Anyone plateau for many years and then change something to then break out of it?
- Thread starter raiden031
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Bagumbawalla
G.O.A.T.
Inproving at tennis is usually a long upward-sloping effort.
Usually people "plateau" when several factors come together. They are at a level with their peers, more improvement world require too much effort for the amount of gain. They no longer have any delusions of being great and are content. Their time is eaten away by job, family obligations, and other interests. Well, you get the idea-- that sort of thing.
The thing that I have noticed that often shakes someone up out of their lethargy is usually psychological. They have broken up with a girl friend or gotten divorced- they have a bad medical exam and want to commit themselves to improvement, they lost a job and have lots of time to practice-- this sort of thing.
I have been playing a long time, and I don't ever remember someone waking one day and saying, "Aha! the backhand inside-out drive. Now, I finally understand."
B
Usually people "plateau" when several factors come together. They are at a level with their peers, more improvement world require too much effort for the amount of gain. They no longer have any delusions of being great and are content. Their time is eaten away by job, family obligations, and other interests. Well, you get the idea-- that sort of thing.
The thing that I have noticed that often shakes someone up out of their lethargy is usually psychological. They have broken up with a girl friend or gotten divorced- they have a bad medical exam and want to commit themselves to improvement, they lost a job and have lots of time to practice-- this sort of thing.
I have been playing a long time, and I don't ever remember someone waking one day and saying, "Aha! the backhand inside-out drive. Now, I finally understand."
B
I'm thinking more along the lines of changing your technique. Like you have a dink serve your whole life and then you finally get the courage to try a more conventional serve, and after practicing the new serve a good bit, you finally start beating all these people you normally lose to. Some weakness that kept you at the same level for so long is finally being eliminated.
gsquicksilver
Semi-Pro
yes, i dropped 40 pounds and now i'm playing better than ever.
Yes, I had a dink second serve but the strong 4.0s and 4.5s were attacking it and also attacking my partner in doubles so I decided to go ahead and work on my topspin serve but found my slice worked even better so now I hit a decent slice second serve against the 4.0s and 4.5s that they usually can't attack. I take a few more double faults so I do back off a little on my first serve but now my second is becoming more reliable so I am going to start going for more on my first especially when playing 4.5s.
I also found hitting my slice forehand over and over was only good up to the 4.0 level and have worked the last couple of years in adding a flat forehand for passing shots and some rallies and can mix it with the slice. It has taken a couple of years but is starting to pay off now since I can hit more winners, hit the ball deeper, pass the net player easier, and just mix things up to keep them off balance.
You have to keep evolving and improving and adding new shots if you want to keep moving up. My backhand slice has also improve over time even though I mostly still hit topspin with 2 hands but sometimes when stretched it's good to have the one hander when returning serves or when on the run.
You have to keep evolving and improving and adding new shots if you want to keep moving up. My backhand slice has also improve over time even though I mostly still hit topspin with 2 hands but sometimes when stretched it's good to have the one hander when returning serves or when on the run.
Six months after picking up the game, I started playing 3.5 USTA league and won about half my matches. For 4 years I won most of my matches, then the next 4 years I lost most of my matches even though my technique was much better than when I started. The problem was that in L.A., I felt I was a good 3.5 player but everybody else was getting better due to sandbagging etc. Then I move to Atlanta, play singles in USTA 3.5 league and win all my matches and get bumped to 4.0.
Also the other night when everyone else had left, I hit against the wall and hit serves and then realized I could practice my overheads my standing near the center T and hitting the ball straight up with my racquet and then hitting the overhead. The overhead is a good indicator of your level as it takes good timing, so you might want to practice these if you want to move up.
I am on the cusp of 4.0/4.5 and know it takes alot of work to get to 4.5 as I should lose another 10 pounds and do more drilling but don't always have the time or motivation as I already work out now on a pretty regular basis.
I am on the cusp of 4.0/4.5 and know it takes alot of work to get to 4.5 as I should lose another 10 pounds and do more drilling but don't always have the time or motivation as I already work out now on a pretty regular basis.
Well the overhead is probably my best shot, and I'm right now at around strong 3.0 to weak 3.5, really depending on the number of 3.0 sandbaggers in the league. The biggest weakness for me is my return of serve, my volleying, and my overall consistency on any given shot.
And even though my original question doesn't apply to me, since I just started playing seriously in August 06, after 2 years of not playing at all, and about 5 years of playing once every week or two during warm seasons, and thatas about it.
I am just curious if my methods for improving are going to lead me to being an advanced player, or if I will stagnate just like 75% of tennis players out there.
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Yeah, keep practicing with alot of partners and work on your consistency. You don't have to hit hard to get to 4.0, but you do need to be fairly consistent. Same with return of serve. I don't often attack unless the guy has a really weak second serve, but just focus on getting every return back in play and hopefully to his weaker side.
If you play practice games, just let your opponent serve most of the time so you can work on your return.
If you play practice games, just let your opponent serve most of the time so you can work on your return.
The thing with my return, is that in singles I can return just fine unless I'm against a powerful serve, in which case my returns are short balls that get put away by my opponent.
In doubles, virtually all serves give me problems because I have this mental block where I always overhit or hit it into the net. I'm not sure if its my fear of the net person poaching it or what.
Honestly, tennis is one of those sports that is as much mental as it is physical.
Obviously, there is a physical component when it comes to actually playing at a high level, but the mental toughness and focus is what seperates the lower level players from higher level players.
Obviously, there is a physical component when it comes to actually playing at a high level, but the mental toughness and focus is what seperates the lower level players from higher level players.
Have your partner play back so you don't have to worry so much about the poacher. You don't have to hit hard in doubles when returning but just need to keep the ball low and hopefully crosscourt.
Don't overhit your returns, even in doubles. Get them in play and make your opponent beat you rather than beating yourself. Have your partner start back and then move forward with him when you get a ball to attack.
Don't overhit your returns, even in doubles. Get them in play and make your opponent beat you rather than beating yourself. Have your partner start back and then move forward with him when you get a ball to attack.
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
I'd even say it's at least as much mental as physical. My recent jump in ability was a combo of improving my toolbox - honing strokes that were more consistent and aggressive - and coming to believe that I could compete at higher levels. After taking some lumps at the hands of tough opponents, I was suddenly more familiar with that bracket. When I stopped worrying about whether or not I belonged there, I started pushing bigger hitters around because mentally, I was playing in familiar territory.
Bagumbawalla
G.O.A.T.
Yes, people do improve, but usually not suddenly. It is mainly a mental commitment to improve, and it takes hard work and time, especially if you have developed bad habits that have to be changed.
Many people may not know they have hitches in their game and finding a good coach/instructor can make for the most dramatic improvement.
B
Many people may not know they have hitches in their game and finding a good coach/instructor can make for the most dramatic improvement.
B
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
My suggestion: keep an eye out for someone who can help you with a block or slice return. It's actually not unlike a volley and is essential for singles and doubles, imo.
For singles, it's easy to set it up quickly against a heater and you can float the ball back slow and deep with some placement - this basically starts the point from neutral and if you make it a low skidder, the server won't be able to tee off on it.
In doubles, I use it almost all the time. It floats the ball low over the tape and then it drops onto the rushing server's shoelaces. If I follow it in, the server has to hit up softly and quite often offer up a meatball. This is certainly a more reliable option than a topspin drive which I can't hit off a serve with the same consistency. This style of return also makes it easy to take a serve early and give you a shorter trip to the net for doub's or singles.
I've seen it happen over and over again. Add pronation to a serve, and boom the entire stroke changes. Add proper extension on the backhand, boom the shot moves up a level. On the forehand, pull to the ball and add the windshield wiper finish, boom you've taken it to a new level.
I'm not saying this will happen overnight. I'm not saying everyone can do it. But I'm not kidding you that I've seen it happen over and over again. Very often people are just missing one or two technical elements that would take a stroke to a completely new level. I teach this game to see these breakthrough changes, and I still get a rush everytime I see a person add a technical piece that transforms a stroke.
TennisMastery and I really share this philosophy. His book is subtitled "Advance beyond the 3.5 level and never look back" and he tells you how to do it through technical changes in your game.
grizzly4life
Professional
one breakthru i had was putting topspin on my serve... cut down on double-faults.
hoping for similar with my new volleying break-thru.... volley with straight arm, meaning if it's hit straight at you, you have to move the feet alot, not a little. (hope that's right)
hoping for similar with my new volleying break-thru.... volley with straight arm, meaning if it's hit straight at you, you have to move the feet alot, not a little. (hope that's right)
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
^^ You don't mean straight straight do you? I mean, yea you volley with your feet first, but if the ball is hit straight at you, you just take it in front of you with a backhand volley, you dont move totally out of the way and volley with your elbow locked.
J
J
grizzly4life
Professional
if you have time, i'd do it... i'm not really sure though.... i mean, less lazy volleying on my behalf. and work on this technique for improvement in fundamentals, but then as you said, do what is necessary in a competitive situation.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
No, your arm should not be totally straight as in elbow locked when you are volleying. If you want to avoid being lazy focus on your feet, stepping with the opposite foot. Your arm straightens slightly as part of hitting the stroke, but shouldn't be straight.
This guy certainly isn't the best, but he hits a lot of volleys in a short time in the video. His execution leaves something to be desired, but his fundamentals are fairly sound. At least it should give you an idea of what you are trying to accomplish, make sure you watch the feet too. Too many of my students, even highly ranked juniors volley with their feet nailed to the ground (Something I promptly address.).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdKcmGb4vss
J
This guy certainly isn't the best, but he hits a lot of volleys in a short time in the video. His execution leaves something to be desired, but his fundamentals are fairly sound. At least it should give you an idea of what you are trying to accomplish, make sure you watch the feet too. Too many of my students, even highly ranked juniors volley with their feet nailed to the ground (Something I promptly address.).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdKcmGb4vss
J
