the mark.

aimr75 · Jul 20, 2009

pvaudio said:
Federer, Haas, Henin and Gasquet don't. Frankly, Henin has the best 1HBH in the history of all of tennis, so I'll take her technique over she-man Mauresmo or 2nd best "swiss miss"ed the mark.

wawrinka has one of the best backhands in the game.. I think it is more solid then federers backhand

I personally dont open my shoulders up, but seeing how wawrinka hits it, he looks as though he does.. and it is a world class backhand.. mind you, i could be wrong.. but from what ive seen, its looks like he does

some6uy008 · Jul 20, 2009

mmeyer1 said:
In my partner's defense, he said the lighting was poor on his side of the court (you can see the difference when the camera is from his vantage point) and I was serving harder than I did in the last video because I switched up my service motion to keep my toss more consistent, not to mention that the AG100 (which I am now in love with) is a friggin CANNON on the serve! I swear he usually does not play this poorly, and before i switched racquets he was returning my serves fairly regularly.

For sure though, next video I post will be with a partner whom is of equal or greater skill level :]

I definitely noticed that the middle of the court on his side has almost no lights at all. I've played on courts like that before and it is extremely hard to see when the lighting is so inconsistent.

BTW, maybe you guys look wayyy too relax playing a game. I don't think you guys move much at all from beginning to end.

mmeyer1 · Jul 20, 2009

aimr75 said:
wawrinka has one of the best backhands in the game.. I think it is more solid then federers backhand

I personally don't open my shoulders up, but seeing how wawrinka hits it, he looks as though he does.. and it is a world class backhand.. mind you, i could be wrong.. but from what ive seen, its looks like he does

I'm glad you pointed this out, b/c I actually try to emulate Wawrinka's Backhand and maybe my opening of the shoulders has to do with that. I definitely notice that opening my shoulders allows me to get more topspin on that side, although i do tend to drop some short if I don't get in position in time.

For pvaudio, I used to try and stay closed longer on my backhand before and I always ended up either netting my backhands or I struggled getting back into position during rallies. I started opening up my shoulders more so I could sort of rotate "into" a stance where I was open to the net which helped me recover during rallies. But after looking at the video, I could see that I could dial it down a bit and find a happy medium in between where I can keep the consistency and power while still being able to recover after hitting many backhands in a rally. Thanks for your advice.

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