Using Some New Stroke to Hone an Old One
If drills help with movement, I don't know why a "drill shot" wouldn't help my Ziegenfuss. The double feeler forehand I've discussed and used for a month sends both arms slowly extending on a 45-degree angle toward ball and the net. Body then springs and rotates slam-like to complete the shot, which travels to the left of where the arms just pointed.
This shot works and maybe even is extraordinary for an impossibly wide get. One had better hit a clean winner though since the recovery component is not as good as for some other shots, particularly if one's inside foot crossed over.
The main benefit may be what this stroke teaches about another. One learns where left arm can best be, and right arm then can revert to a compact, round, hydraulic loop that extends arm like a slow piston along the same track as before. The difference may be the small amount of momentum in the racket head. A second lesson may be, "Thou shalt not be overly reasonable." One is apt to define too much by saying, "These Ziegenfusses are strictly arm first, body second" without taking into account, thanks to the sudden change of direction, a slight bit of slinging overlap.
Similarly, in the great old book "Mastering Your Tennis Strokes," Charlito Pasarell tells how when one wants to restore edge to one's serve, one can shift knuckle to eastern forehand and serve that way for a while before returning to natural serving grip.
For more discussion of restoring edge, please see #525, the previous post.
If drills help with movement, I don't know why a "drill shot" wouldn't help my Ziegenfuss. The double feeler forehand I've discussed and used for a month sends both arms slowly extending on a 45-degree angle toward ball and the net. Body then springs and rotates slam-like to complete the shot, which travels to the left of where the arms just pointed.
This shot works and maybe even is extraordinary for an impossibly wide get. One had better hit a clean winner though since the recovery component is not as good as for some other shots, particularly if one's inside foot crossed over.
The main benefit may be what this stroke teaches about another. One learns where left arm can best be, and right arm then can revert to a compact, round, hydraulic loop that extends arm like a slow piston along the same track as before. The difference may be the small amount of momentum in the racket head. A second lesson may be, "Thou shalt not be overly reasonable." One is apt to define too much by saying, "These Ziegenfusses are strictly arm first, body second" without taking into account, thanks to the sudden change of direction, a slight bit of slinging overlap.
Similarly, in the great old book "Mastering Your Tennis Strokes," Charlito Pasarell tells how when one wants to restore edge to one's serve, one can shift knuckle to eastern forehand and serve that way for a while before returning to natural serving grip.
For more discussion of restoring edge, please see #525, the previous post.
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