Some video footage for TTW enjoyement

[FiReFTW]

Since I videotaped a practice session today after a long time I decided to make a small footage, showcasing mainly what im focusing lately, on smooth loose strokes on both my forehand and backhand.

Most important thing in the footage is my new and improved backhand, which 1 year ago was technically quite poor, but it has improved alot since then technique wise.

Forehand has been technically pretty good for a while

Footage is of some mini tennis strokes, aswell as I wanted to show some drills that I have been doing lately for both footwork and strokes. (Sadly tho, my camera placement was a bit poor, so you don't really see me fully when doing forehand drills).

My coach says that my forehand is beautiful technique wise, and my backhand has improved alot aswell and is very good technique wise now aswell, but hey, if anyone maybe sees some small thing that I might improve and wants to add some thoughts they are more than welcomed, im always open for suggestions.

Enjoy

 

[gerko]

Your strokes look very good the last backhand was nice.
I would advice you to keep your non hitting hand a little longer on your racket with your Forehand. But hey if it works for you keep hitting like this.

Great Hitting!

 

[NuBas]

Not much to critique here. Strokes are looking good and much better improvement on the backhand for sure.

 

[ChaelAZ]

Good stuff. Still haven't got to play on red clay yet, but on my hit list. Thanks for posting.

 

[Mack-2]

I notice you tilt your head to the left when you got your backhand.

Also, not sure why but you remind me of the Stanimal. Could be how you’re built? The hair? THE BACKHAND?! Lol nice strokes man.


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[FiReFTW]

Also, not sure why but you remind me of the Stanimal. Could be how you’re built? The hair? THE BACKHAND?! Lol nice strokes man.

Haha thats cool, haven't heard that, usually people tell me my strokes look like Roger, which is not suprizing since he was my model for my strokes, but stanimal thats pretty awesome!

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Big props for hiring a coach and actually practicing.

You know what my reaction was?
I felt that I would just blast thru that slow loopy BH like a freight train.
Even the FH looks slow and lazy.
Of course, I have no idea if that is true, just a feeling.
I do not think those strokes will hold up against a heavy hitter.

I would be interested in seeing how your strokes hold up in match play footage.
A video of hitting baby spoon fed feeds reveals basically nothing.

 

[FiReFTW]

Big props for hiring a coach and actually practicing.

You know what my reaction was?
I felt that I would just blast thru that slow loopy BH like a freight train.
Even the FH looks slow and lazy.
Of course, I have no idea if that is true, just a feeling.
I do not think those strokes will hold up against a heavy hitter.

I would be interested in seeing how your strokes hold up in match play footage.
A video of hitting baby spoon fed feeds reveals basically nothing.

I just wanted to show technique of my strokes, but I will for sure post point play footage sometime very soon.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Looking forward to it.
I like your dedication and motivation.

 

[nvr2old]

I just wanted to show technique of my strokes, but I will for sure post point play footage sometime very soon.

Good job FIReFTW - ignore the other stuff.

 

[NuBas]

Man those courts and the scenary look really nice. Perhaps even better than Roland Garros.

 

[Curious]

You lectured me so much about rotation and kinetic chain stuff but your backhand looks 100% arming hinged only from the shoulder. That's not fair!

 

[leojramirez]

Good hitting my man. We kind of have the same style. I will post a practice video soon.
I can see your footwork on clay is not great, mine isn't either still after 4 years of hitting on the stuff but its something I'm trying to improve with my coach. On the approach backhand that you want to hit flat down the line, you will be served well by using the crossover step, it will give you better timing and consistency.

 

[FiReFTW]

You lectured me so much about rotation and kinetic chain stuff but your backhand looks 100% arming hinged only from the shoulder. That's not fair!

Its not,look at my hips and upper body before and at contact (im talking about baseline backhands at the end).
Hitting those mini tennis backhands for sure I agree that some are quite alot of arming, because its a small distance and a soft hit!

 

[Curious]

Its not,look at my hips and upper body before and at contact (im talking about baseline backhands at the end).
Hitting those mini tennis backhands for sure I agree that some are quite alot of arming, because its a small distance and a soft hit!

Nope, I dont see any hip movement. Torso opens up, that's it and that's part of the followthrough anyway.

 

[FiReFTW]

Nope, I dont see any hip movement. Torso opens up, that's it and that's part of the followthrough anyway.

Ok Mr Curious, im curious how you see no hip movement When I hit my backhand I feel like im pushing off the ground and my hips and upper body are dragging the arm behind, so im pretty sure im not arming it, look closely:

Still see no leg push, hip rotation, upper body rotation?

 

[Curious]

Ok Mr Curious, im curious how you see no hip movement When I hit my backhand I feel like im pushing off the ground and my hips and upper body are dragging the arm behind, so im pretty sure im not arming it, look closely:

Still see no leg push, hip rotation, upper body rotation?

Well you swing your arm forward that could well be opening the torso and obviously the hips will have to follow. Those pictures are a proof of that, they dont show that your hips open first and drags the arm.
But if you feel it as you say, there's no need to discuss it. Another question for you: what sort of strength/stamina training do you do if you're doing any?

 

[FiReFTW]

On good proper backhands u will always see this difference in the angle of shoulders and hips, which means ur shot is hit from the upper body rotation and not arm and shoulder.

Of course when completely out of position and with a weird off guard bounce, even Federer will sometimes just push it in with the arm.

Btw im not saying my backhand is perfect far from it, but certainly this is something I know im not doing wrong, because I feel it, and you can see it on pics aswell.

Here you can see more clearly in segments, at pic1 my hips and upper body feel very stretched and coiled, at pic2 they explode around and as they do they start to drag the racquet from behind, at pic3 the racquet is still dragged behind and body not fully rotated, and then from pic3 and pic 4 the upper body stops rotating and it feels like the arm gets "blown" "catapulted" around into the ball.

My problems on the backhand that im working on atm are:

1.Extending my left arm behind, as you see from the 2 pics bellow I didn't do it, but on the upper ones I did
2.Sometimes I could bring the racquet back higher, when I receive I fast ball I sometimes am late with preparation and I pull it back fast without doing a nice loop sometimes
3.Basically relates to 2, with fast balls sometimes im late with my prep, instead of preping early and then the stroke breaks down (btw when this happens sometimes I do "push" the ball with arm when im really really late with my upper body rotation).

 

[FiReFTW]

Another question for you: what sort of strength/stamina training do you do if you're doing any?

Good question, Im doing some basic exercises for strenght, body exercises like squats, push ups etc... and im doing medicine ball throws into the wall using my legs and hips if you know what I mean? I bought an agility ladder now so im going to incorporate that into my training.. also have agility ball that bounces weird working on my reflexes.
I havent really focused much on shoulder tho, and I notice when I serve too much it starts to hurt a bit, so I decided im also going to focus on that now, I googled this exercise program called throwers ten, you can google it, very cool exercises, to strenghten the rotator cuff and so on.

 

[Curious]

Good question, Im doing some basic exercises for strenght, body exercises like squats, push ups etc... and im doing medicine ball throws into the wall using my legs and hips if you know what I mean? I bought an agility ladder now so im going to incorporate that into my training.. also have agility ball that bounces weird working on my reflexes.
I havent really focused much on shoulder tho, and I notice when I serve too much it starts to hurt a bit, so I decided im also going to focus on that now, I googled this exercise program called throwers ten, you can google it, very cool exercises, to strenghten the rotator cuff and so on.

That's good. Any cardio exercise to increase stamina and become leaner and lighter?

 

[FiReFTW]

That's good. Any cardio exercise to increase stamina and become leaner and lighter?

Not really but im making plans atm to incorporate something like that and also change my diet a bit, to be more strict, im eating good foods, but I do love alot of ice cream in the summer... I would like to drop like 5-6kilo (11-13lbs), that would be the perfect physique for me, more lean and more light on the feet, any suggestions?

 

[Curious]

Not really but im making plans atm to incorporate something like that and also change my diet a bit, to be more strict, im eating good foods, but I do love alot of ice cream in the summer... I would like to drop like 5-6kilo (11-13lbs), that would be the perfect physique for me, more lean and more light on the feet, any suggestions?

I feel like that will make a big difference in your overall performance. You know, lighter faster, flying over the court all day without getting short of breath.
I would do running, interval sprinting, up a hill, stairs etc.

 

[FiReFTW]

I feel like that will make a big difference in your overall performance. You know, lighter faster, flying over the court all day without getting short of breath.
I would do running, interval sprinting, up a hill, stairs etc.

Good suggestions, but I also need to modify my diet aswell.

I know it would help a ton, I mean my diet is pretty good and I don't rly eat sweets alot, but ice cream is my one achilles heel, I eat a ton of it, its so gooood Need to find a way to stop miself from that, but how, its so tempting and im so weak when I see it, lol.

 

[StringSnapper]

I just wanted to show technique of my strokes, but I will for sure post point play footage sometime very soon.

Cool lets see some sets. Hopefully i'll get around to posting a set video before the end of the week too, been working on a few things myself (including my 1hbh!!)

 

[movdqa]

Those are some very nice courts. I don't think that I've ever seen nail density that high on the baseline tape. The wooden chairs along with the overall amount of space on those courts is great. Video quality was excellent too.

Nice hitting. I like the wrist flourish at the end of the backhand stroke.