A New Year's Serve

[bottle]

Court Trial

I don't see how anybody can figure anything out in tennis if they're not on a train, a plane or in a restaurant, an office, a lunchroom or a bar.

Or they might be in self-feed out on a court.

Even a ball machine provides too much pressure. One needs to have figured out the new stroke before one turns the machine on, invites somebody to hit with him, hits against a bangboard and most certainly before one competes.

A shower is good. One's bed, too. A hike in the woods might do the trick although one should probably be thinking about other things such as stepping on top of a fallen tree rather than stepping over it in case there is a poisonous snake on the other side.

Two of my new forehands appear more consistent and accurate than any I've ever had: the heavy McEnrueful hit with heel to left side of panel two and big knuckle on 2.5; and the short angle hit with 3/3 grip but with the same bowl-back for a take-back.

I'll say this. Some time ago I switched off the usual formula of left hand on the racket during the unit turn. I chose instead a big point across from the beginning, like Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Chris Evert and Tracy Austin. Together these players had illustrious careers and multiple wins in the big one at the U.S. Open.

In the two specific shots I mention now, both designed not to be sole weapons but part of a larger arsenal, since left hand combined with shoulders turn won't start racket sideways, one needs to take racket sideways a few inches through right arm willpower to get it on track with the oncoming ball.

One then can bowl back briefly on that straight line. (It's all one motion.)

"It's very hard to change anything in tennis," says a friend who is one of the best players I normally compete with. She learned her howitzer of a forehand from the Late Ken Angell, the Michigan pro whom Steve Navarro knew all about. Steve was familiar with the ghastly tale of how Angell's son burnt both himself and his father up (and others too?) when he set the family house afire as in an old Doors song.

The secret to effecting change in tennis is to make changes a lot, even to make a routine out of changes until the changes come easy.

[bottle]

Abbreviation of a Stroke

All of this stuff is Ted Williams on a 10-hour train ride. The great hitters and even some who are not so great think in a profusion of detail whether or not they bring it out into the open like Ted, i.e., talk about it, and he is the guy who ends up with the highest batting average.

But profusion of detail is always present whether one admits it or not, so one may as well get in touch with it the better to control it.

I am so excited about my shortened McEnrueful, which came about during the writing of a recent post.

This shot will contain an element of my old Ziegenfuss, a forehand in which loop flowed into arm swing which flowed into body shove (as of a large medicine ball). Gone now: the loop, replaced by the slap of a hockey slap-shot.

The backswing for this slap is out from the body and directly behind the ball. It is as straight as the beginning of Rory McIlroy's takeback in golf (Sorry, Caroline).

I don't have time like Rory, however, to do shoulders first then hips. This then is reaffirmation of every classical precept in the philosophy of a good unit turn.

The racket, held in a composite grip halfway between continental and eastern, will swing back straight as a die on the path of the oncoming ball.

My how this shortens backswing over anything tried before at least by me.

And it obviates the great sin of any mild grip forehand, viz., the arm gets too far ahead of the body thus causing the strings to open and send ball to ceiling or sky.

No, the slap or smooth downswing only brings racket handle to a centerpoint between the two shoulders. Racket will be square or close to square. And pitch will maintain forward since body and arm will remain a single piece.

Try this, reader. I just purchase bent thumb on the pointy ridge known as 7.5 .

Have I even hit one ball this way? No-- haven't had time although I conducted a self-feed session yesterday.

"Ho-ho, yuk-yuk," said an observer. "Where's your hitting partner?"

"Some people," I said to this importunate stranger, "like to practice alone before they compete."

Just feel how the bowled up racket held out from the body shortens the backswing. Feel the feel of how the downward swing, arm only, places the racket between the shoulders for the smooth body swing. Arm to body is a single motion.

Smooth and smooth-- there's a description of the whole shot for those who seek simplicity of whom I am one.

I can't wait to bounce a ball and try this for the very first time.

It certainly will be a nice contrast to Federfores in which there exists mondo-flip and in which the significant arm action comes later in the stroke.

[bottle]

Beware of paralysis through analysis...

Might be a new form of sculpture.

[tennis_chiro]

Beware of paralysis through analysis...

Come on, Phil. Bottle is so far past that...he's working on how to hit the ball during an out-of-body experience...never had one myself, but a girl once told me...oh, nevermind!

don

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[gzhpcu]

Beware of paralysis through analysis...

[bottle]

Bottle, we sure enjoy you're posts. That's tennis, go to the courts, day dream, play and come up with new stuff. Its great to see an adult who still has an imagination. Perhaps one day we will meet up with you and go out and experiment all day. Our wives will call us home when it gets dark, and we won't know we spend all day playing around at the tennis - armagedon play-ground.

Thanks very much. But I'll have to marry the girl first. Are you sure you want to do that to me?

I did go to the court. Hit serves from all over the place. Hit them with a motion that delayed toss until I was halfway through the forward travel.

Of what did this forward travel consist? Of a continued turning backward of my back to put racket way back (o, the paucity of tennis language).

Anybody who tries to serve this way may come to regret it. I take no responsibility. Could be right for me though. I don't have much flexibility in the rotors, so I'll try anything, and this gets racket tip a bit lower-- doesn't matter what anyone says.

Tossing arm is now on about a 45 degree angle to the baseline and a bit higher than one might think is healthy to start a toss.

But two power sources, not just the usual hinge from the shoulder, go to work.

You have to make the noise of an airplane. BZZZZZ. Bzzzzzzxz. BZZZZZ.
The right wing banks down. The left wing banks up, assisting the arm in making the toss.

Tried forehand short angles too with 3/3 grip. Bowl to low point followed by small elliptical loop seems a good idea. But how far out the arm? Moderately far out behind the oncoming ball. Such separation means that turning hips and shoulders will count more in both directions to get racket tip a pool cue's width right of dead center when one hits the ball.

The exhilaration of some raspy contacts and fine placements led to changes in full forehands hit from lower register as well.

Up till now in my composite grip slap-shot forehand I've bowled down and up to outside and then brought racket up and in (though still in the slot) like Chris Evert.

Time to edit that. I just want to bowl back neither to the outside with a later tail nor to the inside but just straight in the middle behind the oncoming ball. Simplify in other words. The slap part now of slap shot will get the racket opposite middle of chest between the two shoulders. The rest of the swing will be solid arm and body connection. Will there be an inside out component? Possibly. The slap down has got to bring the racket in. The body core circular shove can shade racket out.

Tried some hard Federfores from the lower register setup as well. Roger, he's looking at high balls most of the time so his upper register loop makes sense. Me, I look at low balls and some high ones too. So I shall groove Federfores from both registers.

[hockeyscout]

Now I edit the foregoing and hope I can get to the court today (bad weather). Go down to low point and start the loop from there. If you want to, tap the court three times, before starting the loop but not for long. Make the loop elliptical enough, though small, to complete it and bring the racket into where you can keep your chest on the ball as you hit it.

That would be for a hard hit shot. The short angle is not a hard hit shot. It's spinny. If it goes fast that's probably from the speed of the oncoming ball and solidity of your body arrangement. This outside seam instruction is similar to Willies Hoppe or Mosconi telling you to hit the cue ball one cue's width to the right of dead center.

In the case of short angle, continue to pull the racket forward farther than in the previous description to square up the strings and get proper aim on outside seam of ball for the rolling flick.

On open shots one can kick forward with left foot like Federer. On closed shots one can kick backward with right foot like Avery. That's true of short angle or long angle shots and I haven't checked out a closed or rather neutral forehand, typical, of Federer, recently.*

Note: I'm tired of the academic distinction between open, closed and neutral forehands. Open and closed used to be good enough for me and I'm ready to return to that state of mind. But of course I don't want to step way across and block core movement.

* Nobody should be lazy. Here's Federer hitting a neutral/closed shot. What he does with his feet is completely different:

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...r%20500fps.mp4

Bottle, we sure enjoy you're posts. That's tennis, go to the courts, day dream, play and come up with new stuff. Its great to see an adult who still has an imagination. Perhaps one day we will meet up with you and go out and experiment all day. Our wives will call us home when it gets dark, and we won't know we spend all day playing around at the tennis - armagedon play-ground.

[bottle]

Now I edit the foregoing and hope I can get to the court today (bad weather). Go down to low point and start the loop from there. If you want to, tap the court three times, before starting the loop but not for long. Make the loop elliptical enough, though small, to complete it and bring the racket into where you can keep your chest on the ball as you hit it.

That would be for a hard hit shot. The short angle is not a hard hit shot. It's spinny. If it goes fast that's probably from the speed of the oncoming ball and solidity of your body arrangement. This outside seam instruction is similar to Willies Hoppe or Mosconi telling you to hit the cue ball one cue's width to the right of dead center.

In the case of short angle, continue to pull the racket forward farther than in the previous description to square up the strings and get proper aim on outside seam of ball for the rolling flick.

On open shots one can kick forward with left foot like Federer. On closed shots one can kick backward with right foot like Avery. That's true of short angle or long angle shots and I haven't checked out a closed or rather neutral forehand, typical, of Federer, recently.*

Note: I'm tired of the academic distinction between open, closed and neutral forehands. Open and closed used to be good enough for me and I'm ready to return to that state of mind. But of course I don't want to step way across and block core movement.

* Nobody should be lazy. Here's Federer hitting a neutral/closed shot. What he does with his feet is completely different:

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/high_speed_archive/phantom/Roger_Federer_Court_Level_HD_HS/index.html?dir=Forehand/RF_FH_Center&stroke=FH%20Center%20NeutralStance%20CourtLevelRear%20500fps.mp4

[bottle]

New Idea for Forehand Crosscourt Short Angle

Using Roger Federer's forehand grip (heel and big knuckle both on panel three) bowl down and backward close to the body.

Then with the smallest of possible loops bring the racket butt into flip and flashlight as body settles and rises pivoting all the way to square up the racket out front for its rolling flick which will be almost entirely straight up.

The small loop gets body and arm movement happening at the same time but with the arm going a bit faster.

I don't think kinetic energy from the loop is a factor. Rather the loop creates a small delay allowing racket and body to get on the same wavelength.

[bottle]

Three Instances of Body Angle in the Forehand of John McEnroe

Is John upright or bent over as he moves? A little of both. He is not as bent over as Ellsworth Vines but mild body angle is there.

How does body angle work in this or in any case? One's back is flat and bent from the hips.

Flat back means that back is neither curved nor reverse curved.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHRunningRear1.mov

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHWideCourtLevelRear1.mov

Note how in this, the second video here, the topple comes late. Is there advantage in putting it late over adopting it to initiate movement or even using point guard posture from basketball in one's waiting position? Reader, that is a question for YOU to answer.

Body angle is an essential in this and most kinds of forehand and that is my point.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHInsideOutCourtLevelRear.mov

[bottle]

Flat Back

Return to a certain office suite led to a re-reading of the GOLF magazine this year that featured Rory McIlroy with an emphasis on 30-degree body tilt at address. And flat back accompanied by these words: "Be careful not to over-arch and create a reverse curve at the bottom of your spine. That'll limit your ability to turn."

Golf, tennis, baseball-- all use body tilt for basic swings.

[bottle]

Woof!

This is just something fanciful to try. Once you have joined the BAR (Body Angle Religion) and you find yourself running for a forehand without even trying, stick out your snout to implement a slow straightening of your entire body while hitting the ball.

If nothing else, reader, this will get your mind away from its unhealthy preoccupation with kinetic chain, which is not the same as using it.

All great players use kinetic chain. Of course we do.

[bottle]

Body Angle from the Hips

I reviewed every photograph and drawing in THE SCIENCE OF HITTING by Ted Williams, LAU'S LAWS OF HITTING by Charley Lau Jr., CURE YOUR SLICE FOREVER by John Huggan.

If such inspection sufficiently covers baseball and golf, it's time to think about tennis. I can now go to one of my tennis books, but a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, so instead I post here one video of Roger Federer and one of the svelte but fat hitting Elena Dementieva. Lady first.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_woman/elena_dementieva/ed_forehand/ed_fh_wide/ed_fh_wide.html?EDFHWideCourtLevelRear.mov

Note how Elena has body angle in movement to the ball but then straightens up before she hits.

Now the man.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/high_speed_archive/phantom/Roger_Federer_Court_Level_HD_HS/index.html?dir=Forehand/RF_FH_Center&stroke=FH%20Center%20OpenStance%20CourtLevelFront10%20500fps.mp4

Note how he is straight up as he glides toward contact but then bends at the hips to create a swing axis that will take the racket both down and up. (Or am I being inexact?) Other times he runs bent over (it's subtle) and straightens for the hit like Elena but still retains more body angle than she. Reader, if you look everywhere in the high speed archives, you no doubt will find a video where Roger runs toppled, straightens and topples again. And you will find a video that perfectly corresponds to the first sentence of this paragraph. But better would be your exploring of these possibilities on a tennis court.

A baseball swinger waits with body angle. A golfer addresses the ball with body angle. A tennis player creates body angle just before he hits the ball unless he already had it from his movement to the ball.

Elena does something different as do some other tennis players who wish to hit flat. Even the flat hitter Ellsworth Vines however, judging from the photos of students in Mercer Beasley's HOW TO PLAY TENNIS, keeps body angle from the hips through half or more of his forward stroke. Here's some old video:

http://wn.com/ellsworth_vines

Clearly, one has a choice (one always does). I like the opportunity for solid connection in a hitting drop to advanced low point that toppled body angle affords near the beginning of the forward forehand stroke.

[bottle]

Reflection

Who knew that slower but pre-loaded muscle contraction will produce more racket head velocity (through proper sequencing)? Brian Gordon.

This idea applies to forehands as well as to two-handed backhands or any other stroke.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/biomechanics/brian_gordon/atp_backhand_part_02/index.html

30 degree torso rotation with a 60 degree shoulder rotation (twist of upper arm) is more efficient than 0 degrees torso rotation and 90 degrees shoulder rotation.

Or suppose that 10 degrees of torso rotation occurs to take torso to the 0 degrees point. One still will (or should) see inefficiency.

Split the work better so that shoulder rotation (twist of upper arm) can go slower and a shorter distance and therefore do more.

Is this news? Is there some provocative point in this little dissertation? You bet.

Always look for the stupid little thing that might make a big difference.-- Frieda Johnston, 100 years old

[bottle]

Shortening One's Tennis Strokes as One Ages

The stories one tells are likely to be as authentic as any other aspect, e.g., self-improvement, that one has drawn out of some passion that one has.

Of course, self-improvement is a pretty good story too.

I have told my story of Ray Bender many times, a tennis player approaching the end of his life and my first USTA singles opponent.

For the record, we all are approaching the end of our life but he was approaching his a bit faster.

Although he was the president of Maryland tennis, he decided to drive down into Virginia, specifically to Winchester since that would be a nice thing to do.

In the tournament's first round, he drop-shotted every one of my serves. With the match over, he told me that he had been shortening all of his strokes. And I silently recalled one huge topspin forehand-- just one-- that flew past me in the middle of the match as Ray screamed out in pain.

He was a school teacher who believed in sharing and talking with people. I resolved to shorten my strokes no matter what.