How to increase shot tolerance

[WestboroChe]

As has been said before, shot tolerance is the difference between a regular player and a good player. Meaning your level is ultimately defined by what level of shot you can handle from your opponent.

What are some simple drills or techniques someone could use to improve their shot tolerance? Feel free to recommend drills that relate to fitness as well as stroke mechanics.

 

[user92626]

As far my recreational park goes, there's only "rallies" and random doubles. So, to work on "shot tolerance", if I understand it correctly, I just figure out how and practice getting as many shots back as possible, regardless of the types of shots coming at me.

Example when I get an out wide ball, I see it as a chance to practice side hitting/recovering. A ball that sails way high, that's half volley from the baseline. Etc..


I don't know what drills I can construct with random rec players. For fitness, I go to the gym.

 

[Cashman]

It depends what you mean by 'shot tolerance'. I tend to find people mean one of three things:

1. How many quality rally balls you can return before making a mistake
2. How many quality rally balls you can execute before making a mistake
3. How long a quality rally can last before you get antsy and pull the trigger

They are related but different skills. Playing on clay is particularly good for improving (2) and (3). Playing against opponents who are good at (2) and (3) is good for improving (1). Improving your fitness and movement will help with everything.

So I would say get out there on a clay court with a good opponent and start drilling rallies. Sorry if that's a bit of a boring answer. It's not a skill with a lot of shortcuts.

 

[WestboroChe]

It depends what you mean by 'shot tolerance'. I tend to find people mean one of three things:

1. How many quality rally balls you can return before making a mistake
2. How many quality rally balls you can execute before making a mistake
3. How long a quality rally can last before you get antsy and pull the trigger

They are related but different skills. Playing on clay is particularly good for improving (2) and (3). Playing against opponents who are good at (2) and (3) is good for improving (1). Improving your fitness and movement will help with everything.

So I would say get out there on a clay court with a good opponent and start drilling rallies. Sorry if that's a bit of a boring answer. It's not a skill with a lot of shortcuts.

Not at all. The value of these forums is getting a lot of ideas.

 

[Goof]

Run, be ready to run, and be willing and eager to get every ball back in play no matter how ugly your shots might need to be.

 

[heninfan99]

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[3virgul14]

Place cones 1m behind the baseline and try to count 50 deep forehand and backhand drives non stop, if you hit short or long , dont worry, just continue.. If you can finish this drill at once without taking a break, you are good to go for shot tolerance. Repeat couple of times every week, great for match condition too..

 

[mcs1970]

As has been said before, shot tolerance is the difference between a regular player and a good player. Meaning your level is ultimately defined by what level of shot you can handle from your opponent.

What are some simple drills or techniques someone could use to improve their shot tolerance? Feel free to recommend drills that relate to fitness as well as stroke mechanics.

I know high level players on this forum also have used this term, but for me shot tolerance can't be viewed in a vacuum without looking at skill levels. If you're a 5.0, and 3-4 shots in against a pro you're struggling because you won't be able to handle the pace or heaviness...are you a good player or a regular player?

If you're struggling to keep the ball in play because you make poor decisions, then find drills to improve your decisions (when to go for offense vs defense) or drills to minimize unforced errors if that's your shortcoming. If you're struggling because the other player is just better than you despite you not making many unforced errors...you can't really change much unless your skill level improves.

 

[ptuanminh]

I thought shot tolerance means this:

It depends what you mean by 'shot tolerance'. I tend to find people mean one of three things:

1. How many quality rally balls you can return before making a mistake
2. How many quality rally balls you can execute before making a mistake
3. How long a quality rally can last before you get antsy and pull the trigger

They are related but different skills. Playing on clay is particularly good for improving (2) and (3). Playing against opponents who are good at (2) and (3) is good for improving (1). Improving your fitness and movement will help with everything.

So I would say get out there on a clay court with a good opponent and start drilling rallies. Sorry if that's a bit of a boring answer. It's not a skill with a lot of shortcuts.

Like

 

[dominikk1985]

Shot tolerance is in relation to the strength of the incoming ball. A 4.5 has great shot tolerance against a 4.0 but bad shot tolerance against nadal.

You simply need to hit often with guys who can hit a strong shot to get used to it.

 

[ChaelAZ]

@TTPS , any thoughts on coop hitting?

Anyway, I like everything presented above. To me though shot tolerance changes as players progress and improve. For a lower rated player, it can simply be technical and footwork skills, like being able to rally more than 25 balls. As a player progresses and footwork and skills are less issue, shot tolerance becomes more about focus and being able to contruct points without feeling like every shot has to be a winner. Both are talked about well above.

So it can be either, or both physical and mental.

 

[Nostradamus]

Shot tolerance is in relation to the strength of the incoming ball. A 4.5 has great shot tolerance against a 4.0 but bad shot tolerance against nadal.

You simply need to hit often with guys who can hit a strong shot to get used to it.

not always. if you get tired after running side to side for 3 to 4 shots then you will miss even on medium paced shots

 

[ChaelAZ]

@TTPS , any thoughts on coop hitting?

Anyway, I like everything presented above. To me though shot tolerance changes as players progress and improve. For a lower rated player, it can simply be technical and footwork skills, like being able to rally more than 25 balls. As a player progresses and footwork and skills are less issue, shot tolerance becomes more about focus and being able to contruct points without feeling like every shot has to be a winner. Both are talked about well above.

So it can be either, or both physical and mental.

Oh, and to increase shot tolerance, coop hitting is still a great way to work on both the physical and mental aspect of it. The key for me is trying to maintain a calm and relaxed mentality no matter the pace or physicality, then try to apply that in a game during pressure situations.

 

[mcs1970]

not always. if you get tired after running side to side for 3 to 4 shots then you will miss even on medium paced shots

That's a fitness issue if you're just missing easy medium paced shots. If you miss shots because you have poor technique, footwork or focus is that also related to *shot tolerance*?

 

[mcs1970]

Shot tolerance is in relation to the strength of the incoming ball. A 4.5 has great shot tolerance against a 4.0 but bad shot tolerance against nadal.

You simply need to hit often with guys who can hit a strong shot to get used to it.

Agreed to a large extent. You'll get used to the speed so that you don't get intimidated. However, in a match situation if your skill level is clearly lower than your opponent, your opponent will start breaking you down within a few shots, regardless of the fact that you are not intimidated by his shots.

 

[OnTheLine]

If you have a willing hitting partner, doing particular drills will help with both shot tolerance (whatever your definition may be) as well as conditioning.

Here is what a hitting session looks like with my favorite and most willing tennis partner:
After a light warm up
Hit down the middle to each other each ball must hit near or behind the service line ... go until you hit 50 combined hits
Move to deuce sides ... hit cross court only deuce to deuce, same depth goal ... until you hit 50 combined hits
Move to ad side ... repeat as above
Finally .... cross / DTL .... you either start Ad/Ad or Deuce/Deuce .... one person is ONLY hitting cross court on every ball, other is ONLY hitting DTL on every ball .... you will run a lot .... we have made it to 30, someday will get to 50 ... when first working on this a year or so ago could not get past 10 ....

 

[WestboroChe]

Thanks guys. These are all good ideas.

For me the issue is that I have managed to increase my consistency and tactical ability to a point where I can beat the players I feel I should be able to beat and would now like to start playing against some better competition. But I find I get over powered too easily. So while I can typically get a racquet on the shot it’s usually a weak reply that puts me in a position to give up the winner or make an error. So a lot of it now is getting more looks at these level of shots. But anything I can do to speed up the learning curve I’ll try.

 

[dominikk1985]

Agreed to a large extent. You'll get used to the speed so that you don't get intimidated. However, in a match situation if your skill level is clearly lower than your opponent, your opponent will start breaking you down within a few shots, regardless of the fact that you are not intimidated by his shots.

It is not just intimidation but also being on time. That is like in baseball, you need to be quick enough to hit 90 mph and you need to practice that to get there. Of course technique and fitness need to be adequate too.

 

[Dan Huben]

Run, be ready to run, and be willing and eager to get every ball back in play no matter how ugly your shots might need to be.

I don’t agree with this. Consistency to me is not about bunting balls back to keep it in play. Which is what it is commonly misinterpreted to be. Pushing is not a path to consistency nor is non qualitybugly shots an indicator of shot tolerance.

It’s a quality rally that you can sustain before pulling the trigger . It’s djoker wait for the short ball or the ball you can take advantage of but sending a ball back with enough teeth that your partner or opponent can’t pull the trigger on you.


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[Raul_SJ]

It depends what you mean by 'shot tolerance'. I tend to find people mean one of three things:

1. How many quality rally balls you can return before making a mistake
2. How many quality rally balls you can execute before making a mistake
3. How long a quality rally can last before you get antsy and pull the trigger

They are related but different skills. Playing on clay is particularly good for improving (2) and (3). Playing against opponents who are good at (2) and (3) is good for improving (1). Improving your fitness and movement will help with everything.

So I would say get out there on a clay court with a good opponent and start drilling rallies. Sorry if that's a bit of a boring answer. It's not a skill with a lot of shortcuts.

There are 3.5 guys I play that practically never make an UE. But I can't figure it out. Have queried them and discovered they do not play any more than I do. Many times less so. They just play recreationally about 2X a week. Social matches. No drilling. Many are not fit... But on rally balls that they can reach, these guys practically never make an UE.

Starting to believe much of it is mental. If you can return three balls, there is no reason you cannot return ten identical balls, if you relax and focus.

 

[WestboroChe]

There are 3.5 guys I play that practically never make an UE. But I can't figure it out. Have queried them and discovered they do not play any more than I do. Many times less so. They just play recreationally about 2X a week. Social matches. No drilling. Many are not fit... But on rally balls that they can reach, these guys practically never make an UE.

Starting to believe much of it is mental. If you can return three balls, there is no reason you cannot return ten identical balls, if you relax and focus.

Not necessarily. If you’re like me you never had lessons and your form is erratic. So it takes immense concentration to hit correctly over and over. But everyone has their Achilles heel.

I feel with a lot of these guys who are just above me if I can make them hit just a couple more shots I know they will get impatient and miss.