Anyone tried this TopSpinPro training aid?
- Thread starter acintya
- Start date
acintya
Legend
thanks - but it must be better than doing shadow swings or?at least some contact with the ball.
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
Hi Acintya,
I invented the TopspinPro so wanted to add a brief (hopefully unbiased) comment. but obviously the most value would come from other TT members with experience to share.
Yes - it's very common for folks to use it indoors in winter and it is a LOT more fun (& effective) than shadow swings.
To get an objective view of how well it works please have a look at the Verified Purchase reviews on Amazon.
T_pac is right, the primary focus is to help anyone that hasn't mastered topspin so that is typically intermediate players and beginners. However it is increasingly used for still-ball training drills - eg an advanced player working on footwork - and also for serve & slice once the head unit is removed.
Have a look at the instagram hashtag for some ideas.
If you decide to buy... it's $10 cheaper than Amazon on our website and you get a 60 day no questions asked return policy so if it doesn't deliver results you can send it back. But odds are you'll love it.
Phil
I invented the TopspinPro so wanted to add a brief (hopefully unbiased) comment. but obviously the most value would come from other TT members with experience to share.
Yes - it's very common for folks to use it indoors in winter and it is a LOT more fun (& effective) than shadow swings.
To get an objective view of how well it works please have a look at the Verified Purchase reviews on Amazon.
T_pac is right, the primary focus is to help anyone that hasn't mastered topspin so that is typically intermediate players and beginners. However it is increasingly used for still-ball training drills - eg an advanced player working on footwork - and also for serve & slice once the head unit is removed.
Have a look at the instagram hashtag for some ideas.
If you decide to buy... it's $10 cheaper than Amazon on our website and you get a 60 day no questions asked return policy so if it doesn't deliver results you can send it back. But odds are you'll love it.
Phil
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Deleted member 23235
Guest
i have it... specifically to teach kids/beginners.
pretty good tool, gives instant feedback on whether you're hitting topspin properly... no need say to close the face, swing low to high, etc... just say, roll the ball forward with your racquet,... and they figure it out.
prior to the topspinpro, my favorite teaching tool (for beginners) was the practice hit...
but once you "get it" (topspin), i'd much rather use the practiceHit for "shadow swinging" if i need feedback of hitting something... (doesn't seem like topspinpro will survive any sort of fast hitting... but i presume it's not designed for that)
but overall i usually use the EtchSwing for shadow swinging (but i already know how to hit topspin)
i haven't tried it (don't intend to), but i think i'd rather get this:
overall, more usable beyond the beginner stage IMO
***
found this comparison vid:
that said, i still liek the topspinpro best for beginners... because it "shows" what the plane of the racquet should be at, at contact (with that nylon mesh plane... and it's pretty light weight and easy to break down (i already hate carrying hoppers to a public court)
and i prefer the practiceHit or etchswing for my own shadow swing training (4.5 male)... but IMO my strokes are already grooved... (though the racquetflex vid made me rethink i might have to revisit using the topspin pro to work on more topspin on my 2hbh - specifically more reps on the racquet drop when initiating the forward swing)
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
I already hit 3000 RPM so I have no need of this but I do have a friend that has been bugging me to no end asking to teach him how to hit these amazing topspin like I do,, and RAFA does...... He's been at me for this for last 2 years. Which contraptions above should I recommend he buy ?? I don't think he will buy it if it is too expensive..........Thank you in advance
Re: the first video, I would get dizzy looking at the ball wiggle in multiple directions while waiting for it to stop after one stroke. Moreover, the real problem in topspin is facing balls with different heights, depths, and incoming spins.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
hehe, asking "for a friend"?
for purely learning/reinforcing feel of topspin, i'd go with the topspinpro
it's like minitennis without a partner... you can make a game out of making the ball spin as fast as you can...
@Phillip Hofmeyr would be cool if you can add an rpm meter (like:
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
the point is NOT to wait for it to stop.. it's like a speed bag in boxing... you time the rebound.
ball only "wiggles in multiple directions" if you hit it wrong
else it just goes in 1 direction (straight) which is good feedback in itself.the point is NOT to wait for it to stop.. it's like a speed bag in boxing... you time the rebound.
ball only "wiggles in multiple directions" if you hit it wrong
That is an artificial situation - in real life a ball is not going back and forth in front of me.
It maybe a cool tool in places where it is cold in winter and the person cannot afford indoor courts.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
I don't think he can hit 10,000 RPMS, even I can't do that. Junior I teach, I teach them patience while this comes but this guy doesn't seem to have too much patience. I told him it will take like 6 month to get good rpm, and he said, he wants it by next week
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
lol, so are scales in the piano, and footwork drills on the ladder... they all teach a vocabulary of movement and timing that can be used to form "sentences" in "real" situations.
i'm sure you play great despite not understanding the value of any of these tools.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
only 6 mos, you must be a genius instructor.
Exactly! My topspin is better than most of the old farts out here and some of them are pissed off about that and make fun of me.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
you need to turn your rpm-meter to the "low" setting.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
I am good and genius. both correct. Teaching topspin isn't that hard, right Grip and right swing path is all you need. And the feel for the ball comes in time. I taught myself that 3000 RPM topspin, no one taught me. I watched Matts Wilander swing and it looked good so I copied his swing. and WALA, I was hitting huge topspin in 3 month time.
acintya
Legend
wow, thanks for you time man! A appreciate it very much. I also am learning left handed forehand and if nothing else this thing could give me good practice at home - to make a lot of repetitions - because I dont have time not the money to pay for indoor courts more than twice a week!
mannn! over 200€ for this and shipping to europe.
I wonder how durable this thing is??
http://www.connectedclubs.co.uk/product-category/eye-coach/
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acintya
Legend
thanks for the reply! will think about it and then decide! I am sure its a great thing!
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
hmm... lhfh... i might have to give the nod to the topspinpro...
in the end you just want alot of slow reps of getting the racquet to follow the right "path in the slot" (ie. to spin the ball more)..
no need to bash the thing... and it will withstand "mini tennis" strokes (and moderate left hand strokes), which goes a long way to learning proper topspin strokes.
IMO easier to get 500 beginner/intermediate strokes a day on the TSP... you don't want to be swinging hard in the development stages (of your left hand) anyway.
so for only indoor use TSP is my vote.
but yeah, 200 euro (where the heck is the symbol for this on the kb?!) is alot, but if it were my only tool and means of swinging at all indoors, i'd get it. helps guarantee you're not burning bad reps (while learning)
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
so what's the issue teaching your buddy?
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
too much work. I have to fix his grip which is eastern forehand grip to semi western or western grip. and have to change his swing path and make sure he gets the ball feel. All of which is much more work in adults due to many years of bad habits. In juniors, they are much more of blank sheet, and is much easier to teach as long as they are having fun and wants to change.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
just curious, why is 3k topspin the goal?
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
it's a goal like anything else in life. for amateur adult player, 3000 rPM is probably the pinnacle of what you can achieve with topspin shots. you can finally say, I can hit massive topspin shots, and I am good.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
lol, no one good says they hit "masssive" anything.
Dude it is Voila not WALA
Rafa has achieved 5000. That is where I want to be at.
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
@sureshs I think the first challenge is: am I or aren't I hitting with topspin. But yes, height, depth & incoming spins can make execution more difficult.
On that note, we are developing extensions to allow one to work on high f/h & b/h, slice & topspin/slice serve. "Still-ball" training so not the real thing but still useful to isolate technique.
I prefer a virtual reality system where you wear glasses and gloves and hold a special racket and have a virtual ball projected in front of you at different distances and heights and with different speeds and spins. Hitting the ball will produce appropriate haptic feedback through the racket and gloves simulating the physics of the impact, while speed and spin are projected in a small window on the glasses.
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
@acintya if you're going to be working on a left-handed forehand then the TopspinPro might be more useful - as @nytennisaddict points out, it's better for technique /avoiding "burning bad reps". Lisa Dodson (who does the video above showing the different purposes for the TopspinPro & the EyeCoach) did exactly that when she had shoulder surgery recently and wanted to continue coaching.
PRICE: the TopspinPro is 119€ on the website and shipping is free.
https://topspinpro.com/product/topspin-pro/
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
you could do that. Or you could take the head unit out and hold it above your head. Have a look at what this coach is demonstrating:
And you can use it in a similar way (tilt to 90 degrees so ball is on vertical access) to get a feel for the slice serve.
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
should i send you my address, so i can alpha test it@nytennisaddict We are working on an RPM accessory you can add to the TopspinPro
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
You bet! We'd love that. email me on phil@topspinpro.comshould i send you my address, so i can alpha test it
That is some innovative thinking right there
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
perhaps he is Filipino?
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
presuming tagalog, i think that word is "walang" == "nothing"
Saul Goode
Semi-Pro
“Walang” is just “Wala ang” contracted, with the “ang” as a pointer to what there is nothing of.
Substitute nothing for WALA below and it makes no sense:
so I copied his swing. and WALA, I was hitting huge topspin in 3 month time.
Even Nosty's mistakes are extremely funny!
voi·la
/vwäˈlä/
exclamation
- there it is; there you are.
"“Voila!” she said, producing a pair of strappy white sandals"
D
Deleted member 23235
Guest
lol r/whoosh
acintya
Legend
LOL:
Question:
What is the voltage? Can it be used in Vietnam where use electric 220V ?
Answer:
It isn't electric you are the power. It is stationary you swing through it.
By FLDEB on November 18, 2018
hahaha. ROFL. i laughed so hard.
A Amazon question for Top spin pro.
Question:
What is the voltage? Can it be used in Vietnam where use electric 220V ?
Answer:
It isn't electric you are the power. It is stationary you swing through it.
By FLDEB on November 18, 2018
hahaha. ROFL. i laughed so hard.
A Amazon question for Top spin pro.
Any progress on the RPM measurement and other extensions into the Topspin Pro? When will they be ready?
Phillip Hofmeyr
New User
Hi Jim,
Apologies for the slow reply - I have been on holiday for 2 weeks.
We are developing a few things in parallel at the moment. Our big focus is a serving product that covers both spin & pronation. Unsurprisingly - it's required a lot more prototyping than the original product and until we are out of that phase we can't put a launch time frame on it. We'd hope by the end of next year. The rev counter & accessories for slice and directing the racket path on going on in the background but we're trying to nail the serve first. Sorry we are being so slow
Phil
vectorthurm
Rookie
This is so impressive that the inventor jumps in here to clarify. This is where I’m at, I’m an old school player who started playing with wood racquets when I was a kid, played through HS on my team and a little in college in early 90’s. Stopped for like 20 years and started playing again 5 years ago and have struggled to pick up modern forehand but it’s coming around. Playing against wall, ball machine etc I quickly fall back to old swing path. I think there’s probably something to hitting a ball that’s more or less stationary and giving you that reward feedback where you can mindfully groove in a completely different stroke.
I did try the eye coach because one of my friends had it and I borrowed it for a couple of weeks, I really didn’t like it because it was quite harsh to hit. It will be interesting to compare it with Topspin Pro.
TennisDawg
Hall of Fame
I bought the practice hit 10 years ago and bought a Top Spin Pro during the Covid lockdown. I used both of them. I’ve been playing for decades and they are great for tweaking your game. I was able to change to a semi-western from an eastern forehand grip in a few weeks. The practice hit allows you to hit slice and volleys. Topspin pro is only useful for hitting top spin. You can also switch from bh to fh for a good workout. It was great during the lockdown. I use them now on occasion and also to help teach other people.
