wall hitting ground stroke video advice

[LoboLaw1984]

Hello everyone. I have been getting back into tennis after a few years of playing once a month at most. This is a video of me hitting forehand and back hands against a wall. The video is taken with my phone and there are some points in the video where I'm not in the frame, but it's not too long and I thing it gives a decent over view of my groundies.

A little about me - I am comouter rated at 4.0 in New Mexico. I have been stuck in 4.0 for about 6 years and i am looking to become a 4.5 in the next year or two.

A few of my own observations: I am doing something weird with my wrists. Its like i am keeping them stiff instead of laying them back. I had no idea i did this because i have literally never seen myself play tennis before. I also think I need to improve my footwork and get more racquet head speed.

I have had matches in the past where I have played pretty solid tennis, so I know i can get to 4.5 if I put in the work. Still, I will be 30 in a month and have a time consuming job, so I will have to train smart I suppose.

Please, share any constructive criticism. I am aware that I am not extremely good at tennis, I'm just looking to improve so try and be friendly please

Yes, I am wearing street clothes in the video.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yi-AvnZZugA

 

[ctoth666]

Two things:

1. Don't hit tennis balls against alien spacecraft.
2. Don't wear jeans.

 

[LoboLaw1984]

Thanks man I'm hoping that will get me to the next level!

 

[heninfan99]

Any vid of match play? all looks fine. Your cardio looks good too.

 

[LoboLaw1984]

I'll try and get some match play videos up. My biggest weakness has been my mental game, I seem to get tight in tourneys no matter how many I play!

 

[LoboLaw1984]

If you have any constructive criticism have at it.

 

[caugas]

Hello everyone. I have been getting back into tennis after a few years of playing once a month at most. This is a video of me hitting forehand and back hands against a wall. The video is taken with my phone and there are some points in the video where I'm not in the frame, but it's not too long and I thing it gives a decent over view of my groundies.

A little about me - I am comouter rated at 4.0 in New Mexico. I have been stuck in 4.0 for about 6 years and i am looking to become a 4.5 in the next year or two.

A few of my own observations: I am doing something weird with my wrists. Its like i am keeping them stiff instead of laying them back. I had no idea i did this because i have literally never seen myself play tennis before. I also think I need to improve my footwork and get more racquet head speed.

I have had matches in the past where I have played pretty solid tennis, so I know i can get to 4.5 if I put in the work. Still, I will be 30 in a month and have a time consuming job, so I will have to train smart I suppose.

Please, share any constructive criticism. I am aware that I am not extremely good at tennis, I'm just looking to improve so try and be friendly please

Yes, I am wearing street clothes in the video.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yi-AvnZZugA

In getting to the 4.5 level have you considered working with a local tennis pro...? Your strokes look good..

 

[beernutz]

If you like wall hitting and find it beneficial I'd suggest taping a 2' square to it using painter's tape to serve as a target. Then you can do drills like trying to hit x number of shots in a row in the square. It seems to have helped me anyway.

Like the post above this one suggested, I would also suggest working with a pro. I did this and got a lot out of it. I really need to find the time to do some more.

You might also check out one of the online help/coaching video sites. I've had a membership at tennisoxygen for a couple of years because I liked the way Christophe explains things and how he tries to find the common elements of professional strokes. There are many other coaching sites out there too like Salzenstein, FYB, Brett Abel but I just watch their free youtube videos.

 

[LeeD]

Seems some minimum height line around 44" off the ground would be useful, in addition to the specific target box.

 

[LoboLaw1984]

Thanks guys I should take a few lessons. I have had probably over a hundred lessons since I've been playing but I haven't worked with a pro in years. I will post a serving video too - my serve kind of sucks for my height and I could probably improve a lot in that area.

 

[LoboLaw1984]

I will bring some tape next time. I am hitting against the side of the neighberhood elementary school so I don't want to make any permanent marks.

 

[beernutz]

I will bring some tape next time. I am hitting against the side of the neighberhood elementary school so I don't want to make any permanent marks.

I used some blue painters tape on my club's hitting wall rather than masking tape because I didn't want to risk pulling off any paint when someone removed the tape. But it has stayed up there for several weeks now though some pretty hard thunderstorms with only one top corner slightly sagging.

 

[LeeD]

I always thought blue painters tape WAS masking tape, but blue in color.
It also comes green. It used to come beige, in varying stickiness's.

 

[Tight Lines]

Not sure if that is your normal match swing or practice swing. But, it seems like you drop your racket a little too early and the swing motion looks too smooth. To have a little more pace, I think you may need to wait for the ball. Some people call it stalking the ball. See this video at 2:28.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sZ1cYHK1fE

See how he waits for the ball and then swings/rotates the racket around his wrist very fast. Try that and see if you get more pace on your forehand.

Harry

 

[LoboLaw1984]

Not sure if that is your normal match swing or practice swing. But, it seems like you drop your racket a little too early and the swing motion looks too smooth. To have a little more pace, I think you may need to wait for the ball. Some people call it stalking the ball. See this video at 2:28.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sZ1cYHK1fE

See how he waits for the ball and then swings/rotates the racket around his wrist very fast. Try that and see if you get more pace on your forehand.

Harry

Thanks man that's the kind of advice I'm looking for.

 

[HunterST]

Your forehand takeback sometimes is a little too low and close to your body. Ideally, you want to the racquet above the wrist prior to swinging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZXrqH2oUPw

Maybe you were just doing some easy hitting, but it also seems like you weren't achieving very athletic posture.


Overall hitting looks good, though. You seem to have a good feel for hitting the ball and your strokes, so making changes might not be the best thing, necessarily.

 

[Cobaine]

Not sure if that is your normal match swing or practice swing. But, it seems like you drop your racket a little too early and the swing motion looks too smooth. To have a little more pace, I think you may need to wait for the ball. Some people call it stalking the ball. See this video at 2:28.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sZ1cYHK1fE

See how he waits for the ball and then swings/rotates the racket around his wrist very fast. Try that and see if you get more pace on your forehand.

Harry

I'm sorry but this is horrible advice. And the video linked is not telling you to wait and put a hitch in your swing. You WANT to be smooth.

 

[Tight Lines]

I'm sorry but this is horrible advice. And the video linked is not telling you to wait and put a hitch in your swing. You WANT to be smooth.

How about this video? Does that convince you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78incRkdJFk

It doesn't really matter how much hitch you have before your forward swing. But it is important to have a rapid acceleration in your forward swing. JMHO.

Harry

 

[beernutz]

I always thought blue painters tape WAS masking tape, but blue in color.
It also comes green. It used to come beige, in varying stickiness's.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/masking-tape-vs-painters-tape#b

 

[sureshs]

Are you using a table tennis ball?

 

[LoboLaw1984]

Are you using a table tennis ball?

Why on earth would you think that?

 

[LoboLaw1984]

Your forehand takeback sometimes is a little too low and close to your body. Ideally, you want to the racquet above the wrist prior to swinging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZXrqH2oUPw

Maybe you were just doing some easy hitting, but it also seems like you weren't achieving very athletic posture.

Overall hitting looks good, though. You seem to have a good feel for hitting the ball and your strokes, so making changes might not be the best thing, necessarily.

Thanks for the input. I was just doing casual hitting but your observation about me not keeping an athletic posture carries over to matches. In an attempt to be loose and "smooth", I sometimes get too casual.

Also I think that's what the other poster meant by my strokes being too smooth is that my swing tends to be a uniform speed throughout and that I'm not accelerating into the ball.