Contact Point vs Technique choice

[Daniel Andrade]

Let's imagine you are in a baseline rally. You are either going to hit a backhand or a forehand groundstroke but you quickly notice something, you CAN'T both use proper technique and hit with a good contact point for whatever reason (Speed, spin or height of the incoming ball) What would you rather focus on in your groundstroke? Trying to get a proper contact point? or trying to hit with good technique?
I'm very interested to hear responses from everyone, from weekend warriors and wanna be coaches to great players and excellent trainers with years of experience. Thanks.
@SystemicAnomaly @matterer @ballmachineguy @user92626 @Curious @Chas Tennis

 

[user92626]

OP,
Getting the ball hit over to the other side successfully is top priority.

When you can afford time and energy and brain power in the shot, then you bring on technical points where the sky is the limit.

Bad form but ball going over is still tennis. Oftentime, even good tennis, ie MEP style. Good looking, correct form but missing the ball is trash.

That said, for us rec players, the most challenging effort is always to reconcile (or synch) our beautiful, seemly correct, backyard form with match-play form.

 

[Daniel Andrade]

OP,
Getting the ball hit over to the other side successfully is top priority.

When you can afford time and energy and brain power in the shot, then you bring on technical points where the sky is the limit.

Bad form but ball going over is still tennis. Oftentime, even good tennis, ie MEP style. Good looking, correct form but missing the ball is trash.

That said, for us rec players, the most challenging effort is always to reconcile (or synch) our beautiful, seemly correct, backyard form with match-play form.

Thanks for participating and voting

 

[LuckyR]

Always contact point. Of course I am at the net most of the time so I have wider margins between a putaway and a pop-up.

 

[AnyPUG]

The goal of a proper technique is to achieve good contact point. It should not be an either or question or poll. In that respect, the OP's thought process has not transformed into a logical communication exercise and he is framing an essentially invalid question.

The question is how do you deal with balls of different characteristics of speed, spin, placement, height etc. There is a proper technique for every scenario is the answer.
Starts with different footwork pattern, stance, swing size, swing shape, finish position etc. For example, ball is very low and hard to reach, just slice it up. Late on the forehand side, reverse finish over the head or exmploy a squash shot. Very fast ball - shorten the swing without a loop. Many scenarios to consider, but each and every one of them has a few well defined technique to choose from - pick one based on experience, individual capability etc. If you reach a point in rally and you are lost, do what comes to your mind and later research for a correct technique. That's how one develops as a player.

 

[user92626]

The goal of a proper technique is to achieve good contact point. It should not be an either or question or poll. In that respect, the OP's thought process has not transformed into a logical communication exercise and he is framing an essentially invalid question.

The question is how do you deal with balls of different characteristics of speed, spin, placement, height etc. There is a proper technique for every scenario is the answer.
Starts with different footwork pattern, stance, swing size, swing shape, finish position etc. For example, ball is very low and hard to reach, just slice it up. Late on the forehand side, reverse finish over the head or exmploy a squash shot. Very fast ball - shorten the swing without a loop. Many scenarios to consider, but each and every one of them has a few well defined technique to choose from - pick one based on experience, individual capability etc.

But I understand his point though.

To me, "good contact point" is simply a contact that produces a valid shot. Whereas your focus / trying on proper technique may produce a shytty ball. He's talking about the attempt to try with a proper technique. Not the technique itself.

 

[AnyPUG]

But I understand his point though.

To me, "good contact point" is simply a contact that produces a valid shot. Whereas your focus / trying on proper technique may produce a shytty ball. He's talking about the attempt to try with a proper technique. Not the technique itself.

It's great if you are able to understand an inherently contradictory situation - I don't know how anyone can do it rationally - but that's a topic for another day.

Proper technique does NOT produce bad result. It's bad execution of technique that produces bad result or bad timing of a technique produces bad result.
An objective approach requires you to make judgement call on which technique to pull out for different scenarios. Of course, you can always decide to do whatever and be happy.

 

[user92626]

It's great if you are able to understand an inherently contradictory situation - I don't know how anyone can do it rationally - but that's a topic for another day.

Proper technique does NOT produce bad result. It's bad execution of technique that produces bad result or bad timing of a technique produces bad result.
An objective approach requires you to make judgement call on which technique to pull out for different scenarios. Of course, you can always decide to do whatever and be happy.

I'm ahead of you. That's why I wrote before. He's talking about your attempt to try the stroke with proper technique or not. Not the proper technique itself.

 

[Daniel Andrade]

It's great if you are able to understand an inherently contradictory situation - I don't know how anyone can do it rationally - but that's a topic for another day.

Proper technique does NOT produce bad result. It's bad execution of technique that produces bad result or bad timing of a technique produces bad result.
An objective approach requires you to make judgement call on which technique to pull out for different scenarios. Of course, you can always decide to do whatever and be happy.

I'm not asking this as advice, I have already an opinion on the matter.

I want to know what TTW thinks.
But I guess it depends on how we define things. You are describing technique as mostly situational, depending on the task at hand which seems to me more aligned with Game Based Coaching. In that sense if we are achieving good CP it was because the technique used was right.
I have a question though, is there in your opinion or definition, a stroke where the correct technique would be to just put the racquet in front of you waiting for the ball to meet the strings (not a volley)?
Also, could we achieve good CP with TWO DIFFERENTE techniques?

What do you think?

 

[Daniel Andrade]

I'm ahead of you. That's why I wrote before. He's talking about your attempt to try the stroke with proper technique or not. Not the proper technique itself.

This is even more to the point. The ball is already coming towards you and you think you might either try the good technique option or the good CP option, but at that moment your level does not allow you to do both.

Which one would TTW users and @AnyPUG choose?

 

[Dragy]

This is even more to the point. The ball is already coming towards you and you think you might either try the good technique option or the good CP option, but at that moment your level does not allow you to do both.

Which one would TTW users and @AnyPUG choose?

You can do good abbreviated technique. Think return of fast first serve with a topspin grip + follow-through, but very compact prep: barely coil, put the racquet right behind the ball.

But if you have similar situation in a rally, most of the time, you failed earlier, failed to prepare at time.

If I get what you ask, then in matchplay you never want to sacrifice a point to “go through full motion”. But in longer term, considering your development, you might want to force yourself to go through full motion every single time (in practice environment), see where you fail, and work on what will give you the ability to do it successfully: ball anticipation, proper position, split-step and footwork, early setup. That work will allow you to hit like 80% of balls with “technique” only applying for abbreviated execution situationally.

 

[ppma]

You can hit with great contact point, but just 1/10 of a second too soon or too late along the swing and the racquet face angle is going the be the difference between getting the ball in, or sending it to the net or the fence.

Everything has to be accomodated. But, if, for example I am having trouble reaching a ball, I'd rather not swing properly but do a chop on the sweetspot to at least get some ball depth.

 

[johnmccabe]

Look no further than Medvedev for answer

 

[AnyPUG]

I'm ahead of you. That's why I wrote before. He's talking about your attempt to try the stroke with proper technique or not. Not the proper technique itself.

I agree you are ahead of me in writing an answer. But I believe the question isn't backed up by a valid premise.
That's why I have reframed it.
There is always a proper technique for any situation is the answer.
Just because you don't know what they are does not mean they don't exist.

 

[AnyPUG]

I'm not asking this as advice, I have already an opinion on the matter.

I want to know what TTW thinks.
But I guess it depends on how we define things. You are describing technique as mostly situational, depending on the task at hand which seems to me more aligned with Game Based Coaching. In that sense if we are achieving good CP it was because the technique used was right.
I have a question though, is there in your opinion or definition, a stroke where the correct technique would be to just put the racquet in front of you waiting for the ball to meet the strings (not a volley)?
Also, could we achieve good CP with TWO DIFFERENTE techniques?

What do you think?

There is no proper technique where you just put the racket in front of the ball.
There is a footwork component to every technique.
A good cp can be achieved by multiple ways - ability and individual taste dictate the choice in any circumstance.

 

[matterer]

Your priority is always hitting the sweet spot and making contact in front of you. In order to do that you have to simplify your swing, which is part of your technique. You have to be able to take shorter, more linear swings to ensure you hit clean.