Wall vs. Ball Machine

[GotGame?]

So, this much discussed question is put up on the TW boards? Which is better to practice your tennis, the wall or the ball machine? IMHO, I think their value is equal. If you can get your hands on the ball machine, I would go for it because there are numerous things you can do to work out your technical game, and it sure can give you a workout. A wall is more accessible, it has its own value, though you are limited. On a wall, it keeps coming back, giving you what you give it, and you can also practice volleys. But the wall is not really a good practice tool for such parts of your game as overheads that the ball machine can work you out on.

 

[TwistServe]

Ball machine.. you see your strokes, you can aim for lines.. you can practice hittin on the rise, you can practice drives, slices.. low balls.. you can practice hitting lobs..

The wall is boring..

 

[eqc6]

Actually, you can practice your overheads with a wall :mrgreen:

 

[GotGame?]

Actually, you can practice your overheads with a wall :mrgreen:

I'm saying in comparison to the ball machine.

 

[eqc6]

I'm saying in comparison to the ball machine.

Oh ok, sorry I misread

What I like about the wall is the quick reaction time required by you, which will really give you good workout. And with overheads against a wall, you'll need more control and perfect aim/strength so the ball can bounce to the ground-wall-then up again to set another lob, and again and again

Don't get me wrong, I love and would prefer ball machines if I can get my hands on em, but once all those balls in the machines are gone, you gotta pick em all up. But with the wall you only need 1 ball!

For me, a wall's main advantage = good cardio, fast reaction, you control your own pace

Machine = Like the poster above says, better practice in terms of working with an actual court, plus adjusting the machine to different styles of ball feed speed and spin, etc.

 

[raftermania]

Economically wise, a wall beats anything. You have to be motivated to train against a wall because you can only train as hard as what you put into it. Hit a hard ball, get ready to return a hard ball.

With a ball machine, you face a more varied and realistic training simulation because:

1) You're on the court
2) The ball comes at you from a realistic trajectory
3) Random settings train yourself for the unpredicable nature of playing a human opponent!
4) If your ball machine appears jammed, never put your face in front of the shooter to see if a ball is lodged in there

 

[eqc6]

Economically wise, a wall beats anything. You have to be motivated to train against a wall because you can only train as hard as what you put into it. Hit a hard ball, get ready to return a hard ball.

With a ball machine, you face a more varied and realistic training simulation because:

1) You're on the court
2) The ball comes at you from a realistic trajectory
3) Random settings train yourself for the unpredicable nature of playing a human opponent!
4) If your ball machine appears jammed, never put your face in front of the shooter to see if a ball is lodged in there

Thanks for the late warning

 

[wpeng4]

I am a believer of practicing with a wall. Nothing else gives you better training on footwork.

 

[Phil Daddario]

Ball machine often grooves you to the same type of ball, and is fine for making minor technical adjustments. But doing it frequently is often detrimental, as you get used to the same type of ball. When you play actual matches, your timing is often screwed.

Of course, there are ball machines that do otherwise, but they're not exactly cheap.

Walls are easier to get to, provide different types of bounces, and force you to recover quicker. Footwork like wpeng4 said. You can still practice everything with it, too.

 

[raftermania]

eqc6, hehe, sorry I couldn't get to you earlier! Your great artistic talent obviously stayed intact though. Unless of course those sketches you posted were prior to your ball machine accident

 

[Rickson]

eqc6, hehe, sorry I couldn't get to you earlier! Your great artistic talent obviously stayed intact though. Unless of course those sketches you posted were prior to your ball machine accident

I need a reply from you in the new Raul thread over at rants and raves.

 

[eqc6]

eqc6, hehe, sorry I couldn't get to you earlier! Your great artistic talent obviously stayed intact though. Unless of course those sketches you posted were prior to your ball machine accident

haha, ya, why else do you think those sketches look unfinished and rough? Obviously side effect, heh.

 

[x Southpaw x]

Wall is free. Ball machine is expensive. Wall is always there. Ball machine you need to rent a court. So I choose wall. And I think wall is more valuable... unless your ball machine can fire a very fast-paced shot with huge amount of spin. Otherwise... ball machine is for beginners.

 

[joe sch]

Wall is better for mechanics, only takes 1 ball and you can do all without dealing with a machine. Machine is better for practicing court placement hits like the real game. Both are great training !

 

[equinox]

Wall is best. It's cheap and there's plenty of walls around in local parks with tennis clubs nearby.

I haven't used a ball machine since i was 10. It felt like the coach was using the ball machine to babysit us juniors.

 

[x Southpaw x]

Wall is best. It's cheap and there's plenty of walls around in local parks with tennis clubs nearby.

I haven't used a ball machine since i was 10. It felt like the coach was using the ball machine to babysit us juniors.

lol I agree with the babysitting part... I wonder how it'll look like at the huge group of courts I play, if everyone was rallying and I'm the only one with a ball machine bwahaha

 

[thejerk]

The wall seems best for footwork but every time I go to the courts after the wall my placement is way off. The ball machine is a great luxury and probably better if you can afford it.

 

[SageOfDeath]

Ball machine, got a free pass for ball machine for a year.

You can isolate what you want to work on. Backhand groundstrokes or forehand approach shots or whatever you want to do. Also you get to hit a lot of balls with a ball machine. I'm sure you can do so with a wall but you have to run around more and you can't really predict well where you shot will go. Ball machine helps with consistancy on certain shots.

Basically it helps you focus on shots that you need more consistancy on. You can adjust speed, spin, direction, depth. A ball machine I tried only had a topspin feature. Are there ball machines that generate slice too?

Walls don't generate spin either, slicing on a wall seems like a problem to me.

 

[x Southpaw x]

Ball machine, got a free pass for ball machine for a year.

You can isolate what you want to work on. Backhand groundstrokes or forehand approach shots or whatever you want to do. Also you get to hit a lot of balls with a ball machine. I'm sure you can do so with a wall but you have to run around more and you can't really predict well where you shot will go. Ball machine helps with consistancy on certain shots.

Basically it helps you focus on shots that you need more consistancy on. You can adjust speed, spin, direction, depth. A ball machine I tried only had a topspin feature. Are there ball machines that generate slice too?

Walls don't generate spin either, slicing on a wall seems like a problem to me.

A balll machine that generates topspin? Wow!
I need that!
But it's gonna look horrible with me using a ball machine since I don't have a private court... and no $$$ either...

 

[AngeloDS]

The ball machine is good for running left to right. But I find the wall a lot better. Especially the walls here. Because the school wall is built in blocks it's hard to explain. I'll take a picture of it.

But the ball machine is pretty dangerous. The coach hates bringing it out for the girls tennis team (I managed girls tennis). Anyways, most girls on volleys with the machine get injured. Sometimes, they don't pay attention and get hit . So, it can be a bit dangerous.

Anyways, I always try to blast a hole in the wall. That's how my forehands really developed. My backhands good as well because I always hit to my backhand or forehand and control it.

But also it really helped me on my volley game. Blast a forehand run and volley.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

So, this much discussed question is put up on the TW boards? Which is better to practice your tennis, the wall or the ball machine? IMHO, I think their value is equal. If you can get your hands on the ball machine, I would go for it because there are numerous things you can do to work out your technical game, and it sure can give you a workout. A wall is more accessible, it has its own value, though you are limited. On a wall, it keeps coming back, giving you what you give it, and you can also practice volleys. But the wall is not really a good practice tool for such parts of your game as overheads that the ball machine can work you out on.

NoBadMojo and I had a disagreement here on this one. I do not want to take away his findings as I believe he is an asset to this board and has his own views on teaching tennis and certain tools he likes to use to teach tennis.

Here is what I found (it does not mean it is better or worse). With the latest two-line function (spin) ball machines, I find it more realistic then hitting against a wall. Now, when we talk about a wall, I am talking about a flat wall that does not produce a "true bounce". The kind of wall at most high schools.

With this in mind, the ball machine with a two-line function produces a very good workout for lateral and forward movement. With this ball machine you also get the feeling of hitting within the lines and get the ability to adust your swing so you dont overhit and can work on both footwork and rally speed.

Both the wall and the ball machine will help you with technique and the wall is certainly a great place to practice volleys and other things I feel a ball machine does not do as good of a job.

Here is how I would rate the two:

Groundstrokes: Ball machine edging the wall

Overheads: Ball machine by far

Volleys: For steady volley technique - the ball machine. For real world and better for real play - the wall by far.

Approach shots: Ball machine, but the wall isnt far behind

Workout: Ball machine, nothing beats a 200 ball oscillating or two-line drill.

Somewhat mastering spin with hitting: the ball machine

 

[tom-selleck]

i've got back into hitting against the wall recently.

i usually stand fairly close and work on specific little parts like watching the ball intensely ala federer and and some acceleration, but i seldom do all-out hit anymore, i think too much full out hitting from too far away groove balls that go way out of the court.

i play right handed with 2HB. i use wall to practice LH forehand which really helps groove my 2HB. whenever my righty 2HB is left hand dominant it's awesome. right hand dominant it's awful.

can someone explain the best way to practice volleys against the wall??? although i probably need to learn footwork on volley first.

 

[SageOfDeath]

A balll machine that generates topspin? Wow!
I need that!
But it's gonna look horrible with me using a ball machine since I don't have a private court... and no $$$ either...

Hehe.... I had access over in SC to a ball machine that had spin on it. I think they are private courts but it was during practice time so

 

[kevhen]

Never used a ball machine but know it would mimic an opponent better than the wall does but still not as good as a live opponent. Ball machine is great for grooving a particular shot and getting lots of repetition. Walls don't bounce back deep or hard enough to be very real but can still be useful and lower levels in developing timing and consistency of shot.

 

[joe sch]

Never used a ball machine but know it would mimic an opponent better than the wall does but still not as good as a live opponent. Ball machine is great for grooving a particular shot and getting lots of repetition. Walls don't bounce back deep or hard enough to be very real but can still be useful and lower levels in developing timing and consistency of shot.

Oh ya, that depends on your opponent. The wall gives consistent returns, never hooks calls, never any gamesmanship or attitude, and will always outlast you
The wall is the best training partner I have ever had !

 

[SageOfDeath]

So true about your opponent. At higher levels they are good practice but when you are like me we tend to hit into the net or long sometimes and are still working on placement.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I was just going through John Yandell's Visual Tennis book. What an excellent book! I was reading over the finer print and focusing on just one aspect throughout the book. I was looking for consistencies that I could take from most of the strokes mentioned and apply it to film. All I can say is John nailed it and this book largely goes under the radar.

One of the things that got me reading the book was I have been kind of getting out of shape. Oh well, at 46 years of age, no hopes of making the team at USC and three children later, I can live with that. But being out of shape taught me something.

When I am out of shape, I tend to not be more flat footed, I am slow to get to the ball which means I don't align myself correctly and other little demons come out.

I try not to let it get me down and instead I try and learn from it. I noticed I was late at transferring weight into the shot for my twohanded backhand. I was losing power, I was mishitting, and in general felt a little stiff and out of balance.

I got John's book and focused just on the leg section and reviewed it. I then filmed myself and analyzed it. Low in behold, I shook my head and smiled. John's book shows the back foot (on the followthrough shot) lifted up at the heel and mentions that this foot should be on the toes. Well I wasn't doing that and once I did, my weight transfer, stroke, power, clean contact, and recovery improved immediately.

If you dont have this book in your library I would highly encourage getting it. I would also highly encourage looking over his website and consider joining. www.tennisplayer.net

P.S. I said this on my own accord. John is a friend, a good person, and has helped people here at his caliber for free. I don't mind promoting good things. I hope someone of you will not take offense.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Oh almost forgot, another reason I like the ball machine is how it can shot a steady ball that lands in a certain spot. This is excellent when you are hitting slow to medium paced balls and only want to concentrate on certain elements of your technique. Such as lifting the back foot off the heel and moving the center of gravity forward over the front foot on the followthrough.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

If you have access to a ball machine; if you can install and operate it, it is the best practice tool since it provides various spins, angles, and speeds! Otherwise, a proper tennis backboard or a wall with half-court lines, is the best.

For a ball machine you need more than 100 tennis balls, for a wall you need just one, and a wall does not need electricity to operate! It is there; you can use it whenever you are ready for it. Again, if you can afford it go for a ball machine! Some players' ego gets satisfied if they go to an expensive coach, expensive club, and expensive ball machine!