Toward an Integrated One Hand Backhand System: Point with Arm not Racket
Most learning in tennis occurs through sensory cues-- from something that looks or tastes good to something that pulls a hamstring or is too loud or stinks.
Just within the visual realm, natural science illustration can get into places where photography can't, imagery within language into places where neither can.
Most people of course had at least one English teacher the guts of whom they detested. In my case the number is over ten. We former students are apt to be overly dismissive of language, and everybody-- increasingly-- sees dry, stupid, glib verbiage being used to make specious pronouncements.
Well, where were we?
We were pointing with our forearm at a spot somewhere along the side fence so that after our step-out turned the shoulders an extra amount the forearm would be parallel to the sidelines.
This was for a flat backhand derived from the seminal book ED FAULKNER'S TENNIS in which Ed and his co-author Fred stayed purposefully vague about height of cheated over racket in waiting position for a ground stroke.
They probably knew that if they used the terms "racket tip" or even "racket head" they would lose the attention of their language-hating reader once and for all.
So they posited instead "racket at level of shoulder." And then after forward hip turn straightened arm at the elbow, "racket at level of waist." From which I inferred "racket parallel to court."
So that is flat with a nice slow arm swing upcoming to get the racket tip around to the ball and up and out.
In topspin and slice shots I want to use one formula with its horrid implication for tennis that logic can somehow apply (an attempt by me at sarcasm has just occurred).
On initial turn whether or not accomplished over several running steps get forearm perpendicular to rear fence so that it will turn farther with one's diagonal step out.
For cut the wire topspin early flattening of the wrist during this process will point the racket tip where-- who cares?
For backhand slice, early winding open of the racket will point the racket tip where-- who cares?
In both cases one can point with the forearm to the same place.
Most learning in tennis occurs through sensory cues-- from something that looks or tastes good to something that pulls a hamstring or is too loud or stinks.
Just within the visual realm, natural science illustration can get into places where photography can't, imagery within language into places where neither can.
Most people of course had at least one English teacher the guts of whom they detested. In my case the number is over ten. We former students are apt to be overly dismissive of language, and everybody-- increasingly-- sees dry, stupid, glib verbiage being used to make specious pronouncements.
Well, where were we?
We were pointing with our forearm at a spot somewhere along the side fence so that after our step-out turned the shoulders an extra amount the forearm would be parallel to the sidelines.
This was for a flat backhand derived from the seminal book ED FAULKNER'S TENNIS in which Ed and his co-author Fred stayed purposefully vague about height of cheated over racket in waiting position for a ground stroke.
They probably knew that if they used the terms "racket tip" or even "racket head" they would lose the attention of their language-hating reader once and for all.
So they posited instead "racket at level of shoulder." And then after forward hip turn straightened arm at the elbow, "racket at level of waist." From which I inferred "racket parallel to court."
So that is flat with a nice slow arm swing upcoming to get the racket tip around to the ball and up and out.
In topspin and slice shots I want to use one formula with its horrid implication for tennis that logic can somehow apply (an attempt by me at sarcasm has just occurred).
On initial turn whether or not accomplished over several running steps get forearm perpendicular to rear fence so that it will turn farther with one's diagonal step out.
For cut the wire topspin early flattening of the wrist during this process will point the racket tip where-- who cares?
For backhand slice, early winding open of the racket will point the racket tip where-- who cares?
In both cases one can point with the forearm to the same place.
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