Have a Question for Me?

[chokomakashi]

wrist usage

yes when you contact the ball you have to take the ball...then after that wrist involves.. no doubt about it... i think that's what you mean....

there is no doubt about it... i recorded my swing with using intense wrist from start and end and i compare with nadal swing and it came out different...

nadal contact the ball more like flat path...you can see his arm is straight when he contacts...then he use intense windshileldwiper very quickly...

Like hewitt and Agassi uses their wrist after the contact or don't know exactly when but can't be when they contact otherwise they can't hit that hard. but hewitt and Agassi do not use modern style of windshiled wiper.. how would i know? after they hit the ball their racket face doesn't point to opponet instead they point to side fence.. both finish the racket more or less next to their left ear.... most top 10 guys's racket face point to oppoent...

well, this is another topic, but mr. Robert Landsorp is very successful coach because follow though is the basic form of forehand and backhand and from there you can add special effect.. if you don't have that your game is over.. just like he said.... funny enough.. i do believe pros use the wrist but i never teach kids how to use the wrist anymore it can go crazy... anything stroke involves topspin involves then their stroke can get crazy... they start hit the frame and their shot start to slow down

anyhow thanks

[johnyandell]

You have raised (once again!) one of the most hotly debated issues in tennis teaching and playing. It's been discussed ad infinitum, but I'll try to summarize my take based on your posts.

First I think what you are referring to is probably what I call hand and arm rotation. This is different that forward wrist flex.

Suggest you read this article and see if it doesn't answer your questions:

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/avancedtennis/john_yandell/your_forehand_and_the_modern_forehand/hand_arm_rotation/hand_arm_rotation.html

It's one thing to rotate the hand and racket right to left, which of course includes the wrist and the forearm and to some extent the upper arm. but normally when players do this, the wrist stays laid back.

You can see some forward flex of the wrist at contact, but normally it remains laid back 30 to 90 degrees. The exception would be a straight arm forehand hit with an extreme grip where the wrist often (but not always) does reach the neutral position. You can see this on some straight arm forehands with more conservative grips as well.

Racket head speed component studies have shown that if the arm is loose this forward motion is more reactionary, like a hinge. It contributes 1% or so to actual racket head speed.

Hope this helps!

[chokomakashi]

Pros Do use the wrist for the shot right??

well, there are many people believe that pros do not use the wrist... I would think this is wrong... I am sure you guys talked about this already but am I right? Pros do use the wrist for the shot.. I have several evidence....

I am a japanese and i have many japanese tennis magazines and they are very good.. and one issue hewitt was in it and taught us how to hit forehand.. and he said himself that he use his wrist snap to hit the tennis ball.. and another evidence is if you do not use wrist at all.. your arm will extend or your elbow goes way forward and if you see pros image that is not the case.. you see their elbow stay pretty much same spot after their contact... federer good example... yes I do believe they do not use their when they conatac the ball.. but soon as they contact the ball clean they rotate their wrist very quickly.... that's how they are getting windshield wiper... most players are same untill contact the ball... racket travel about 30 degree just like hit the ball flat then after they meet the ball they use windshield wiper... yes i believe that Connors did not use his wrist at all.. he was more like blocking wrist even after he hit the ball....

any thoughts on this?

[johnyandell]

Depends for whom! All things being equal a heavier racket will give more force. But most people cannot swing them, and therefore lose racket head speed, the speed of the swing being the biggest factor.

Myself I like 11oz to 11.5oz about 8 points head light. I find I can get it around and made the contacts easily and fluidly. I think for many people at the 4.5 level and below this is the ideal way to go. But really hitting the ball with the racket tells you everything you need to know as to whether it's right for you.

[jimj1961]

John,

Can you comment on the advantages of a head light racket.


Thank you,

Jim

[nabrug]

Love everything about the website. What I'd really like to see now and I can't seem to find, is video of the "ARC" of the ball. I've looked for some of the video from the "Shot Spot", can't find it. I've looked for "Hawk Eye", can't find any. Was wondering if you've taken any video of the pro's and their arc's on the ball. I'm a big believer that their shots and their arcs are "situational" to
where they are in the court and what shot they're attempting to play. I think that this is not talked enough about to juniors. Video seems to be the key way to go. Just wanted to show more video to my competitive players. Thanks again for the website. It's great!

A few years ago, before Hawkeye was introduced, at certain grandslam websites IBM included Point Tracker. You could see all the arc´s of every point played. At that time I just thought it was nice. Now I think it is the essence of the game of tennis. Now I blame myself for not copying a few matches. I searched the web but couldn´t find anything.

[johnyandell]

EJ,
I agree with you. You would enjoy Brett Hobden's article in Famous Coaches because he talks about the exact subject.

You are also dead on track with the shot spot idea. This is actually something we have been working on for quite a while--access to that data which would define not only arc, but speed and bounce. Don't want to jink it, but I think over the next year we will be able to portray the differences you are talking about by reference to actual pro ball flights.

"ARC" of the ball

Love everything about the website. What I'd really like to see now and I can't seem to find, is video of the "ARC" of the ball. I've looked for some of the video from the "Shot Spot", can't find it. I've looked for "Hawk Eye", can't find any. Was wondering if you've taken any video of the pro's and their arc's on the ball. I'm a big believer that their shots and their arcs are "situational" to
where they are in the court and what shot they're attempting to play. I think that this is not talked enough about to juniors. Video seems to be the key way to go. Just wanted to show more video to my competitive players. Thanks again for the website. It's great!

[jryle1]

John,

Just a quick question about Indian Wells.....Are you filming any hi-speed there? Would be interesting to get Roger's strokes again. I believe that part of his backswing has changed slightly from watching some of Jeff Counts videos from Miami last year I think it was...just as he lowers the racquet it seems different. His serve seems slightly different aswell and people keep talking about his much improved backhand so would be interesting to see some hi-speed vids and to compare.

[johnyandell]

On the two-handed stuff I can recommend a book by one of our writers, called Two-Handed Tennis. Jeff mcCullough is the author. Two-handed volleys I don't know enough about to advise anyone...

As for the string question, you have the wrong person! I am the opposite of a string and racket guy and go just by feel and never change once I find the combo for me.

Email Scott Murphy (again a writer) and tell him I told you to--bet he will have some ideas as he LOVES string. scottmrph@yahoo.com

[jimj1961]

Hi John,


I recently switched from the Ksurge to a Yonex RDS 001 98, I love the feel and the control, but it feels like I lost a little pop. Currently I'm stinging it at 54 lbs, and am using synthetic gut...not sure which one, my pro put in for me. Any suggestions regarding strings and tension would be appreciated.

Thank you

[littlelobbers]

Forehand Volley

John,

I just read your article on the forehand volley in advanced tennis section. Very good stuff! What do you recommend for a player with two hands on both sides that switches hand arrangement for forehands and backhands. What do two-handed pros do with the forehand volley? One last thing I would bet that a large number of your members play more doubles and even coach more doubles then they play or coach singles. Would you consider creating a doubles section for the site?

Thanks

[johnyandell]

I personally think every player should play the style that they want to play and that gives them satisfaction. Otherwise what would be the point?

Having played a lot of 4.5 and 5.0 tennis myself in the past, it's conceivable though that you could be more effective (not to be confused with what you may want) with a less extreme grip.

As you observed in the college matches, unless the ball is like chest high, that is not really a natural grip. Don't think you can't hit the ball hard and hit heavy top with less extreme grips--look at Federer and Del Potro.

The problem if the ball is lower and slow is you really have to wiper the hell out of it with Andy's grip.

[rosheem]

I use a 4/4 grip on my forehand and a more moderate grip on my 1-handed backhand.

A third of my matches are at 8.0 mixed doubles, another third at 4.0 doubles or singles, and a third at 4.5 doubles or singles.

My game seems to really flow at the 4.5 level when the balls are coming at me with some pace, spin, and height. It seems a bit strange, but even returning serves seems way easier at the 4.5 level. The faster it comes, the faster I can swing and everything just seems to flow better. It also seems like I get to tap into my athleticism much more at the higher level.

My actual USTA rating is 4.0, but I've met some guys who have been pulling me up to play at the 4.5 level, and I would like to stay up there an start winning consistently. Right now, it's just much easier to gain match experience at the 4.0 level because there are about 5 times as many 4.0 leagues as 4.5.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to maintain some patience and perspective, since I've only been playing for 2.5 years. But watching those D-1 college guys really inspired me and made me realize that I can and should be improving even faster and I don't think those kids would really stray from their bread-and-butter style if they were facing the same kinds of opponents I am. Or maybe they would? That's why I wanted to see what you thought about it.

Thanks!

[johnyandell]

Well depending on your grips and the amount of speed and spin your opponent's give you it can be challenging. Sure just banging away against other big hitters is fun. But it is very difficult to have to change speed on every ball and hit a ton of spin when the ball is coming in slower and lower.

What level are you playing?