Have a Question for Me?

[johnyandell]

Practice pointing your arm and racket directly upward at the sky and letting it literally fall into the drop thru gravity with the arm fully relaxed--almost the racket falling out of your grip. Close your eyes and visualize that image and the feeling.

Do it many times. No take that image?feeling and visualize it at the start of the motion--let your arm and racket cover the mental image and also imagine the looseness of the drop.

[gzhpcu]

Thanks, will try...

[stotty]

Referring to Phil's lack of racket drop: When it comes to actual serving, won't he need to have significant external rotation to in turn achieve a good drop?

I guess like many things in coaching, fathoming the conundrum of what is causing what is where the battle is won. I find this can be straightforward with some motions and complicated with others.

Be good if Phil posted a rear view of his serve so we can see what's going on more clearly...

[gzhpcu]

Stotty,
Here is a side view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxMc1nDgvnM

Here is a back view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnLtNjQhKco

These were taken this summer. Thanks, Phil

[johnyandell]

Stotty,

The external rotation issue is interesting. Obviously the great servers have the most. But the average person doesn't have the same strength/flexibility combo. Only a few players can get the full drop with the upper arm in line with the torso.

The bottom line is that the racket needs to approach the contact on the right path. Unless it drops along the side of the body that will typically be too much on a diagonal from acros the back.

So a higher, more forward elbow position is usually required for players who struggle with this. Particularly if, like Phil, they have had a compact windup for a sustained period. I talk about that quite a bit in the new serve series.

I've found that windmill drill very powerful.

[gzhpcu]

John,
Could you point me to a photo showing this more forward elbow position? Thank you.

[stotty]

I am sure John will find you a photo.

But I remember this article which may be of interest as it deals with a club player with a similar problem.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/your_strokes/2009/todd_haydon_serve/todd_haydon_serve.html

You may want to post your clips on a separate thread. A handful of the coaches on the forum are very adept at teaching the serve and may offer some useful tips.

I just wonder if you lack a bit of flexibility. I coach a man in his 60's who is physically unable to achieve a full racket drop. Or it may just be that you have to educate that part of your body to go a little further...using kinesthetics as John prescribed. It's extremely hard to visualise what's going on in this area when you are actually serving. You will need to video constantly to gauge your progress.

[gzhpcu]

Stotty,
Thanks for the heads up on the video.

Actually, when I stand in front of the mirror, and look at my drop when relaxed, it is at least a good 8-9 inches lower.

I suspect that I have programmed myself over the years (at least 55 years...) to tense up on the drop causing the muscles to shorten.

Will try John's tip of practicing the loose backdrop...

Another point: how about making sure that the swing takes place to the right of the body, instead of going towards the left? (somewhat similar to the men's modern forehand swing...)

[seano10s]

Any New Camera's

John -

With the new year upon us, Any new camera's/camcorders set for release that are an improvement over the Casio (f1, fh20, fh25 or fh100) with high frame rate and adjustable shutter speed? I appreciate your input.

SeanO

[johnyandell]

Phil,

It's really great to have you back in the Forum and your passion is an inspiration.

There is a good demo of the higher, more forward elbow position in this article and it's relation to the drop.

I suspect you will really need to exaggerate this in your mind, but I am confident that if you can get your arm and racket higher you will feel a real difference in your ability to generate ball speed.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/teaching_systems/john_yandell/serve2/

[johnyandell]

Seano,

I need a full time person just to research those types of questions...honestly there is on the hs camera front that I know of.

The way you might consider going is the new iphone which shoots at 120 frames a sec. With the ubbersense ap you can get a shutter too. Still not sure though how it will react to low light.

Giancarlo and I are investigating it.

[gzhpcu]

Ubersense works very well for me...

[gzhpcu]

John,
I practiced this morning with a friend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8mSqoRozNA

Any tips for improvement? Thanks, Phil

[jhard225]

Private coaching

Hi John,
Are you taking any appointments for private, video-based coaching? My 14 year old son was ranked No. 2 in the Pacific Northwest when he was in the 12s. He sustained a shoulder injury and was out for 18 months. He's been back for 8 months and has developed a pretty severe issue with his foreward swing on his forehand. His coach and I have broken it down with frame by frame video, and had him model your key points, but he cant correct it. Based on what I've seen from some of your work in "Your Strokes", I think you might be able to help him.
Please let me know.
Thanks,

Jack Hardwicke
503-333-3645
jackhardwicke@me.com

[johnyandell]

Jack,

Yes! I sent you an email.

John Yandell