For alexandrafranco...Thoughts on the Service Motion

[blake_b]

Zen and the Art of Archery

Hi don_budge,

I noticed in your post above that you mentioned Zen and the Art of Archery. That is one of my favorite books. I re-read it periodically, and each time I am able to see more application to the game of tennis. I think the concepts of Zen archery particularly apply to the serve. I can go out on an empty court with a hopper of balls and loose myself in the serve. When I am serving my best "It" hits the serve. One would probably need to read the book to understand this reference. On the surface their appear to be many paradoxes like "effortless effort", but they start to resolve when one experiences them for oneself.

Blake

[GeoffWilliams]

That would describe Sampras' serve. Able to hit the line for an ace on break pt. down at will. Lot of guys coming out now, who never saw him do that at all. Most perfect motion of all time, yet, almost uncopiable. Why is that anyway? Too hard to coil that extremely, toss that far out in front, go down that far in knee bend? It's more than that. It's flow and energy, and trusting, asking for the ace.

[don_budge]

Zen in the Art of Archery...Eric Herrigel

Once you have trained that perfect motion...and once you fully understand the tactics and their implications, you acquire a bit of a zen like state. Then you are a serving machine and fear is not a factor. Get set...aim...fire...bullseye. Zen in the Art of Archery. Eric Herrigel.

Hi don_budge,

I noticed in your post above that you mentioned Zen and the Art of Archery. That is one of my favorite books. I re-read it periodically, and each time I am able to see more application to the game of tennis. I think the concepts of Zen archery particularly apply to the serve. I can go out on an empty court with a hopper of balls and loose myself in the serve. When I am serving my best "It" hits the serve. One would probably need to read the book to understand this reference. On the surface their appear to be many paradoxes like "effortless effort", but they start to resolve when one experiences them for oneself.

Blake

SSSWWWWwwwoooooooooooooooooooooosssssssshhhhhhhHHH !!!! If you are sitting all alone on top of a mountain away from all of the rigamarole of civilization, where there is no noise save that for the little voice in your head...and a little bird should just so happen to fly over your head only several meters away, the sound of that bird flying may just take on the noise of a medium sized meteor or comet or an arrow...or are you only dreaming? Or are you one with the universe? If only for that fleeting moment...in the shaman's doorway.

alexandrafranco...put this book on your reading list. With all of the other reading and practicing you are doing you may just get to it by Christmas. Keep up the good work.

blake_b...that is twice that you have struck an important chord with me. I am seeing you in a very special light now. Effortless effort...imagine that. Less is better? Of course it is. I originally came across that book in my investigation of golf or was it recommended to me by Henry Miller. I forget which. But you are spot on that it relates to the serve. I wonder if somehow it is relating to Cupid's arrows as well. Something to do with love.

bottle...some zen in your serve? do you take sugar in your coffee?

American tennis coaches...put this book on your reading list. A must read for any "dead serious" coach. Get a leg up on the competition. Serve and volley is not out of the question so much as it is out of your imaginations. Not by a long shot. But you can't follow It in if you aren't really serious about the intentions and the consequences. You cannot be serious!!!...in my most reverberating Johnny "serious as a Heart Attack" McEnroe voice.

Thanks Blake...have you ever been out to the old Fort Bowie. There's some magic going on out there at twilight...if you can "see" It. Take your sleeping bag just in case you miss It...I promise you, It will catch up to you in the night if you let It.

[GeoffWilliams]

I read those books, including the one about tennis. Nothing really helps you go from blocked to unblocked, from slow to fast, from crappy to great, unless you choose to.

[bottle]

Coffee

I drink it black.

[don_budge]

That....

I drink it black.

figures.

[don_budge]

Bobbing the racquet...ala Jerzy Janowicz

Check our Jerzy...alexandrafranco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbxJVDHkHo

The hanging arms in the service set up article by Jeff and further emphasized by John Yandell in comments on the article. Along with aiming, the set up position must set the server up to do the right thing. The right thing is a long loose and deliberate backswing along the line of the toes and in front of the server.

Jerzy Janowicz does exactly that in his set up position. With his weight poised approximately 70/30 over his front foot he makes a little rocking gesture with his shoulder which swings the arms and racquet forwards then he lets it swing one more time before he then continues his backswing with the very same cadence. He is drawing on gravity to move the racquet head and his whole body follows the impetus. Thus he creates a wonderful free and flowing backswing motion that will hold up under pressure and conditions.

Just one little tiny thing Jerzy...there seems to be just a tiny hitch in the bottom of that backswing. Care to let good ol' don_budge iron it out for you? I won't disappoint you.

[stotty]

Check our Jerzy...alexandrafranco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbxJVDHkHo

Just one little tiny thing Jerzy...there seems to be just a tiny hitch in the bottom of that backswing. Care to let good ol' don_budge iron it out for you? I won't disappoint you.

Seems to depend what angle you view it from.

It looks like a change in the path of the swing that causes it...just after the racket passes the toes. The change of path is maybe a little too abrupt so the swing cannot flow, hence the slight hitch. That's my take.

Remedy?

[stotty]

Youzny

Strange this...Youzny lifts his front foot up off the ground and replants during the his action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_dYmvvpLoc

[GeoffWilliams]

There was an experiment done by researchers, and they scanned the brains of women knitting in a cat scan. They were able to look at a tv screen while doing so. The screen first showed/told them to use a knot that they already knew how to do. The scan showed very little activity, only a small red dot in the unconscious zone. Then they were shown an unknown knot, and the scan lit up on both sides, purple, blue, until they learned the new knot, and then back to a small red dot again.

[alexandrafranco]

What do you think of what he does with the back leg? Do you prefer a platform stance or pinpoint? thank you

Check our Jerzy...alexandrafranco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbxJVDHkHo

The hanging arms in the service set up article by Jeff and further emphasized by John Yandell in comments on the article. Along with aiming, the set up position must set the server up to do the right thing. The right thing is a long loose and deliberate backswing along the line of the toes and in front of the server.

Jerzy Janowicz does exactly that in his set up position. With his weight poised approximately 70/30 over his front foot he makes a little rocking gesture with his shoulder which swings the arms and racquet forwards then he lets it swing one more time before he then continues his backswing with the very same cadence. He is drawing on gravity to move the racquet head and his whole body follows the impetus. Thus he creates a wonderful free and flowing backswing motion that will hold up under pressure and conditions.

Just one little tiny thing Jerzy...there seems to be just a tiny hitch in the bottom of that backswing. Care to let good ol' don_budge iron it out for you? I won't disappoint you.

[don_budge]

Pinpointing to a platform...

What do you think of what he does with the back leg? Do you prefer a platform stance or pinpoint? thank you

Is it that he is betwixt and between? Is he semi-pinpointing to a semi-platform stance?

Nice eye for the details alexandrafranco. One thing about this very tall young man is that he has great legs for his size. The manner in which he uses them to jet around the court is just phenomenal for a guy his size. He really seems to get his legs under him when he is serving as well...which is a scary thought for anyone looking down the barrel of that howitzer.

That being said...I would like to see that back leg swinging towards the net when it is all said and done. With his touch and racquet control it is hard for me to understand why he is not serve and volleying more, except for maybe the fact that he uses two hands on the backhand.

Personally I prefer the "platform" stance but I would prefer to call it a "classic" stance. Even though many classic players in the past have used the pinpoint placement of the feet in the past. I used to toy with it through periods of time...centuries even. It seems to me (me being an old quality control guy from the auto industry) that the less motion the less that can go wrong with the motion...the less motion the better chances there are of repeating that same motion. Repeatability under any and all circumstances.

In the end it is difficult to say one over the other, even though I just did. It seems to be a matter of preference. All of my students seem to prefer the classic stance for some strange reason. Thanks for asking...girlfriend!