Pirate Ship Tennis

zill

Legend
Alright I cut together yesterday's footage. We ended up pushing it down the middle for most of the hour anyway since it was so hot & humid. Sadly I was unable to complete the challenge (20 me 20 them in a row) but here's the best I could do:

"26" me and "27" me with breaks in the rally
~25 me 26 them where I may have sent a backhand long in the middle

Rhythm was around 20bpm.

I'll gladly take any feedback!

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah it was pretty bad that day - I've got some old habits that creep in whenever I try to control the ball too much.

I think it ultimately stems from subconsciously wanting to feel the connected & firm right arm/wrist of a 1hbh -- but the conti grip and attached left hand means that I get stuck in an extra low & close "left-pocket" position where I have to open up my body too much in order to swing. To make it worse, I'll often not turn enough when I get in that pushing mindset.

Often I can fix it by telling myself to loosen up, lean forward, separate my arms from my body, and allow my wrist to "break"... but those don't stick very well when I tense up.

Good point re: the takeback though - I'm gonna experiment with forcing my right arm to be more across the body in the takeback (rather than diagonally down), and hopefully that'll force everything else to fall into place with less mental effort.

Try to turn more side on to full closed stance (right leg across) then let your arm across your body as you say.
 
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Curious

G.O.A.T.
Yes, he states some basics but not all here.
Sure. The point is basics are simple and no rocket science. I don’t agree with your claim that most people don’t know them. Everyone knows/has heard. They’re just too busy with the nonbasics like your 7 steps ina forehand!
 

zill

Legend
Sure. The point is basics are simple and no rocket science. I don’t agree with your claim that most people don’t know them. Everyone knows/has heard. They’re just too busy with the nonbasics like your 7 steps ina forehand!

No, the basics are simple but not simpler, so not 6 steps for example. And they are not trivial so it's not guaranteed everyone has heard about them or worked them out. Some are more obvious than others though so most know some basics but not all.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
No, the basics are simple but not simpler, so not 6 steps for example. And they are not trivial so it's not guaranteed everyone has heard about them or worked them out. Some are more obvious than others though so most know some basics but not all.
Sounds to me like you have your own unique basics. :)
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Why don't you give it a shot.

List 10 bad habits for rec tennis players.

If you need help ask the crowd.

Then I will work some magic on your list.

J
Try this:
1. Turtle arm fh.
2. Fear of flattening.
3. Rolling in the serve.
4. Lazy loss of split stepping.
5. Not backing up or moving forward to set up for ball.
6. Not stepping forward into shot when there is time.
7. Not bending knees for low volleys.
8. Standing too straight on groundies.
9. Not getting weight out inside court on serve.
10. Not moving back first to set up overhead.
 

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
Try this:
1. Turtle arm fh.
2. Fear of flattening.
3. Rolling in the serve.
4. Lazy loss of split stepping.
5. Not backing up or moving forward to set up for ball.
6. Not stepping forward into shot when there is time.
7. Not bending knees for low volleys.
8. Standing too straight on groundies.
9. Not getting weight out inside court on serve.
10. Not moving back first to set up overhead.

1. Reach out and rotate the ball.
2. Attack with courage when opportunity arises.
3. Attempt to start the point to your advantage on serve.
4. Split step deliberately on every ball.
5. Move forward or back to hit the ball at optimal height.
6. Shift weight into the shot when possible.
7. Get to the level of the ball on volleys.
8. Maintain a wide and low base on baseline shots.
9. Use legs to organize momentum on serve.
10. Immediately power cross backwards to set up overheads.

J
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
1. Reach out and rotate the ball.
2. Attack with courage when opportunity arises.
3. Attempt to start the point to your advantage on serve.
4. Split step deliberately on every ball.
5. Move forward or back to hit the ball at optimal height.
6. Shift weight into the shot when possible.
7. Get to the level of the ball on volleys.
8. Maintain a wide and low base on baseline shots.
9. Use legs to organize momentum on serve.
10. Immediately power cross backwards to set up overheads.

J
That’s a lot to remember for a guy who’s already having short-term memory issues. I think if I could have implemented just one of those, I might have won my UTR match on Tuesday against my 18-year-old opponent.

For some reason, the courage thing used to come naturally for me in my youth, but not these days. it cost me my match this time because I abandoned my most successful play (S&V) when it got to a super and my old legs felt tired.
 

zoingy

Rookie
For some reason, the courage thing used to come naturally for me in my youth, but not these days. it cost me my match this time because I abandoned my most successful play (S&V) when it got to a super and my old legs felt tired.

what is courage but the fear of a missed opportunity :unsure:
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
what is courage but the fear of a missed opportunity :unsure:
I recall a match 30+ years ago, when I was 17 years old, trying to serve out the match in the third set for one of my better wins of my brief junior career.

The voice in my head was chanting “serve don’t fail me now.” I listened and went for my serves and it worked.

This week, when I got to the super, the voice said “you are probably too tired out to execute S&V, so just stay back and be conservative.” Shouldn’t have listened.
 

zoingy

Rookie
I recall a match 30+ years ago, when I was 17 years old, trying to serve out the match in the third set for one of my better wins of my brief junior career.

The voice in my head was chanting “serve don’t fail me now.” I listened and went for my serves and it worked.

This week, when I got to the super, the voice said “you are probably too tired out to execute S&V, so just stay back and be conservative.” Shouldn’t have listened.

Oh yeah I know that feeling haha

In retrospect it's obvious that grinding it out at the baseline isn't gonna be easier than ending the point early

But in the moment it's so tempting to play passive and hope I win the point without having to do anything, in some strange procrastinatory sense :-D

Though these days I tend to have sort of the opposite problem of bailing out of rallies too early & going for opportunities that aren't really there
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
@J011yroger
Do you really hold the racket with your nondominant hand?
I guess in theory it makes sense but doesn’t sound very intuitive and very difficult to do unless you were told to do so when you first started learning tennis. I suspect 99% of rec players don’t do it. Do even pros really do it as described in the video. Again the tip makes perfect sense to me. But how likely is it to develop this habit after so many years of holding the racket with dominant hand?


 

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
@J011yroger
Do you really hold the racket with your nondominant hand?
I guess in theory it makes sense but doesn’t sound very intuitive and very difficult to do unless you were told to do so when you first started learning tennis. I suspect 99% of rec players don’t do it. Do even pros really do it as described in the video. Again the tip makes perfect sense to me. But how likely is it to develop this habit after so many years of holding the racket with dominant hand?



You can accomplish a lot if you're willing to be uncomfortable.

J
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
You can accomplish a lot if you're willing to be uncomfortable.

J
Sure. With regards to holding the racket only with the nondominant hand at ready position and during the whole takeback, do you and a lot of other advanced players really do that?
 
Why don't you give it a shot.

List 10 bad habits for rec tennis players.

If you need help ask the crowd.

Then I will work some magic on your list.

J
I'm pretty sure if I know the bad ones I can change the phrasing to express them as good instead. What I can't do is populate content I don't know exists. But here is my meagre contribution:

1. Only use topspin
2. Only think of power
3. Buy into the "you suck" groupthink that pervades the community of every recreational sport
4. Don't deploy calming tools in response to acute moments of psychological distress
5. View hydration as an immediate problem rather than a chronic problem
 
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ballmachineguy

Hall of Fame
@J011yroger
Do you really hold the racket with your nondominant hand?
I guess in theory it makes sense but doesn’t sound very intuitive and very difficult to do unless you were told to do so when you first started learning tennis. I suspect 99% of rec players don’t do it. Do even pros really do it as described in the video. Again the tip makes perfect sense to me. But how likely is it to develop this habit after so many years of holding the racket with dominant hand?


You really need to quit watching this type of crap. I promise, this is the exact thing that keeps you from learning. This guy sticks his yellow-shoed foot in his mouth right off the bat. He should have opened with “this advice will get you nowhere!” Give up on watching people that can’t teach a modern forehand and stick with yours. It is kinda old-school but you do one important thing really well and that is to get into a great position at contact.
Now, work on the backhand!
 
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Curious

G.O.A.T.
You really need to quit watching this type of crap. I promise, this is the exact thing that keeps you from learning. This guy sticks his yellow-shoed foot in his mouth right off the bat. He should have opened with “this advice will get you nowhere!” Give up on watching people that can’t teach a modern forehand and stick with yours. It is kinda old-school but you do one important thing really well and that is to get into a great position at contact.
Now, work on the backhand!
As I said it makes sense in theory but not sure how doable it is especially in match play. If you can develop it I believe it could help you become loose and have a nice easy racket drop.
 

ballmachineguy

Hall of Fame
As I said it makes sense in theory but not sure how doable it is especially in match play. If you can develop it I believe it could help you become loose and have a nice easy racket drop.
It was already developed. Tennis “pros” undeveloped it. With video!

I know you will never believe me, but one easy to copy movement was taken apart and you, the amateur tennis player, are now required to put it back together, in what the guy in your last video referred to as one smooth motion or something.
 
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ballmachineguy

Hall of Fame
He says hold the racket with left hand and right hand barely holding it. I do the opposite.
I’m talking about the entire stroke he doesn’t understand. What good is that tip going to do for you? Everyone knows you should have a light grip with the hitting hand. The racquet weighs 13oz. Why worry about that silliness. Guy is making up little thing and getting clicks. You ever see anyone that doesn’t put their off hand on at all and plays pro? Better send this tip to them.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
I’m talking about the entire stroke he doesn’t understand. What good is that tip going to do for you? Everyone knows you should have a light grip with the hitting hand. The racquet weighs 13oz. Why worry about that silliness. Guy is making up little thing and getting clicks. You ever see anyone that doesn’t put their off hand on at all and plays pro? Better send this tip to them.
You can’t be loose if your footwork, positioning and timing is not there anyway.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
It doesn’t matter if you can get somewhere if you don’t know what to do when you get there. What does a football quarterback do first, learn to throw a ball or learn a five-step drop?
Sure. My point was that it’s not possible to avoid tension when you’re unbalanced and rushed. And tension, tightness ruin execution.
 
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