Have a Question for Me?

[kishnabe]

Kish,

I could apply your current month toward a year. So if you want me to charge your account for the balance let me know.

John Yandell

Yes I would like that please.

Thank you!

[jhard225]

video from Australian Open

Hi John,
If you get a chance, I'd love to see some video of two shots from the Australian Open:
Tomic's down the line slice backhand - I think it mirrors alot of what you've been exploring in the backhand slice drive articles.
Raonic's second serve.
Thanks,
Jack

[John Yandell]

Nikae,

obviously stapnek is a very good player, but in my opinion he could hit through that forehand better and keep the hitting arm structure in tact. Porbably though since he doesn't wiper a lot he is coming up faster and sooner for spin.

John Yandell

[John Yandell]

Kish,

I could apply your current month toward a year. So if you want me to charge your account for the balance let me know.

John Yandell

[kishnabe]

Seems like a stupid question.

I signed up here for Sept,Oct 11. And Jan 12....if I sign up for the next 2 months would I get a full year subscription till Sept12?

[nikae]

Stepanek has some weird looking forehand. After he makes contact with the ball, he starts bending in the elbow, its like his upper arm kinda stops and his lower arm continues forward, why is that? He isn't extending enough? Could it be influenced by his grip(what is it by the way?)?
1. http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...splayer440.mov

2.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/radek_stepanek/rs_forehand/rs_fh_center/rs_fh_center.html?RSFHCenterNeutralStanceFront1_Tennisplayer440.mov

3.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/radek_stepanek/rs_forehand/rs_fh_short/rs_fh_short.html?RSFHShortRear1_Tennisplayer440.mov

[John Yandell]

Yes it's in Visual Tennis. Forget the exact percentage but it's something like 90% are visual and/or kinesthetic learners.

[jryle1]

Hi John,

Was having a look around the site there for some information about learning in tennis and I was sure it was in the "Visual Tennis" or the "McEnroe case study" articles but I'm mistaken. Maybe I've just been imagining it so I might as well ask you the question directly to see.

It's in regards to the three learning styles: Verbal, Visual and Kinesthetic. Was there some stats you posted about those three with % or am I going mad? Percentages as in which is the most popular learning method or something like that?

Jonathan.

[John Yandell]

Close, another German player, Nicholas Kiefer! That guy could take the ball early!

[nikae]

In this grip article: http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ons_part1.html

There is a gif picture (near bottom of the page) of Agassi and one more player hitting forehands,
there is a text under the picture "The 4 / 3 grip structure: a mild semi-western that allows players to step in and hit early."

Who's is the other player? To me it looks like Benjamin Becker, but I don't think he uses 4/3 grip and hits mostly on the rise...

[John Yandell]

Jon, No I think Fed is the only guy I've seen doing it to this extent.

[John Yandell]

Nikae,

I think the rear view shows where you could still improve. That's an easy, fed ball from the net. But you aren't getting to the left arm stretch at the bounce. And also the arm isn't fully straight. The shoulders will go further too if you do this. I think you need to spend some time in front of a mirror modeling the position--then do the same with your eyes closed. Rush it on purpose in that fed ball drill. Get the feeling of almost waiting for the ball with the arm stretch. Your rhythm will eventually change if you can work this overcompensation.

John

[John Yandell]

Don,

Closest is in the Chris Lewit racket speed drills on the Spanish forehand. Wish we had more examples--there are a few here and there in the archives--but I can't make the players hit them just because I am filming.

Great idea for an article though! I'll see who I can find that could really do a good job on it.

John

[jryle1]

Quick question, has anybody seen any other pro do the sideways head turn thing like Federer for the volley(I know he does it for all his strokes but talking specifically about volley now)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-MRV14rG3Y

The reason I'm asking is that I don't think I've ever seen any other pro do this yet I was at the national matchplays here this weekend and the amount that do it is ridiculous! I know it has little significance if any and that it's just style really but it's interesting!

Jonathan.

[tennis_chiro]

Swinging Volley??

I was trying to teach a swinging volley to a couple of my players yesterday. A mid-court swing volley last night and I realized I hadn't seen much information on it. Bill Mountford touched on it briefly in his article on the site, but I really haven't seen much good more than that. People talk about using it, but not much about how to actually hit it. I sure as hell can't hit it, but I have been able to teach it to a few of my students.

I'm a big believer in that what keeps players from being able to transition effectively is the inability to hit an effective drive volley and follow it with a good finishing volley at the net. I think it's too tough to hit a consistent swinging volley when you are really transitioning forward very quickly...so a lot of balls are allowed to drop and are played further back in the court. The other side of it is that so many players, even if they could hit a drive volley, can't hit an effective reaction volley on an attempted pass once they get near the net.

But leave that as it may be, today's good young players need to be able to finish with a swing volley when they get the opportunity. I don't like my players using anything but their volley grip once they get inside the service line, but these two needed at least their semi-western grips to hit the swing volleys.

I've got ideas about how the stroke should be executed and when, but it would be nice to have a few more clips of actual swinging volleys to refer to. It would also be nice for someone with some credibility to expound more specifically on the positioning, preparation, grips and execution of this shot. I don't think it is a shot the recreational player should really be embracing except on the rare occasion in practice; they should stick to the drive volley if they find themselves in that situation.

Just a little something extra for you to put one of your clones to work on next year. In the meantime, do you have any good suggestions on where to look for more on the subject.

don