Good Plan or Bad Plan?

[Micalzon]

Earlier this year I switched from using a relatively flexible frame with Syn Gut strings to the Babolat APD with full poly and did a number on my arm and wrist. I immediately switched back but continued using a poly/gut hybrid (I really liked the poly). I've started doing a lot more exercises to strenthen my mucles and the pain has really come down quite a bit. Since it's not completely gone, I've decided to take the advice from so many on these boards to just take a break from tennis for a few months to let it heal.

In the meantime, I'm planning to get myself much stronger, lighter, quicker, and prepared to make a strong (but slow) comeback. I don't want to completely give up all aspects of tennis, if possible so I was wondering if anyone knew of some good, elbow-approved drills I can do to improve my game. I'm already planning to do a lot of footwork drills since this is my number one weak spot right now. My number two weak spot is proper eye/hand coordination - specifically, keeping my eye on the ball through contact, which causes me to mishit shots. My plan was to retrofit a racquet with some sort of a pouch in the sweetspot area to practice "catching" the ball in the proper place (either with a ball machine or with a partner). There would be no swinging or hitting, just practicing to catch the ball on the proper spot. Good idea or bad idea? Any other advice you have would be helpful.

 

[lobman]

IMHO, rather than the retrofit racquet idea, which seems to be a novel idea and maybe something a teaching pro might use with some students, what about a simpler approach that I think would accomplish your goal. Namely, use your standard racquet and just have a partner toss you some foam balls and you focus on the racquet contact. As importantly, consider this: continue your fitness program as described while giving your elbow a chance to heal. Then, when ready to resume tennis go to what seems to be the tried-and-true solution for arm health--a flexible(say a stiffness rating of around 60 or below and/or a racquet known for its shock reducing properties), head-light racquet strung with low tension and with soft string (one of the several multis noted on this board that are known to be arm friendly or ideally, natural gut). But be sure to continue a conditioning program that includes appropriate exercises for arm. Good luck; TE is truly a tennis player's nightmare.

 

[Chas Tennis]

What are the injuries to your arm and wrist?

 

[Micalzon]

What are the injuries to your arm and wrist?

I've got golfer's elbow and have been having a sore wrist after playing. Part of the problem, aside from the harsh racquet set up I used previously, was my serving technique. I already hit a pretty hard serve and switched to the ADP to get a few more MPH's but I was trying to really get a quick pronation/hammering action and I think it was too much too soon. It seemed like the GE came on pretty suddenly. I've switched to using a more efficient service motion (fewer MPH's but more accurate) and have begun working to incorporate a slice serve and a "change up" serve that has seemed to work well against guys who stand 5 feet behind the baseline waiting my fast first serve.

I've considered using foam balls but I need a way to train my eye to follow the ball all the way to contact. The only way I can think of is to utilize something that really forces me to have to carefully hit the ball in the correct location. I hit off center shots quite often but I'm strong enough that they can still make it over the net where I'd like them to go, though they lose a lot of spin and pace I typically put on the ball so opponents can return them easily. I'd like for those shots to be winners instead.

When I come back I plan on going full gut with a low tension for quite some time and then mix in a soft poly. I've been using Tier One Firewire and it is surprisingly soft and durable for the amount of spin I'm able to get with it. My long-term plan is to start with full gut for a while, transition to a gut/multi hybrid and then eventually going poly/multi and see if it agrees with my arm, keeping tension low (I already string in the 46-49 lb range) in my HL racquets. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Chas Tennis]

There are lots of recent threads on Tennis Elbow and Golfer's Elbow. I've posted often on those also.

The best thing would be to stop stressing the arm immediately when injured including quitting during the match. Hardly any tennis players do that. In a very short time playing, they risk getting chronic tendinosis, a defectively healed tendon. I hope that you can do better.

Search this thread : Golfer's Elbow Tennis Tendinitis Tendinosis Chas Tennis
also tendon healing times CharlieFedererer

Thread with tendinitis & tendinosis papers
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=442912&highlight=Nuthouse

I have thought that if the serve is performed with a bent elbow and forceful internal shoulder rotation leading to impact it can lead to stress that might cause Golfer's Elbow. I got a GE injury trying an ill-conceived volley method using a similar bent elbow and ISR motion.

See thread with my wrist at impact on the serve.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=455997&highlight=chas+tennis+wrist+serve+video

Video yourself serving from behind to see some of these wrist & elbow angles that might cause stress.

 

[Chas Tennis]

---------duplicate post --------

 

[Chas Tennis]

This thread illustrates wrist and elbow flaws on the serve that might cause stress and injury to the elbow and wrist, in my opinion.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=7608400&postcount=72

 

[Micalzon]

This is great stuff. I'll plan to record myself one of these days. I've been meaning to anyway. Want to get some insight into my serve and an estimate on what level I'd be.

 

[spaul8809]

oh..... this is very unfortunate for us