Have a Question for Me?

[johnyandell]

It's a good question. If you have a great racket drop, then maybe experiment with that.

But my own experience is that the elbow height is mostly a function of shoulder flexibility. The more you can rotate your upper arm back in the shoulder joint, the closer your upper arm is to parallel the top of the shoulder.

As for the forehand, if you pat the dog, yeah you are going to have to rotate your forearm to get the racket square, so maybe that does contribute to racket speed. BUT the bulk of the acceleration occurs after the bottom of the backswing. So getting things right there is much more important.

[ufopie]

So could a players racquet speed be influenced by the shape of his backswing because i have read an article on here stating that having a longer backswing can contribute to racquet speed but thats not always true in some cases ex. hewitt who has qute a big and long backswing but doesnt create no where near the same amount of pace as novak whos backswing is pretty similar so what really makes the difference

[johnyandell]

Well a certain amount of racket speed is obviously present during the backswing. It's a great question though whether bigger is faster. Don't have the measurements on that one. I think that the shape and size is somewhat personal and so long as it stays within certain parameters players can do a lot of things successfully.

[bman]

John,

I also coach a girls high school tennis team. I was wondering if you advise some of them to hit two handed backhand volleys to keep the racket more stable at contact. I personally think it is a strength issue...some girls are OK with one but some need to go to two. Just curious as to your take.

[johnyandell]

bman,

Definitely and especially if they are inexperienced. Basically they need to hit a solid inside out bh v and maybe poach at times. I've trained a few to hit with one hand, but since most of them can't even hit a slice, the two is often the way to go. When I get them off season I always experiment and try to change them for their own good! But it depends on how much time and energy they want to put into it, so I just keep the two options open. Great question and maybe not a politcally correct answer, but the right one I think.

[bman]

Thanks. And a second (and possibly even more daunting) question...how do you get them to stop talking?

[johnyandell]

Tough (but genuine) love and a little sarcasm thrown in.

[jryle1]

My question is about a High Speed video camera actually. I've finally convinced a few of the coaches in my club that video analysis is the only way to go when teaching technique. Hopefully soon we will start to offer video analysis services to our players of all levels and ages. However, it will probably be a private sort of venture with the coaches and I (I plan to do my level 1 Tennis Ireland coaching qualification in September[9 mths duration]). I am currently using this camera though:

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3999&review=casio+exilim+fs10

The problem I have found with this camera is that when you slow it down and start going through the high speed film frame by frame that it becomes blurry and I'm not sure what the reason for that is, the camera or if there's some setting that can be changed to do this. My question is, is there a High Speed camera that you would recommend for our type of work that is reasonably priced?

I thought that you would be the right man to ask!

Jono.

[tennis_chiro]

note from an exlim user

My question is about a High Speed video camera actually. I've finally convinced a few of the coaches in my club that video analysis is the only way to go when teaching technique. Hopefully soon we will start to offer video analysis services to our players of all levels and ages. However, it will probably be a private sort of venture with the coaches and I (I plan to do my level 1 Tennis Ireland coaching qualification in September[9 mths duration]). I am currently using this camera though:

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3999&review=casio+exilim+fs10

The problem I have found with this camera is that when you slow it down and start going through the high speed film frame by frame that it becomes blurry and I'm not sure what the reason for that is, the camera or if there's some setting that can be changed to do this. My question is, is there a High Speed camera that you would recommend for our type of work that is reasonably priced?

I thought that you would be the right man to ask!

Jono.

These are great cameras. Until just a few months ago, you could find these new for under $300 (I paid over $400 a little over 2 years ago). Focus is great; you need to carry a few rechargeable batteries (cheap). The 3" screen is good enough to use on the court. The zoom on playback is phenomenal for teaching. And when you hook it up to a big screen for playback, that zoom is awesome. And the files transfer easily to your computer. There is no problem with focus on playback unless you blew the focus in record. That has happened to me. I just hit the reset and rerecord.

Here's a link for the ExLim FH20

http://cgi.ebay.com/CASIO-EX-FH20-MANUFACTURER-REFURBISHED-/200629390448?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item2eb6718c70

good luck. Casios are great cameras.

don

[johnyandell]

Don's got the answer. There is also a Nikon version of the camera that is similar. Don't have an opinion on that one, but reviews are good.

[jryle1]

These are great cameras. Until just a few months ago, you could find these new for under $300 (I paid over $400 a little over 2 years ago). Focus is great; you need to carry a few rechargeable batteries (cheap). The 3" screen is good enough to use on the court. The zoom on playback is phenomenal for teaching. And when you hook it up to a big screen for playback, that zoom is awesome. And the files transfer easily to your computer. There is no problem with focus on playback unless you blew the focus in record. That has happened to me. I just hit the reset and rerecord.

Here's a link for the ExLim FH20

http://cgi.ebay.com/CASIO-EX-FH20-MANUFACTURER-REFURBISHED-/200629390448?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item2eb6718c70

good luck. Casios are great cameras.

don

Don's got the answer. There is also a Nikon version of the camera that is similar. Don't have an opinion on that one, but reviews are good.

Thanks for that Don. Yeah, the camera was good, but I may have blown the focus as Don said. I'll check it when I get home from spain, home tomorrow night so can sort it out then.
When I was in London at the tour finals last year I brought the camera and we didn't know the the zip on the pull along case was slightly open, the camera slipped out and got dragged along the streets of London on the way back to the hotel, only noticed after about 5 mins, front paint was scratched and screen at back was scratched a bit but no real damage, got lucky, the string of it caught the zip. Will make sure the zip is fully closed next time.
So, when I get home should I try to reset the camera?

Cheers.

[tennis_chiro]

Try it

Thanks for that Don. Yeah, the camera was good, but I may have blown the focus as Don said. I'll check it when I get home from spain, home tomorrow night so can sort it out then.
When I was in London at the tour finals last year I brought the camera and we didn't know the the zip on the pull along case was slightly open, the camera slipped out and got dragged along the streets of London on the way back to the hotel, only noticed after about 5 mins, front paint was scratched and screen at back was scratched a bit but no real damage, got lucky, the string of it caught the zip. Will make sure the zip is fully closed next time.
So, when I get home should I try to reset the camera?

Cheers.

I broke the shutter arm/zoom control on mine and was really concerned. I had a two year warranty from Amazon and their warranty company was terrific. It was a small service charge and they turned it around in about 2 weeks. I was thrilled.

But definitely, hit the reset button. On my FH20, I just hit the "menu" button, select "setup" and then go up one click to the "reset" option. It should be at least similar on your FS10.

Good luck,
don

[johnyandell]

Now if I can just remember my model number...

[westcoast777]

A suggestion - more articles and series in the format of "Your Forehand and the Modern Forehand". The audio-visual combination made what I had read on tennisplayer and hi-techtennis click in a way the text and short, embedded demonstration clips could not.

[johnyandell]

Yeah good suggestion for sure. Lot more work involved but we are going to try to move more in that direction.