Have a Question for Me?

[littlelobbers]

Thanks

Thanks John

It's amazing all the other things that I don't have to mention when the kids start with a turn. simple is always best.

LL

[johnyandell]

lg vargas,

Basically from bottom to top! Summary should work at any time...

[chokomakashi]

hey littlelobber and USPTA

hello littlelobber... well, John does give great advice.. and from my over 10 yeras old teaching kid and etc.. let me give you my statistics....

1) start out low to high is always safe way to start tennis.. racket not straight back.. but drop so racket is make sure below the ball... and hit thought the ball...believe me i did anything to kids.. bring racket up.. straight back.. but loop is dangerous.. they will hit the ball high to down.. they don't get the concept of dropping the racket.. and if I stand next them and correct each swing then they get really frustrated... i completely againt facing racket to the right fence just like pros.. because this cuase them to change the grip to semi western really quick...

2) never give kids any target or limitation.. --this give kids some kind of hear of hitting the ball.. oh my father or coach is screating at me.. i jsut hit the ball soft... i tell them hit the ball flat and hit the ball as hard as you can , but never use the wrist... then they will enjoy hiting the ball.. if you start kids limitation.. like make sure get the ball on court.. they will never learn how to be aggressive when grow up.. just like stroke if you start wrong mind set you will hit the wall soon or later.. you have to teach kids.. you have to win tennis with your shots not from opponent's mistake....

3) Flat is the way to go... if you start kids spin.. boy forget it.. after 3 month of spin.. your grip will change to western grip and arm rap so quickly to body and ball will land service line and things get mess in hurry... believe me we will never know how much kids will grow later or not... yes top spin is great.. but if kid isn't too athletic or did not become big then.. forget it.. top spin won't be very effective.. unless you can generate so much racket speed you will never hit great top spin shots.. and not to mention you better be fast to truck down lots of shots.. and again we will never know kids have these elements when they are young...

My warming... teaching loop isn't as easy as what we think.. it is complicated.. where you place the racket and then you have to expalin kid how much you drop the racket and etc...
summary.... again.. this is not what i made up.. i just realized by teaching for over 10 years... and yes.. kids will learn loop later.. but if you are not with well known coach or just father or mother is teaching then just teach low to high swing.. watch Kimiko Date's swing.. mr Macenroe's swing.. that's the way to start.. i see many young instractor or father is teaching kids how to play and i see the stroke is just out of control... if you really want kid to start out nice loop then make sure do great research on instracots...

my advice of finding instractors

1) do no pick the instractor becuase he or she knows how to play very well
2) see his or her students stroke... and make sure see the age...
3) Find the instractor good at teaching your son or daughter's age
4) make sure go watch his lesson before you start taking one...

[lgvargas]

What order to review FH articles?

John, I want to review your first series of articles on the forehand, but they do not appear to be listed in the order I should review them on your site in Advance Strokes. What is the order you recommend-thanks!

[johnyandell]

It's a really good question.

I think a lot depends on the kid. The idea is to love tennis, have fun, and have success! That's the whole idea about Quick Start and transitional equipment. So unless he can have some level of success in the larger arena, that can be a negative. There is certainly plenty of time for the transition.

I would observe him and maybe even ask him for his feedback.

[uspta301008607]

AngelDV

Well, first time posting.

I want to ask about junior tennis, more specifically focusing on my son. He is 8 years old and I am very protective about what he does. For example, I don't want him to play on a full court. Everytime I go to play with him, I measure a 60' court and we practice on it. His mother, who does not know much about tennis, cares less about this. She doesn't care about the balls either. How much should I emphasy on playing with little/quick start tennis rules? Like, small racquets, flat balls (tip 2), small courts, etc.

Angel

[johnyandell]

You need to read/view the forehand articles on preparation in Advanced Tennis--the full turn is the most fundamental position in preparation.

People worry about the backswing but the body position is far more critical. There are also a couple of detailed articles there on the backswing--no two are alike and there is a variety of shapes to the hitting arm during different parts.

[littlelobbers]

full turn?

What is the Full Turn?

And is it fair to say that most pros have some sort of bend in their elbow as they take their racket back?

LL

[johnyandell]

Uh, you think that question can be answered quickly? The "quick" answer is that he is Roger Federer. You could have his same motion and you wouldn't be him or have "his" forehand. However, the technical aspect is broken down in two articles in Advanced Tennis.

On timing see Scott Murphy's article in Classic Lessons.

"Acceleration," now there is a loaded term. It's basically mathmatical--so I would read Brian Gordon's serve articles.

All those coaches and commentators that claim they know how and when the racket accelerates are merely stating opinions--which may be helpful or not.
Studies show the racket reaches it's maximum speed right before/at impact--obviously the collision begins the deceleration phase.

We will be doing a groundbreaking article in the future on the racket speed in Pete Sampras's serve.

[jryle1]

I have a quick question....what makes the Federer forehand so good?

Also, will their be any articles coming up on improving timing and also on acceleration. When should the acceleration stop and finish? Is it true that you should accelerate on contact??

[johnyandell]

That you should make sure that the motion starts with the unit turn and the full turn.

That you should try to have the player keep the racket hand on the right side. That the hand should be below shoulder level at the highest point if possible.

That some kids will expand beyond these parameters if they try to hit the ball too hard, or their contact is late, or their rackets are too heavy.

That inspite of all that sometimes the backswing will be "too large" and only time and strength will help change that. But that you still bring them back to the unit turn and keeping the hand on the right side.

[littlelobbers]

backswing

John,

What are your thoughts on Jr. Development and the size of the backswing?

LL

[johnyandell]

There is an article in Tour Strokes about Sampras's second serve. Also in Classic Lessons, Chris Lewit's series on the kick serve.

Shoes? No idea. Harry you need to learn to use Google!

[uspta4201423750]

clay court shoes

I also wonder if you know of clay court specific shoes for little people (size 2 1/2). Thanks Harry Kingsley

[uspta4201423750]

the 2nd serve

I can't seem to find any articles on the second serve. There seem to be many different philosophies on this and I wonder what's yours. I like the kick serve, but I also think Sampras has the best of all time. I would love to see a real analysis of what you think is the ideal 2nd serve.

Harry Kingsley