I will start with last Monday:
3/29/11--Lesson With K.--Concentrating On The Follow Through
K. has been riding me about my follow through for about two years now. He has been on my case for so long that I forgot what he used to tell me to do to encourage a good follow through. He is suggesting I "catch" my racquet way over my left shoulder every time I hit a forehand. I bet he first told me this three years ago. Writing down his suggestions is a good way to remind myself about my follow through goal. I have really practiced catching the racquet all week. On my backhand, which is one handed, I should concentrate on following up and out and mirroring that motion on my off hand. He is not adamant about me changing my backhand because he said my style is unique and that he hates to mess with it.
4/3/11--Lesson With Suzette--Mixed Doubles
S. thinks the key to mixed doubles is the serve, the return of serve and the third ball following these two shots. On a second serve, placement is really important. A softer serve to to middle of the box is just not going to work. The serve should be angled and/or deep. There are two logical returns of the serve: a rally ball or a extremely angled ball. It is important to not return a high ball over the middle. Your cross court will cross the middle but it needs to be low so that it is not poached. Don't forget to step into the return and split step as the server hits the ball.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Mied Doubles Lesson
3/27/11--Lesson With S.
When playing mixed doubles, women have trouble returning men's serves and men have trouble returning women's serves. Women often can't handle the pace of a man's serve and likewise men can't handle a soft ball and tend to over-hit. This is from improper footwork. S. stressed the need to split step. If you are not hitting the ball, then you should be split stepping. Return a serve with a neutral or rally ball. /you can only hit a neutral ball if you are balanced up.
We also worked on faking out your opponent or going for a poach. The server's partner has two choices: fake a move (which has to be a big movement to distract the opponent) or go all the way for a poach. There is no choice to just stand there. n When going for a poach, lead with the foot that is towards the ball, and then cross over with the other foot.
When playing mixed doubles, women have trouble returning men's serves and men have trouble returning women's serves. Women often can't handle the pace of a man's serve and likewise men can't handle a soft ball and tend to over-hit. This is from improper footwork. S. stressed the need to split step. If you are not hitting the ball, then you should be split stepping. Return a serve with a neutral or rally ball. /you can only hit a neutral ball if you are balanced up.
We also worked on faking out your opponent or going for a poach. The server's partner has two choices: fake a move (which has to be a big movement to distract the opponent) or go all the way for a poach. There is no choice to just stand there. n When going for a poach, lead with the foot that is towards the ball, and then cross over with the other foot.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Lessons Yesterday And Today
3/23/11--Lesson With J.--Inside Out
Inside out means hitting from the inside of the court to the outside of the court. A properly hit inside out ball is hard for the returner to hit down the line. Hitting inside out requires you to get a good shoulder turn and to space yourself away from the ball. For singles, hit a wide shorter ball. For doubles, hit the inside out deep. It is not important to hit a hard paced ball. Placement is more important.
3/24/11--Lesson With K.--Drop Shots and Returning A Drop Shot In Singles
The drop shot doesn't have to just barely clear the net, but it needs to be within the service box, either down the line or cross court. It is a very strategic shot when playing against a "pusher". A"pusher" doesn't go for winners but just calmly returns shots, usually pushing you from corner to corner. "pushers" like to hit from the baseline and don't like to have to come up and take a shorter shot. To return a wide drop shot, run forward with your arm ahead of you as if you have a dog on a leash bounding ahead of you. Push through the ball holding the racquet with a continental grip and aim down the line. This puts you in a good spot to volley the next shot.
Inside out means hitting from the inside of the court to the outside of the court. A properly hit inside out ball is hard for the returner to hit down the line. Hitting inside out requires you to get a good shoulder turn and to space yourself away from the ball. For singles, hit a wide shorter ball. For doubles, hit the inside out deep. It is not important to hit a hard paced ball. Placement is more important.
3/24/11--Lesson With K.--Drop Shots and Returning A Drop Shot In Singles
The drop shot doesn't have to just barely clear the net, but it needs to be within the service box, either down the line or cross court. It is a very strategic shot when playing against a "pusher". A"pusher" doesn't go for winners but just calmly returns shots, usually pushing you from corner to corner. "pushers" like to hit from the baseline and don't like to have to come up and take a shorter shot. To return a wide drop shot, run forward with your arm ahead of you as if you have a dog on a leash bounding ahead of you. Push through the ball holding the racquet with a continental grip and aim down the line. This puts you in a good spot to volley the next shot.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Be Aggressive With Your Shoulder, Not Your Arm
1/24/11--lessOn Wih K.
The volley involves moving into the shot with your shoulder. Your arm is somewhat close to your body. The aggressive nature of the volley comes from your shoulder. Your footwork (stepping into the shot) allows Your shoulder to provide the power.
The volley involves moving into the shot with your shoulder. Your arm is somewhat close to your body. The aggressive nature of the volley comes from your shoulder. Your footwork (stepping into the shot) allows Your shoulder to provide the power.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Never Turn Your Neck Without Moving Your Feet
2/23/11--Lesson With J.--
Have you played doubles with a partner (or you yourself) who sees the ball whiz past and the partner (or you), just turns his/her neck to watch the ball sail past. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. If you need to turn your neck, move your feet and get into position for the next ball. This is a good general principle to follow. So, never turn your neck without moving your feet.
We worked on serving while having our shoulders at a 230 degree angle from the net. This allows the server to get more spin and more bite on the ball. There are three ways to stand: facing the net, perpendicular to the net and greater than perpendicular to the net. If you stand at a more acute angle, then it is really important to use a continental grip rather than a forehand grip. (Note to self: change to a continental grip.) I asked J. if I have a neurological deficit that makes me use a forehand grip on my serve. I notice that he did not answer me.
J. says I need to be able to play singles and hit 5 to 6 times over the net before I try to put it away. He says that there is a choice to hit the ball with more control and less pace. So far, I seem to be resisting this path. He is hoping I can possibly follow his advice.
We practiced hitting volleys through the "goal", i.e., down the middle between the two opponents.
Have you played doubles with a partner (or you yourself) who sees the ball whiz past and the partner (or you), just turns his/her neck to watch the ball sail past. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. If you need to turn your neck, move your feet and get into position for the next ball. This is a good general principle to follow. So, never turn your neck without moving your feet.
We worked on serving while having our shoulders at a 230 degree angle from the net. This allows the server to get more spin and more bite on the ball. There are three ways to stand: facing the net, perpendicular to the net and greater than perpendicular to the net. If you stand at a more acute angle, then it is really important to use a continental grip rather than a forehand grip. (Note to self: change to a continental grip.) I asked J. if I have a neurological deficit that makes me use a forehand grip on my serve. I notice that he did not answer me.
J. says I need to be able to play singles and hit 5 to 6 times over the net before I try to put it away. He says that there is a choice to hit the ball with more control and less pace. So far, I seem to be resisting this path. He is hoping I can possibly follow his advice.
We practiced hitting volleys through the "goal", i.e., down the middle between the two opponents.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday and Thursday lessons
1-16-11--Lesson With J.--
We started with a warm up where J. emphasized keeping our heads still and keeping our eyes on the ball.
We worked on court positions in doubles. There are really three combinations: split=one up and one back, both back and both at net. When both are at the net, the opponents need to get a bit back so that they are in the position to return the ball. The most effective ground stroke from the baseline is usually down the middle and cross court rather than down the line.
We worked on serve and J. told me that I need to vary my serve more and sometimes hit a soft serve on my first serve.
We worked on the movement of the player who is not the receiver. It is important to aggressively take the net if your partner makes a good cross court return. If you are not assertive in moving up to the net and just inch up there, your opponent is not afraid of you at all. He noticed that the non-receivers in our lesson don't move much after their partners return a good cross court ball.
1-17-11--Singles Lesson With K.
Today we worked on defensive shots. A defensive high shot is hit with a continental grip and a firm wrist. There is no follow through and the pop comes from stepping into the shot like you would do on a volley. We worked on cutting off a return lob. Again, you keep you wrist firm, have no follow through and footwork gives the pop to the ball.
We started with a warm up where J. emphasized keeping our heads still and keeping our eyes on the ball.
We worked on court positions in doubles. There are really three combinations: split=one up and one back, both back and both at net. When both are at the net, the opponents need to get a bit back so that they are in the position to return the ball. The most effective ground stroke from the baseline is usually down the middle and cross court rather than down the line.
We worked on serve and J. told me that I need to vary my serve more and sometimes hit a soft serve on my first serve.
We worked on the movement of the player who is not the receiver. It is important to aggressively take the net if your partner makes a good cross court return. If you are not assertive in moving up to the net and just inch up there, your opponent is not afraid of you at all. He noticed that the non-receivers in our lesson don't move much after their partners return a good cross court ball.
1-17-11--Singles Lesson With K.
Today we worked on defensive shots. A defensive high shot is hit with a continental grip and a firm wrist. There is no follow through and the pop comes from stepping into the shot like you would do on a volley. We worked on cutting off a return lob. Again, you keep you wrist firm, have no follow through and footwork gives the pop to the ball.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Volleying and More Volleying
Lesson With K.--2/14/11
Today we worked on a volley combination. The first shot is a volley from the service line. This volley needs to be deep to elicit a weak reply. Then the next shot is an extreme angle. On the first volley, follow it in to a certain extent so that you are in position for the next volley. For me, I need to remind myself to keep a firm wrist. The racquet face should be up at the completion of the shot. The racquet needs to be upright during the execution of the volley. My first volley is hard and sometimes I don't expect that the ball will be returned, but I need to keep ready for the next shot. I need to concentrate on footwork and stepping into the shot. This is what makes a volley go deep.
We practiced serve and volley. K. said that this is more of a doubles maneuver. Unless the opponent is having a lot of difficulty returning serve, serve and volley will not work because there is too much court to cover.
Then we did our fast volley drill. I have the most trouble when the ball is coming right for my body. I need to use better footwork to get away from the ball.
Today we worked on a volley combination. The first shot is a volley from the service line. This volley needs to be deep to elicit a weak reply. Then the next shot is an extreme angle. On the first volley, follow it in to a certain extent so that you are in position for the next volley. For me, I need to remind myself to keep a firm wrist. The racquet face should be up at the completion of the shot. The racquet needs to be upright during the execution of the volley. My first volley is hard and sometimes I don't expect that the ball will be returned, but I need to keep ready for the next shot. I need to concentrate on footwork and stepping into the shot. This is what makes a volley go deep.
We practiced serve and volley. K. said that this is more of a doubles maneuver. Unless the opponent is having a lot of difficulty returning serve, serve and volley will not work because there is too much court to cover.
Then we did our fast volley drill. I have the most trouble when the ball is coming right for my body. I need to use better footwork to get away from the ball.
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