Balance Between League Play and Practice
- Thread starter mpnv1990
- Start date
AlecG
Semi-Pro
Good question. Honestly, if your goal is to improve, and you have a lot of room for improvement in a basic skill, then you gain more per hour from high quality practice *if you don't injure yourself*. But if you practice one skill too much it increases the risk of injury. Either way, I doubt competition is the best way to improve until you've mastered the basic skills, but it's more fun.
Changing your FH / serve technique is something best done in the "off-season"
You can work on tactics during practice and technique should be limited to simple small things like tweaking your strokes like keeping your tossing arm up a little longer or a firm wrist on volleys .
"off-season" is in quotes b/c most of us aren't being paid to play so you can do whatever you want, but it stands to reason that it'll take you longer to effect a significant stroke change when you're playing
a league match and will likely return to the comfortable way of hitting under pressure.
I think you made good points. I didn’t play USTA in 2023 and completely revamped my serve. I can hit spots reasonably well, and I can mix things up. I can also hit kick or slice-kick as a second serve.
I also worked on getting more comfortable hitting over the ball.
kevin qmto
Hall of Fame
2 practices to each match day.
What is it you want to work on or change now skill wise?
Flattening out my first serve and fixing my forehand return.
My first serve is a hybrid first-second. Elements of both but truly either. I want about 85-90% flat, 10-15% spin.
I have a very strong backhand return, but I struggle on the forehand side. In doubles, I will go to a chip and charge or lob if I’m struggling on that side. Like Nadal, I prefer the forehand if I have time to setup.
Moon Shooter
Hall of Fame
Depends how your game is. But really I know I need to work on my backhand and serve return. But it is not like I know a bunch of people that want to go practice that with me. So I just sort of muddle through - it’s adult rec tennis, and I’m even at the lower end of that.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
I like to make changes during my wall practice sessions, and then validate the changes in matches.
Ideally, I would rotate:
1. Wall session with tinkering to test new setup.
2. Practice match to test.
3. Wall session to refine.
4. Practice match to test.
5. Wall session to refine.
6. Real match for $$.
Ideally, I would rotate:
1. Wall session with tinkering to test new setup.
2. Practice match to test.
3. Wall session to refine.
4. Practice match to test.
5. Wall session to refine.
6. Real match for $$.
i have a similar ratio..
for every hour of match play, at least 1hr of practice (ideally 2h of practice).
also... "practice" is not just rallying dtm
IMO it should be (given 1h of practice): * 20m serving
* 21m approach volley overhead
* 15m groundies...
* 4m warmup
Moon Shooter
Hall of Fame
I never practiced against a wall. I should give it a try.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
The best thing about the wall as a practice partner is that he is patient. So I can take timeouts to make changes to my setup or watch the video for feedback without him minding.
The wall is also self-correcting. The more control you have, the better you can keep the rally going,
Purestriker
Legend
The wall is undefeated.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Except when I was playing pass with the soccer ball in first grade with little Kevin at recess. Kevin had the wall behind him, so he never had to chase the ball. I asked to switch spots so I didn’t have to chase if it went past me.
We switch, and then Kevin says, excitedly, “but then I can hammer it!” And he boots the ball as hard as he could.
It sails a few feet over my 7-year-old, 4-foot-tall head and I hear the sound of shattering glass as the ball penetrated the 8-foot-square window and landed in the hallway that connected the buildings of the school.
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Purestriker
Legend
Ouch! But...that a normal tennis wall doesn't usually have a window!
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