Video of Strokes--Advice?

M

Manus Domini

Hall of Fame
So, I'm just getting back into tennis after about 6 months (I'll try to keep it up more during the rest of the school year, but I don't know if I'll be able to), and am planning to record my strokes when I play with friends tomorrow, and upload video on here. What is the best angle for ground strokes (and, maybe, serve)? The side, behind me, from near the net?

I should be uploading videos tomorrow.
 
From behind you, as high as possible, 7' is ideal, but it works at 4'.
Frame should include hitting partner, backwall, net, and some of the hitting partner's court.
Place the camera at the backwall.
 
A chair would be 18.5" above the ground.
A 48" tripod ON A CHAIR would be OK.
Tape the camera to the backfence works fine. Duct tape.
 
No effort gives you no results.
If you want to vid, 7' above the court is ideal, as stated.
4' above the court can work, but lots of posters will complain the angle doesn't allow for seeing the ball and the court.
 
LeeD said:
No effort gives you no results.
If you want to vid, 7' above the court is ideal, as stated.
4' above the court can work, but lots of posters will complain the angle doesn't allow for seeing the ball and the court.
Click to expand...

I can put the camera on side bleachers 7' up if I get one of the side courts. Would that suffice? It wouldn't give shots of the other side of the net, though.

The issue with taping my camera to the back fence is it probably wouldn't hold up, and I don't want to risk it.
 
OK, so I finally got some videos and uploaded them to YouTube.

They're groundstrokes. I recorded twice because I wasn't sure if the recording was good (I actually recorded like two or three times before these, but the camera kept flipping upwards, so was recording the ceiling...).

I think my backhand was better in the second video, and my forehand in the first, but I'm attaching both just for whatever feedback y'all are willing to give.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seObslntmas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqODDxxlPwo
 
Probably info overflow if we talk about everything at once.

So just the lowest hanging fruit for now - the forehand (what else lol)

The path of the racket is actually quite good.

The way to generate power is wrong. Imagine, if you install some strings on the right shoulder, what would your forehand look like? Do a couple of shadow swings, you will notice it's completely different from your current forehand.

Fix that, and you beat all your friends lol.
 
Manus Domini said:
OK, so I finally got some videos and uploaded them to YouTube.

They're groundstrokes. I recorded twice because I wasn't sure if the recording was good (I actually recorded like two or three times before these, but the camera kept flipping upwards, so was recording the ceiling...).

I think my backhand was better in the second video, and my forehand in the first, but I'm attaching both just for whatever feedback y'all are willing to give.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seObslntmas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqODDxxlPwo
Click to expand...

It's interesting. I am seeing a pattern on these videos. I saw the same thing with Bob's videos.

You guys are very conscious of the camera. It's almost like you guys during some points have highly exaggerated split steps, highly exaggerated footwork, highly exaggerated and deliberate swing motions.

Manus, on your video, the best strokes were the ones where you forgot about the camera and started running for the ball. Much more fluid. Much more flat. Much less of a split step. Much better footwork.

You guys need to forget about the camera and just play how you play.
 
@Jason: Thanks! I just did some shadow strokes, and that seemed to help. I'll try it next time I go to the courts.

@Rick, so just loosen up? Or is it that I was too tense in front of the camera, you think, for feedback to be viable?
 
Manus Domini said:
@Rick, so just loosen up? Or is it that I was too tense in front of the camera, you think, for feedback to be viable?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd say loosen up. But it is easier said than done. It reminds me of a known condition that they call "white coat blood pressure". I actually have it. When doctors take my blood pressure, it goes sky high. Basically, it is anxiety driven. But when I take my blood pressure by myself at home... it is nearly normal.

I'd like to see you video playing actual points or games instead of rallying. If points and/or games are on the line, I think it may bring out your survival instinct and cause you to forget about to the camera.

Just something to think about.
 
mightyrick said:
Yeah, I'd say loosen up. But it is easier said than done. It reminds me of a known condition that they call "white coat blood pressure". I actually have it. When doctors take my blood pressure, it goes sky high. Basically, it is anxiety driven. But when I take my blood pressure by myself at home... it is nearly normal.

I'd like to see you video playing actual points or games instead of rallying. If points and/or games are on the line, I think it may bring out your survival instinct and cause you to forget about to the camera.

Just something to think about.
Click to expand...

Ok, I'll record a set next time. I dunno when the next time I'll be able to play is, though. :(
 
Angle is good enough!
Relax, tennis is supposed to be fun.
Tennis is NOT supposed to be posing for mechanical strokes.
SMILE if tension is bothering you.
Flow to the ball. Think smooth.
 
Manus Domini said:
I self-rate myself as a 4.5 tournament player, though I have never played a tournament. My serve probably averages about 130-135, though I have never used a radar gun. I have only played for a few years, but I crushed my self-rated 3.5 friend 6-2, who beat his self-rated 3.0 friend. Also, I am capable of an eight-minute mile (the pause to drink a bottle of water after every 400m not included) and can dash the 100m in 19.3 seconds. I am 35, 6'2", and weigh 140 lbs.
Click to expand...

Intereting, u should post this video in your old thread when people requested for video.
 
MD was kidding of course.
3.0 player, 80 mph serve.
No doubt, he can run an 8 minute mile, but that is really slow for someone who can run.
A 19.3 hundred is pretty amazing, and we all have to bow to that one.
 
mightyrick said:
It's interesting. I am seeing a pattern on these videos. I saw the same thing with Bob's videos.

You guys are very conscious of the camera. It's almost like you guys during some points have highly exaggerated split steps, highly exaggerated footwork, highly exaggerated and deliberate swing motions.

Manus, on your video, the best strokes were the ones where you forgot about the camera and started running for the ball. Much more fluid. Much more flat. Much less of a split step. Much better footwork.

You guys need to forget about the camera and just play how you play.
Click to expand...

Very tense out there. I couldn't watch more than a few seconds. You spend more time picking up balls than hitting.
 
austen5566 said:
Intereting, u should post this video in your old thread when people requested for video.
Click to expand...

I hope you saw that bit about "this is satire?" ;)

LeeD said:
MD was kidding of course.
3.0 player, 80 mph serve.
No doubt, he can run an 8 minute mile, but that is really slow for someone who can run.
A 19.3 hundred is pretty amazing, and we all have to bow to that one.
Click to expand...

3.0 with 80mph probably about right. I dunno, never played in a tournament (except for school a couple years ago, but I choked, so, yeah...).

I used to be able to run faster than an 8 minute mile, but now, I probably can't (I dunno, too out of shape). As for the 19.3, I dunno if that's fast or not. I never timed my 100 (and if it's fast, I doubt I run that speed).
 
LeeD said:
Angle is good enough!
Relax, tennis is supposed to be fun.
Tennis is NOT supposed to be posing for mechanical strokes.
SMILE if tension is bothering you.
Flow to the ball. Think smooth.
Click to expand...

shindemac said:
Very tense out there. I couldn't watch more than a few seconds. You spend more time picking up balls than hitting.
Click to expand...

Ok, I'll try to play looser next time. I have a bad habit of getting tense when playing, which hurts my matches quite heavily. :(
 
You're a cool guy and a developing tennis player, I hope all the best for you.
World record for 100 meters is around 9.3
In junior high, I never ran slower than 10.8. Of course, I was a longjumper, 90's and varsity basketball, and 8th grade baseball player for my school.
Relax, flow, have FUN when playing tennis with your buds, which might be different in serious match play in tournaments.
 
A 19.3 s 100m dash is pretty slow IMO lol. If I can run a 200m in 23, you guys should be able to do a 15 sec 100m at least. And Lee that's an impressive 100m time ! Dang. I thought I was good with my 11.05s 100m, and that's my PR. At our school you needed to run at least a 11.5 to even think about making varsity. A 10.8 would get you pretty far in State here, maybe even win it

And MD keep at it man. Learn how to edit videos to cut down on the time picking up balls and you'll get better advice. As Lee said your a cool dude, hope we see more from you in the future
 
Last edited:
LeeD said:
You're a cool guy and a developing tennis player, I hope all the best for you.
World record for 100 meters is around 9.3
In junior high, I never ran slower than 10.8. Of course, I was a longjumper, 90's and varsity basketball, and 8th grade baseball player for my school.
Relax, flow, have FUN when playing tennis with your buds, which might be different in serious match play in tournaments.
Click to expand...

(USA high school record through 2010 listed in brackets after each event heading)
100 meters(10.01)
10.28 Marvin Bracy, Boone (Orlando)
10.31 Remontay McClain, Covina, Calif.
10.31 Levonte Whitfield, Jones (Orlando).
Wind-aided:10.15 Jaylon Hicks, North Shore (Houston)

LeeD is ine of the fastest ever in JUNIOR high school at 100 meter.

Records above for high school.
 
LeeD neglected to say that he was able to run a 10.8
because there were three mountain lions chasing him.
LeeD lived to tell the tale.
1st place: 10.8 - LeeD (against wind in a zig zag pattern)
2nd place: 10.9 - mountain lions

LeeD's tales are like Forrest Gump.
Nowadays he's more like Florist Gimp, but on
a sunny day with low humidity and new Dunlop balls
he can still muster the occasion 100.0 mph lefty serve
and impress the local park hacks.

arche3 said:
(USA high school record through 2010 listed in brackets after each event heading)
100 meters(10.01)
10.28 Marvin Bracy, Boone (Orlando)
10.31 Remontay McClain, Covina, Calif.
10.31 Levonte Whitfield, Jones (Orlando).
Wind-aided:10.15 Jaylon Hicks, North Shore (Houston)

LeeD is ine of the fastest ever in JUNIOR high school at 100 meter.

Records above for high school.
Click to expand...
 
onehandbh said:
LeeD neglected to say that he was able to run a 10.8
because there were three mountain lions chasing him.
LeeD lived to tell the tale.
1st place: 10.8 - LeeD (against wind in a zig zag pattern)
2nd place: 10.9 - mountain lions
Click to expand...

I am sorry but I almost spilled coffee all over the place reading this. GOLD

back on topic

your strokes are fine for your experience level. You should probably try to hit as much as you can and find some money and time for some private sessions with a good coach. I would try not to get too bogged down in technique from these boards.

Funny side note, when you missed that forehand completely and the camera just sagged its head, that was physical comedy at its best. Not picking on you, I airball forehands too, but the coach is helping with that ;)
 
Last edited:
Again -

I don't think Lee is lying.

Those mechanical stop watches. The measure measurement can be easily off by 1 second, if the time keeper doesn't know what he's doing.

I did time keeping in swim meets... wild numbers are frequent.

Like TCF mentioned... the radar gun can read 50mph or 137mph for an actual 105mph serve... Lee would conveniently take the 137mph.

The same would explain his sprint time.
 
jasonmcmann said:
Again -

I don't think Lee is lying.

Those mechanical stop watches. The measure measurement can be easily off by 1 second, if the time keeper doesn't know what he's doing.

I did time keeping in swim meets... wild numbers are frequent.

Like TCF mentioned... the radar gun can read 50mph or 137mph for an actual 105mph serve... Lee would conveniently take the 137mph.

The same would explain his sprint time.
Click to expand...

Stop it!!!! Ha ha.
 
Last edited:
arche3 said:
Stop it!!!! Ha ha.
Click to expand...

Arche3 did you get enough sleep? time stamps are only 5 hours apart?

It's funny - what often happens to these time keepers -

Since the watch is not electronically started by the gun, the time keeper depends on his reflex (and more importantly, concentration) to start it.

Reflex can cause it to be off by as much as 0.5 sec.

But, what if he is not paying attention? The gun goes off and he is now fumbling with the buttons... and starts the watch 2 or 3 seconds later.

Now he is too embarrassed to let people know that he screwed up.. so he pretends that the start was accurate, and try to compensate (LOL) by pressing the stop button late (but by how much, maybe 1 second?)

You see.
 
jasonmcmann said:
Arche3 did you get enough sleep? time stamps are only 5 hours apart?

It's funny - what often happens to these time keepers -

Since the watch is not electronically started by the gun, the time keeper depends on his reflex (and more importantly, concentration) to start it.

Reflex can cause it to be off by as much as 0.5 sec.

But, what if he is not paying attention? The gun goes off and he is now fumbling with the buttons... and starts the watch 2 or 3 seconds later.

Now he is too embarrassed to let people know that he screwed up.. so he pretends that the start was accurate, and try to compensate (LOL) by pressing the stop button late (but by how much, maybe 1 second?)

You see.
Click to expand...

I had to work late. And I was arguing wirh leeD all night so I was slower finishing work. Lol. And I have to get into work early today.
 
arche3 said:
14 year old 10.94 record. LeeD is world class sprinter
Click to expand...


Yup. I didn't even know those records but as I said a 10.8 will win you a State championship here

10.8 is effing fast... Especially for high school. You are a prodigy if your running that during your junior year of high school IMO

EDIT: wait was Lee running a 10.8 in junior high? Like middle school ?

Sorry Lee but it's my turn to call BS lol. I've been around runners my whole life and ummm.... No
 
Last edited:
onehandbh said:
LeeD neglected to say that he was able to run a 10.8
because there were three mountain lions chasing him.
LeeD lived to tell the tale.
Click to expand...

The story I heard was that he honed his sprinting skills running away from the angry fathers of all the hotties who lived on his street.
 
Please also remember that 10.8 was not like once-in-the-lifetime time for LeeD. He --never-- run slower. You know, whether warmup or not, shorts or fully dressed, trying hard or casually jogging - at least 10.8 time it was :)
LeeD said:
[...]
World record for 100 meters is around 9.3
In junior high, I never ran slower than 10.8. Of course, I was a longjumper, 90's and varsity basketball, and 8th grade baseball player for my school.
[...]
Click to expand...
 
10.8 is obviously BS and we would need proof of that. To say you didn't run worse than a 10.8 is what makes it such a massive BS statement.

I ran 100s in High school and lettered in Track. Just to break 11 seconds is insanity. You can win at some meets with an 11.1.

To put it in perspective, the guys I ran against who could break 11 all received college football scholarships.
 
Meters. Yards. What year do you think I went to junior high? 1962!
YARDS.
10.8 would not have gotten me on the sprint blocks.
21' was the top distance of JUNIOR HIGH jumpers from at least 4 junior high schools. PeltonJr.High had 5 long jumpers in All-City who jumped over 21'.
I wished I was a sprinter, but was not fast enough. I have never ever run a 50 in slower than 5.5, until I snapped my fibula in 11th grade.
So I settled for long jump, where I averaged around 17' in 8 meets. On natural dirt.
You can't compare the records today to what was done 60 years ago. They didn't have electronics back then, they timed by hand, and the timer who started you had to look at the finish timer to see when you crossed, then had to correlate the two stopwatches.
Instead of stupidly quoting modern times, seek someone who ran track in the old days, and they can verify what I'm saying.
My fellow longjumper, SteveKitigawa, almost didn't make the track team because he ran a 11.1 during PE class in the 8th grade.
 
Power Player said:
10.8 is obviously BS and we would need proof of that. To say you didn't run worse than a 10.8 is what makes it such a massive BS statement.

I ran 100s in High school and lettered in Track. Just to break 11 seconds is insanity. You can win at some meets with an 11.1.
Click to expand...

QFT... An 11.1 is SOLID in highschool and you will be one of the faster runners on your team for sure
 
Not at all.
Most Olympians in the old days were fresh out of high school.
100 yard dash was around 9.4 or so.
In high school, if you were fast, you ran just around 10.
In junior high, the speeds were half a second slower, because there are kids who excell at running, and went on the become athletes.
I'm not talking about you lazy kids who play on your Ipads during lunch.
We played basketball, full court, 5 on 5, homeroom vs homeroom, during lunch.
We had presidential fitness awards starting in 1963, where a junior high kid had to climb a 20' rope in under 11 seconds, do 40 pushups, 12 pullups, run the 50 in under 6 seconds, standing long jump over 8', run the 880 in under 2:15, run the mile in under 6, in addition to 60 situps in one minute and some other stuff to get your BLUE sweatshirt for PE. I got my blue sweatshirt first try through, as did about 20 other kids in my grade. That meant, YOU fatso lazy farts would be wearing gray sweatshirts, while the tweeners, the 40 kids out a class of 8 homerooms, around 180 boys, got red sweatshirts.
 
LeeD said:
Meters. Yards. What year do you think I went to junior high? 1962!
YARDS.
10.8 would not have gotten me on the sprint blocks.
21' was the top distance of JUNIOR HIGH jumpers from at least 4 junior high schools. PeltonJr.High had 5 long jumpers in All-City who jumped over 21'.
I wished I was a sprinter, but was not fast enough. I have never ever run a 50 in slower than 5.5, until I snapped my fibula in 11th grade.
So I settled for long jump, where I averaged around 17' in 8 meets. On natural dirt.
You can't compare the records today to what was done 60 years ago. They didn't have electronics back then, they timed by hand, and the timer who started you had to look at the finish timer to see when you crossed, then had to correlate the two stopwatches.
Instead of stupidly quoting modern times, seek someone who ran track in the old days, and they can verify what I'm saying.
My fellow longjumper, SteveKitigawa, almost didn't make the track team because he ran a 11.1 during PE class in the 8th grade.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Read your own posts. You were talking about 100 meters.
Are you saying all track records from 1962 cannot be valid unless someone living then confirms it? Get a grip leeD.
 
Arche, are you on Mars?
THINK.
I'm 64. How can I talk about meters when I'm talking about myself?
Nobody adopted METERS until I was 30 years old.
 
I couldn't resist. just few examples of Leed's athletic achievements. These are all from LeeD's own posts. Now, an astute reader may spot few inconsistencies here and there - but who cares if it's yards vs. meters, or few feet either way...
LeeD said:
[...]
I can say I should win the benchpress test....max 85 lbs in high school.
I once tossed the 16' shotput about 9'. In high school.
[...]
Click to expand...

LeeD said:
[...]did 12 pushups max back then,
did only 6 pullups,
did run the 50 in less than 5.5 at least 7 times,
the 100 yard in 11.8,
high jumped from a stand at 38" (8th grade),
standing long jumped around 9' then,
running long jump (all city finals, KezarStadium, 21'7"),
put the shot almost 5' (16lbs'er),
and benched 85 lbs.,
threw a softball 180' in 7th grade (at less than 4'6" and 65 lbs.),
easily did 75 situps in 60 seconds,
climbed the rope in 22 seconds.....
THAT is your idea of a "great" or good athlete?
[...]
Click to expand...

LeeD said:
[...]
Junior high 100 yards, 11.6 seconds with jeans, tennis shoes, and no warmup in 55 degree temps, fully fogged in SanFrancisco. Now, more than 30 seconds, as I can't run.
Standing long jump jr high... 9'2". Now, barely 5'9".
Standing vert. Jr high, 40", no BS. Now, having grown a foot, can't reach the bottom of the basketball net...
Long jump, 8th grade 21'7" in all city, admittedly my best by 2' ever, but the 6 guys who beat me did their personal bests also. [...]
Click to expand...
please note the humility - SIX guys beat his result, SIX, and they never even become Olympic jumpers or anything

LeeD said:
[...]
Low 8th grade, spring semester, I jumped 21'4" in the all city finals...for an equal 7th place for junior high schoolers. [...]
Click to expand...

LeeD said:
[... when talking about basketball] I was closer to 4'9" then, but could clamp onto the rim with both hands from a standing start, two footed.
Click to expand...
(for those that care: with that height you need a standing vertical jump of around 48 inches just to touch the top of the rim. Spud Webb is reported to have one of, if not THE highest vertical jump of any NBA player. His vertical: 46 inches.)
 
LeeD said:
Arche, are you on Mars?
THINK.
I'm 64. How can I talk about meters when I'm talking about myself?
Nobody adopted METERS until I was 30 years old.
Click to expand...

Your own words leeD.
100 yards 11.8 from post from past.
100 meters 10.8 in this thread.
Are all the lies bunching together for you? Confusing you?
 
LOL..amazing. Leed, why do you feel the need to make up so much BS man? Just be LeeD - comfy in his own skin, no need to impress.
 
I remember in '84 when I hooked this little beauty doing some waterway fishing. It took me 7.5 hours to reel her in. I caught her using a bluefish lure on a Zebco closed-face reel and 30lb fishing line. It was amazing.

From what they tell me, that was the largest fish that had been caught in the area for years.

I haven't checked lately. Someone might have broken the record. I don't know.

beachedwhale04_zps2b8da83c.jpg
 
mightyrick said:
I remember in '84 when I hooked this little beauty doing some waterway fishing. It took me 7.5 hours to reel her in. I caught her using a bluefish lure on a Zebco closed-face reel and 30lb fishing line. It was amazing.

From what they tell me, that was the largest fish that had been caught in the area for years.

I haven't checked lately. Someone might have broken the record. I don't know.

beachedwhale04_zps2b8da83c.jpg
Click to expand...

That's nothing. Ask squeaky louie about the fish I caught in 78.
 
I think Arche3 got me on the 100 yard dash. It was in 1963 the last time I ran the 100, and it was PE class, not track team.
Arche3, I apologize for that moment of senior.
But 2:15 for half mile, and 5.5 for 50 yard dashes timed by stopwatch is very true.
I didn't mention the 21' jump because we had dirt tracks in all the schools, but Kezar Stadium had a new RUBBER track which required all the jumps to reset their runups, and some really fast runners ran slow in the rubber, a new surface at the time.
OK, got something NEW for you to diss....
Just now, walked outside, sandals on, first standing long jump, 6'1", no warmup. Second, 5'11".
TRY IT. I'm 64 and have not been able to run since 2007.
I'll bet you won't try it and you won't post your results.
 
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