Timbo's hopeless slice
Hall of Fame
Godammiit!! He threw that racquet ten feet from me!!!!!!!!!
^ Ha! Yeah, kind of comparing the two, very similar. I still have no idea how he hits that open stance, stretched out wide 2hander. Must be lack of gluten and hyperbaric eggs?
Somebody mentioned the xi98 (black one) a few pages back and I started reminiscing. Think I'll take it out on Tuesday, bad need of a string job though. Might get some Cyclone and Torque overnight'd, ala Mr.Dog.
That open stance 2 hander is not too bad for me since I have Popeye forearms and can just muscle the ball back.
It honestly blew my mind that I was having arm trouble with it. It was the 15g black stuff that came with the frame. Xcite or something? Not 100% sure. It was at 60lbs too, which really isn't that unrealistic given my past experience with high tension and stiff frames.
I was hoping it would be a perfect transition stick over, but alas the arm pain was a major factor in something being off. I have zero clue what could have caused it though.
-Fuji
Don't believe Xcite comes in either 15g or black, does it?
Oh, and on a side-note, those series shots I did of my backhand did not require the need of fancy editing tools, etc. There's actually a pretty cool and simple way of doing them.
1.) I took the video on my phone, paused it at certain, key moments and snap-shotted each time I came across those 'key moments'.
2.) I then took each picture (in sequence) and inserted it on a blank Word document. Resizing, cropping and lining them up back-to-back, extending the margins of the Word document to fit all 7 frames.
3.) Then I sent the Word document to myself, opened the email up on my phone, zoomed in, snap-shotted it again. After that, I had the sequence pretty much whole, a little bit of cropping and zooming-in, and whallah; you have a great reference point of your swing on any shot you want.
What's nice about the series pics, as opposed to video or static pics, is you can dissect your technique further. Coolest part is, you can compare your stance, grip, take-back, steps, follow through, height and court positioning to series pics of pros!
It's an aid, that I believe, has helped me to become more conscious of what I'm doing right, what I'm doing wrong and what I can tweek or tinker with. It really paints a picture for you and make things easier to envision when you're out there, mental reps. Have several of those for each and every shot, serve, slice, forehand down-the line, cross-court,volley, overheads, etc.
I look at them when I have down time at work, commuting, lazy sunday, etc., or when I can't make it out to the courts. It helped me notice that my stance was a bit too closed and that I was finishing WAY too high, which in turn got me off-balanced for my recovery.
Eh, if you have some time to kill and some vids of you playing, it's worth doing.
I'm naturally ambidextrous (as close as you can get) so the left hand on the open stance backhand comes quite naturally to me. I use it when I'm too lazy to take that extra step and close my hips.
-Fuji
Video is an unbelievable training tool. Also a sobering one.
^ No video. Just the series shots taken from the video. How do I post videos besides YouTube?
Oh, the wifey saw the IGPresPros, and was not happy to find out that I had sold off the PS95S's.
She does have a point. She wants me to put them up for bid on the auction-site, but will fight this as long as I can.
If she can buy purses, shoes and clothes without remorse, why can't I buy frames? My father advised me when I got married, 'You can be right or happy.... But you can't be right AND happy'.
The eternal quandary of marriage.
I'm pretty darn close to ambidextrous myself. I've hit a few left handed winners in matches where I get wrong footed, it really ticks the opponent off.
One thing I liked about the extended length PK 7G was the longer handle. I like to separate my 2 hands on the backhand ala Ferrer and with that longer handle both hands fit perfectly on the handle.
For sure! I've also done the lefty winner! (Once on a volley)
This is so true. I noticed it when I was using the PDRGT+, that extra bit of handle allowed me to get some extra muscle with the left hand. I keep my hands super close together on the 2HBH, but I find with an XL frame I can get WAY more whip and RHS with the 2HBH, just more leverage I think?
-Fuji
For sure! I've also done the lefty winner! (Once on a volley)
This is so true. I noticed it when I was using the PDRGT+, that extra bit of handle allowed me to get some extra muscle with the left hand. I keep my hands super close together on the 2HBH, but I find with an XL frame I can get WAY more whip and RHS with the 2HBH, just more leverage I think?
-Fuji
Bummer there isn't a new Limited, would be fun to see how they'd tweak such a sweet frame.
All other Tecs are just too stiff for my taste.
^ Yeah, it's so good.
I started wrapping a tourna XL - uncut, like some pros do. I trim the bottom end just a bit, to get a uniform wrap around it, then just go full up top, sloppy like Muzza.
I found I get a uniform feel all the way up top, like on Yonnies, for Head/Wilson frames.
There was a Tecnifibre Official account on here similar to the Babolat Official. He mentioned they are not going to discontinue the Ltd. It will be the same frame and the same cosmetic
I haven't trimmed an overgrip for a couple years now. Just wrap it all the way up. I want to say Maliese (sp?) used to do that?
-Fuji
Ah ok, good to see that. It's a special frame.
Regarding grip talk, yep, I'm also one of those who over grips all the way up as high as I can to get the most usable space. Better, but still not as lovely and roomy as a 7G grip, though. What a sweet beast frame. Kind of bummed I didn't keep just one of them around, but wasn't hitting with it much anymore.
The 7G was my all time favorite frame but my elbow could not handle the extra length.
Did you ever try the 5G? I never did.
Give 5G a try today; c'mon, Carpe diem.
Ah you mean Malisse. Yeah, I used to wonder why he did his grip that way, but I've really come to appreciate it
Did you ever try the 5G? I never did.
No, I've almost pulled the trigger on a demo several times but abstained.
Gads! Stay away from ALU, full-bed in an 18x20 pattern. I still can't handle it, and it's been 2+ years since surgery.
I'm fine if I hybrid it at low-tensions, and that's actually my go-to cross. Try BigAce (18g) at low tensions if you must go Lux-full bed.
Otherwise, you're asking for trouble. Hasn't been that long since your surgery. If you can re-string after every hour or so of hitting, cool. But ALU power gets dangerous after that hour mark.
What do you guys think about Cyclone Tour 18 at 45 lbs in a Prestige?
I went with that based on availability, remembering Cyclone as a softer poly, but now reading back over the thread and hadn't seen the VTorque over Cyclone Tour for softness comments. Cyclone Tour 18 at 45 should still be a decently softer than ALU 16 at 47 right?