A New Year's Serve

[bottle]

Falling Log Forehand, Variation One

Make sure that hand swings outward with body every inch of the way to the ball. Since contact is a bit farther back than with other tennis grips, this pattern now becomes good for one's senses.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHCenterCourtLevelRear1.mov

[bottle]

Falling Log Forehand, Variation Two

Notice that when someone, e.g. me, says that John McEnroe's arm is straight at top of his softball pitcher's backswing, the term "straight" is relative.

Has to be. For next, during the fall, there is hydraulic appearing action which straightens the arm more.

In this second variation, the elbow comes back toward the body rather than maintaining its distance as in variation one.

At same time the arm rolls in compensation to send the racket head forward (otherwise it would be too open and would lag).

How can this variation be as powerful as the first? Without having tried it yet, I say it can't but is useful nevertheless.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHCenterCourtLevelRear2.mov

Notice also, if you can see it, the give in McEnroe's wrist as he comes up off of the ball.

In this video, I would say that McEnroe's drop puts his hand three inches out from his thigh and one inch above his patella.

And, whether I pre-conceived it correctly or not, the roll happens after that.

[bottle]

An Acerbic if Obvious Statement

John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova are paid to comment on games that are more mechanical and robotic than theirs.

[bottle]

Wicca-leaks

To continue the progression: Navratilova can be the mother goddess and McEnroe the horned god in the Wiccan religion, and we consumers of tennis tips need to keep them talking as much as possible so that the desired leaks can occur.

[bottle]

Don't Have Time However to Wade through all that Talk

And so I proceed with my own galloping interpretations.

In the following video, McEnroe's racket at low point is at the pitch he desires and so he simply swings...or does he?

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

In many videos the racket opens as it lowers and then closes before he body-lifts.

Extra opening-- a backward arm roll-- does not occur in this video.

Extra closing however-- a forward arm roll before contact-- does.

But in this one he closes during the drop and then closes more before contact.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHCenterCourtLevelRear2.mov

Here's one where he opens during the drop.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/modern_legends/johnmcenroe/mac_forehand/mac_forehand.html?MacFHCenterCourtLevelRear1.mov

[bottle]

On Poor Judgment Long Term

Some people should have been using continental grip for all of their tennis life. And c.g. certainly does give certain hard hitters a case of conniptions. Very good for doubles, too, not least the easy lob and soft shot potential. If in doubles one is playing on a diagonal across from a hard hitter and returns his hard serve off of the forehand side with a bloopy, high terrible nothing ball-- assuming his partner is too much of a scaredy-cat to poach-- the hard hitter is apt to self-say, "Should I pull the trigger now? Now? Now? Whoops, it went out."

I like my newly acquired continental game very much. So good for handling low balls with less stress. And when things go sour, as they inevitably will, I have a whole other game to revert to.

I wonder: Could most tennis players, not just I, be more versatile? I know so but don't think versatility is usually taught as a virtue.

[bottle]

The Laver Forehand (One Video)

See how easy the loop is.
See how important the leg thrust is to accelerate the loop.
See how the "weak" grip permits a maximum of roll so that the racket tip goes much faster and farther than the hand in getting to the ball.

And see Spot run, etc.

But why stop there?
See how the racket tip catches up to the hand.
See then how the hand and racket tip go forward and up together.
See how the strings got closed before the arm overtook the body to open them up to square.
See how Mr. Laver swings the racket head.
See how he pushes his palm down behind him.
See how the loop and the swing and the leg are all the same.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/golden_legends/rodlaver/rodlaver_sa.html?RLFHCourtLevelFront.mov

See where racket closes in relation to propped foot.
See where contact is in relation to propped foot.
See from watching this other video where arm has likely gotten straight.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/golden_legends/rodlaver/rodlaver_sa.html?RLFHShortCourtLevelFront.mov

See how, in both videos, leg push starts just as arm reaches its straightened position (which is similar to the top of McEnroe's bowling type backswing). The two players start leg extension from similar position then.

[bottle]

Addendum

I'm working toward an intellectual (or perhaps animal) place where I can say, as in a McEnroe modeled topspin backhand, "Leg lift is core of the shot. So make the arm and racket work adjust to that core rather than the other way around."

[bottle]

YouChuze

Are the tennis successes of Rod Laver, John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova entirely due to remarkableness of temperament and physical attribute despite poor technical choice; or are the three winning records due at least in part to excellent technical choice?

After one has figured that out, one can decide whether or not to apply parts to one's own game, particularly but not restricted to one's older age game.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_woman/martinanavratilova/nav_net/nav_approach_and_volley/nav_approach_and_volley.html?MartinaFHRet1stSAdBHDropVFront.mov

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_woman/martinanavratilova/nav_net/nav_approach_and_volley/nav_approach_and_volley.html?MartinaBHRet2ndSAdFHHalfVFHVFront.mov

[bottle]

Three Drop Rear Foot Serve

Should a person even write about a rear foot serve? Yes, a person should write about anything, in this case about how I want to adjust my serve including an idea or two arrived at just today.

But why a rear foot serve? Because the front leg is damaged.

Why not just go ahead and have a knee replacement?

But knee replacements are all the fad. And one's serve should not be determined by fad.

"Your knee is pretty much shot," says my current physical therapist, whose father worked for Chrysler in Australia which is where she learned her tennis. "But you can get the most out of what you have left."

She stresses every possible means for loosening the hamstring and strengthening the vastus medallis obliqus, so that the patella will stay better centered; also, we may be quieting internal and inflammation-producing clicks through the use of kinesio tape .

And the serving off of advanced rear foot is my idea.

First drop keeps body tall on rear foot and mimics the motion of tossed ball starting down.

Second drop extends first drop with backward rotation of the hips.

Third drop-- have goal of getting racket frame turned down and out to side aligned on edge with target-- occurs as part of TT (total throw) consisting of LT (leg thrust), HUBR (horizontal upper body rotation), VUBR (vertical upper body rotation), WT (weight transfer through body sway), ROLB (release of long-bow), VVAP (very vertical arm path).

[bottle]

Next Experiment in Rear Foot Serve, Rotorded Division

Retain idea of three drops but reverse sequence of the first two. Thus, backward rotation of hips to compensate for stiff rotors in shoulder and nevertheless get racket tip low begins as tossed ball begins to come down.

In either sequence, racket can move behind head and start to lower, but I want to initiate this now with whole body-- thus freeing up what little upper arm rotation is available to fully apply Brian Gordon philosophy of pre-load (of upper arm), to get the pre-load and sudden release of spring-like twist closer together.

I want the upper arm twisting backward as it fights to twist forward just before it does twist forward.

I'm also thinking about cooling front leg extension to achieve uneven lift of back hip-- as a result of recent forum posts by Doug Eng. Before I go to court, at least, I think I can get bent front leg to fight its natural impulse to straighten and thereby preserve some of the foot-assisted bend almost as if this leg is a static brace.

That will mean less clearance for rear leg to come past due to jutting knee. And more imperative to line up with tucked rear foot closer to side fence.

[bottle]

Simplissimus (CFH)

For perspective on my new continental forehand, I'm reading a Canadian book called ROWING, which is full of beautiful photographs. The writing is good, too. The author-sculler Silken Laumann, who took bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, has one of the best first names in the history of the sport. "Silken" should only be compared to the Homeric/Vergilian "Runningwake" or "Fadingfootprint."

Silken quotes Marnie McBean, a double-gold winner in Barcelona, as saying, "When I began rowing, someone told me that in every stroke there are a hundred and sixty-eight things you can do wrong. Now I disagree; there are more."

McBean adds that you need to have thought about them but be able to forget them when you actually row.

I am sure there is just as much complexity in any tennis stroke. So when someone coaches or writes or speaks meaningfully about tennis, they must use shorthand or metaphor in which one thing stands for another.

So, here's my (I) deal for today: Continental forehand backswing per John McEnroe: Review Tennis Player grips system to assure that top panel is # 1 and not # 0 or top dead center (TDC) as in auto mechanic's parlance. Place knuckle at 2.5, which is sharp.

Rely entirely on pointing across with opposite arm as integral part of unit turn while arms separate and hitting arm bowls down and up. Keep wrist as straight as handle of racket. Straighten elbow but retain slight bend there.

You have timed backswing and movement to oncoming ball. To hit, accelerate down and slightly forward from shoulder and elbow both while rolling racket tip forward as part of this unit of motion as well.

Whether or not roll should start as soon as racket head starts lowering I do not know. Perhaps, perhaps not. There could be delay. If so, keep that delay minimal.

I think of a slap shot in hockey without the ice.

As racket reaches low point the tip has twisted forward, which has closed the strings so much that if you hit the ball right then it would bounce on your side of the net.

So don't do that. Instead, push hand and racket. Each moves forward/upward at speed of the other. This will open strings for square contact followed by natural followthrough.

If these shots are anything less than superb, add transitions of Laver, Navratilova and McEnroe.

Have you understood me, reader? Probably not. I'm recommending the removal of transition from this type of forehand to buy time for anyone.

The resulting smoothness, as in silken rowing, should be synonymous with economy and powerful ease.

[stotty]

Difficult to do

Keep wrist as straight as handle of racket. Straighten elbow but retain slight bend there.

Very difficult to do this. I tried it many times in my attempts to mimic McEnroe. It looks simpler but actually takes longer to than more orthodox/common methods. Keeping the arm and wrist in a fixed position from the end of the backswing to pretty much the end of the follow through actually makes the process of going through the backswing to the forward swing and on to contact quite long. I was forever late when I tried it. No wonder everything minute, unnecessary movement was stripped out of his stroke in order to make it work at such a high level.

Having a break in the elbow and greater wrist flexion facilitates faster preparation and execution in my opinion. I can only go from personal experience of mimicking McEnroe but this was my finding.

I have never looked specifically to find out in those old clips, but I imagine McEnroe's forehand weakness during his era must have been balls coming at his body...seems logical he would find this shot difficult with the wrist/arm so determined to stay in such a fixed position...on forehand and backhand.

I think McEnroe would be in deep trouble playing any of the top four these days with his continental grip....the 3000 rpm rearing balls coming at him...tricky.

Hope you well, bottle. I always enjoy reading your thread.

[bottle]

To Invent vs. to Maintain

Every new invention for the past several months has worked big-time, which could not always be said.

But to preserve recent discovery and other tender conditioning from week to week is a task perhaps greater than the successful invention. (I certainly do see the two things as dependent on the other.)

One starts climbing a training ladder, I think, with "self-feeding" (I am so grateful to Scott Murphy for giving me that term and for revealing that even someone at his level of tennis person HAS HIMSELF DONE SELF-FEEDING AT LENGTH AND MID-CAREER TOO).

At opposite end of the spectrum are players who believe that all tennis success is indelibly established with childhood peers, and if you weren't a ranked junior I don't want to play with you.

I recently met or rather was approached by a former member of the Tulane varsity who in manner along with words, after a minute, expressed that precise view.

[bottle]

Fast If Nothing Else

Interesting, Stotty. Despite my ecstatic claims, I'm just at the beginning of trying (or rather re-trying) this one.

I think the double key is a really fast slap-shot to start the forward motion and to leave out McEnroe's transition altogether.

In some of his forehands there's more transition than in others. When he wants more topspin, e.g., he brings the racket down and in close-- transition almost as in Braden's old sit-and-hit, which has got to take time. After a million McEnroe reps I' m sure even this becomes fast.

Me, I want to bypass that. I'm influenced by Ray Brown, the neuroscientist and innovative teaching pro who had such an interesting website for what-- a decade?

In a private email he advised continental grip for me.

This blew my mind in that everything at his website seemed geared toward the semiwestern-- heavy western end of the grip spectrum.

In his and Becky's website, Ray divided forehand sequence into four interesting parts though I didn't think they had memorable names. Now I have to make up my own descriptions since I haven't remembered the headings.

1) Yank racket butt as if it's a rope (idea taken from Bollettieri).
2) Transition
3) Acceleration phase
4) Both ends of racket swing together.

What I'm fooling with is McEnroe's backswing followed by only two items on the previous list, 3) and 4).

Thanks for the input. Every bit of another person's experience counts.