2103 Macci on the serve

[tennis_chiro]

Those 2 articles by Don on timing and rhythm were good enough to me to be required reading before tackling Brian's articles on the ATP forehand.

Just wanted to say I really appreciate those comments. Thanks.

don

[don_budge]

"Get your house in order"...Rick Macci via bottle

You are not a book reviewer. You are not a film reviewer. You are not a reviewer of the political scene. You are a tennis player.

If you are serious about the game, you crawl up through the woods on your belly to overhear a tennis lesson. If you read a 300-page tennis book, you look for the item on page 186 that will speak to you.

If you are listening to Rick Macci hold a huge and diverse crowd, you may wait for a single comment, which might be "Get your house in order."

So you too bottle are not adverse to crawling through the muck and slime to acquire just one more piece of the ever expanding puzzle. To say the tennis is universal...well that is quite a metaphor if you compare it to the universe which is said to be ever expanding. I'm trying to get my head around that one. Oh...you said woods...not muck and slime. Ok...I took it a step further. I was thinking of the horses. When we went out to feed them and water them before letting them out this morning I had to brush the two ladies as yesterday they were rolling around in the mud. Where do they come up with that idea? I wonder.

Now just take that serve video that Rick delivers forth on. Several commented on the length of its duration...twenty some minutes. I did it. I got through the whole thing. I was looking for Kyle in the crowd. But there it was...The Pearl. Take a look at approximately 3.30 in the video.

I borrow from anyone. I have my paradigm but it is ever evolving. That's the point isn't it? Evolution...as a person. As a teacher. As a society. Macci is a slick fellow. He mixes the common sense of tennis technique and fundamentals and makes a schtick out of it. Don't you? I certainly do. Hypnosis of the student. Instead of the pendulum watch...just listen to the sound of my voice and watch the expressions of my hands. Every once in a while throw in a zinger...give 'em a jolt. Give 'em an Expresso said John McEnroe to Jiminy Glick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0gQ2dP2aI

At 3.30 in the Rick Macci serve video that hockeyscout so generously has shared with us for this evolving thread...Rick says the following complete with his expressive body language and gags.

"position of the elbow. The elbow should always be shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Should always be...I could draw a straight line...I don't even need to look...there's a straight line through my shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Every time. It's almost like a see-saw...like a teeter totter."

He is demonstrating the trophy position. He assumes a position similar to Usain Bolt's archer position. I have been using this imagery in teaching the smash, the abbreviated "second serve" motion for beginners and on through with more advanced motions. I alway like using the image of creating lines with students. Vectors of energy lining up the shot.

Crawling through the woods on my belly...I came upon an elk and her two calves. A treasure to behold...peacefully grazing in the meadow. Out in the fields of gold. You never know what you might find.

[GeoffWilliams]

Can't use gut mains then. Too expensive. Use L-tec os/4s strings as hybrid. Gut will also snap at grommets if there are mishits. Also will snap if not strung right/well. Use shea butter to lube the gut which will also help longevity. Some use spray varnish, which affects playability. I use a rosin bag, to pat the gut down in between points, which causes the feel to increase dramatically if you are sensitive to feel/touch.

If you want durability over performance, use kevlar mains with 4s lux crosses. (Better have bullet proof elbows!)

[bottle]

So you too bottle are not adverse to crawling through the muck and slime to acquire just one more piece of the ever expanding puzzle. To say the tennis is universal...well that is quite a metaphor if you compare it to the universe which is said to be ever expanding. I'm trying to get my head around that one. Oh...you said woods...not muck and slime. Ok...I took it a step further. I was thinking of the horses. When we went out to feed them and water them before letting them out this morning I had to brush the two ladies as yesterday they were rolling around in the mud. Where do they come up with that idea? I wonder.

Now just take that serve video that Rick delivers forth on. Several commented on the length of its duration...twenty some minutes. I did it. I got through the whole thing. I was looking for Kyle in the crowd. But there it was...The Pearl. Take a look at approximately 3.30 in the video.

I borrow from anyone. I have my paradigm but it is ever evolving. That's the point isn't it? Evolution...as a person. As a teacher. As a society. Macci is a slick fellow. He mixes the common sense of tennis technique and fundamentals and makes a schtick out of it. Don't you? I certainly do. Hypnosis of the student. Instead of the pendulum watch...just listen to the sound of my voice and watch the expressions of my hands. Every once in a while throw in a zinger...give 'em a jolt. Give 'em an Expresso said John McEnroe to Jiminy Glick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0gQ2dP2aI

At 3.30 in the Rick Macci serve video that hockeyscout so generously has shared with us for this evolving thread...Rick says the following complete with his expressive body language and gags.

"position of the elbow. The elbow should always be shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Should always be...I could draw a straight line...I don't even need to look...there's a straight line through my shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Every time. It's almost like a see-saw...like a teeter totter."

He is demonstrating the trophy position. He assumes a position similar to Usain Bolt's archer position. I have been using this imagery in teaching the smash, the abbreviated "second serve" motion for beginners and on through with more advanced motions. I alway like using the image of creating lines with students. Vectors of energy lining up the shot.

Crawling through the woods on my belly...I came upon an elk and her two calves. A treasure to behold...peacefully grazing in the meadow. Out in the fields of gold. You never know what you might find.

Horses and tennis and elk: What a combination. My older sister, an highly ranked equestrienne judge, is quite the former horsewoman. Was coach of national champion pony club teams (Mendon Hall, New York). And even safety person for the National Horse Show Association until she became sufficiently disgusted with one-percenters from Middleburg, Virginia in favor of more brain injury.

Sometimes I can get her to listen to me.

Rick Macci is great, as is anyone who can hold attention for long enough to make real points. Rick doesn't even need a Donald Duck, Snow White or Mickey costume since he's the full package already.

[stotty]

Rick Macci

Rick Macci is great, as is anyone who can hold attention for long enough to make real points.

Some seem to find Rick Macci irritating, but then anyone can be irritating, not just Rick.

But we need these people that can put on a show, hold attention. He uses the very American tactic of keeping people waiting for the nugget. We British deliver our nuggets straight away as anyone who delays his nuggets is treated with suspicion.

But Macci's nuggets are really good. don_budge highlights one of my favourites: "Should always be...I could draw a straight line...I don't even need to look...there's a straight line through my shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Every time". I use this nugget all the time.

Rick Macci is all about nuggets. He always delivers the crucial matter. He's a good communicator, and no doubt a good coach. I'm a big fan.

[gzhpcu]

Can't use gut mains then. Too expensive. Use L-tec os/4s strings as hybrid. Gut will also snap at grommets if there are mishits. Also will snap if not strung right/well. Use shea butter to lube the gut which will also help longevity. Some use spray varnish, which affects playability. I use a rosin bag, to pat the gut down in between points, which causes the feel to increase dramatically if you are sensitive to feel/touch.

If you want durability over performance, use kevlar mains with 4s lux crosses. (Better have bullet proof elbows!)

Geoff, even though I am a very techy guy, when it comes to strings, I just put Luxilon 25 kilos on my Babolat Aeropro drive and that's it. You have written mounds of posts on stringing, which is about as exotic to me as String theory (no, not tennis strings - the theoretical physics theory - which i find easier to follow, btw... )

As far as Macci is concerned, certainly entertaining, but I got so fidgety on the serve video, waiting for him to finally come to the point.. a good point, but I almost fell asleep during the buildup...

[don_budge]

Practicing Perfection...Serving out of the Trophy Position

Now just take that serve video that Rick delivers forth on. Several commented on the length of its duration...twenty some minutes. I did it. I got through the whole thing. I was looking for Kyle in the crowd. But there it was...The Pearl. Take a look at approximately 3.30 in the video.

Every once in a while throw in a zinger...give 'em a jolt. Give 'em an Expresso said John McEnroe to Jiminy Glick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0gQ2dP2aI

At 3.30 in the Rick Macci serve video that hockeyscout so generously has shared with us for this evolving thread...Rick says the following complete with his expressive body language and gags.

"position of the elbow. The elbow should always be shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Should always be...I could draw a straight line...I don't even need to look...there's a straight line through my shoulder, shoulder, elbow. Every time. It's almost like a see-saw...like a teeter totter."

He is demonstrating the trophy position. He assumes a position similar to Usain Bolt's archer position. I have been using this imagery in teaching the smash, the abbreviated "second serve" motion for beginners and on through with more advanced motions. I alway like using the image of creating lines with students. Vectors of energy lining up the shot.

Well...you get your nuggets here and there. There's quite a bit of food for thought here at www.tennisplayer.net...don't you think so? It's a rhetorical question.

But this business that Slick Rick emphasized in his reality tennis lesson is good. Very, very good as Jack Kramer would say. Line up that back elbow on the same plane or line as your shoulders and tossing arm and just let it go...let it fly. Just aim and let it fly! As Bob Brett had the Kid let it fly in his hour of torture.

Start your students with this lineage in overhead practice. It saves them the awkwardness of tossing the ball and trying to lift the racquet from the start position and directly into the trophy position. Then get them to deal with the chaos of throwing the ball while directly assuming the trophy position. Now throw in the backswing. Voila...very, very good results.

With my serve too. That little extra stretch to get that back elbow in line is well worth the effort as you come rolling out of the delivery and head towards the net. I was practicing serve and volley yesterday...converting my practice partner to a one-handed backhand and serve and volley player. I hadn't served in ages but I focused on getting lined up as I have been urging my students to do since I found this pearl of wisdom from Rick...Slick Rick.

I was very, very pleased with my serve...all things considered.