Can you recommend me some technique videos to regain basic technique?

[Pitti]

Hi. I've been out of tennis for a decade, and I've been playing again a bit (once/twice a week) during last year. I've lost some technique. Can anyone recommend me some series of videos to improve my current technique and my footwork, so I can regain a bit of it?

Additional info:

• I play with an eastern-like grip forehand. Sometimes hit a semi-western fh to get more spin, but my habitual stroke is flatter.
• I play with a 1HBH, which also has little topspin. I try to "attack" the ball with it, at my waist, but I find I struggle with it whenever I must hit it higher. It also lacks some power in some moments.
• My serve back then was a "pin-point" serve (with both feet together), although I could also serve in a platform stance. Now I'd like to recover my "pin-point" serve, since I think it gave me a bit more power, but I can't get to do it consistently. In any case, pinpoint or platform, I need some serve improvement. My kick serve is average, my slice one is better. And my flat one lacks some power. I play 1st and 2nd serve at almost the same speed, just with a different amount of spin. I don't commit many double faults.
• I like to approach the net and volley.
• My slice backhand is coming back to life, with some side spin and some consistency, but I still hit some awful ones!
• I tend to fall either short or long in dropshots, except at cross volley dropshots at the net. Topspin lobs are good enough.
• My sliced smash is good enough. My flat smash is worse. I tend to attack it more frontally than what I should (which is something I didn't do 10 years ago!).
• Any footwork improvement is welcome.
• Any tactical idea is also welcome.

Thank you very much.

 

[Chas Tennis]

You have unknown strokes.

About the only descriptions or advice that I see are for high level tennis stroke techniques.

This seems to be what I am seeing in high level backhand volleys. Look for it in high speed videos of Federer's volleys.
Backhand Volley:

Take a video of your serve and see if it is a Waiter's Tray. Racket face to sky briefly - probably a WT. Racket edge to ball briefly, as for Nalbandian, it might be a high level serve.
http://www.hi-techtennis.com/serve/big_l_student.php

For unknown strokes, who knows?

 

[Pitti]

You have unknown strokes.

About the only descriptions or advice that I see is for high level tennis stroke techniques.

This seems to be what I am seeing in high level backhand volleys. Look for it in high speed videos of Federer's volleys.
Backhand Volley:


Take a video of your serve and see if it is a Waiter's Tray. Racket face to sky briefly - probably a WT. Racket edge facing ball briefly, as for Nalbandian, it might be a high level serve.
http://www.hi-techtennis.com/serve/big_l_student.php


For unknown strokes, who knows?

Thank you for answering. The best thing would have been to record myself and to bring a video asking for concrete instructions, but I haven't done it yet.

My serve is average. I don't know if it's a Waiter's tray or not. I can get it in, I can place it, but it lacks speed and some spin to be a weapon outside of pure placement. Any general tip to improve it is welcome.

That total tennis domination channel seems to be interesting. I'll have a look at more videos there.

 

[Dragy]

Most YouTube channels actually have series of videos addressing aspects of strokes and decisions - sometimes covering basics, sometimes focusing on details. Hardly any complete instruction. So you’d likely have to browse through multiple seeking for ideas and guidelines to be useful for your game.

 

[Chas Tennis]

This video shows two different forehand techniques:
1) linear forehand described by 'step in', 'weight transfer forward' . (older style)
2) circular forehand with not much forward body motion (more modern style).

Notice how similar and rapid the turn of the uppermost body is for both techniques. "Uppermost" is indicated by a line between the two shoulders and how it turns (or Shoulder Girdle).

Notice that the line between the two shoulders and the line between the two hips on high level strokes move independently. That is called 'separation' or 'separation angle' and relates to a biomechanical principle for tennis strokes that involves the stretching of trunk muscles and their use for rapidly turning of the uppermost body. This involves spine twisting and requires a healthy back and good technique. ( 'Unit turn' is a poor and misleading name since there is no defined 'unit'.)

Watch pro matches on TV and notice how the line between the shoulders turns back rapidly about 90 d and then turns forward rapidly about 90 d. I have not seen measurements but the trunk is where at lot of racket head speed comes from. Look at the uppermost body turn of the players at your courts.

 

[Pitti]

Most YouTube channels actually have series of videos addressing aspects of strokes and decisions - sometimes covering basics, sometimes focusing on details. Hardly any complete instruction. So you’d likely have to browse through multiple seeking for ideas and guidelines to be useful for your game.

Yes, I see that there's lots of information but not very organised. I'll keep searching!

This video shows two different forehand techniques:
1) linear forehand described by 'step in', 'weight transfer forward' . (older style)
2) circular forehand with not much forward body motion (more modern style).

Notice how similar and rapid the turn of the uppermost body is for both techniques. "Uppermost" is indicated by a line between the two shoulders and how it turns (or Shoulder Girdle).

Notice that the line between the two shoulders and the line between the two hips on high level strokes move independently. That is called 'separation' or 'separation angle' and is a biomechanical principle for tennis strokes that involves the stretching of trunk muscles and their use for rapidly turning of the uppermost body. This involves spine twisting and requires a healthy back and good technique. ( 'Unit turn' is a poor and misleading name since there is no defined 'unit'.)

Thank you. I'll watch the video later, since I can't listen to the explanations right now. But I can see what you're describing on the muted video, and this is the type of thing that I'm searching for. Something that remembers the key aspects of each stroke and that involves a "natural"/"effortless" technique that takes advantage of the body avoiding very abrupt or violent movements (like how to turn/align shoulders, how to transfer bodyweight on each stroke for that "effortless power", etc)