Tips - My groundstrokes - better camera angle

[RoddickAce]

A video of me playing with a better camera angle (compared to my previous thread). I'm currently working on hitting through my forehand with less topspin as suggested by fellow tennis warehouse forum members.

Any tips on the fundamentals of my groundstrokes and/or footwork would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

(Again, sorry about editing, but if I didn't the video would be around 50-100mbs and it would take forever to upload)

Old Video: http://www.vimeo.com/2547744

Edit: So during the last practice, I've been working on using my non-dominant arm more to generate better shoulder rotation + better balance. I'm also working on my footwork, starting with hopping around less.
For some reason, on some forehands, even though I'm trying to use my non-dominant arm balance, I still kind of lean towards my left side. BungalowBill, am I pulling back my non-hitting arm too early or something?

New Videos:
Real Time Video
http://www.vimeo.com/2675572

Slow Motion Video of Some Forehands
http://www.vimeo.com/2675915

I know sitting through 2 minutes of a bad player like me in slow motion can be very boring, so I added some music to the same slow motion video.
http://www.vimeo.com/2676008

Thank you all in advance for helping!

 

[Failed]

A video of me playing with a better camera angle (compared to my previous thread). I'm currently working on hitting through my forehand with less topspin as suggested by fellow tennis warehouse forum members.

Any tips on the fundamentals of my groundstrokes and/or footwork would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

(Again, sorry about editing, but if I didn't the video would be around 50-100mbs and it would take forever to upload)

http://www.vimeo.com/2547744

Just few things I quickly noticed.

1. Use your non-dominant arm more. On your forehand your arm should go parallel to the baseline, which you do but only half-way through. This gives helps with your consitency as you hit the ball always the right distance from your body and get a good shoulder rotation.

2. You seem to be out of balance when hitting sometimes. Make sure that your stance is 'balanced' because the better your opponents get the less time you got to get to the balls.

3. I'd say also that you need to get even more from low to high, gives you the margin for error and the extra topspin to go for even bigger shots.
Anyway, pretty good strokes you got there.

 

[[ GTR ]]

You seem to be arming the ball on your forehand a lot.

Use more shoulder rotation and use your legs more.

Need to improve footwork.

Slice needs a bit of help. Looks like you are chopping down on it too much.

 

[Charlzz]

Slice needs a bit of help. Looks like you are chopping down on it too much.

He's imitating the Fed backhand, I think. Federer does this slice down motion (indeed, lots of pros hit their slice like this). It's different from the slice drive backhand most coaches recommend which is a more forward motion. Whether it makes sense for the typical player to do this or not, you're likely to see more imitators as in this video.

 

[[ GTR ]]

He's imitating the Fed backhand, I think. Federer does this slice down motion (indeed, lots of pros hit their slice like this). It's different from the slice drive backhand most coaches recommend which is a more forward motion. Whether it makes sense for the typical player to do this or not, you're likely to see more imitators as in this video.

Look at his hand positiion as he finishes the followthrough. It's supposed to be a more carving motion instead of a chopping one and after Federer's racket points down in his slice, it comes up again.

For some reason, it looks like he's using the eastern forehand grip on the slice.. Not too sure on this one.

 

[fuzz nation]

I agree with the shoulders and legs observation - you're looking to take a really full cut at the ball, but you're making a lot of the energy with your arm and shoulder. Your legs and core are the bigger engines for making that drive and rotation to swing through the ball, so don't be afraid to use their potential.

Concerning the slice, the swing you use in that video looks like an attempt to hit a dropshot from the baseline, especially with your wrist breaking open. If you want to penetrate the court more with that stroke, don't think so much of a high-to-low swing. Take more of a path that starts above the ball and then levels out as you extend into your follow through. No wrist break! Maintain the "L" that's formed between your racquet and your forearm throughout the motion so that at the end of your follow through, you top of your racquet hoop is pointing in the general direction of your target. Weight transfer onto your forward (right) foot needs to consistently happen before the swing to drive it through the court.

Thanks for posting some vid... keep on rockin'!

 

[Charlzz]

Here's an article I linked to a while back:

Rosewall and Federer slice backhand comparison

Look at photos 6 and 7. At times, you will see Federer stop at Photo 7 and not lift up to Photo 8. You can tell by the hair, that this was a while ago when he tied his hair back.

 

[RoddickAce]

Thnx everyone. I always thought my forehand looked a bit weird, so thanks for pointing those things out. I'm going to work on adding more hip + leg power into my shot, fix the non-dominant arm, and hit with a more low to high swing. And yeah, I'm working on my footwork, but it seems like it never improves.

 

[[ GTR ]]

Here's an article I linked to a while back:

Rosewall and Federer slice backhand comparison

Look at photos 6 and 7. At times, you will see Federer stop at Photo 7 and not lift up to Photo 8. You can tell by the hair, that this was a while ago when he tied his hair back.

Yeah, he still lifts up the racket in photo 8. The OP does not lift up at all.

Good luck with your tennis roddickace.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

A video of me playing with a better camera angle (compared to my previous thread). I'm currently working on hitting through my forehand with less topspin as suggested by fellow tennis warehouse forum members.

Any tips on the fundamentals of my groundstrokes and/or footwork would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

(Again, sorry about editing, but if I didn't the video would be around 50-100mbs and it would take forever to upload)

http://www.vimeo.com/2547744

Footwork: Stop hopping so much. Your head tends to bob up and down too much and your split-step needs to be more subtle keeping your feet closer to the ground. Remember the ball travels from one end of the court to the other in about a second. So, if you split-step you cant go too high. Otherwise, by the time you land you will be moving into position too late. The following you should also work on:

a. Keeping your feet apart as much as possible.

b. Your step out to the ball is weak and on one shot to your backhand side, your body had too much momentum going sideways. Always try to move by keeping your shoulders as square to the net as possible. Dont send everything sideways or you will have a poor recovery first step.

Remember the entire stroke is a cycle:

Read the ball (HIT) - Move to the ball (BOUNCE) - Hit the ball (HIT) - Recover - Start the cycle over.

Use a cadence to help you develop rhythm like using HIT-BOUNCE-HIT.

c. Stay on your toes and dont flatten on your heels. You spent too much time on your heels and your footwork looked clumpy. Is your foot size big? It seemed like it for how tall you were.

Rotation: On every forehand stroke you were rotating well away from the contact zone. Some of them just looked awful. STOP TRYING TO KILL THE BALL. You do no possess the ability to control that fast of a swing speed while maintaining control of your body.

Smoothly rotate INTO the ball. Use your back shoulder as a reference and move it through. Slow down and take your time.

Use your non-dominant arm longer in the takeback, let it spread out and scan the contact zone. As your arm comes forward fold it into your body to help control the centrifugal forces that will cause you to spin away from the ball. Slow it down.

You know what I am talking about as you have read my comments many times to others. If you need further explanation let me know.

 

[RoddickAce]

Footwork: Stop hopping so much. Your head tends to bob up and down too much and your split-step needs to be more subtle keeping your feet closer to the ground. Remember the ball travels from one end of the court to the other in about a second. So, if you split-step you cant go too high. Otherwise, by the time you land you will be moving into position too late. The following you should also work on:

a. Keeping your feet apart as much as possible.

b. Your step out to the ball is weak and on one shot to your backhand side, your body had too much momentum going sideways. Always try to move by keeping your shoulders as square to the net as possible. Dont send everything sideways or you will have a poor recovery first step.

Remember the entire stroke is a cycle:

Read the ball (HIT) - Move to the ball (BOUNCE) - Hit the ball (HIT) - Recover - Start the cycle over.

Use a cadence to help you develop rhythm like using HIT-BOUNCE-HIT.

c. Stay on your toes and dont flatten on your heels. You spent too much time on your heels and your footwork looked clumpy. Is your foot size big? It seemed like it for how tall you were.

Rotation: On every forehand stroke you were rotating well away from the contact zone. Some of them just looked awful. STOP TRYING TO KILL THE BALL. You do no possess the ability to control that fast of a swing speed while maintaining control of your body.

Smoothly rotate INTO the ball. Use your back shoulder as a reference and move it through. Slow down and take your time.

Use your non-dominant arm longer in the takeback, let it spread out and scan the contact zone. As your arm comes forward fold it into your body to help control the centrifugal forces that will cause you to spin away from the ball. Slow it down.

You know what I am talking about as you have read my comments many times to others. If you need further explanation let me know.

Thanks BB, but would you mind further clarifying the part about rotating into the contact zone? I don't really get that part. Thanks.

 

[BullDogTennis]

your footwork needs some work. and it looks likke your getting the ball deep, but very slow. it looks like your pretty much being a pusher.

 

[David]

I think you need a coach. it always help you.

 

[Ambivalent]

Not using your non dominant arm means you're holding back your shoulder rotation.

 

[Charlzz]

Yeah, he still lifts up the racket in photo 8. The OP does not lift up at all.

Good luck with your tennis roddickace.

Check this video out. There is a replay at the end with a close up of the slice backhand. Notice that Federer keeps the racquet down, and doesn't lift up.

Fed slice backhand

 

[[ GTR ]]

Check this video out. There is a replay at the end with a close up of the slice backhand. Notice that Federer keeps the racquet down, and doesn't lift up.

Fed slice backhand

That was one slice, look at the mojority of his slices and tell me does he finish like that^^ ? Most of them, he lifts up.

It's like me showing you a video of Federer hitting one reverse forehand and telling you that's how he finishes-above his head... The majority of his forehands are WW finishes just like how the majority of his slices, he lifts up and does not chop.

Look at this video starting at 0:22. Count how many he lifts up compared to chopping down.

If the OP is imitating the Federer slice, don't you think he would try to imitate the slice that Federer hits most of the time?

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-Hf6hBVrY

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Check this video out. There is a replay at the end with a close up of the slice backhand. Notice that Federer keeps the racquet down, and doesn't lift up.

Fed slice backhand

Unless you really know what you are talking about, be careful. A slice backhand can have a followthrough that varies.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Thanks BB, but would you mind further clarifying the part about rotating into the contact zone? I don't really get that part. Thanks.

Yes, I would be happy to help.

When you hit the ball, your nondominant arm is doing nothing to help you from not rotating away from the ball (towards your left side). As you try to swing faster, you body and head move toward the left - away from the ball.

This is much different then how pros do it because they use the non-dominant arm to counter this tendency.

Angular momentum in and of itself will cause you to spin away from the ball, so you need a counter measure to send that energy towards the ball.

Your feet, legs, and your non-dominant arm help you here.

Watch this video of Blake and notice his back shoulder go towards contact and through. Notice his body rotates but he lands balances and he doesnt sway to the left (lean over).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaUH9Bevnew&feature=related

On the above video, look at Blakes nondominant arm the whole way through. Note how long he has his hand on the racquet, then note how it moves out (scans the contact zone), then note how it folds back into the body holding his rotation into the ball. When you can feel your arms sort of trading positions as your body shapes through your forehand stroke, you will go "wow", it feels so effortless. That is because you are allowing angular momentum to flow into the ball.

Here is Djokovik: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AJYfkJ4hc&feature=related

Now watch yourself and compare it side to side. It is a little spotty and at other times not so good.

 

[RoddickAce]

Yes, I would be happy to help.

When you hit the ball, your nondominant arm is doing nothing to help you from not rotating away from the ball (towards your left side). As you try to swing faster, you body and head move toward the left - away from the ball.

This is much different then how pros do it because they use the non-dominant arm to counter this tendency.

Angular momentum in and of itself will cause you to spin away from the ball, so you need a counter measure to send that energy towards the ball.

Your feet, legs, and your non-dominant arm help you here.

Watch this video of Blake and notice his back shoulder go towards contact and through. Notice his body rotates but he lands balances and he doesnt sway to the left (lean over).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaUH9Bevnew&feature=related

On the above video, look at Blakes nondominant arm the whole way through. Note how long he has his hand on the racquet, then note how it moves out (scans the contact zone), then note how it folds back into the body holding his rotation into the ball. When you can feel your arms sort of trading positions as your body shapes through your forehand stroke, you will go "wow", it feels so effortless. That is because you are allowing angular momentum to flow into the ball.

Here is Djokovik: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AJYfkJ4hc&feature=related

Now watch yourself and compare it side to side. It is a little spotty and at other times not so good.

:shock:WOW, thanks! I practiced swinging in my house just now and my racquet head acceleration feels a lot smoother and natural already. Thank you very much for your insights!

 

[Bungalo Bill]

:shock:WOW, thanks! I practiced swinging in my house just now and my racquet head acceleration feels a lot smoother and natural already. Thank you very much for your insights!

Yes, and that is all you need!!!! No more extra stuff until you can beat Federer. Then you can do whatever you want.

However, if you feel generous when you become famous, all I need is a small appreciation gift. Maybe help me start my kids college fund, payoff my mortgage would be a good thank you.

Seriously, now what you need to do is use that smoothness to work on your consistency, ball placement, and depth control. Pace will be there.

 

[Kevo]

You probably need a more skilled hitting partner to help force some better footwork. When you're under pressure to get to a ball, you have to be a little more precise in your preparation. It also will make you use your body more to hit the ball back with something on it. It's much harder to arm the ball when your on the run.

 

[RoddickAce]

New video!

Moved the new videos to the op

 

[RoddickAce]

edit: just checked out another thread, so now I know the shoulder-chin thing is normal.

 

[LeeD]

I second everything the Bungalow man has to say....appears he's been there, and can see how it should be done.
I gotta stress.... DO NOT BE LAZY on video!
You are trying harder than most, but too many moments of feet together unbalanced, waaaay too casual to start the point, and moments when it appears your concentration drifted into a walkabout with Evonne.
When you're hitting with an inferior partner, YOU gotta make him/her look good with a hard, low, short groundstroke to start! NO moonballs!

 

[RoddickAce]

I second everything the Bungalow man has to say....appears he's been there, and can see how it should be done.
I gotta stress.... DO NOT BE LAZY on video!

Thanks, when I play a real match, or practice match, I'll try to get a vid of it. Meanwhile, I'll starting working on my backhand! Especially that slice of mine and not preparing as sideways on all my backhands (yes, I read the topspin backhand thread BungalowBill , that is a really helpful thread) Any more ways to improve my ground game will be highly appreciated.

 

[phoenicks]

Dude, I think some of the ppl here haven't mention the fact that you are opening up ur shoulder too early for your forehand, and that ( as many ppl here said ) will cause your shoulder to rotate away from the ball as opposed to "into the ball". And the use of non-dominant arm helps, after pivot and shoulder turn, keep your non-dominant arm straight and up until you are gonna swing forward and hit the ball.