When are you done with technique?

[Curious]

Is there such a thing? You're happy with every aspect of your technique and you don't think about it, you don't try different things any more, you don't watch Youtube videos for stroke mechanics, tips, you're not trying to improve your strokes, emulate any pros etc.
You just play play play, train/exercise to keep fit and healthy.
When does it happen? At what level? 4.0?, 5.0?, 6.0?
(By the way spending time/thinking about game plan, strategy etc is not included in this discussion)

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Is there such a thing? You're happy with every aspect of your technique and you don't think about it, you don't try different things any more, you don't watch Youtube videos for stroke mechanics, tips, you're not trying to improve your strokes, emulate any pros etc.
You just play play play, train/exercise to keep fit and healthy.
When does it happen? At what level? 4.0?, 5.0?, 6.0?
(By the way spending time/thinking about game plan, strategy etc is not included in this discussion)

I don't think it's determined by NTRP; it's determined by personality and circumstance. Someone could peak at 3.0 and be satisfied. Federer, OTOH, changed his BH late in his career.

 

[Curious]

I don't think it's determined by NTRP; it's determined by personality and circumstance. Someone could peak at 3.0 and be satisfied. Federer, OTOH, changed his BH late in his career.

Navigator ( a 4.5 I guess ) says he is not trying to change his technique any more. What about you?

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Navigator ( a 4.5 I guess ) says he is not trying to change his technique any more. What about you?

- Higher 1st serve %
- Better serve placement
- More spin on the 2nd serve
- More consistent from the BL
- More patient when deciding if I should approach the net
- Taking the ball on the rise

For me, it's not a matter of whether I want to improve my technique; it's how do I prioritize a long list?

 

[Curious]

- Higher 1st serve %
- Better serve placement
- More spin on the 2nd serve
- More consistent from the BL
- More patient when deciding if I should approach the net
- Taking the ball on the rise

For me, it's not a matter of whether I want to improve my technique; it's how do I prioritize a long list?

But when talk about technique I mean some basic stuff that some of us can get really obsessed about like the shape of racket take back, position of wrist, how high the elbow is etc. Obviously you're past that stage, right?

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

But when talk about technique I mean some basic stuff that some of us can get really obsessed about like the shape of racket take back, position of wrist, how high the elbow is etc. Obviously you're past that stage, right?

I'm not sure if "past that stage" is the right description but I see your point.

I'm sure my clinic guy could point out some fundamental things I'm doing wrong but yeah, I'm likely not going to be making those types of changes unless it's something serious [ie injury-causing].

I'm sure if I had enough time I could get obsessed about some trivial part of my game. Good thing I don't have that much time!

 

[atp2015]

I don't think it's determined by NTRP; it's determined by personality and circumstance. Someone could peak at 3.0 and be satisfied. Federer, OTOH, changed his BH late in his career.

A significant cahnge in technqiue is determined by result, competition and goal.
Federer didn't change his BH, he started using top spin BH more often starting in 2017. A ton of video of him hitting the shot 10 years ago.

But I don't think technique is a done thing ever. It's tweaked all the time.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

I'm not sure if "past that stage" is the right description but I see your point.

I'm sure my clinic guy could point out some fundamental things I'm doing wrong but yeah, I'm likely not going to be making those types of changes unless it's something serious [ie injury-causing].

I'm sure if I had enough time I could get obsessed about some trivial part of my game. Good thing I don't have that much time!

Same. For better or worse, I am comfortable with the bare basics of my game and wouldn't change them at this point. I do make adjustments, like recently started focusing more on getting underneath the ball and aligned to the left rather than to the right of the ball trajectory (i.e more like kick serve than slice serve). I have read about these things but made a conscious effort to ensure I was doing it right. But the forehand in essence is not different, the adjustment just allows me to both generate pace and control it more effectively.

 

[atp2015]

Is there such a thing? You're happy with every aspect of your technique and you don't think about it, you don't try different things any more, you don't watch Youtube videos for stroke mechanics, tips, you're not trying to improve your strokes, emulate any pros etc.
You just play play play, train/exercise to keep fit and healthy.
When does it happen? At what level? 4.0?, 5.0?, 6.0?
(By the way spending time/thinking about game plan, strategy etc is not included in this discussion)

I think it happens all the time - the variation of shot speed, spin and direction on similar balls shows change in technique. It's more conscious initially and subconscious more often as players develop.
Every practice session of all players including the top atp players involves grooving of technique.

 

[WildVolley]

Is there such a thing? You're happy with every aspect of your technique and you don't think about it, ...
When does it happen? At what level? 4.0?, 5.0?, 6.0?

Up to you. For some players it never ends. Friends of mine watched Djokovic spend about a half hour of practice doing technique work on his backhand with a lot of interaction and discussion with coaches.

If you're just playing for fun, you don't really need to worry about technique. However, most of us still have some "bad" technique we need to get rid of if possible. That's more important than refining something which is not that bad.

 

[MyFearHand]

I think most people work on it throughout the entirety of their playing years. There's always something that you can do a little bit better. There's also always something you could do more often that comes out when you hit your very best shots and you try to continue hitting that way.

 

[styksnstryngs]

It's more about maintaining for me, as well as making small tweaks to optimize my game.

 

[Knox]

You're done with technique when you stop missing

 

[user92626]

You can never be done with the techniques.

You can only get lazy and lack of ambition as the reason to "be done".

You don't wanna get too lazy and lack of ambition. That's the road to depression and worse.

-----------

With that said I can't explain certain people I play with!

There's one woman that everyone knows suck really bad but she seems fine to keep coming out to play every week and ignores comments and hints from others that she's truly bad. She never does anything differently or has expressed desires to. Basically she's done changing. It baffles me!

 

[styksnstryngs]

You're done with technique when you stop missing

That's when you start pushing

 

[Steady Eddy]

That's when you start pushing

Nothing wrong with pushing, though. As long as you keep it deep. (I learned that you can't get away with pushing short balls. Doesn't work, even at an average club level).

I can hit it hard for the occasional passing shot. But why tire oneself out hitting balls that won't be winners? Try to hit a high bouncing ball with plenty of side spin, instead.

 

[ByeByePoly]

Is there such a thing? You're happy with every aspect of your technique and you don't think about it, you don't try different things any more, you don't watch Youtube videos for stroke mechanics, tips, you're not trying to improve your strokes, emulate any pros etc.
You just play play play, train/exercise to keep fit and healthy.
When does it happen? At what level? 4.0?, 5.0?, 6.0?
(By the way spending time/thinking about game plan, strategy etc is not included in this discussion)

We never worked on technique ... just regular drill groups (mainly doubles drills because most of us in the drills were on same USTA team). If that is an option for you, it might be a change of pace from all of the technical.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

There's one woman that everyone knows suck really bad but she seems fine to keep coming out to play every week and ignores comments and hints from others that she's truly bad. She never does anything differently or has expressed desires to. Basically she's done changing. It baffles me!

It should only baffle you if you persist in thinking that she will behave like you. After several weeks/months/years of her not changing, you should expect that behavior. The only baffling part is that you're still baffled!

 

[Harry_Wild]

When you start beating up on Nick Krygios in a match(6-1,6-0) that he want to win big time!

 

[user92626]

It should only baffle you if you persist in thinking that she will behave like you. After several weeks/months/years of her not changing, you should expect that behavior. The only baffling part is that you're still baffled!

Behaving like me is assumed to be the norm, shared by the majority. I mean, most everyone else I know play, not just to have fun, but to gain a sense of accomplishment. Eg. I still can run and have my health, can solve issues like anybody else, I can change to be a better person; things that are beyond tennis skills.

Because I rarely see this unusual behavior of having no ambition, inability to change even a little though she seems perfectly healthy and intelligent, it's baffling.

I have long decided to skip playing with her (though it's quite hard to remember). It's not that I can't take losses. It's depressing to see a lazy, unambitious, prideless person like I explained above.

I'am around a lot of people like this outside of tennis. No need to see more.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Behaving like me is assumed to be the norm, shared by the majority. I mean, most everyone else I know play, not just to have fun, but to gain a sense of accomplishment. Eg. I still can run and have my health, can solve issues like anybody else, I can change to be a better person; things that are beyond tennis skills.

Because I rarely see this unusual behavior of having no ambition, inability to change even a little though she seems perfectly healthy and intelligent, it's baffling.

I have long decided to skip playing with her (though it's quite hard to remember). It's not that I can't take losses. It's depressing to see a lazy, unambitious, prideless person like I explained above.

I'am around a lot of people like this outside of tennis. No need to see more.

What % of your group
- practices
- takes lessons
- works at undoing bad habits
- uses a ball machine or a wall
- etc.

IOW, how many people are devoting any amount of time to improving vs just playing and enjoying?

That woman may not be in such a minority. She's just worse than average. If she was a 5.0 but had all of the other characteristics, would you still be baffled? How much of your conclusion is due to the fact that she's a very poor player relative to you?

 

[StringSnapper]

I have moments where i'm happy with my technique. My forehand was good last week... my bh wasn't though

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I have moments where i'm happy with my technique. My forehand was good last week... my bh wasn't though

Your FH was good for the entire last week? I'm jealous: mine was good for about 30 minutes...non-consecutive minutes, I might add.

 

[Bender]

The greatest players of all time are constantly improving their technique, so I think you can say you are done with technique when you're significantly better than them.

 

[user92626]

What % of your group
- practices
- takes lessons
- works at undoing bad habits
- uses a ball machine or a wall
- etc.

IOW, how many people are devoting any amount of time to improving vs just playing and enjoying?

That woman may not be in such a minority. She's just worse than average. If she was a 5.0 but had all of the other characteristics, would you still be baffled? How much of your conclusion is due to the fact that she's a very poor player relative to you?

As a group we play, practice "together" so we kinda progress or decline relatively the same, and that's the thing. She's not only a very poor player relative to me but to the whole group as well.

Everyone has their day where they do well or bad and they come out with similar win:loss ratio, but she's always bad. I don't know. Would YOU still come out to play matches if you lose all the time?

I'm just curious about her motivation/reason for playing. Seem very unique. Anyway, I don't like to talk (and thus think) about that woman anymore.

 

[heninfan99]

I have put a time limit on it. One more year and then whatever skills I have will be frozen in time.

Playing twice a week only maintains...I need to play & practice at least 4x/wk to improve and because I plan on working more my down the road I have to get my final improvements in over the next 12 months.

 

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

You are done when you mastered the basics. You shift your focus to execution and fitness. Your technique will adapt so long as there isn't a massive flaw. If there is one, a good coach will point it out. If there are only small flaws, they will either fix themselves over time or you will learn to cover for them. Generally, unless there is a giant flaw, good coaches will just give you goals to improve your stroke. Hit 50 balls in a row deep. Hit as many balls as you can to a box on the court. Hit a ball dropped right behind a ball cart and keep it inside the court with heavy spin. Hit 20 balls in a row deep while on the run. Hit a box on the court 10 times in a row while on the run.

As long as you can consistently execute at a high level and take care of your body, it doesn't matter what your form looks like.

 

[Keendog]

Can only think of this at 33 seconds (if the bat symbolises the game):

 

[dominikk1985]

You are never completely done but the general framework of pros is probably set rather early. They will still make minor and in rare cases major changes.

Don't be a tinkerer though. People that try a new "high level" trick every month will not really improve.

 

[MotoboXer]

When you realize that there is no grip.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

When you realize that there is no grip.

...or spoon.

 

[travlerajm]

Every couple of months I improve to a higher level by changing to a better racquet.

 

[Curious]

Every couple of months I improve to a higher level by changing to a better racquet.

So does @Shroud by adding 10g to his racket every year.

 

[TennisCJC]

you're never finished with technique. Billie Jean King said she still tweaks her FH stroke. John McEnroe made a change to his serve very late in his career based on a coach's video analysis. These are 2 former number 1 players and they were making technical changes.

 

[Shroud]

Always chasing the tail of dogma