New Teaching Method: The Classic Slice

[johnyandell]

Would love to get your thoughts on "New Teaching Method: The Classic Slice"

[jeremy93]

Awesome John. Love these fundamentals. Having the hands level with the mid torso at the end of the backswing/unit turn is a great checkpoint for the classic slice. I think having the strings point to the sky at this point is a good visual too. This preparation is a great start in avoiding what is in my experience the most common technical flaw with the slice and that is swinging too much down. Most players seem to have a picture in their minds eye that the slice is a very downwards swing path with the strings very open at contact. As you know that is often not the case.

[johnyandell]

Agreed.

[klacr]

Great article and review of the fundamentals which many of the OG subscribers on tennisplayer.net have discovered. The steep downward swing is certainly not something needed at the club or recreational level and players that attempt it who are not receiving a tour level type of ball fail miserably.

The slice is underutilized at the club level and it is a real shame. The ball can stay low (out of an opponent's potential strike zone) and a great neutralizing shot or to disrupt rhythm.
Great video.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
Boca Raton
SETS Consulting

[doctorhl]

Beyond the excellent and comprehensive analysis of the different mechanics in the classic and extreme slice and their reasons for utility, your ability to compress a complex subject into such a visually and textually clear and understandable response in SIX MINUTES is without equal in the tennis website world in my estimation!

Do do you know how many lessons at $60/hour it would take somone in many cases to get this information? That’s why I wouldn’t probably wouldn’t hesitate to take lessons from any of your consistent forum readers and contributors.

[johnyandell]

Wow. Thank you. You get what I was hoping to accomplish. Come on out to San Francisco and we will put you on high speed video...

[doctorhl]

Got a daughter in Marin County and would love to come out and chat one day. Looking forward to follow up slice article.

[johnyandell]

OK! Let me know if you come.

[klacr]

Beyond the excellent and comprehensive analysis of the different mechanics in the classic and extreme slice and their reasons for utility, your ability to compress a complex subject into such a visually and textually clear and understandable response in SIX MINUTES is without equal in the tennis website world in my estimation!

Do do you know how many lessons at $60/hour it would take somone in many cases to get this information? That’s why I wouldn’t probably wouldn’t hesitate to take lessons from any of your consistent forum readers and contributors.

Thanks for stating what so many of us dedicated subscribers have known.If ever in South Florida I would love to have you at my facility.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

[doctorhl]

Thanks Klacr. Would love to visit. If you and John ever find yourself passing by Montgomery, Texas for some odd reason,(next to Lake Conroe about an hour north of Houston), you are more than welcome at my club. U.S. Mens Clay Courts at River Oaks in Houston in April is our nearest ATP action.

[stotty]

Great walk-thru, and it answers my question about why pro's have their racket tips pointing at the ground on completion of the follow through versus players like me who don't. I would rather most of my adult club players hit exclusively with slice because it's a much easier shot to learn and master than hitting topspin (which so often end up in the back fence!). It is far easier to rally consistently using slice and, as Arthur Ashe pointed out, at the same time as learning slice you are also laying a sound foundation for a backhand volley. The problem is players - even limited club players - love the glamour of a topspin backhand and some are held bent on trying to learn it.

It's interesting that all the club players who buy into my backhand slice over topspin theory are the ones that win all the matches. Slice is just way better for club players, period.

Nice article...can't wait for the next one.

[johnyandell]

Completely agreed. One good topspin backhand I did hit and lost 2 and 2...

[stroke]

I am not anxious to take this thread into a TW equipment discussion(in fact long gone poster Geoff Williams would be a way better source) but to me most players(all levels) would be way better off experimenting with the slice(either of these techniques) with an 80's/90's weighted racquet. The only one left on the market as far as I know(without a lot of lead tape) in the Wilson Federer 97.

[jeremy93]

John Yandell- thank you for another great “checkpoints” article. I am a bit surprised to hear you talk about using a grip that’s between bevels 2 and 3 with the underbase index knuckle. I do use that grip myself (I’m a 5.0 and teach tennis full time for 10 years now) but I would have thought you’d recommend bevel 2 (true continental). I know you said in the video that bevel 2 is acceptable as well but I’m wondering why you seem to like weak continental more so then true continental for the slice backhand? I would have thought you’d prefer true continental for club players as it doesn’t open the racquet face as much which generally will encourage less of a high to low swing path. Random side note- I find it interesting how the black and white videos show the pros using less of their non-dominant arm in opposition. Thanks in advance!

[johnyandell]

I think if you look across the range of slice you'll see that grip is widespread. Stronger in my mind means more downward swing.