My Video - Constructive Critique Welcome

T

tfm1973

Semi-Pro
Hit the other night with a fellow TW member indoors. I play almost exclusively doubles but looking to get back to playing singles by springtime. Need a lot of work on my conditioning but probably just as much work on my strokes. Any tips, advice, criticism is welcome by me. In these videos I'm the player in the near court.

If anyone could also tell me what kind of forehand I have - push/pull. Never really though about it much til I read these forums.

Thanks and Cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amdl9mGh33c
 
I notice just a couple things...
When you do your unit turn your left hand is off the racquet. Yes you still do get the shoulder turn but it would be better with the left hand on the racquet until you are completely sideways to the court.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AJYfkJ4hc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRzLgGPShUw
like so.

Another thing is, try to bend the knees, it looks pretty straight. Knee bend will add a lot more power into your forehand side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kluhYnSlGZU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ho3FRWm9Pw (this guy does a good job of explaining about the leg loading)

When you hit your OHBH try to extend the left arm for balance.
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200709/r173773_657403.jpg (well thats a slice but bottom video will hopefully make my statement clear...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49swrZyIn-4
like so.

Oh and... Are you lookin at the ball when you hit it? Your ears never show. Your ears would show if you turned your head to see the ball at contact.

You have very solid mechanics just tiny details that can be adjusted to make your FH much better =)

BTW, are you korean? I thought I heard a Korean word.
 
Last edited:
stilrallyracer -- venetian has it right. i think the angle of the shot is making it APPEAR to have loads of top. not saying there isn't a fair amount but trust me it isn't that loopy at ground level.

can'tbebeat2 - i've been playing 4.0 for almost 15 years. i FEEL like i've improved a lot but always stuck at this level. go figure. ;)

quicken -- I notice just a couple things...
When you do your unit turn your left hand is off the racquet. Yes you still do get the shoulder turn but it would be better with the left hand on the racquet until you are completely sideways to the court.
i never really noticed that but you are right. i am taking my left hand off the racquet at unit turn. gotta hit a bucket of forehands and concentrate on that.

Another thing is, try to bend the knees, it looks pretty straight. Knee bend will add a lot more power into your forehand side.
you caught me again. pure laziness. i have to tell myself to practice like how i want to play.


When you hit your OHBH try to extend the left arm for balance.
i was always taught to do this with 1h slice but i just recently started hearing how this same thing helps for balance and keeping sideways on 1hbh as well. great tip!

Oh and... Are you lookin at the ball when you hit it? Your ears never show. Your ears would show if you turned your head to see the ball at contact.
lol. i'm ashamed you found all my flaws so quickly. ;) i'm a habitual not looking to see the ball on contact guy. probably accounts for 99% of my mishits and shanks.

BTW, are you korean? I thought I heard a Korean word.
yup korean here. but i'm adopted korean and speak very little korean. well maybe some curse words. ;) old joke but i'm what you call korean lite -- all the taste, half the calories. :)
i'm printing a cheat sheet of these tips for my tennis bag. thanks!
 
Firstly, id like to say i like the fact that you have a good sense of humour and u can laugh about ur bad strokes.

But in actual fact, I feel you have both a very solid forehand and backhand and very comfortable swing. In fact i dream to play such smooth shots like you so consistently. Your partner, however, needs backhand work quite a bit, he should go hit a ball machine if he can.

I didn't see enough of your backhand to comment but i will comment on your forehand, also as you requested.

It looks like you have a nice brushing topsin forehand, i was admiring the nice sound with which you hit the balls from your technique mainly and strings.

For the most part from what i could see say 90% of your forehands it looked like a push forehand exclusively but I did see you pull a few as well so that you are aware of it, you did both.
 
I have a question, what strings and racquet do you use with what tension?

I am currently using a Boris Becker 11 which im very satisfied with with Gut mains and Luxilon rough crosses, i got lot of power output in my shots but i am looking to trade power for some finesse like you have and might benefit from the knowledge.
 
I agree with what quicken has said and would like to add one further point. Probably the reason you're not getting to the next level is your conditioning and your physical commitment to the stroke. Take this video for example: -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntx7L16sn24&feature=related
the shear physicality of their game is why they are hitting it better.

Absolute commitment to every shot with every part of the body.
 
montx - very kind of you to say. so i hit mostly push type forehands and a few pull type forehands. i wonder if i should be aiming for a more modern pull forehand? my racquet: tfight 320 open string pattern. currently playing with full babolat pro hurricane tour at 52 pounds. relatively soft poly. i find it has better spin and less pop than synthetic gut or multis. strung relatively low because i've had elbow/wrist problems in the past.

seb85 - i agree 100%. it seems that i am going to have to commit fully to each and every stroke. with my modest talent level the only way to get better is to work harder. sobering news but i'm curious to see where i can top out if i apply myself. really wish i could take my 35 year old brain and put it in my 18 year old body. that body was a bit fitter. ;)
 
I alos noticed that after you hit your shots, you kind of stay in the same position or walk slowly. I would recommend maybebeing on the tips of your toes or preparing for the next shot earlier? Not sure...And by the way, your forehand has a lot of depth.
 
tfm1973 - one thing to point out, i don't have benefit of slow motion so I would have trouble telling you for sure if most your forehands are push or pull. But from my observation i stand by my opinion, it looked like when you had more time you made a pull but when you had less time you did a push.
 
thanks moxio. i hope to hit again this week and see if i can't implement the tips that everyone has been kind enough to post.

montx - i'll add some slow mo clips. it's fun while editing these videos to go through frame by frame of video. also embarassing to see the weird little habits we all have. i'm like - am i really that ******** looking? and apparantly i am. :( lol
 
well its all okay to laugh at ourselves but not need to put ourselves down.

You don't look bad at all to me and your strokes actually make you look good.
 
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