Thomas, you don't know how much your videos help me with my game. One of your videos about using the racket as a weight rather than a tool helped me overcome my tennis elbow issues. I love the way you explain things. It's easy to understand and apply. It's as if you know exactly what an amateur like me is thinking and trying to overcome. Again, thank you very much. Keep up the good work.
Brilliant and simple and contrary to most teaching which introverts attention onto the body, the racket and specific movements and tricks... all of which detract from correct focus.
Hi Tomaz, Thanks for all the great videos you make:). I was wondering if you know the implicite ways of learning, in wich one of the is using external focus points (others are using anologies, clear targets, etc.). I can agree that focusing on the mechanics is in many casus the cause of the problem and when the player can just focus on the target (balflight) is ideal. But in reality many players will plateau early because they haven't great motor skills and feel for the kinetic chain. So then we as coaches have to guide them in my opnion with implicit ways of learning. So, get your racket (external) under the ball (external) is a great teaching point for example. But let your wrist drop (internal) and bend your knees (internal) isn't because this splits their attention like you said, in wich movements become mechanical and adjustments to the situation and intention will become deficient. Well, I wonder if you can relate to what I'm saying and if it might be a idea to make some videos about implicit ways of learning if you like:)? Best, Paul
Hi Paul, you're probably aware of the "game based approach" term which is what I mention here. So the goal is to find a drill some limitation / restraint that "forces" the player to hit the ball that we want them to develop better. In that process we hope that technique will adjust subconsciously. I said hope because we can't say for sure that it will happen. But this is a longer term approach and one needs to be very patient and be willing to wait for weeks and months sometimes to see good adjustments of technique. And sure, some players will not be able to find better technique without us explicitly helping them with tips and corrections. When I work with adults in short term (like 5 days in a row or once a week), I teach 90% explicitly and focus mostly on major biomechanics and not on little details. When I work with juniors in the long term (1 year or more with multiple sessions per week), I teach around 75% implicitly through drills and I am very patient. I know from experience that implicitly learned technique will be much smoother, effortless and better coordinated than explicitly learned. So that's why I don't mind waiting for the process to take place - but of course the player and the parents need to be on board with this process and need to be educated about it.
@@feeltennis Hi Tomaz, Thanks for your longwinded respons. I can fully relate to what you're saying about the constrains led approach and how we can wait much longer with juniors then adults. The feelbased drills you use to get a sense of the biomechanics are also a way of implicit learning in my opninion, because those drills will adress the body instead of the mind. I would say there are 3 levels of feedback * No feedback from the coach just feedback from the environment (just set constrains and clear targets) * Guided implicit feedback (external focus, analogies, feelbased drills, etc.) * Explicit internal feedback (elbow position, wrist flextion, etc.) I think we have to give feedback in order such as above. Most coaches will have a preference in number 1 or number three I would say. Just number one will give problems like earlie plateau for the player or getting injured. Mainly number three will give problems with chocking, being mechanical and adjusting skills. So, we can guide a lot by setting a great environment and giving implicit feedback when needed, where we almost never have to give internal explicit feedback in my opinion, which is the most common with coaches. Can you agree with this and do you think you can help coaches brigde this gab in giving feedback with this methods? Best, Paul
Hi Paul, yes, I agree with the above and it will work well in one condition: that the kids are regularly involved in additional training where biomechanics, balance, coordination, reactions and other similar skills are being developed. So working with a fitness coach where at young age of course they don't work on strength but on speed and the skills and mentioned above. That gives their body and brain the building blocks which are then used to accomplish the task you are asking of them implicitly. But if they do not develop those skills (they develop somewhat just through playing but not to the max) then their brain cannot adjust the body movements to the fine degree necessary to accomplish the task you want them to do. In my opinion the most important work in junior tennis is done by the "fitness" coach (if they know what they should be doing depending on the age group) but unfortunately they stay unseen behind the scenes and all the glory is taken by the tennis pro which also unfortunately inflates their ego as they believe they were the one that taught those kids those great strokes. The tennis pro also in their blindness then believe that they know everything since kids play so well and do not spend any more time educating themselves. And if they happen to have lessons with adults those lessons will fail miserably because the coach has no knowledge of biomechanics and the fundamental issues causing problems at adult level. But the coach will in his conviction and blindness protect his ego and never question their own skill of teaching but will attribute the failure of progress to the "too old" adult who is not skilled enough to improve in tennis. That of course is not true. Everyone can improve and at quite a good rate but obviously they cannot reach very high level of tennis. But we can put the basic biomechanics of tennis strokes in place for almost every adult person and they will hit technically correct stroke (on an easy ball of course at first) in a matter of days.
What should you think about if you hit up on the ball with an open racquet face, and the ball often flys long? Should you think about hitting straight through the ball to trick your body to lower the trajectory?
That would be one way to do it, but the downside is that your margin for error is reduced, since you could also hit the net. A better way is to apply topspin so that the ball comes back down into court even after hitting it high. But this could mean a substantial change in your stroke, depending on your level and experience, since the racquet face can't really be open too much for proper topspin.
I would first try just aiming in the mind and not having any thoughts about technique, hand position, racket angle position, etc. If the ball flies too low, aim higher, if it flies to high aim lower on the next shot. Repeat many times and see what happens. In most cases if the racket face is constantly too open then likely the grip is incorrect.
I would just suggest first to aim higher on your serves if they happen to go in the net a lot. Don't think about technique, just aim. But yes, beginner players should literally hit up on the serve to hit in a nice arc. The same would apply for learning a topspin serve, the key is to exaggerate the height.
Amazing Thomas, this simple tip layered on top of the teaching from your courses increased the consistency and the depth of my shots. Every shot, I kept thinking "hit the ball up". If you haven't done Thomas' courses you should. They are incredible and worth every penny.
Hi Tomaz, it is really Good advise that to visualise the ball b4 hitting !!!I will practise this, But normally most of the times my eastern forehand goes up only, I need to control this , u try to hit with visualisation
You're the best Tomas. You know every single step of being a tennis player and are aware all the mistakes that a player can make. Awesome, good work. Please continue documenting the knowledge about tennis. The world needs this.
I think I prefer loop - I am imagining my ball looping up and down, and to hit harder with a nice loop it really needs to be sucked down. That makes me top spin it.
Thanks Tomas. Excellent tip. No wonder many of my high balls ended up in the net and you explained why. Will try this for sure. I am thinking it’s a easy ball and gong for a kill … not -:)
