How beneficial is hitting on a wall?

HunterST

HunterST

Hall of Fame
Relative to actually hitting with a partner, how helpful do you think hitting against a wall is for one's tennis game?

I suppose any time you're working on your strokes and working on hand-eye coordination it will be beneficial. However, the ball bounces very differently, the foot work changes pretty significantly, and I remember ol' BungaloBill saying you can't (or shouldn't) work on hitting hard shots against a wall.

So, considering all the limitations, how much do you think wall hitting can help your tennis game? Is it worth it in the end?
 
If you have a decent hitting partner standing there waiting for you, you should hit with him on court.
However, hitting the wall is a good warmup when one one's around, you can work on specific shots like high forehands, backhands, or service motion/overheads, stuff a hitting partner and you would likely forgo just to hit from the baseline.
I don't know about BB's idea of not hitting hard against the wall. I work on my fast flat forehands, stand back 8' behind the baseline (my wall is marked regulation sized), and hit on one bounce.
My consistent rally balls are hit softer, so I need to stand about 4' behind the baseline.
 
I use it to warmup my strokes: GS, volleys, smash

I just use it to get the feel and to bring some blood flowing into my arms but you dont want to overdo it because when you get to the court it feels different.

Only for warmup 10min max
 
HunterST said:
Relative to actually hitting with a partner, how helpful do you think hitting against a wall is for one's tennis game?

I suppose any time you're working on your strokes and working on hand-eye coordination it will be beneficial. However, the ball bounces very differently, the foot work changes pretty significantly, and I remember ol' BungaloBill saying you can't (or shouldn't) work on hitting hard shots against a wall.

So, considering all the limitations, how much do you think wall hitting can help your tennis game? Is it worth it in the end?
Click to expand...
If you're really serious about tennis you're better off getting a ball machine and hitting on a court.
 
I'd rather practice serving in my backyard against the fence. Balls fly over the wall too much for me. If I try to hit harder, the bounces get out of my rhythm. My coach encourages the wall as a helpful tool to develop my strokes, but I pass.
 
Seems to me, if you were to practice serves, you'd only need a small box 35' away that would catch every ball. Pad the box with foam. Small is relative I guess, but at least 3'x3'.
 
The wall is nice for learning to hit a clean centered ball..its not a replacement for a hitting partner or really even a ball machine.
 
HunterST said:
Relative to actually hitting with a partner, how helpful do you think hitting against a wall is for one's tennis game?

I suppose any time you're working on your strokes and working on hand-eye coordination it will be beneficial. However, the ball bounces very differently, the foot work changes pretty significantly, and I remember ol' BungaloBill saying you can't (or shouldn't) work on hitting hard shots against a wall.

So, considering all the limitations, how much do you think wall hitting can help your tennis game? Is it worth it in the end?
Click to expand...

IMO not helpful at all. I used to do it when I was a kid (12 or so), gave me something to do when I didn't have anyone to hit with, and it was a good way to break a sweat, but beneficial to my tennis game? Absolutely not.
 
Depends on how you use it..

It was a great way for me to practice overhead and volley, and to practice quick shoulder turn and getting racket back early.

Personally, I like hitting against a wall more than a ball machine.
 
its excellent you can feed yourself any ball trajectory you are having trouble with up to a level where you need lots of pace or spin wich recreational players seldom face...
And you can hit a lot more in half an hour than with any partner, its good if you know what you are doing with your technique.

But be careful, if your form isn't good you will perfect your mistakes so you will have bad habits wich will be difficult to break in order to achieve the upper levels of the game.
 
rosenstar said:
IMO not helpful at all. I used to do it when I was a kid (12 or so), gave me something to do when I didn't have anyone to hit with, and it was a good way to break a sweat, but beneficial to my tennis game? Absolutely not.
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This is kind of how I feel. I'm not sure hitting on the wall has much benefit at all. It might help with volleys, but not groundstrokes, imo.

Too bad ball machines are so expensive.
 
I use the wall religiously whenever practice partners aren't available. It's great for grooving my strokes that I have already confidence in. Ie: Backhand. I have a good motion, that I like and sure enough it's good to do get a consistent motion down.

All in all, it's great for everything that you already have down. Get your basics down and the wall can be an amazing tool. Try to learn the basics on a wall, and hurt your strokes in the long run.

-Fuji
 
Personally, I can't practice volleys against a wall. Just doesn't compute.
But groundies are the best practice, aiming 4' above the net, swinging consistently so the ball one bounces back to you (on the side you choose) at the height you want over and over again until you decide to let one rip...in which case you need to stand back a few feet.
You can practice your hard slice backhand then, taking a ball shoulder high, turning strongly, taking the ball later, to really stroke thru a low skidder ball, which two bounces back for a low forehand pickup.
But of course, if a decent enough partner is waiting around for you, go hit with him.
 
HunterST said:
R
I suppose any time you're working on your strokes and working on hand-eye coordination it will be beneficial. However, the ball bounces very differently, the foot work changes pretty significantly, and I remember ol' BungaloBill saying you can't (or shouldn't) work on hitting hard shots against a wall.
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I disagree. In a couple of his videos, Brent Abel talks about how a player has to find the "tempo" of his/her forehand groundstroke. Once you have a dependable, consistent swing/shot tempo, it is just a matter of finding the optimum distance from the wall to get the right bounce back to you.

The thing about a wall is that its properties don't change. If you give it the same shot, two times in a row, it will respond exactly the same way. Good wall work really forces you to try to have a consistent stroke.
 
I think hitting against the wall is great practice for ground strokes and basic serving. You can hit a lot of balls in a short amount of time and really focus on form and contact point. I think it works well hitting both soft and hard. Try to hit 30 hard hit balls that would be in with good form. It's not easy. It's also a killer workout.

Volleys are harder to practice on the wall because as you get closer the reaction time starts getting very small.

There are some limitations:
  • The balls never have the spin and nasty bounces that balls from a real partner would have.
  • You have to be honest about whether or not the ball would have really been in or not. If you blast it into the wall and it hits still on the rise, that ball was probably going out.
  • It's hard to practice cross court shots. Conversely it's easy to get grooved into hitting back-to-center and down the line shots.
  • It's harder to see the effect of spin (but you can see it), especially on serves.

At some courts the wall is also a great place to find a hitting partner.

Rich
 
The wall is the last option when you got no partner, no court, and one ball left in the bag.

I see a lot of beginners love the wall because they can stand 4 ft from the wall and hit a few balls in a row. Or you are at a higher level you can stand 20ft+ from the wall and can hit 50 in a row.
 
Warning - Wall does not count as deep practice. 10,000 hours against a wall will make you really good at rallying with the wall

I'd say pro > superior partner > equal partner > ball machine > wall > partner who can't play.

Also IMHO you should have some fundamentals down before going to a wall - the wall isn't going to teach you how to play against a real person. You have to imagine the wall is like a real person and play against is that way.

Personally I find 15 minutes is about all I can take before going insane.. But that's pretty good for a warmup..

Also not all walls are created equal. Some people recommend a foam ball for wall practice I am going to get one of those because I find the ball travels to fast and bounces too low off the walls I have access too.. I guess topspin off a wall doesn't come back that way..
 
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Hitting against a wall is good for making your footwork solid and responsive. You can always get closer to push the envelope. Ever try hitting volleys against a wall?
 
Many pro's started hitting against the wall including Federer. It does have it's advantages. It's good to start off getting to grips with finding your stroke technique. Also helps with Reflexes and volleying (reflex volleying lol). The wall is a good excersize if you use it correctly.



Disadvantages of using a wall is that it's predictable, it's also a completely different feeling to stepping out on court obviously. It doesn't help if you want to improve your serve. Anyone can hit a hard serve against a wall. Doing it on court is a completely different thing all together. You can say the same thing about actually shot production too.



Your best bet is to buy a ball machine or just find some practice partners slightly above your level.
 
when i was a kid, the wall was really useful to develop my backhand and footwork.

i still enjoy getting into a groove of wall hitting when there is no alternative
 
I learned how to play against a wall in my driveway as a kid - was very useful then - as I spent countless hours developing my strokes

As an adult, I have not hit against a wall so no comment.
 
HunterST said:
This is kind of how I feel. I'm not sure hitting on the wall has much benefit at all. It might help with volleys, but not groundstrokes, imo.

Too bad ball machines are so expensive.
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I dislike ball machines too. I think they are good for fitness purposes, but there's a reason better players don't use them. IMO best way to get better is to hit with someone else.

A ball machine doesn't give you a weak ball if you hit a good ball. It doesn't dip the ball when returning an approach shot. It doesn't make you pay for a short ball. It's the exact same thing as having someone feed you balls for an hour.

Ask any college/pro player how many hours they spent with a ball machine throughout their training... I bet it's not many.
 
KillSwitch Engage said:
Many pro's started hitting against the wall including Federer. It does have it's advantages. It's good to start off getting to grips with finding your stroke technique. Also helps with Reflexes and volleying (reflex volleying lol). The wall is a good excersize if you use it correctly.
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mmm disagree. Roger probably went out and hit on a wall b/c he loved tennis and couldn't get enough of it. I think it's bad for footwork and grips as it usually the ball dies early and doesn't return with any spin. I think it's okay for reflex volleys, but I wouldn't rely on it as a useful teaching tool.

Disadvantages of using a wall is that it's predictable, it's also a completely different feeling to stepping out on court obviously. It doesn't help if you want to improve your serve. Anyone can hit a hard serve against a wall. Doing it on court is a completely different thing all together. You can say the same thing about actually shot production too.
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Yeah, this is really how I feel about it.

Your best bet is to buy a ball machine or just find some practice partners slightly above your level.
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See my last post, ditch the ball machine.
 
There is absolutely nothing better for developing your strokes than hitting against the backboard!
Remember, though, perfect practice makes perfect.
You have to be mindful of what you are doing. Since you hit so many balls during a short period time, you will groove whatever you are doing - if you are using bad habits, that is what you will groove.
rkelley has some good points you have to watch out for, but aren't reasons not to hit the backboard.

rkelley said:
I think hitting against the wall is great practice for ground strokes and basic serving. You can hit a lot of balls in a short amount of time and really focus on form and contact point. I think it works well hitting both soft and hard. Try to hit 30 hard hit balls that would be in with good form. It's not easy. It's also a killer workout.

Volleys are harder to practice on the wall because as you get closer the reaction time starts getting very small.

There are some limitations:
  • The balls never have the spin and nasty bounces that balls from a real partner would have.
  • You have to be honest about whether or not the ball would have really been in or not. If you blast it into the wall and it hits still on the rise, that ball was probably going out.
  • It's hard to practice cross court shots. Conversely it's easy to get grooved into hitting back-to-center and down the line shots.
  • It's harder to see the effect of spin (but you can see it), especially on serves.

At some courts the wall is also a great place to find a hitting partner.

Rich
Click to expand...

Volleys take a while to get the knack of hitting, but Tony Roche, the best volleyer of all time, learned volleys by practicing against the wall.
You can somewhat control the spin you get back by how you hit, but more usefully, the spin you get back is a good indicator of what spin you put on the ball, once you learn to gauge it.

[*]You have to be honest about whether or not the ball would have really been in or not. -- this is critcally important!

There is nothing better for getting in shape than hitting crosscourt balls on a backboard. Very tough to do it for very long.

Also, you can work point patterns on the backboard. Serve, half volley, volley. Crosscourt, crosscourt, down-the-line. Etc.
You can get a lot of practice on overheads by hitting them downward in front of the backboard (lots of underspin, though).

Hit to specific points on the backboard - great target practice. Make up games to play against yourself.
Fun and entertainng for hours!

Most pros learned their strokes against the backboard.
My theory is that there are two reasons for this: 1) the backboard is great practice and 2) - probably the biggest reason - is that those who love to hit the ball so much that they will spend hours on the backboard are more likely to become pros.
 
HunterST said:
This is kind of how I feel. I'm not sure hitting on the wall has much benefit at all. It might help with volleys, but not groundstrokes, imo.
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Well according to multiple successful pros you are completely wrong.

You dont hit the wall to crush the ball or practice spin..etc. You do it to warm up..get your feet moving and get your timing right. If you are good you can hit against the wall for tons of reps without making a mistake.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbXWfACf2M

3:20 - " in the US, we figure out how many hours is needed to reach NTRP, and if wall is better than a ball machine or useful at all, or ball machine is too expensive, or $5 shipping is too much for 2 sets of strings..... (they) forget about the main point - which is hard work "
 
Power Player said:
Well according to multiple successful pros you are completely wrong.

You dont hit the wall to crush the ball or practice spin..etc. You do it to warm up..get your feet moving and get your timing right. If you are good you can hit against the wall for tons of reps without making a mistake.
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Okay, but I think there's a difference between being an effective warm up and being an activity that improves your tennis game. I could be wrong about its usefulness, though, I remember hearing Woz say she hit off the wall a lot when she was a kid.
 
GuyClinch said:
I'd say pro > superior partner > equal partner > ball machine > wall > partner who can't play..
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Well, at least somebody standing on the other end of the court can help you pick up some balls, help you measure how high the kick serve kicks up at the base line, etc.:)
 
HunterST said:
Okay, but I think there's a difference between being an effective warm up and being an activity that improves your tennis game. I could be wrong about its usefulness, though, I remember hearing Woz say she hit off the wall a lot when she was a kid.
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It improves your game because it disciplines you. It makes you take pace off the ball and instead work on moving your feet, prepping early and timing your strokes.

Go to the wall ..find one with a netline or chalk a line for yourself. Now see how many balls you can hit in a row over the net. When I started tennis again, 20 times seemed quite hard..now that I prep right..move my feet and hit my contact point, I can do it for over 50 and it gets pretty easy once you hit a rhythm.

If you think working on timing, footwork and prep is not going to improve your game then you are right - the wall is a waste of time.
 
Power Player said:
It improves your game because it disciplines you. It makes you take pace off the ball and instead work on moving your feet, prepping early and timing your strokes.

Go to the wall ..find one with a netline or chalk a line for yourself. Now see how many balls you can hit in a row over the net. When I started tennis again, 20 times seemed quite hard..now that I prep right..move my feet and hit my contact point, I can do it for over 50 and it gets pretty easy once you hit a rhythm.

If you think working on timing, footwork and prep is not going to improve your game then you are right - the wall is a waste of time.
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I made the thread to ask a question and I've maintained that I'm not decided on the wall's usefulness. It would probably make more sense,then, if you directed your arguments towards the posters who have been more decidedly against the wall.

However, I've had several experiences hitting against a wall. My concern is that you're grooving your stroke, timing, and footwork to a ball that has a trajectory and spin that you will pretty much never see in actual tennis. I'm not sure how much that limitation takes away from the effectiveness of the exercise, though.
 
HunterST said:
However, I've had several experiences hitting against a wall. My concern is that you're grooving your stroke, timing, and footwork to a ball that has a trajectory and spin that you will pretty much never see in actual tennis.
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Wouldn't this same objection also apply to the hand-fed drills that Spanish coaches use?

Or do you think those feeds are more realistic than bounces off the wall? (non-rhetorical question..)
 
The wall is a tool - good for getting lots of reps to groove a stroke if you focus on keeping movement (staying on your toes and keeping the feet going). Bad if you are pounding shots while standing in place, you are not going to get better.
 
rosenstar said:
mmm disagree. Roger probably went out and hit on a wall b/c he loved tennis and couldn't get enough of it. I think it's bad for footwork and grips as it usually the ball dies early and doesn't return with any spin. I think it's okay for reflex volleys, but I wouldn't rely on it as a useful teaching tool.



Yeah, this is really how I feel about it.



See my last post, ditch the ball machine.
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If you're new to tennis then it's a foundation for learning the basic fundamentals of tennis. Once you get to the next level the wall isn't very helpful. It's good if you don't have any suitable practice partners/alternative but it's not what I do. As for ball machines - yes I don't own one. A practice partner is cheaper and better.
 
Vincent Spadia still hits on a wall to this day. Nadal started on a wall at age 6 and still hits on one sometimes to this day.

Actually if you are new to tennis, the wall is nice for hand eye, but you can develop bad habits past that.

There is no level you hit where you are past hitting on a wall at least for a warmup..that's completely false.
 
A wall is a great way to groove strokes. It allows you to practice quickly w/o the interference of having to pick up many balls or lug tons of equipment to a court. You can practice nearly any shot against a wall. You can practice taking the ball on the rise, after it begins to fall, or at the top of the hop. You can hit swinging volleys. You can hit serves and then return your own serve. The possibilities are endless and you can see where others have given links to videos.

My experience:
I'm a self taught player who began and learned to play against a giant wall of a school building. I strongly suggest a giant 2 story tall wall made of brick over a wooden, fence wall that might only be 10 feet tall.

I own a ball machine and have many friends to play against at all levels. I still prefer a wall at times so I can groove my strokes in a short period of time. I only need one ball, my opponent is impossible to beat, I don't have to stop every so many minutes to refill it, its battery won't die, it'll hit me as many backhands in a row w/o getting annoyed, etc.

The wall IS beneficial, inexpensive, and overall a great tool.

A ball machine is good too. A ball machine is good to groove strokes and work on spin and placement. I'm glad I can do both. If I had to rate one higher than the other, the wall would win by the slightest of margins.
 
A wall is a great way to groove strokes. It allows you to practice quickly w/o the interference of having to pick up many balls or lug tons of equipment to a court. You can practice nearly any shot against a wall. You can practice taking the ball on the rise, after it begins to fall, or at the top of the hop. You can hit swinging volleys. You can hit serves and then return your own serve. The possibilities are endless and you can see where others have given links to videos.

My experience:
I'm a self taught player who began and learned to play against a giant wall of a school building. I strongly suggest a giant 2 story tall wall made of brick over a wooden, fence wall that might only be 10 feet tall.

I own a ball machine and have many friends to play against at all levels. I still prefer a wall at times so I can groove my strokes in a short period of time. I only need one ball, my opponent is impossible to beat, I don't have to stop every so many minutes to refill it, its battery won't die, it'll hit me as many backhands in a row w/o getting annoyed, etc.

The wall IS beneficial, inexpensive, and overall a great tool.

A ball machine is good too. A ball machine is good to groove strokes and work on spin and placement. I'm glad I can do both. If I had to rate one higher than the other, the wall would win by the slightest of margins.
 
I don't know why would anyone say the wall isn't good, it's the bomb. Like other people said, you can have an intense hitting session that would probably be hard to have with a real person, what with balls going out/missing/etc. With the wall you can hit until you tire.

Most important thing about the wall is i believe it builds endurance, hitting endurance. If you go for hours hitting against the wall intensely you'll probably not tire in a match or practicing with someone.

As for hitting cross-court shots, you could do it but you would need a very big wall, a very wide one. You can even go side to side hitting cross-court and this would be another great workout.

You really gotta commit and hit seriously against the wall though, no messing around.
 
Alright, so it sounds like the consensus is that wall hitting is at least somewhat beneficial. The question then is, how much so?

Is it worth spending 30 minutes to an hour practicing against the wall, or is it more suited for just a 10 minute it warm-up?
 
HunterST said:
Alright, so it sounds like the consensus is that wall hitting is at least somewhat beneficial. The question then is, how much so?

Is it worth spending 30 minutes to an hour practicing against the wall, or is it more suited for just a 10 minute it warm-up?
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Sometimes i spend 2 hours against the wall lol. It's addictive.
 
Cross-court said:
Sometimes i spend 2 hours against the wall lol. It's addictive.
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I agree. Incredibly addictive. I did an hour on a wall last Sunday and was almost dead afterwards. Fantastic workout. I think I had several 30+ ball rallies (which for me is good). All you have to do is find that groove.
 
How much you hit the wall depends on your preference, how many hitting partners are around, how good the general level is at your courts, and how much time you have.
For compressed time maximum workout, it's great.
To work on a specific shot, it's great.
But there IS a thing called....too much time on the wall.
I know a guy who hits 350 IN A ROW forehands and backhands, without picking up the ball even once. He hits hard, stands 3' behind the baseline, get's almost all once bouncers. But he's a 3.5 :shock::shock:
Me, I"m lucky to hit 25 topspin shots in a row, sometimes closer to 10....on one bounce. But I never said I was consistent or a baseline basher.
 
mightyrick said:
I agree. Incredibly addictive. I did an hour on a wall last Sunday and was almost dead afterwards. Fantastic workout. I think I had several 30+ ball rallies (which for me is good). All you have to do is find that groove.
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Cross-court said:
Sometimes i spend 2 hours against the wall lol. It's addictive.
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I can do an hour no problem. I really have to stop myself sometimes. It's really great place to work on very specific areas, break a stroke down and fix components, etc. I love hitting for 10 minutes to warm-up before I hit with someone.

But it isn't the same as hitting with a live partner. I'll always hit with a live partner if I can (the dead ones don't many balls back :)).

LeeD said:
I know a guy who hits 350 IN A ROW forehands and backhands, without picking up the ball even once. He hits hard, stands 3' behind the baseline, get's almost all once bouncers. But he's a 3.5
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There's something wrong here. If someone is hitting 350 balls, hard, in a row and is only a 3.5 then I agree he's definitely over-done the wall time. I'd like to see him hit. I'd guess that he's not practicing against the wall like he's hitting on a real court.

Rich
 
No problem, he's a 3.5 because he hits with people like he hits the wall, and wants the same ball back at him.
Worst, he tries to play with 4.5 doubles guys, is always teamed with the best guy (since he's the worst), and thinks he holds up his end of the team.
His biggest problem is a lack of variety on his shots. He hits topspin forehands off a conti/Eforehand grip, and flattish backhands off the SAME grip.
 
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