Teaching by body type

[courbie]

John, and Forum Readers

What is your opinion on teaching tennis styles by using body typing.
Say if someone is going to be of a size with Marat Safin, using the commonalities more so with him than say Coria.

Not completely copying them but looking more towards one form, than another.

How will this differ from Robert's theories?

Also, you may hate me for this one John, but I just taped one of my more advanced juniors and found his extension to look just like Robert's model. He has a good forehand but uses to much wrist in the backswing(I'm worried about wrist injury), so we are changing it. I'm starting one girl today and i'm going to use Robert's models, I'm looking foward to seeing it develop.

One last thing, Any chance on getting you to post a junior video and let us debate on technical changes and technical styles. I'd like to hear what other members would do to fix stroke issues

And one more last thing
How about a drill section(may be here and I haven't found it yet)
Separate it into adult and junior and child sections and post one a month and let us add to it. I'm sure there's lots of talented people reading this site, and it would be nice for us to help each other learn

Thanks for your time
God bless
James

[johnyandell]

James,

Sorry to be slow in responding--had to think about that body type question...not sure body type is a defining factor. If you are tall like Safin, you might finish a little lower relative to your head say on your backhand--he often does, but you see players of all shapes and sizes play all kinds of different game styles with all kinds of different strokes. That should be the first effort to match--if you look like Andy Roddick put want to play serve and volley don't learn an extreme semi-western forehand and a two-hander...try Tim Henman or Max Mirni or Pete or Taylor Dent--4 different sizes and shapes but similar attacking styles. (The exception is Taylor's forehand grip!)

I think it'd be hard to go wrong with Robert's models--sure there are options but it's hard to argue with is results.

Yes! Great idea about the junior videos. We plan to make it possible for you guys to upload directly to the server. In the meantime you can send them to me if you wish. The main issue though is going to be shutter speed, framing and clarity.

And again yes on the drills. It's something we are planning to add. The first several issues are actually planned and fully stuffed, but remind me in the fall. Again if subscribers can meet some minimum filming criteria--sure we can get a contributors area going.

[ruymendes]

Strange forehand

If you are talking about Robert Lansdorp's forehand finish type, I think that, despite the sucess of Sharapova, her forehand motion looks unnatural, the same I say about Rafael Nadal one's. Their results could happen easier, without the need of enormous phisical effort, if they follow the way John Yandell has shows to us.
Thanks.