Warm Ups

[TennisSamurai]

Its been a while since I last hit(Around 1 month due to poor winter weather and I do unravel fast). My tennis coach decided that we'd start practice in the morning of next week and I want to be ready. One thing in particular that I want to sharpen up is my timing(I either hit too early or late and miss the ball). Anyone have any warmup ideas that would help warm up my timing and my contact position before I have practice? Or even any warm up tips that are achievable in the size of a dorm room? XD Thanks in advanced.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

red ball against the wall.... in mini tennis fashion
and saying "bounce hit"...
my $0.02

 

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

Wall. Depending on how much you try, it practices clean contact, footwork, quick feet, and early prep. Obviously if you're just dinking balls all you get is hand-eye and clean contact. But if you take a decent cut, you have to work on quick feet and early prep, which is critical to timing. Hardest thing in tennis is getting ready to hit the ball on time. Actually hitting the ball is an absolute joke in comparison.

 

[fuzz nation]

Even performing several "ghost strokes" - both forehand and backhand - can help you dial in your swing tempo and stroke timing before you actually get on the court and begin hitting some balls. Compared with going out and trying to meet a ball with good timing while your strokes are still "cold", you should be able to make more consistent swings when they're already worked in. Split step, unit turn, shuffle, swing, follow through, recover... and again.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Even performing several "ghost strokes" - both forehand and backhand - can help you dial in your swing tempo and stroke timing before you actually get on the court and begin hitting some balls. Compared with going out and trying to meet a ball with good timing while your strokes are still "cold", you should be able to make more consistent swings when they're already worked in. Split step, unit turn, shuffle, swing, follow through, recover... and again.

I can hit Djokovic-like BHs [in my mind] when I shadow swing. It's when that darn ball, court, net, and opponent are added into the equation that things go astray.

 

[fuzz nation]

That's a "wicked bummah"!! I can sort of relate, just because I'm a much more natural one-handed backhand hitter. I only come up with solid, respectable two-handers on all-too-rare occasions.

Lots of success in my teaching/coaching endeavors of late have come with hand feeding so that the hitter can swing at the ball with "off-hand" forehands. This means that a righty hits the ball with a left-handed forehand while gripping the racquet up where the left hand would be when hitting a two-handed backhand. It feels horrible at first, but it's been GREAT for helping students, etc. sort of "activate" that left side and let that arm really take charge through the stroke.

If you haven't tried it and you can find a willing feeder, I highly recommend this. Bring your sense of humor.

Also a bit easier for me to hit a two-hander when I try to recall that Djokovic move (fake it 'til you make it!!). He looks like he really goes "shoulder first" (right shoulder, that is) into that stroke. Marat Safin seemed to really do this, too. Whenever I remember to lead with my shoulder instead of staying too stuck over my feet, it always seems like I can better propel the shot. A few thousand more and maybe I'll start to get it right...