Hello, everyone. I'd like to be told what I could do to improve in these following aspects which usually cause my downfall in tourneys:
NOTE: Let me state some things clear, I've practiced for 4 years. I know the only thing that I can do to deal with this is practice, but once a wise man told me: "It doesn't matter how much you practice an specific part of your game, it won't improve if you practice it wrongly". Plus, drills intended for that purpose may (or may not, as nothing certainly works for everyone) make those "parts" improve faster. I said I was looking for improving acceleration on nº 4 because I want to generate a bit more of power, but not swing 100% faster. In nº 2, I was referring to the fact that it is a lot easier for me to swing faster off the bh wing than the fh wing. Finally, I know I might be answering myself, but something that worked for someone else as a solution for these problems might help me.
1.The fact of ocassionally standing like a pole in matches, regardless of me focusing on footwork. Of course, I don't obsess myself about this one.
2.Getting as much acceleration on my forehand as my backhand (I'll explain it better later)
3.The bad habit of stretching 2h backhands out of laziness in matches.
4.Improving arm acceleration in every hit
5.Consistency problems in matches, which are directly related to balance, footwork (not transferring the weight correctly, falling on back foot, etc) and mentality.
1. This is one of my main sources of UE's
. I don't know why, it must be out of nervousness or inexperience in matches, but it doesn't happen in any occasion in particular, it just does, once, twice, or any number of times every time I compete with someone. I try to focus on positioning correctly, yet I commit the error to hit approach shots while moving laterally (I don't know how you call it, but it's the same movement you do to return to the center of the court after a cross-step) when I should be running to catch up with it, not sprinting for drop shots, or not moving back on high and heavy spun balls, etc. My coaches taught me how to move in the court, but I still seem not to get it properly unless I force me to do it. I think only practice might solve this one, but if anyone can lend a hand to help progressing here, you're welcome.
2. I could never accelerate in my forehand as much as I could in a backhand (I know that in a 2hbh you have 2 hands on the handle, and the left one, which does most of the stroke, is choked up on the grip). Although people say it's mostly easier to hit harder off the forehand, that's not my case. My rivals prefer targetting my forehand on serves because I almost always miss when I hit with an abbreviated motion. OK, here's the deal. My forehand backswing was GIGANTIC, the racquet face was paralell to my head and the fence. I said it was OK. Big mistake, I always shanked a lot (like 15 unforced forehand shanks in a 3-set match). I just changed it and I'm having a really tough time generating racquet head speed when in a fast rally or in returns to catch up with the ball. I can't meet the correct contact point nor keep the racquet face straight like they say pros do (I'm not going to discuss that because there are mixed opinions about pros' contacts with the ball). This generally results in my opponent taking the point from an easy putaway at the net due to a short ball on my part. I think the solution here is to just rally or receive serves, I found that alternate solutions might be practicing mini tennis to build a contact point and keep hitting the ball with a high frequency or practicing swing-volleys (forehands without bounce).
3. Has anyone got any drills for this one? Perhaps asking someone to feed some wide inside-out balls from the service line to my backhand wing, then returning to the middle and so on? This happens 90% of the time it does in some kind of tournament, and I would be glad to get rid of this one for good.
4. Well, there has been a lot of debate in how to get more acceleration. Strengthening muscles, involving your whole body in the stroke which contributes to the so called kinetic chain (I try to do so, especially when I'm comfortable), staying relaxed throughout the whole stroke and finishing it, that you mustn't do it wildly, etc. One of the most remarkable things I was told is that I must keep the stroke mechanics simple (that's why I shortened my fh backswing recently) and efficient (tennis is a sport of efficiency, isn't it?
), which takes me to think that I should be able to move the rival around the court without putting lots of energy in every hit. I've done a bit of reading and the things I got are that the racquet must be swung in a straight-upwards (but not in a "roundhouse") way, that acceleration begins a long way before contact, that the weight of the body plays a vital role in the speed of the shot, but haven't got a clear conclusion.
5. Well, I must admit that I'm not very consistent myself. My high-speed rallies usually end in like 8 balls or less. I can't improve it pretty much at lessons unless I slow my shots dramatically with the ones who I practice with who move even less than me when I look like a pole. I miss a lot, but that is because of bad habits: not watching the ball, letting it ball, falling on the back foot when I'm supposed to land on the front one, positioning really far from the ball and stretching to reach it, nerves (again), impatience. The only way to achieve consistency is through repetition. Once again, I think the cause for this is inexperience and nerves. My coaches told me to go to a wall, but I don't know which drills I could do. Maybe hitting as many forehands as I can, then backhands, then mixing it up. First with mini tennis strokes, then full ones. Some tips to aid me ditch away those bad habits will be appreciated.
Thanks to whoever can contribute with some helpful advice.
PS: I know you must have answered what I posted somewhere and before and I'm sorry if I didn't use the search button well
.
NOTE: Let me state some things clear, I've practiced for 4 years. I know the only thing that I can do to deal with this is practice, but once a wise man told me: "It doesn't matter how much you practice an specific part of your game, it won't improve if you practice it wrongly". Plus, drills intended for that purpose may (or may not, as nothing certainly works for everyone) make those "parts" improve faster. I said I was looking for improving acceleration on nº 4 because I want to generate a bit more of power, but not swing 100% faster. In nº 2, I was referring to the fact that it is a lot easier for me to swing faster off the bh wing than the fh wing. Finally, I know I might be answering myself, but something that worked for someone else as a solution for these problems might help me.
1.The fact of ocassionally standing like a pole in matches, regardless of me focusing on footwork. Of course, I don't obsess myself about this one.
2.Getting as much acceleration on my forehand as my backhand (I'll explain it better later)
3.The bad habit of stretching 2h backhands out of laziness in matches.
4.Improving arm acceleration in every hit
5.Consistency problems in matches, which are directly related to balance, footwork (not transferring the weight correctly, falling on back foot, etc) and mentality.
1. This is one of my main sources of UE's
. I don't know why, it must be out of nervousness or inexperience in matches, but it doesn't happen in any occasion in particular, it just does, once, twice, or any number of times every time I compete with someone. I try to focus on positioning correctly, yet I commit the error to hit approach shots while moving laterally (I don't know how you call it, but it's the same movement you do to return to the center of the court after a cross-step) when I should be running to catch up with it, not sprinting for drop shots, or not moving back on high and heavy spun balls, etc. My coaches taught me how to move in the court, but I still seem not to get it properly unless I force me to do it. I think only practice might solve this one, but if anyone can lend a hand to help progressing here, you're welcome.2. I could never accelerate in my forehand as much as I could in a backhand (I know that in a 2hbh you have 2 hands on the handle, and the left one, which does most of the stroke, is choked up on the grip). Although people say it's mostly easier to hit harder off the forehand, that's not my case. My rivals prefer targetting my forehand on serves because I almost always miss when I hit with an abbreviated motion. OK, here's the deal. My forehand backswing was GIGANTIC, the racquet face was paralell to my head and the fence. I said it was OK. Big mistake, I always shanked a lot (like 15 unforced forehand shanks in a 3-set match). I just changed it and I'm having a really tough time generating racquet head speed when in a fast rally or in returns to catch up with the ball. I can't meet the correct contact point nor keep the racquet face straight like they say pros do (I'm not going to discuss that because there are mixed opinions about pros' contacts with the ball). This generally results in my opponent taking the point from an easy putaway at the net due to a short ball on my part. I think the solution here is to just rally or receive serves, I found that alternate solutions might be practicing mini tennis to build a contact point and keep hitting the ball with a high frequency or practicing swing-volleys (forehands without bounce).
3. Has anyone got any drills for this one? Perhaps asking someone to feed some wide inside-out balls from the service line to my backhand wing, then returning to the middle and so on? This happens 90% of the time it does in some kind of tournament, and I would be glad to get rid of this one for good.
4. Well, there has been a lot of debate in how to get more acceleration. Strengthening muscles, involving your whole body in the stroke which contributes to the so called kinetic chain (I try to do so, especially when I'm comfortable), staying relaxed throughout the whole stroke and finishing it, that you mustn't do it wildly, etc. One of the most remarkable things I was told is that I must keep the stroke mechanics simple (that's why I shortened my fh backswing recently) and efficient (tennis is a sport of efficiency, isn't it?
), which takes me to think that I should be able to move the rival around the court without putting lots of energy in every hit. I've done a bit of reading and the things I got are that the racquet must be swung in a straight-upwards (but not in a "roundhouse") way, that acceleration begins a long way before contact, that the weight of the body plays a vital role in the speed of the shot, but haven't got a clear conclusion.5. Well, I must admit that I'm not very consistent myself. My high-speed rallies usually end in like 8 balls or less. I can't improve it pretty much at lessons unless I slow my shots dramatically with the ones who I practice with who move even less than me when I look like a pole. I miss a lot, but that is because of bad habits: not watching the ball, letting it ball, falling on the back foot when I'm supposed to land on the front one, positioning really far from the ball and stretching to reach it, nerves (again), impatience. The only way to achieve consistency is through repetition. Once again, I think the cause for this is inexperience and nerves. My coaches told me to go to a wall, but I don't know which drills I could do. Maybe hitting as many forehands as I can, then backhands, then mixing it up. First with mini tennis strokes, then full ones. Some tips to aid me ditch away those bad habits will be appreciated.
Thanks to whoever can contribute with some helpful advice.
PS: I know you must have answered what I posted somewhere and before and I'm sorry if I didn't use the search button well
.
