socalmd123
Professional
During covid lockdown did a lot of wall hitting and really helped a lot. Any opinions or wall hitting drill recs?
Wall hitting. Over or under rated.
- Thread starter socalmd123
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SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Best hitting walls are parabolic. Or a flat wall tilted at 15° (or a bit more). Unfortunately, these walls are nowhere as common as the flat vertical walls.
A few times I used an old-style garage door that was partially opened to provide me with a tilted surface. But mom usually screamed at us for making so much noise hitting against the garage door
A few times I used an old-style garage door that was partially opened to provide me with a tilted surface. But mom usually screamed at us for making so much noise hitting against the garage door
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SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
When wall-hitting, I will often use a ball that's lost a bit of its internal pressure. A Green Dot (Stage 1) training ball can even be used. One or two bounces are okay with these.
Sometimes I'll stand closer and use large Stage 3 foam balls. Have seen a few ppl using an Orange Stage 2 ball for wall hitting
Sometimes I'll stand closer and use large Stage 3 foam balls. Have seen a few ppl using an Orange Stage 2 ball for wall hitting
Friedman Whip
Professional
what is a wall hitting drill rec?
S
Slicehand
Guest
i dont know but it gets boring pretty fast, i guess you can use it for cardio but you dont get many references to the depth of the ball, i would like a ball machine but my head just doesnt allow me to spend that much on it, its just a robbery
ballmachineguy
Hall of Fame
Recommendation
Rubens
Hall of Fame
Overrated and misleading. At my local courts I see countless "wall pros" who look like they have mastered the techniques, but they can't translate their success to hitting against a person on a real court. There are too many things that work with the wall but not in real life. It's a big adjustment each time, and most of what you gained in wall practice will be lost in the adjustment to real play, so what good is it? I suppose it can be a good tool for absolute beginners to learn a few things, but not beyond that level.
EggSalad
Hall of Fame
step 1: obtain racquet
Step 2: obtain ball
Step 3: find wall
Step 4: hit ball against wall
Step 5: continue until wall gives up
Kralingen
Talk Tennis Guru
Beginning tennis - 6-7/10 value
Regular player of matches - 4.5/10 value
Working on new stroke mechanics - 9/10 value
Volleying, slice practice - 8/10 value
Getting back into tennis after a break - 10/10 value
I had surgery this summer and the wall has seriously been a godsend. Gets your tennis cardio to a great place, low risk way to tune your strokes and timing, and it’s just fun in a way that can reinvigorate your love for the game.
If I was playing regular matches I probably would only play the wall as last resort if no one was there to hit with. If I was trying to improve as a player though, in an off season or something, the wall is great.
Echo what is said above about it not transferring well to depth perception and shot tolerance - every ball you get back is flat and it doesn’t lend itself to actual tennis patterns: I.e. if you hit as hard as you can it comes back much faster than it would in reality. But still, it’s helpful.
Regular player of matches - 4.5/10 value
Working on new stroke mechanics - 9/10 value
Volleying, slice practice - 8/10 value
Getting back into tennis after a break - 10/10 value
I had surgery this summer and the wall has seriously been a godsend. Gets your tennis cardio to a great place, low risk way to tune your strokes and timing, and it’s just fun in a way that can reinvigorate your love for the game.
If I was playing regular matches I probably would only play the wall as last resort if no one was there to hit with. If I was trying to improve as a player though, in an off season or something, the wall is great.
Echo what is said above about it not transferring well to depth perception and shot tolerance - every ball you get back is flat and it doesn’t lend itself to actual tennis patterns: I.e. if you hit as hard as you can it comes back much faster than it would in reality. But still, it’s helpful.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Underrated, definitely.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Better than not playing. Better than doing drills with a low-level player who can’t give a consistent, well-struck ball. Worser than doing drills with an advanced 4.5+ ball who hits a good ball. If you have the third option (free or by paying for it), that is better than a wall.
That’s why most 4.5+ players don’t do it much as they usually have equal-level buddies to hit with. At lower levels, your options might be limited to find a good hitting partner that can help you improve.
That’s why most 4.5+ players don’t do it much as they usually have equal-level buddies to hit with. At lower levels, your options might be limited to find a good hitting partner that can help you improve.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
The wall is a self-correcting activity with respect to accuracy, just like juggling. If you can’t maintain a wall rally under controlled conditions, you will be even worse against a live person. The more you use the wall, the more accurate your shots get, which translates to more winning.
zill
Legend
Very different unless if you are talking about 5.5 and up. You get so much more time to prepare to hit the ball when playing tennis on the court compared to hitting against the wall at say the 4.5 level.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Not true. It only feels hard playing against the wall because you are under-developed at the skill.
Ball comes back much more quickly making it harder to get ready for the next shot
So its all about footwork
Hence it can have negative impact on stroke form unless your teknique is fully developed- due to rushing
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travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Maybe that’s why my technique sucks, but I never feel rushed during matches?
zill
Legend
maybe slow footwork
Dragy
Legend
Yeah I’ve been hitting the wall a ton. It can be effective for different things, but one needs to keep on-court memories and always keep in mind - wall is to improve aspects of tennis, not a complete discipline to maser.
Some people stuck with maintaining wall rallies as long as possible, which makes them alter shots to achieve that particular goal. Some smack the ball at the wall as hard as they can - the way it will float way out on actual court… wall gives them back.
If speaking about groundstrokes, I’d alter the following drills/focuses:
- rushing early prep, it might feel like broken rhythm, but you need it, other way late prep (connected back-and-forth swing) gets ingrained;
- playing of second bounce - this matches the rhythm of on-court rallying rather close;
- playing “mildly cross-court” and altering full drive with full follow-through with blocky slice from the other side - allows you to play full drives without typical wall rush.
Overall you can use anything on the wall like drop feed, hit, catch the ball. Most people try to develop and show wall-jitsu by maintaining long rallies, but that’s absolutely not an ultimate way to practice.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
@Kralingen
I generally discourage novice & low intermediate players from wall-hitting. I have seen far too many reinforce bad habits with wall-hitting. Instead of self-correcting, it tends to do just the opposite -- lower level players tend to hit a high % of rebounds, out of position, with horrendous form / mechanics. They do get some benefit from developing hand-eye and RT (reflexes). But this benefit is more than offset from the harm I've seen done wrt mechanics and proper positioning.
I have often suggested to these players that they should not try to rally against the wall. I recommend that, if they want to hit against the wall, they should only hit one shot against the wall, with good form, and then catch the ball -- rather than attempting to hit it the second time. Once they have mastered this, I might suggest a 2-ball rally. However if they cannot hit both shots, balanced, with good form, they should go back to the one-hit sequence.
However, this often does not work out. The vast majority will ignore my instructions and attempt to rally against the wall instead. Usually, with disastrous results. If I see or hear about this happening, I will then ask them not to hit against the wall at all. Not until they demonstrate to me that they can hit most of their shots, on the court, balanced & with good form
I'm definitely with @zill on this one.
I generally discourage novice & low intermediate players from wall-hitting. I have seen far too many reinforce bad habits with wall-hitting. Instead of self-correcting, it tends to do just the opposite -- lower level players tend to hit a high % of rebounds, out of position, with horrendous form / mechanics. They do get some benefit from developing hand-eye and RT (reflexes). But this benefit is more than offset from the harm I've seen done wrt mechanics and proper positioning.
I have often suggested to these players that they should not try to rally against the wall. I recommend that, if they want to hit against the wall, they should only hit one shot against the wall, with good form, and then catch the ball -- rather than attempting to hit it the second time. Once they have mastered this, I might suggest a 2-ball rally. However if they cannot hit both shots, balanced, with good form, they should go back to the one-hit sequence.
However, this often does not work out. The vast majority will ignore my instructions and attempt to rally against the wall instead. Usually, with disastrous results. If I see or hear about this happening, I will then ask them not to hit against the wall at all. Not until they demonstrate to me that they can hit most of their shots, on the court, balanced & with good form
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SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
@travlerajm @zill @mrmarble
For novice players & low intermediate players, I recommend hitting against a tennis court fence instead of hitting against the wall. This tends to discourage them from trying to rally before they are really ready to do so.
Fence hitting is also a great opportunity to work on keeping the head during the contact phase -- or during the latter part of the forward swing, before & immediately after contact. I have them set up about 5 to 6 meters (20 ft) away from the fence. They should drop hit the ball while focusing on the contact point (or a point in space a bit forward of the contact point). They are not allowed to look up, to follow the ball, until they hear the ball hit the fence. If they actually see the ball hit the fence, they have looked up too early
For novice players & low intermediate players, I recommend hitting against a tennis court fence instead of hitting against the wall. This tends to discourage them from trying to rally before they are really ready to do so.
Fence hitting is also a great opportunity to work on keeping the head during the contact phase -- or during the latter part of the forward swing, before & immediately after contact. I have them set up about 5 to 6 meters (20 ft) away from the fence. They should drop hit the ball while focusing on the contact point (or a point in space a bit forward of the contact point). They are not allowed to look up, to follow the ball, until they hear the ball hit the fence. If they actually see the ball hit the fence, they have looked up too early
Fintft
G.O.A.T.
I say this in regards to the net.
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
Need For Speed
New User
Wall hitting can be quite riveting.
ichaseballs
Professional
my ego does not let me play the wall...
but honestly i never liked how the ball comes off the wall. not indicative of a real match ball with spin.
i think for beginners it can be good practice but i would recommend anyone trying to improve to get on a court instead.
but honestly i never liked how the ball comes off the wall. not indicative of a real match ball with spin.
i think for beginners it can be good practice but i would recommend anyone trying to improve to get on a court instead.
Court is better of course but can’t always find a partner and /or court, I think that’s when most people would use a wall.
PrinceMoron
Legend
Drop and hit is good for generating pace
PrinceMoron
Legend
I played in Israel for 10 days hitting against a wall as there was just nobody worth playing
I ended up with half a sun tan, should have varied the time I played
I ended up with half a sun tan, should have varied the time I played
Power Player
Bionic Poster
vex
Legend
Nailed it. Better than nothing if you’re just beginning. Pretty much worthless once you’re into the sport except to practice volley reactions/control. Counter productive for groundstrokes despite the Agassi video above, the wall doesn’t impart topspin.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
The ex top-1000 pro I hit with regularly this year when I lived in South America, who has the most talented, heaviest forehand I’ve ever seen, says that the wall was his best friend when he was growing up. He used it more than an hour every day.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
I think using the wall to warm up is really useful before a match. After warming up against a wall, everything feels easier and less rushed and more relaxed when I start the ‘real’ warm-up against my opponent because the ball is coming from twice as far away.
Fintft
G.O.A.T.
I use mini tennis for that.
Amazing cardio. After all the lockdowns whoever's fittest probably wins.
Just like strokes great for grooving a footwork pattern.
Painters tape some targets. Go for accuracy on the run not power. I doubt many recreational players can hit powerful accurate shots on the run so why try that.
My local wall has a lumpy asphalt surface so plenty of small adjustment steps are baked into the practice from the bad bounces.
I think it being boring comes from bad practice. Basically it is too hard if you just turn up and hit the ball around. You need to have some routine and some things you are working on.
I d suggest you write down on a card or on your phone what the practice plan is.
You can simulate match conditions more if you are honest with yourself. Throw the ball behind your shoulder so you have to practice retreating.
Hit a short ball then count one Mississippi before you start running for it.
Serve into the wall and then try and hit your target that is like a very fast ball in a match.
Just like strokes great for grooving a footwork pattern.
Painters tape some targets. Go for accuracy on the run not power. I doubt many recreational players can hit powerful accurate shots on the run so why try that.
My local wall has a lumpy asphalt surface so plenty of small adjustment steps are baked into the practice from the bad bounces.
I think it being boring comes from bad practice. Basically it is too hard if you just turn up and hit the ball around. You need to have some routine and some things you are working on.
I d suggest you write down on a card or on your phone what the practice plan is.
You can simulate match conditions more if you are honest with yourself. Throw the ball behind your shoulder so you have to practice retreating.
Hit a short ball then count one Mississippi before you start running for it.
Serve into the wall and then try and hit your target that is like a very fast ball in a match.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
You play mini tennis by yourself? That's wild.
The wall is the warm up BEFORE the warmup, which is definitely not worthless or overrated.
Nope. If you hit the wall with slice that comes back as TS. If you hit into the ground close to the wall that comes back as slice.
I haven't tried with sidespin yet I don't know if you'll get a mirror spin back. Too fancy for me. My game has truck sized holes to work on.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Overhead practice on the wall can be fun. With a little practice, you can hit every overhead against the ground so that it bounces up into the wall and launches you a perfect lob to practice the next overhead.
bluetrain4
G.O.A.T.
I didn't see this thread until now. Something I want to talk about - the kind of wall/backboard. The basic kind is wood on the fence - flat with a line at net level and either the height of the fence or almost. When I was a kid, the park right next to my house didn't have a big backboard like that, but instead individual panels, maybe 5 or 6 feet by 4 feet panels on the fence, the bottom of which was net height. Below that was the fence. Needed to be MUCH more accurate as the size was so much smaller. Next, my parents used to live next to a park which had a backboard that was the height of the entire fence, BUT it wasn't totally flat the whole way. At about 2 or 2.5 feet above the ground it had a curve - it was like a ramp down to ground level. This is the best backboard because anything that hit on the mini ramp area got deflected back upwards and much easier to keep on hitting.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
When I can’t find a tennis wall, I use a basketball backboard. This teaches you to be accurate on your high deep rally ball really fast, or else you are chasing balls into the soccer field behind the backboard the whole time.
kimboslice
New User
Absolutely underrated. It's usually free, and great way to train and workout. Plenty of drills to do on the wall. I compare it to training with a speed bag with boxing: it's more about finding the right power/rhythm to develop your strokes. Fantastic for DTL hitting placement, especially if you put some painters tape on the wall for targeting.
Rubens
Hall of Fame
There's no doubt that a pro will not be misled by practicing on the wall, because they know the adjustments to make between wall and opponent. For the common mortal it's different.
mtommer
Hall of Fame
As someone who hits against walls for 97-98% of all the tennis I play, I can say that it's been good enough to be able to hit with top juniors in the nation and not embarrass myself. That doesn't mean I'd be able to compete in an actual match but since I largely don't compete anyway it's good enough for me.
mtommer
Hall of Fame
Which, incidentally, does happen on occasion.
wow 98% of your tennis is hitting against a wall? would you mind if i asked you why?
