Should we teach SSC?

I believe yes. no pause between load and unload creates more power.

video link (like always without description but you seem to ignore my suggestion) doesn't work.

google

dominikk1985 said:

I believe yes. no pause between load and unload creates more power.

video link (like always without description but you seem to ignore my suggestion) doesn't work.

Click to expand...

I am on a tennis court right now.
Did you try to link OR
you do NOT like links without comments?
In the first case try to google
"Heath Waters"+"backhand"
His Web site may require a free registration
I am more than happy to remove the post-
it takes one picosecond
Try to figure out how to register

Try

xxxhttp://www.virtualtennisacademy.com/videoinstruction/index.php?action=detail&id=506
AFTER removing xxx

I don't like links without comments but I don't mind if they work

if I click on the link it says the following:

"Not Found
The requested document was not found on this server."

Here's how I would do it. I would first teach the proper swing path, getting the up, across, and through components down and making sure the loop stays on the right side of the body. I wouldn't really mention anything about the use of specific joints unless the player were doing something egregiously wrong. Once my player has the correct swing, I will then start drilling him relentlessly with hand feeds, essentially forcing him to generate his own power. I will tell him to focus on keeping his arm relaxed and whippy and to generate a lot of racket speed. If I have done my job in teaching the swing path, he will not make errors, and he will get enough topspin to keep the ball in the court with a good margin for error. Nearly always, he will find the SSC on his own.

I am trying to fix the link

Topspin Shot said:

Here's how I would do it. I would first teach the proper swing path, getting the up, across, and through components down and making sure the loop stays on the right side of the body. I wouldn't really mention anything about the use of specific joints unless the player were doing something egregiously wrong. Once my player has the correct swing, I will then start drilling him relentlessly with hand feeds, essentially forcing him to generate his own power. I will tell him to focus on keeping his arm relaxed and whippy and to generate a lot of racket speed. If I have done my job in teaching the swing path, he will not make errors, and he will get enough topspin to keep the ball in the court with a good margin for error. Nearly always, he will find the SSC on his own.

Click to expand...

Try
xxxhttp://www.virtualtennisacademy.com/videoinstruction/index.php?action=detail&id=506

AFTER removing xxx

Backhand

Topspin Shot said:

Here's how I would do it. I would first teach the proper swing path, getting the up, across, and through components down and making sure the loop stays on the right side of the body. I wouldn't really mention anything about the use of specific joints unless the player were doing something egregiously wrong. Once my player has the correct swing, I will then start drilling him relentlessly with hand feeds, essentially forcing him to generate his own power. I will tell him to focus on keeping his arm relaxed and whippy and to generate a lot of racket speed. If I have done my job in teaching the swing path, he will not make errors, and he will get enough topspin to keep the ball in the court with a good margin for error. Nearly always, he will find the SSC on his own.

Click to expand...

Backhand is harder than forehand because of two hands involved

Topspin Shot said:

Here's how I would do it. I would first teach the proper swing path, getting the up, across, and through components down and making sure the loop stays on the right side of the body. I wouldn't really mention anything about the use of specific joints unless the player were doing something egregiously wrong. Once my player has the correct swing, I will then start drilling him relentlessly with hand feeds, essentially forcing him to generate his own power. I will tell him to focus on keeping his arm relaxed and whippy and to generate a lot of racket speed. If I have done my job in teaching the swing path, he will not make errors, and he will get enough topspin to keep the ball in the court with a good margin for error. Nearly always, he will find the SSC on his own.

Click to expand...

I agree - you sound like a good teacher!

I would not talk to the student about SSC at all! The reason is, SSC ultimately affects the smaller muscles, and the student should be thinking about the big muscles to generate power. As you say, I believe SSC will happen if the student is guided appropriately, and for the student, it should be a "feel" that he/she reproduces by activating the big muscles suitably. Otherwise, he/she will be fixating on ISR and pronation of the wrist while ignoring the contribution from the legs and core muscles, and that wouldn't be good at all, would it...

Topspin Shot said:

Here's how I would do it. I would first teach the proper swing path, getting the up, across, and through components down and making sure the loop stays on the right side of the body. I wouldn't really mention anything about the use of specific joints unless the player were doing something egregiously wrong. Once my player has the correct swing, I will then start drilling him relentlessly with hand feeds, essentially forcing him to generate his own power. I will tell him to focus on keeping his arm relaxed and whippy and to generate a lot of racket speed. If I have done my job in teaching the swing path, he will not make errors, and he will get enough topspin to keep the ball in the court with a good margin for error. Nearly always, he will find the SSC on his own.

Click to expand...

I don't mean to harp on this--well, I guess I do--but I want to know how this is actually put into practice. Everything you said makes perfect sense to me and is how I basically arrived at my forehand that utilizes SSC. However, most players I see have not found SSC on their own, as you suggest, despite years of coaching. Does this mean that they are not well-coached? If so, then how can this be, as what you said SEEMS so straightforward to implement? In fact, I taught my wife her forehand using similar cues and she basically SWINGS a better forehand than most club players (and she hits it well too when she can get to the ball, judge it well, and make solid contact). So does this mean that what is important and/or complex in teaching is not the proper strokes but how to provide coaching help to fix bad habits? I hope this makes some sense.

Drills

spun_out said:

I don't mean to harp on this--well, I guess I do--but I want to know how this is actually put into practice. Everything you said makes perfect sense to me and is how I basically arrived at my forehand that utilizes SSC. However, most players I see have not found SSC on their own, as you suggest, despite years of coaching. Does this mean that they are not well-coached? If so, then how can this be, as what you said SEEMS so straightforward to implement? In fact, I taught my wife her forehand using similar cues and she basically SWINGS a better forehand than most club players (and she hits it well too when she can get to the ball, judge it well, and make solid contact). So does this mean that what is important and/or complex in teaching is not the proper strokes but how to provide coaching help to fix bad habits? I hope this makes some sense.

Click to expand...

There are drills to teach/learn
Go to
xxxhttp://www.virtualtennisacademy.com/videoinstruction/index.php?action=detail&id=506
After removing xxx
Clicks the icon Drills

julian said:

Backhand is harder than forehand because of two hands involved

Click to expand...

Agreed; you make a good point. I would teach it the same though, perhaps with an added emphasis on making sure the player's hands are working in unison.

bhupaes said:

I agree - you sound like a good teacher!

I would not talk to the student about SSC at all! The reason is, SSC ultimately affects the smaller muscles, and the student should be thinking about the big muscles to generate power. As you say, I believe SSC will happen if the student is guided appropriately, and for the student, it should be a "feel" that he/she reproduces by activating the big muscles suitably. Otherwise, he/she will be fixating on ISR and pronation of the wrist while ignoring the contribution from the legs and core muscles, and that wouldn't be good at all, would it...

Click to expand...

Thank you! IMO, you're right that it's a bad idea to fixate your attention too much on the smaller segments.

spun_out said:

I don't mean to harp on this--well, I guess I do--but I want to know how this is actually put into practice. Everything you said makes perfect sense to me and is how I basically arrived at my forehand that utilizes SSC. However, most players I see have not found SSC on their own, as you suggest, despite years of coaching. Does this mean that they are not well-coached? If so, then how can this be, as what you said SEEMS so straightforward to implement? In fact, I taught my wife her forehand using similar cues and she basically SWINGS a better forehand than most club players (and she hits it well too when she can get to the ball, judge it well, and make solid contact). So does this mean that what is important and/or complex in teaching is not the proper strokes but how to provide coaching help to fix bad habits? I hope this makes some sense.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there are many coaches out there who are not very good. There are a lot of very good coaches out there as well, but many of them don't often coach rec/club players. The thing is, teaching the SSC is not as straightforward as it may sound. The coach has to ensure the student is reproducing the swing path properly and getting the large muscles engaged in his swing. Without the proper swing path, the player will never be able to find the SSC because he will spray the ball around if he tries to loosen up. Also, the coach has to be good at the drills required to ensure the player finds the SSC. I don't see too many hand feeding drills, which is quite a shame actually. You're also definitely right that a huge aspect of coaching is not only demonstrating proper form but making sure the player is getting it.

Heath Waters and SSC

Topspin Shot said:

Agreed; you make a good point. I would teach it the same though, perhaps with an added emphasis on making sure the player's hands are working in unison.



Thank you! IMO, you're right that it's a bad idea to fixate your attention too much on the smaller segments.



Unfortunately, there are many coaches out there who are not very good. There are a lot of very good coaches out there as well, but many of them don't often coach rec/club players. The thing is, teaching the SSC is not as straightforward as it may sound. The coach has to ensure the student is reproducing the swing path properly and getting the large muscles engaged in his swing. Without the proper swing path, the player will never be able to find the SSC because he will spray the ball around if he tries to loosen up. Also, the coach has to be good at the drills required to ensure the player finds the SSC. I don't see too many hand feeding drills, which is quite a shame actually. You're also definitely right that a huge aspect of coaching is not only demonstrating proper form but making sure the player is getting it.

Click to expand...

I just realized that there are some problems with seeing videos of Heath Waters on the subject of SSC.
I will try to keep you posted on this subject.
Julian W.Mielniczuk
USPTA
Team Babolat