Chris Lewit

[EricMatuszewski]

Chris,

Congrats on the publishing of a very comprehensive article on the kick serve.

As you may know, I've gone though a tremendous amount of work over the last 5 years trying to clear the name of the kick serve and get better guidelines and more precise evidence on injury potential of topspin serving in junior players.

I am starting a 3 year Clinical Doctoral Study in Physical Therapy next month. Getting in to a DPT program in the U.S. is intensely competitive (statistically harder than med school) and I've essentially had to complete another Associates degree of Pre-Med coursework and multiple other requirements just to have a chance to be accepted.

My point is, I know a few things about tennis and the human body.

But what I want to talk to you about is about politics, not democratic/republican politics but tennis technique politics.


It seems that our overly litigious culture is putting a ball and chain around the leg of player development in this country.

Kick serves are "officially" frowned upon as unacceptably dangerous, as are open stance forehands, western grips and anything that doesn't look like it came off a Los Angeles hardcourt in the 20's.

I'm not going to go into the how we got here, but the important thing for the sport in the U.S. is that it's not helping us get any closer to a French Open title or putting more U.S. players in the top of the game and consequentially decreasing growth of the game.

The establishment in this country is insisting that these techniques shouldn't be used because of an injury risks that have not been studied in any deeper way than anecdotally. I believe this is because of the fear of litigation.

This impacts you directly.
For now as a teaching pro trying to pay the rent, and make some players, you have some extra things to worry about. Especially in NYC, where half of the population are personal injury lawyers.

Competing tennis pro's will use your feeling about kick serves against you for buisiness purposes. ie: Don't send your kid to Chris Lewit, unless you want him to need back surgery and be crippled by the time he's a teenager.

The problem here is because no official statement exists on the safety/danger of this technique, you are on your own and when it comes down to a kids opinion versus establishments position

Guess who wins. . .

I'm not suggesting you give up teaching (the most valuable technique in tennis) though, what I'm suggesting is that you be part of the solution on the grander scale.

By taking on the charge of clearing the name of the kick serve by writing to Dr Paul Roetert at the USTA , and the AMA and arguing your case.

If enough people speak up, eventually things will change. The level of U.S. players will rise and we just might grow the game.

Eric

[gsheiner]

Eric,

Very interesting comments and a great article by Chris.

Instead of fighting directly ( which may or may not be easy to win) what about a campaign to get more clay or har tru courts?

As Chris pointed out in his article, playing on clay kind of encourages certain shots ( angles, kicks, etc) and might be a way to get kids to experiment on their own.

Maybe the revolution will be like skateboarding -- a ground up revolution as opposed to top down.

I might mention that I was in Chile once playing on real slow red clay. I was able to see young kids play and their games were already very stylish. Flowing one handed backhands with heavy spin , topspin forehands, spin serves, drop shots etc.

My sense is that learning how to play on clay might be the best way to teach kids. Didn't hurt Roger!!

Congratulations on your academic achievements!

[EricMatuszewski]

It's more about encouraging our best coaches. . .

Thanks,

I agree that clay makes a more complete player/better mover.

However the relative paucity of clay in the U.S. has more to do with economics than anything else. Public tax dollars are better spent on roads than maintaining public clay courts in most's opinion.


Also the kids that are making it into the higher levels are hitting kick serves it's one of the things that makes them better players.

But the coaches who should be rewarded for developing these skilled players like Ryan and Christian Harrison shouldn't have to worry about other coaches trying to run them out of business using the "what they do is dangerous" argument.

Ryan and Christian are lucky that their father is a real player so he knows that this is B.S. but there are hundreds of other parents out there who simply fall for the line and pull the kid out of the program out of fear because they don't know better and the USTA encourages this fear by not releasing a clear concise statement.

To an extent I understand their trepidation, they don't want to take any risk either!

But some teachers are using this to create fear in order to compete and thus increase their business at the expense of junior development in this country.

It doesn't stop with the kick serve either. The western forehand, the open stance it's all fair game for the unscrupulous business person to use against another as "dangerous" to steal students with.

Junior tennis coaching is far too cut throat unfortunately.

My issue is more with protecting some great coaches from getting run out of business because of unethical competition.

Less great coaches = Less great players.

[tommyt]

Great read. I teach a 12 year old girl who is a good player (Top 5 sectionally/Top 100 nationally) and has a solid flat and slice serve. I would like to move on to the "topspin" serve but her father believes she is too young and compares it to Little League baseball and the "no curveball" rule. What do you guys think?

[clowens]

I have a question as well:


Stay sideways longer to impart a kick serve is a phrase often written. Other keys are to make racquet contact with the ball over your head as well toss the ball into the court. I cannot achieve these reference points in sequence to produce a kick serve.The mere action of tossing the ball into the court takes my head reference point out of play. This also changes my racquet path into the ball. Perhaps I am not supple enough. Your thoughts please.


Thanks,

C. Owens

[uspta146749877]

Clay courts and the Cassel"s Academy

Eric,

Very interesting comments and a great article by Chris.

Instead of fighting directly ( which may or may not be easy to win) what about a campaign to get more clay or har tru courts?

As Chris pointed out in his article, playing on clay kind of encourages certain shots ( angles, kicks, etc) and might be a way to get kids to experiment on their own.

Maybe the revolution will be like skateboarding -- a ground up revolution as opposed to top down.

I might mention that I was in Chile once playing on real slow red clay. I was able to see young kids play and their games were already very stylish. Flowing one handed backhands with heavy spin , topspin forehands, spin serves, drop shots etc.

My sense is that learning how to play on clay might be the best way to teach kids. Didn't hurt Roger!!

Congratulations on your academic achievements!

See an article in the uspta magazine addvantage about Cassel's Academy
in Naples Florida and related issues.
Click

http://www.addvantageuspta.com/

scroll to the middle of thor example pdf document.

[uspta146749877]

Kick serve and toss

I have a question as well:


Stay sideways longer to impart a kick serve is a phrase often written. Other keys are to make racquet contact with the ball over your head as well toss the ball into the court. I cannot achieve these reference points in sequence to produce a kick serve.The mere action of tossing the ball into the court takes my head reference point out of play. This also changes my racquet path into the ball. Perhaps I am not supple enough. Your thoughts please.


Thanks,

C. Owens

Two points:
1.one does NOT HAVE to
toss the ball into the court to have a kick serve

2.see

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/classiclessons/scott_murphy/scott_murphy_the_serve_images/scott_murphy_the_serve.html

about serve as well
julian uspta 27873

[uspta9311799]

Thanks Eric

Hello Eric,

Thanks for your intelligent thoughts. I am disappointed with the establishment position, too. I think this is just one small example of a failure on the developmental front in American tennis. I could point to many other failures as well.

I am not really interested in taking on the USTA. I think it is a futile battle in many respects.

For now, I am happy that few kids are learning a great kick serve; my students will have more versatile games and win more. So it is very good for my business, in that respect.

Good luck with your education. With a Phd, you have a better chance of getting the USTA to hear you.

Feel free to contact me directly, chris@chrislewit.com, to discuss further.

Chris

[uspta9311799]

Kick help

I have a question as well:


Stay sideways longer to impart a kick serve is a phrase often written. Other keys are to make racquet contact with the ball over your head as well toss the ball into the court. I cannot achieve these reference points in sequence to produce a kick serve.The mere action of tossing the ball into the court takes my head reference point out of play. This also changes my racquet path into the ball. Perhaps I am not supple enough. Your thoughts please.


Thanks,

C. Owens

You can practice the kick tossing closer to your body, with the feet anchored if that helps you get the feel for it. The more advanced serve has the toss out in front, and then the body curls under it and explodes forward and up.

The perspective definitely is the ball above your eyes; your eyes looking up at the very bottom of the ball, in other words. Lack of suppleness would prevent you from getting your head under a toss to the left (lack of back flexibility), not necessarily in front.

There is likely some other flaw in the links of the chain that is causing the stroke failure. Common flaws like grip and deep backscratch, for example, or shoulder tilt, may be more likely issues.

Perhaps my next article will help you. We will be highlighting some important developmental drills to help you master each individual technical element.

Best,
Chris

[uspta9311799]

Great read. I teach a 12 year old girl who is a good player (Top 5 sectionally/Top 100 nationally) and has a solid flat and slice serve. I would like to move on to the "topspin" serve but her father believes she is too young and compares it to Little League baseball and the "no curveball" rule. What do you guys think?

Unfortunately, she may end up like most female players, even on the tour, with a very poor topspin serve, if any at all. Think Dementieva.

At 12, she has already missed the most important developmental window, in my opinion. Try not to miss another.

Email me to discuss privately, chris@chrislewit.com.

It is really tough to convince a stubborn tennis dad. But that is our job...to be the expert guides in the process.

Good luck,
Chris

[airforce1]

Unfortunately, she may end up like most female players, even on the tour, with a very poor topspin serve, if any at all. Think Dementieva.

At 12, she has already missed the most important developmental window, in my opinion. Try not to miss another.

Email me to discuss privately, chris@chrislewit.com.

It is really tough to convince a stubborn tennis dad. But that is our job...to be the expert guides in the process.

Good luck,
Chris

Guess I'm one of those stubborn tennis family people. I have 2 questions.

1. What is so darned important about the Kick serve? I honestly can't recall a pro or college match where it was a factor at all. When the commentators go over keys to the match, have you ever heard one insist that one of the players needed to dominate with the Kicker?? Someone referred to it as the most important shot? I guess I'll look pretty stupid when someone explains this to me, but I'm blown away by that thought.

2. What needs to be learned before 12 years old and what is this important window?
thanks,

[EricMatuszewski]

Thanks for the response Chris, I'll be in touch.

Thanks for the response Chris, I'm glad things are working out for your business. I'll be in touch, I'm busy right now with a class but I have a short break coming up where I'd like to take you to dinner in the city if you'd be up for it and talk a little tennis.

Stickman,

Just replace the term kick serve with the term heavy serve and you may recall that it pretty much defined the careers of history's greatest players, especially the serve and volley specialists.

Edberg without his heavy serve might have made it to 500 in the world. . .

With his heavy serve he dominated the late 80's early 90's until another kid with a heavy serve dominated . . . a kid name Pete.

Pete without the heavy serve might have cracked top 100? Instead he became the greatest player of all time battling with Agassi who hit predominately kick serves, admittedly with less pace than Pete.

Even Bill Tilden refers to the topspin serve as hit "main" serve. Check tennis players tennis history section for that story.

My point again is that it is a critical developmental milestone that enough U.S. kids are not getting through because of politics. We have enough other challenges to growing the sport, do we really need this one?

Back to hitting the books,
Eric

[EricMatuszewski]

Important window

Stickman, forgot to respond to second part. Gotta make this one quick.

Important window is pre-adolescence for learning and assimilating new motor engrams. This is a widely studied phenomenon in movement science. Do a search.

Essentially the premotor cortex is becoming less able to dramatically change in the teen years, so the movement habits you go into puberty with are the ones you tend to come out with.

Second aspect of the "window" has to do with connective tissue becoming stronger due to hormonal changes (testosterone especially).

During puberty the accretion of protein causes tendon and ligament to become thicker and stronger which is a good thing.

However if the pre-adolescent has been used to moving in more limited ranges of motion then the bodies tissues will be "set" to accomidate those ranges.

Gymnasts, pitchers and tennis players rely on flexibility attained in pre-adolescence and maintained (thru practice) in the teen years.

As we age we tend to loose range of motion, especially if we don't actively pursue it.

[uspta146749877]

Kick serve and Kusnetsova

Guess I'm one of those stubborn tennis family people. I have 2 questions.

1. What is so darned important about the Kick serve? I honestly can't recall a pro or college match where it was a factor at all. When the commentators go over keys to the match, have you ever heard one insist that one of the players needed to dominate with the Kicker?? Someone referred to it as the most important shot? I guess I'll look pretty stupid when someone explains this to me, but I'm blown away by that thought.

2. What needs to be learned before 12 years old and what is this important window?
thanks,

Kusnetsova uses mainly a kick serve

[uspta9311799]

Really important thoughts!!

Stickman, forgot to respond to second part. Gotta make this one quick.

Important window is pre-adolescence for learning and assimilating new motor engrams. This is a widely studied phenomenon in movement science. Do a search.

Essentially the premotor cortex is becoming less able to dramatically change in the teen years, so the movement habits you go into puberty with are the ones you tend to come out with.

Second aspect of the "window" has to do with connective tissue becoming stronger due to hormonal changes (testosterone especially).

During puberty the accretion of protein causes tendon and ligament to become thicker and stronger which is a good thing.

However if the pre-adolescent has been used to moving in more limited ranges of motion then the bodies tissues will be "set" to accomidate those ranges.

Gymnasts, pitchers and tennis players rely on flexibility attained in pre-adolescence and maintained (thru practice) in the teen years.

As we age we tend to loose range of motion, especially if we don't actively pursue it.

Really smart and important thoughts, Eric. Perhaps we can include some of this technical knowledge in the next article? What you are saying affirms my anecdotal experiences and gut.

The window is about teaching a young child to be supple and flexible and to learn an extremely complicated motion early on.

By teaching a back arch, with ancillary stretching and strengthening, the body is prepared better for the future rigors of serving at a high level. My argument is that, if a coach waits until adolescence, the window of flexibility begins to close, as you have explained scientifically, and then the motion becomes more likely to cause an injury; and the motion is less effective because there is less range of motion available to the player (less twist and racquet speed, for example)

This is why some pros, who have been hitting heavy twists since early ages, seem immune to injury in the back, even into their 40s and 50s. My coach, a former top 60 player, was one of them. Even in 40s, after a long ATP career, he could still arch extremely for a heavy kick, without injury.

But for an extreme contrast, take a 40 year old who has never learned a kick serve. He has missed the pre-adolescent development window, and he will never be able to learn a heavy twist if the range of motion was not trained when he was young. If the adult tries to arch his back like a young boy, his risk of injury will be very high.

A long term study should be done on pre-adolescent kick serve training, adolescent training, and post-adolescent training and related injury rates.

My hunch is that the pre-adolescent cohort will have a lower rate of back injuries, which seems to run counter to the general consensus of the teaching community.

Really good stuff, Eric

Chris