A New Year's Serve

[bottle]

Toward a More Rudderly Temperament

What does that mean? Reader, I am so glad you asked.

A rudder goes to the left and you go to the left, goes to the right and you...etc.

Perhaps you noticed (in youth in my case) that when you were most extended to the left, the volley you hit was sharpest, i.e., best went along the net close on your opponent's side of the court.

In that case your racket went left to make the ball go to the right. So let's shift our focus from rudder to tiller. You pull the tiller left and the boat goes to the right.

But reader, you are a tennis player and therefore despise mental gymnastics.

Just don't get too close to the ball. And swing or whatever you do to the OUTSIDE. My best self-feed exercises in short angle groundies, whether sliced or topspun, are all about a navigation that seems very nautical to me.

What if, for all short angles, you discipline yourself into a contact with the racket pointed at the outside net post.

This predicts a contact in which the racket head is higher than the wrist for either sliced or topspun shots.

The discipline of this, almost as if some shrill-voiced command style teaching pro is screaming out what you must do, means that, in order to commit yourself to sufficient spin, you must put much more swing before the contact than in a normal ground stroke hit for depth. There, it is best to condense body turn though not the amount of it through exclusive pointing while keeping racket in the slot.

Try for contact then, slice or topspin with elevated racket tip pointing at net post. But let's exclusively consider the forehand topspin version most difficult to explain (and which therefore is most difficult to perform).

Arbitrarily, I've advocated open or semi-open stance and do not abandon that notion now. I simply think that if your inside foot is later of the two to move, you are blocked for anything but a lob or drive down the line.

But closed or neutral stance helps one turn the shoulders and is a boost which discipline now has taken away.

So one must do everything else in one's power to turn the shoulders an extra amount which is sure at first to seem unnatural:

1) One keeps bent left arm on the racket throughout a maximized unit turn.

2) One keeps the shoulders turn going by pointing across at right fence with hitting hand simultaneously dog-patting behind you so that racket gets around edge of the slot and slants a bit back toward LEFT fence.

Although I am using a composite grip, my arm is as straight as if I am hitting my Federfore.

My wrist is not flipped and laid back, in fact is extremely straight.

The straight arm is best for performing precise yet vigorous arm roll.

Is there "flashlight" in this shot, i.e., a pulling of the racket butt toward the ball and net post?

I say not since racket butt to begin is turned around even more than that.

There is only time, after such extreme conniptions, for arm roll and nothing but arm roll to point the racket at net post for the contact.

In any Federfore, with 3/3 grip, the arm roll is pure, relegating forward propulsion to one's body.

In a McEnrueful, rolled early or late (late this time), the composite grip is 2/2.5 in which heel measurement-- 2-- is listed first. Furthermore, the arm roll is impure, a 50-50 mix in which frame energy is split half between going up and half toward the target.

The solution for this shot seems more like a blockbuster final exam problem in math or geometry than anything conceivably athletic.

Precisely. This is a shot for someone aging ungracefully who wishes to remain competitive vs. younger persons beyond discretion or good sense.

This is a shot in which, quite simply, the player has taken the torturous time required to figure a knotty problem out.

To repeat, this is math not tennis. Unless one thinks that tennis is big enough to include some math.

[bottle]

A Rule for Tennis Stroke Invention

Backhand volley and backhand slice are not the same length; nevertheless, when you try something new on one make sure to try it on the other.

[hockeyscout]

First and foremost the name Alexander. But then the prospect of doglike efficiency. Or that of my favorite fox snake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XryKA3z_uWk

Also just the heresy of going head first. So different from kinetic chain's ground up. Put them together and you get something electrical? I mean the juice seeming to go one way and the electrons the other?

The figure eight guy, Jack Broudy, wants energy to emanate in both directions up and down from the hips.

Should we make big distinction between Alexander ragtime used for movement to ball and for hitting that ball?

Well, the same principles of elongation can apply no matter where it initiates. I'm just worried about when I know that I and klacr and Raonic and Berdych and Anderson and Isner and Karlovic ought to stay down although I'm by far the shortest in this group.

I can't comment too much further since I've never bought into the ragtime too much until right now and am just discovering I like it mostly because of the video of the dog's starter block acceleration.

But I also think that anyone who imitates the fox snake in any way, so long as they don't watch Fox news, will turn into a very good tennis player.

Sorry my computer doesn't have Skype possibility. Maybe I'll get a new one some day.

Note: Your efforts to expand tennis consciousness to include known principles of quick movement in other sports just has to be good, isn't going to hurt anybody, might lead to innovation. I also love the idea of new forehands with higher number than ATP3. I spent more than a decade discussing and developing my Federfore, which is nothing more or less than an ATP3. The ATP3 is largely based on one man's forehand, Roger Federer. But if somebody imitates him, not even Dimitrov, he won't become Federer. The first question I would ask is how far back does the candidate's wrist bend.

My Federfore has turned out to be a very consistent shot but not my greatest forehand weapon, which is my McEnrueful. My thumb, a little more toward strings than thumb of most players, is consistent with diagonal thumb in my one hand backhand. A little adjustment at any time (and not the flying grip change I used to use), always puts thumb on panel seven (topspin backhand), on ridge 7.5 (volleys, McEnruefuls and backhand slice) or on ridge 8.5 (Federfore/ATP3).

I know this probably sounds overconceptual but would add that it's more thumb feeling the sharp ridge than some precisely analytical position. And thumb is always bent about the same amount for all of my shots except maybe serve and overhead. I haven't yet felt sorry about this.

Thanks so much. Love your postings. Keep up the good work.

[bottle]

Very interesting Bottle. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. He looks like he has a few principles we can steal, and mould into our own. Can you tell me what you are liking about his program? Next's etc. By the way, interesting thread. We're all over your stuff here in the Ukraine. Thanks a lot and keep up the great postings.

First and foremost the name Alexander. But then the prospect of doglike efficiency. Or that of my favorite fox snake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XryKA3z_uWk

Also just the heresy of going head first. So different from kinetic chain's ground up. Put them together and you get something electrical? I mean the lightning seeming to go the Zeus way (down) and the electrons the other?

The figure eight guy, Jack Broudy, wants energy to emanate in both directions up and down from the hips.

Should we make big distinction between Alexander ragtime used for movement to ball and for hitting that ball?

Well, the same principles of elongation can apply no matter where it initiates. I'm just worried about when I know that I and klacr and Raonic and Berdych and Anderson and Isner and Karlovic ought to stay down although I'm by far the shortest in this group.

I can't comment too much further since I've never bought into the ragtime too much until right now and am just discovering I like it mostly because of the video of the dog's starter block acceleration.

But I also think that anyone who imitates the fox snake in any way, so long as they don't watch Fox news, will turn into a very good tennis player.

Sorry my computer doesn't have Skype possibility. Maybe I'll get a new one some day.

Note: Your efforts to expand tennis consciousness to include known principles of quick movement in other sports just has to be good, isn't going to hurt anybody, might lead to innovation. I also love the idea of new forehands with higher number than ATP3. I spent more than a decade discussing and developing my Federfore, which is nothing more or less than an ATP3. The ATP3 is largely based on one man's forehand, Roger Federer. But if somebody imitates him, not even Dimitrov, he won't become Federer. The first question I would ask is how far back does the candidate's wrist bend.

My Federfore has turned out to be a very consistent shot but not my greatest forehand weapon, which is my McEnrueful. My thumb, a little more toward strings than thumb of most players, is consistent with diagonal thumb in my one hand backhand. A little adjustment at any time (and not the flying grip change I used to use), always puts thumb on panel seven (topspin backhand), on ridge 7.5 (volleys, McEnruefuls and backhand slice) or on ridge 8.5 (Federfore/ATP3).

I know this probably sounds overconceptual but would add that it's more thumb feeling the sharp ridge than some precisely analytical position. And thumb is always bent about the same amount for all of my shots except maybe serve and overhead. I haven't yet felt sorry about this.

[hockeyscout]

over-conceptualization -- thanks for that post. Brilliance.

[hockeyscout]

over-conceptualization -- thanks for that post. Brilliance.

[hockeyscout]

Don't be the Navy Seal adulated by warmongers but a real seal in a circus.

Alexander Technique is all about body extension from head to foot (or perhaps tail), and Alexander was Alexander The Great, so bounce an imaginary ball off of your snout as you do everything else to make clean contact in this serve.

Very interesting Bottle. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. He looks like he has a few principals we can steal, and mould into our own. Can you tell me what you are liking about his program? Next's ect. By the way, interesting thread. We're all over your stuff here in the Ukraine. Thanks a lot, and keep up the great postings.

[bottle]

Be a Seal Bouncing a Beach Ball Up Off of Nose

Don't be the Navy Seal adulated by warmongers but a real seal in a circus.

Alexander Technique is all about body extension from head to foot (or perhaps tail), and Alexander was Alexander The Great, so bounce an imaginary ball off of your snout as you do everything else to make clean contact in this serve.

[bottle]

Improving Waggles

The above title-- "Waggle Waggle Waggle-Plus-More"-- is a real tennis player beginning his gravity dominant serve.

Other versions are available.

But let us examine how this individual service beginning works. How?

Through slow uttering of the word "waggle," which I personally find difficult. I would rather say the first syllable slowly and the second quickly, and I plan to abandon this emotional crutch very soon but for the time being will accelerate wag and decelerate gull to make them sound even.

On first wag one lifts one's linked hands as weight gathers on front foot.

On first gull one drops one's linked hands as weight gathers on rear foot.

Second wag and gull are identical as is the third wag with weight balancing again on front foot.

The third gull, while preserving the same rhythm, is different in that the hands separate and the hitting hand continues to fall straight down and go back to where one wants it which is still relatively low.

I don't want to repeat myself on what happens next but do assert that body turn has moved left arm sideways into tossing position.

I'm simply trying here to say something expressed before a different way.

Pointing out that hitting hand comes up as hitting shoulder tilts down might be a good idea.

These simultaneous motions cancel each other out to create feel of more accuracy in all subsequent action.

Building on above conception, adjust every "gull" to simultaneously bring left arm to crosswise toss position and right arm to roundabout and rearward lift position to prepare "up together" formula.

One can say that body turns in a horizontal way going back and in a vertical way as it goes forward on the toss, i.e., as it forms a cocking "long bow."

And turns in BOTH dimensions to deliver strings to ball though not in equal amount.

I see good opportunity here to incorporate the aeronautical "banking" that Welby Van Horn used in his instruction. One shoulder gets higher than the other, to begin, and that happens during the toss not after the toss as in many other serve designs.

[bottle]

Falling Upward

This is the Alexander Technique for tennis...
http://www.tenniswithouttension.com/article4.html

This is the most comprehensible of all treatises on movement. Note furniture 3, the tottering broom, and furniture 6, the trundling dog.

I thought I already knew this stuff but the dynamite is in the detail. You, Phil, must love the connection to your big cats.

"Falling upward" is the key and the article's true title. Alexander was just the great guy with a ragtime band called The Alexandran Quartet.

Let's worry more about gist and central, i.e., most relatable idea in all our tennis improvements rather than attribution and footnotes.

I know that the name Alexander has a tremendous ring to it, but Alexander has already received enough credit, so instead of to him, let's give a MacArthur Genius grant to extending cats and dogs whose income may not have been too great in the past year.

Personally speaking as to what falling upward now shall mean, I'll never move quite the same, and I thank you so very much for posting this link.

This is all about first step, isn't it? Like Roland Garros crashed in the Andes snow, once we take the first step we can worry about the rest of life.

The downed postal aviator could never have suspected that a stadium and major tournament would be named after him. Did he play tennis or know tennis or even think about tennis?

First step = falling upward.

[bottle]

Waggle Waggle Waggle-Plus-More

The above title is a real tennis player beginning his gravity dominant serve.

Other versions are available.

But let us examine how this individual service beginning works. How?

Through slow uttering of the word "waggle," which I personally find difficult. I would rather say the first syllable slowly and the second quickly, and I plan to abandon this emotional crutch very soon but for the time being will accelerate wag and decelerate gull to make them sound even.

On first wag one lifts one's linked hands as weight gathers on front foot.

On first gull one drops one's linked hands as weight gathers on rear foot.

Second wag and gull are identical as is the third wag with weight balancing again on front foot.

The third gull, while preserving the same rhythm, is different in that the hands separate and the hitting hand continues to fall straight down and go back to where one wants it which is still relatively low.

I don't want to repeat myself on what happens next but do assert that body turn has moved left arm sideways into tossing position.

I'm simply trying here to say something expressed before a different way.

Pointing out that hitting hand comes up as hitting shoulder tilts down might be a good idea.

These simultaneous motions can cancel each other to make all subsequent action more accurate.

[bottle]

After Andrew Young's Episode of "Arthur Ashe Recollected" on Tennis Channel

I was reading a book that Arthur wrote for complete beginners in which Arthur recommended that the beginner step on a 45 degree angle toward the net in order to hit a one hand backhand.

I quickly learned this habit but without the result I wanted. Later I read Arthur's friend Ed Faulkner, whose writing along with that of J. Donald Budge convinced me to put my thumb on a diagonal up panel seven.

I then recollected writing of John M. Barnaby explaining how one could minimize backswing by pointing racket at the near side fence before stepping out (half across in my case).

After that I had a better backhand than when I used to step straight toward the net.

[gzhpcu]

The human head is heavy. So point it in direction you want to go along with the other stuff you learned to get center of gravity outside of feet on first step.

This is the Alexander Technique for tennis...

http://www.tenniswithouttension.com/article4.html

[bottle]

No Slap in McEnrueful Slap Shot

Someone recently accused me of playing God (it's what every writer should try and get away with).

No. But the McEnrueful is my non-patented invention. The slap part of it comes before contact. There is no slap of the ball.

This shot is a stroke.

And a half, complete with roll, coming first.

[bottle]

Bhv

I mean BHV

Thoroughly explaining oneself won’t go over well in this forum. Better just to let one’s shots rip. No, this thread isn’t diary nor do I wish for that deadness which only worked once in history when death itself was the subject: JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEARS by Samuel Pepys.

In backhand volleys today, I’ll try to replace the word “sticked” with “release” once and for all.

There are very few directions or vectors or turns that one cannot achieve predictively in the shrinking hoop stage of a release volley.

If one understands that, one can perhaps achieve extra closing of the racket face without twisting the arm in a solo way.

Blocked volley: I want to take speed off of the ball so why wouldn’t I want to turn under it?

Sticked or release volley: I want to add speed to the oncoming ball. To be rolling closed when I make contact therefore makes sense.

What would happen if one raised front shoulder in the shrinking hoop preparation? The clenching of shoulderblades together then will cause the racket to roll a fraction of a second later in the uninhibited release.

Note: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK worked too and for similar reason as the Pepys.