IS my game a push ???

[dgold44]

I like to hit deep lobs and mix it soft, junky slice shots off both wings. IF the ball is short then I will hit flat and attack net.
I sometimes will charge the net to mix things up.

I generally hit few winners in the entire match except for a few volleys and forehands.

I win off other peoples errors.

I just do not have the talent to play an aggressive style game. I wish I did but I dont.

 

[dgold44]

I hit most of my shots always cross court and I have good return of serve and good endurance and still decent speed for 39.

 

[g4driver]

You seem like a smart player IMO. Hitting crosscourt, being patience and attacking just the short balls and winning off the errors of others. How is that not respectable ? Who cares if you aren't an attacking player? If you win, you win.

I wish the half the 4.0 guys on my 4.0 and 7.5 team would mimic you and cut down their aggressive unforced errors.

 

[jga111]

Your game does sound pushy....so what?? You're playing to your strengths and good on you! People that complain against these types of plays are usually the ones that simply lose and cannot sustain a lengthy controlled rally before they error into oblivion.

 

[Turbo-87]

The best tennis games challenge opponents to beat you. If your style of play yields victories, who cares what the style of play is called? My game at 3.5 is just about consistency and keeping the ball in play long enough to get an error. Most points at this level come from errors so if you keep the ball in play the probability your opponent will make the error goes up. I don't play ultra conservative and push the ball around but I also don't go for low percentage shots that I physically just can't pull off yet after just a few years of playing.

 

[blip]

Best way would be to read the styles of play sticky and see what you most resemble. In my opinion, anyone who comes to net and hits an occasional winner is not a pusher. My def is someone who just gets the ball back over and over again.

I am similar but am trying to change to a more attacking style. I look for more opportunities now but during points you can't attack every shot. You have to work the point and if that takes additional strokes than so be it.

If you find yourself just mindlessly hitting shots back, try to change gears and get on the offensive.

 

[tennis tom]

A picture tells a thousand words, a video a million, post a clip of your strokes and a serving and a receiving game, and we can make an accurate assessement.

 

[Startzel]

Seems like a pointless question. Seems pretty obvious you're a pusher.

 

[edathompson2]

Yes. It's a good style to start with. It usually yields the best results. I prefer to play against pushers myself. They don't make me hit on the run and I can place my shots where I want to.

I would advise you to develop your game more though. It's better to be a well rounded player. If moving up is a goal you'll have to develop the variety of your shots, including add more pace and topspin.

 

[dgold44]

How do I take slow speed shots of my stokes without another person present. ??
I can have my brother take shots but I will not be moving to Phoenix for several months or longer.
Can I buy a cheap slow shot camera thingy and mount it.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

Here is the rule. If you think you might be a pusher, you're a pusher.

 

[Ft.S]

How do I take slow speed shots of my stokes without another person present. ??
I can have my brother take shots but I will not be moving to Phoenix for several months or longer.
Can I buy a cheap slow shot camera thingy and mount it.

I think a GoPro 4 with a tripod works well. It has high res at 120 fps capability, so you don't lose resolution when you slow the vid down. Others may have different suggestions.

 

[tennis tom]

Can I buy a cheap slow shot camera thingy and mount it.

yes that's what many here do, there's one you can easily mount on a fence

 

[dgold44]

Ok do they have one maybe a tad cheaper ???

 

[realed]

I don't think it's worth buying a camera to show the hacks of this forum (myself included) your strokes. Nothing wrong with pushing if it works for you.

 

[Turbo-87]

I agree with the above. If you post on Youtube make sure to disable comments. Everyone is an armchair pro with sublime strokes.

 

[dgold44]

I would only post here and not youtube lol.

I did brag to everybody here I was a solid 6.0 player. I am going to have to fly out to Spain and find someone and pay them to take tennis videos of and then say it is me !!!!

 

[blip]

Any TT posters near you that can help?

 

[Carefree]

I'd probably call you a junk-baller from your description. Some people see junk-ballers as a type of pusher. Whatever. It sounds like you mix it up, on purpose, but none of it has any pace. That's a junk baller to me. Whether you consider that to be a pusher is another story.

Keep in mind, some people seem to think that if you don't go for winners on almost every shot, you are a pusher to them if they get beat by you.

 

[dgold44]

Well I just played with a member here last nite so maybe he will have the final say !!!!

 

[Jonboy]

Pushers tend to do quite well at the 3.0-4.0 level. When you meet players with heat and consistency that tactic doesnt work. Unfortunately you wont progress much either.

 

[edathompson2]

Jonboy is right. If you're O.k. staying where you are, keep doing what you do. If you're looking to improve, start taking chances with adding pace and spin. As well as serve and volley and aggressive approach shots. I don't know how anyone can be content to have the same game year after year, but I see it.

 

[navigator]

Pushers tend to do quite well at the 3.0-4.0 level. When you meet players with heat and consistency that tactic doesnt work. Unfortunately you wont progress much either.

I see this statement a lot and maybe it's correct. But, for argument's sake, let's assume I play at a high 4.5 level - that is, I very occasionally lose to a strong 4.5 player, but generally I'm only losing to 5.0s or above. I consider myself a pusher in that I might hit one or two groundstroke winners in a set (excluding passing shots), so most of my winners are at the net and even those will generally be in single digits, not a big number. I definitely rely on my opponents' errors to win - even at the 4.5 level they just miss and miss and miss (eventually). So, the question is... how am I doing so well pushing if the conventional wisdom is that pushers max out at 4.0? Perhaps the conventional wisdom is incorrect or maybe I'm missing something - I really don't now. But I'm curious about this conundrum.

 

[edathompson2]

I see this statement a lot and maybe it's correct. But, for argument's sake, let's assume I play at a high 4.5 level - that is, I very occasionally lose to a strong 4.5 player, but generally I'm only losing to 5.0s or above. I consider myself a pusher in that I might hit one or two groundstroke winners in a set (excluding passing shots), so most of my winners are at the net and even those will generally be in single digits, not a big number. I definitely rely on my opponents' errors to win - even at the 4.5 level they just miss and miss and miss (eventually). So, the question is... how am I doing so well pushing if the conventional wisdom is that pushers max out at 4.0? Perhaps the conventional wisdom is incorrect or maybe I'm missing something - I really don't now. But I'm curious about this conundrum.

A pusher does exactly that. Pushes the ball back. They don't generate spin. Their shots are typically flat with no pace. They play good against guys that hit hard right to them, because they block the ball back with depth and simply wait for their opponent to make a mistake. They don't execute passing shots, almost exclusively lobs. They can't hit winners, even if the court is open. They simply feed it back.

A pusher is different than a baseliner. This gentlemen may actually be a baseliner. A baseliner can succeed at ANY level. A baseliner is someone that stays at the base line and very rarely misses groundstrokes. They can pass you, move you from side to side, and hit winners when the court is open.

 

[eelhc]

I like to hit deep lobs and mix it soft, junky slice shots off both wings. IF the ball is short then I will hit flat and attack net.
I sometimes will charge the net to mix things up.

I generally hit few winners in the entire match except for a few volleys and forehands.

I win off other peoples errors.

I just do not have the talent to play an aggressive style game. I wish I did but I dont.

I just do not have the talent to play a consistent, patient game to construct winners off short balls and win points off opponent's errors. I wish but I don't.

I play aggressive and look to end points quickly .

 

[Carefree]

I see this statement a lot and maybe it's correct. But, for argument's sake, let's assume I play at a high 4.5 level - that is, I very occasionally lose to a strong 4.5 player, but generally I'm only losing to 5.0s or above. I consider myself a pusher in that I might hit one or two groundstroke winners in a set (excluding passing shots), so most of my winners are at the net and even those will generally be in single digits, not a big number. I definitely rely on my opponents' errors to win - even at the 4.5 level they just miss and miss and miss (eventually). So, the question is... how am I doing so well pushing if the conventional wisdom is that pushers max out at 4.0? Perhaps the conventional wisdom is incorrect or maybe I'm missing something - I really don't now. But I'm curious about this conundrum.

I don't think you're pushing.

Pushers don't hit winners, true, but that doesn't mean that if you don't hit a lot of winners you are automatically a pusher.

If you're keeping the ball deep (easier to keep consistent if you hit with topspin) and your opponent can't maintain a rally of 6+ shots, what are you supposed to do? Go for a winner on your second shot just so that your opponent doesn't hit an UE?

A pusher won't generally make it to more advanced levels because those players will punish them for leaving the ball short and/or in the middle of the court.

It sounds like you are just being more patient than your opponent.

 

[jls304]

For sure, you sound like a classic pusher. Is it bad? Well, I lose to pushers all the time. I despise pushers because I feel like they play "cheap". But again I lose to them all the time. There is nothing to feel bad about here or be ashamed of. Bottom line, if you're winning matches then you're doing something right. So I say keep doing what you're doing. But it's also a good idea to develop an aggressive game as well. I think you'll feel better about playing more quality tennis. But don't lose your pusher game all together, just add some aggressive play every now and then. I think you'll find you win even more matches this way because then opponents won't know whether your gonna push, or make a winner.

 

[Jonboy]

I see this statement a lot and maybe it's correct. But, for argument's sake, let's assume I play at a high 4.5 level - that is, I very occasionally lose to a strong 4.5 player, but generally I'm only losing to 5.0s or above. I consider myself a pusher in that I might hit one or two groundstroke winners in a set (excluding passing shots), so most of my winners are at the net and even those will generally be in single digits, not a big number. I definitely rely on my opponents' errors to win - even at the 4.5 level they just miss and miss and miss (eventually). So, the question is... how am I doing so well pushing if the conventional wisdom is that pushers max out at 4.0? Perhaps the conventional wisdom is incorrect or maybe I'm missing something - I really don't now. But I'm curious about this conundrum.

You get some good pushers. Some even hit with pace and good angles. All of them have one thing in common. They just sit on the baseline. So when I come up against one, I play ball short and force them to come to the net. Oh and did I say, most of them cant volley either?

The point is your pushing may yield results. But when an opponent can adapt and force you to play, suddenly you are out of your comfort zone.

 

[jga111]

I played against a pusher yesterday. Terrific consistency and he fed slow dead balls, sometimes low, which challenged my top spin strokes (especially with their extreme grips).

He won the first set. But then I comfortably took the second and I was well on my way taking the third had it not gone dark. I worked him out. And most importantly I worked myself out - when I should be aggressive, where I should play the ball, etc...This is the problem with being a pusher - that's it. Their game is limited. Nothing wrong with that but if you're looking to improve and play aggressive shots as well, learn to adjust your mentality during matches

 

[Startzel]

I see this statement a lot and maybe it's correct. But, for argument's sake, let's assume I play at a high 4.5 level - that is, I very occasionally lose to a strong 4.5 player, but generally I'm only losing to 5.0s or above. I consider myself a pusher in that I might hit one or two groundstroke winners in a set (excluding passing shots), so most of my winners are at the net and even those will generally be in single digits, not a big number. I definitely rely on my opponents' errors to win - even at the 4.5 level they just miss and miss and miss (eventually). So, the question is... how am I doing so well pushing if the conventional wisdom is that pushers max out at 4.0? Perhaps the conventional wisdom is incorrect or maybe I'm missing something - I really don't now. But I'm curious about this conundrum.

A pusher doesn't come to the net for winners.

Your argument is essentially, "if you ignore all of my good shots I'm a pusher." Well duh. But, that's why we don't ignore your good shots.

 

[dgold44]

I have started to play more aggressive the last few years: this is mostly due to a loss in both my patience and my overall speed along with improved volleys.
So maybe this post is not good to describe me.
I am a semi-push who plays aggressive about 1/3 of the time.