I'll never forget LeBron's legendary 2018 run to the finals. The best playoff performance I've ever seen. He leaves that team the next year and they are instantly one of the worst teams. Insane.
LeBron did sort of set a precedent for forming modern day super-teams with his Miami Heat trio...
Nash wouldn't dream of benching one of the big 3. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. We haven't even seen all 3 play together yet. I think Kyrie's antics and Harden's potential locker room toxicity are almost more problematic than defensive questions for this team.
For any hoops fans out there, here are some observations on the recent Harden to Brooklyn news:
1. Steve Nash has his hands full as a first time coach. As a Phoenix native and longtime fan, I'm rooting for him and D'Antoni as they attempt to weave three perennial all-stars into a seamless...
I would say watch Federer because his technique and mechanics are sublime.
But also, here are the universal key-points of the forehand that basically every ATP pro uses:
1. Reach across - use the left hand to bring the racquet over and turn the shoulders all at once
2. Loop to the tabletop -...
Jeff Salzenstein knows his stuff. Rick Macci videos are also really insightful despite his sometimes distasteful coaching style.
90% of the rest are really not good. I won't name anyone or any channels, but they don't teach effectively or correctly.
In the first shot Federer hits in this video, his weight is on the front foot and he doesn't rotate his backfoot around at all. It happens as a byproduct of a swing, yes, but why does that matter? This is an ideal closed stance forehand all around. This is the "lean forward" I am referring to...
Okay, I'm an instructor and here is my solution/breakdown.
When you reach for a doorknob or push a door open, do you lean back from it? Do you even think about swaying the body? (That's just not the right term, by the way). No, you lean forward naturally.
Since we are hitting the ball in a...
All the comments on strength are spot on. In addition to standard leg/core work I have been incorporating exercises that target the core sling system. I like these exercises because they target a series of muscles--all very important for tennis players--all at once. That, and I like to keep my...
Earlier this year a junior player I coach injured their non-dominant wrist after tripping and landing awkwardly. They were very eager to get back on the courts though, so I had them learn to use a backhand slice. In a bit of a humble-brag, my player caught on to the slice exceptionally fast...
I'm a coach so maybe I can help. First, about the trophy position, you don't need to focus so much on looking like a trophy. Please don't arch your back. Your focus should be on extending your tossing arm so that you are essentially starting a cartwheel. Face mostly to the right or totally to...
Ah, so by signing Roger Federer, one of the biggest names in modern sports, to a 10 year deal Uniqlo certainly reinforced their reputation for non-sports wear, which includes the ever-popular down jacket for only $39.99!
It's really frustrating. Uniqlo has no grasp of the scope and inclinations of RF fans. They seem to think that a cotton RF hat for casual wear is more attractive to a base comprised of people who actually play tennis. Oh, and undersupplied cotton hats at that.
The cracks in Uniqlo's activewear...
This. So many players also try to practice the proper serve with a continental grip but they don't extend the tossing arm. The result is a really low ball--like a slice--that isn't as consistent as it could be. Start the cartwheel, get the arm up.
Sorry, busy week. Do you really think only 5% of rec players try to improve their game beyond just rallying with friends? Almost half of the players at the tennis club where I work take regular private lessons and/or clinics several times a week while competing on multiple leagues. Some of them...
Ehh ignore the haters.
And one last thought on pushers: I think a lot of them are afraid of losing, so they resort to the only playstyle they know. This is also why they aren't willing to make an investment in their game. They're not willing to attack short balls and miss them for a while with...
Attitude + Aptitude determine Altitude.
If you go into a match against a pusher and quickly lose your temperament and start mentally cursing the pusher, it's your attitude that needs to be checked. It shows you currently lack the mental resilience to be patient and willing to suffer against a...
Here's what you're doing right:
-Hitting the ball in front
-Keeping your head with the ball fairly well
-Pretty solid little steps to prepare
Improve on:
-Unit turn (as others have said) using the left arm to help
-Get that hitting elbow up higher for better leverage
Your timing will be weird...
I think this whole technical breakdown of wrist lag is futile. The video's focal point should be the only point: keeping the racquet head up for leverage before getting under with a closed face. If you're not death-gripping the racquet, which you almost never should be, then your wrist will lag...
That racquet sounds about right for him for now. Depending on his growth I might have him try some 10oz+ adult sized racquets in the next half year or so, but that's my own personal coaching philosophy.
I also think USTA guidelines aren't very helpful.
I completely agree. I would never go below 25" personally and wish that junior racquets came in heavier weights. Again, the racquet's weight is supplemental to proper technique in these important early years of development. I think there's not enough evidence for the lighter racquet formula and...
Having spent about 7 years developing junior players ranging from casual once every two weeks to four days a week to prepare for college tennis, I have come to notice a trend. I'm increasingly doubtful of the effectiveness of lighter junior racquets.
I'm mainly talking about the ones that weigh...
I agree. It did feel rushed despite the length of the film. Nolan sort of indulges in his ideas a bit too much at the expense of character development. The protagonist felt flat and underutilized. But besides that, there's incredible spectacle, action, and physics to gawk at.