Have a Question for Me?

[stotty]

Overhead question

If a player has to back peddle and jump for an overhead, does he get more power than if he is stationed with his feet planted. The top players seem to...or at least they don't seem to lose power versus when they are planted.

I just wondered if, correctly timed, driving up off the ground to the ball, even when moving backwards, generates more power?

[johnyandell]

Dprem,

I hear you about the toss. The two things I would focus on--and probably I am echoing things Scott said--are holding the toss arm at extension and releasing with minimal to zero spin. Often the upward arm motion is way too fast. You are right there are a ton of motion options. I wouldn't worry about which one is "right." I would experiment with variations until I could control the height.

[dpremsagar]

Serve Toss question

John, could you reply to post 1810 please?

[eaglesburg]

Take off the frickin' sensor! You don't need constant data! In fact it can be a negative. I suspect that your tendency is to frantically search for more and more info rather than consolidating what you have and playing tennis. It's always easier to be looking for the magic bullet but the magic bullet doesn't exist. That's blunt but following your game for a while here it seems clear that is what is happening. Not to be confused with continuing to learn--but it's a discernible line...

Your hand on your forehand is quite a bit higher in the backswing and looks like the racket goes somewhat behind you. I would try to moderate both those. Go look at the backswing articles by Rick and Brian. Try starting from the compact outside backswing position.
As for the backhand can't tell anything really from that angle.

I took it off. You are right.

What angle do you need for the backhand? The second video I posted (right under the first one, not sure if you missed it) is a side angle.

[johnyandell]

Take off the frickin' sensor! You don't need constant data! In fact it can be a negative. I suspect that your tendency is to frantically search for more and more info rather than consolidating what you have and playing tennis. It's always easier to be looking for the magic bullet but the magic bullet doesn't exist. That's blunt but following your game for a while here it seems clear that is what is happening. Not to be confused with continuing to learn--but it's a discernible line...

Your hand on your forehand is quite a bit higher in the backswing and looks like the racket goes somewhat behind you. I would try to moderate both those. Go look at the backswing articles by Rick and Brian. Try starting from the compact outside backswing position.
As for the backhand can't tell anything really from that angle.

[eaglesburg]

https://youtu.be/TEmxnCYzl_8

http://youtu.be/jlp7AL1quH0

For my forehand:
Are these changes a problem? They happened naturally, and I didn't even know these changes took place until I took the video today. My backswing is so different. Also, my grip naturally shifted from my old 4.5/4 to 4/3.5. I have no idea how or why this happened. My only theory is that my body needed more power to adjust to the new yonex dr 98 or to the 8-9 gram qlipp sensor I just added a few days ago. On the bright side, the extension is 100% natural now without my even having to think about it and I'm using the fully open stance less and less.

For my backhand:
So far prepping earlier and shifting the right hand index knuckle to in between the first and second bevels has helped, but it still looks constricted and awkward. Any ideas on improving this?

Any other thoughts welcome as well.

Thanks!

[johnyandell]

It's not really known and has never been studying at the pro level that I know of in detail. Probably something like two thirds of ball speed.

Check out the Sampras serve articles in the Advanced Tennis section. His racket speed at contact was aroung 90mph.

[eaglesburg]

How much racket (not ball) speed do the pros have on forehands, backhands, and serves?

[dpremsagar]

The serve toss is the bane of my tennis existence.

I went through the stroke archives of various tennis players on side angles.

Where the toss begins varies widely. For my reference, the lowest point where the left hand (tossing hand) goes before it starts going up will be called as 'Thepoint'.

For Federer and Tsonga, Thepoint is pretty low under their groin between their legs. These 2 players even hunch their upper body down at Thepoint. This is not the norm at all.

And Murray's Thepoint is similar to the above but he doesn't bend his upper body.

For some players, like Wawrinka, Del Potro, Isner, Thepoint is beside their left thigh nearer to the baseline but they still drop it somewhat low. The upperbody doesn't bend like Fed and Tsonga.

And then there are other variations where Djokovic doesn't drop his left hand much before going upward. Monfils doesn't drop it at all.

I'm re-constructing my serve. And the toss is going to be hardest element for me. What do you suggest?

I've taken classes from Scott Murphy which have eliminated some problems. I've ensured that my arm is straight and my elbow and wrist stay fixed the entire time. The only joint that moves is my shoulder. I also understand holding the ball with the tips of the fingers, with the palm facing the back fence. I try to release the ball at the level of my forehead.

The biggest problem for me is control of how high the ball goes. It goes too high. And when this happens, I can't serve in a rhythm and my serve lets me down during competition.

[klacr]

John -

Have you heard anything about the TuringSense Pivot Technology? Up to 9 sensors that you wear to create images. Nick Bollettieri endorses it. Would love your thoughts on it, debating whether I should pre-order.
Turingsense.com

Sean

Seano,

Had the great opportunity to meet with the TuringSense Pivot team in September in New Orleans. They are an ambitious group and certainly have some potentially game changing tools on their hand. The technology does have the capabilities of a 360 degree view of the player and you can measure all your shots. The interpretation and implementation of the data is certainly going to be key. Excited to see what occurs in the near future. They received a huge push on a crowdfunding site so there is no doubt the demand for a product like this is big.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[johnyandell]

Seano,

First, good YouTube fine and I reported that guy. Let me know if you find similar.

As for Turing Sense, I am actually doing some work with them and will know more when the results of some measurements we did are available. Planning to do articles about it.

[johnyandell]

Seano,

First, good YouTube fine and I reported that guy. Let me know if you find similar.

As for Turing Sense, I am actually doing some work with them and will know more when the results of some measurements we did are available. Planning to do articles about it.

[seano]

Tennisplayer video's on youtube

John -
I noticed Rick Macci's videos from Tennisplayer on youtube, again. Both parts of ATP Forehand and Backhand series. From username jie6688

[seano]

TuringSense Pivot Technology

John -

Have you heard anything about the TuringSense Pivot Technology? Up to 9 sensors that you wear to create images. Nick Bollettieri endorses it. Would love your thoughts on it, debating whether I should pre-order.
Turingsense.com

Sean

[johnyandell]

Eagle,

Someone else can weigh in on this but I think not really unless you have big differences in the toss height. You could go and count frames on Fed 1st versus 2nd serves and see if there is a difference in the interval from the racket drop position. If there is it might be slightly longer on the kick. there is a 1-2 rhythm article coming on the serve which will be interesting.

I always liked start on 1 toss on 2 hit on 3. One thing that is key is remembering to stay relaxed--there is less muscle tension in the serve. Timing problems tend to come from tensing and muscling and trying too hard.