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<s>[INST]Very helpful! Thank you.[/INST] Thank you</s>

<s>[INST]Didn't she and her sister have an open challenge and was beaten by a guy who was around top 500 and he had a few beers and didn't even warm up[/INST] I'd say worry about that stuff when you're competitive. Having the right swing weight is important when you're playing against big servers and groundstrokes but isn't really important for beginners who are learning. Also learning to string yourself might be a good investment</s>

<s>[INST]Can you buy a 97s? I didn't even know they were in production, thought it was basically just a prostock racket.[/INST] Hey, I enjoy doubles a lot and learned quite a bit over the last year of experimenting with a lot of movement at the net and poaching. 1. In the basics of doubles, you need a good serve with no double faults, cross court returns on both forehand and backhand, and during the point, having the consistency to hit cross court or be able to volley. So not taking into account your positioning, improving all of those will make you a solid doubles partner. This is what I noticed from trying to get from low 4.0 to higher 4.0 level. 2. If all players have the basics from #1 above, than it's court positioning and movement. Jamie Murray has a great youtube channel focused on footwork, hitting the backhand/forehand volley, and on court positioning. It takes all three to work on movement. You can't hit a great volley if you're standing in the alley and running and stretching towards a ball hit up the middle. 3. Pick and choose your spots to attack. Always be moving your feet forward. The closer to the net, the less likely you hit it into the net. If you're not attacking, move to defend but reset when your teammate hits the ball. Try to keep your eyes on the other team's net player when your partner is hitting the ball. There's tons of tips I'd love to give but just these are really enough for you to focus on and improve one at a time. Don't try for too much. Just work on one thing at a time when you go out and play. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just let your teammates know.</s>

<s>[INST]Dude your opponent was foot-faulting like crazy lol.[/INST] Hey! Your backhand looks good! Not many people have good one handers. I did notice a few inefficiencies in your stroke that could help you. I think you could put more weight on your front foot when you hit the ball. Think 80% front 20% back for a weight ratio to help keep your balance. Your balance looks a little off when you strike the ball and finish. Try and keep your legs stable as they are your base to the ground. There's nothing scarier than playing against someone with a good one hander and you notice how stable they are when they hit. Your contact point could be a little further out in front of you. Lastly, I would say that you could drop the racket head a tad more when you start your swing but yours is already at a good level.</s>

<s>[INST]A very large step above the division 2 college tournament I watched here in Phoenix last week. Ah, to be young and slim again. Lean as whippets.[/INST] Not bad if you are a beginner who just plays a few times a year. Heavier, smaller racquets are all good but only if you practice with it. </s>

<s>[INST]There is no better feeling that you get on the regular than hitting with new strings. I break my strings every 5-6 hours of play so I get to hit that high every week. Wallet hates it though.[/INST] Kitchen scale is fine. Place the racket standing vertically on butt cap, assuming your weighing scale is solid flat top (ie not the ones with springy tray top)</s>

<s>[INST]I’m also good at baking, does that mean I should never leave the kitchen? I want to play the ohbh but I can’t get better at it, if I don’t play it.[/INST] You aren't turning your chest into the ball. Your chest should be facing away from the court, right now it looks like it's perpendicular. Toss with your palm not fingers. Toss sideways along the baseline, it looks like you're tossing into the court and right in front. Serve reminds me of Wawrinka where he uses a lot of upper body strength. If your want effortless power and no strain on the body I suggest changing with tips above</s>

<s>[INST]False equivalency right here. Taking the baking example. Let's say you're an excellent baker and you start a bakery. All of a sudden you close up shop, take the money and start a furniture store. It's not doing well. You're losing money. People are telling you to go back into the baking business. You're calling them assholes. That's the right comparison.[/INST] A lot of people are talking about your arm but I honestly think you could just use more core and shoulder rotation, the motion with your arm looks great but it doesn't look as efficient as it could be. Nice forehand though :)</s>

<s>[INST]It's the nature of the sport because of who gets access to playing the sport and the clubs you're in. You'll get guys who live pretty successful lives but with little competition in their own lives. They're their own heroes in their own stories. Once you set them back, they'll blame someone else other than themselves. I take it as a joke because they're the punchline to playing tennis with these guys. In tennis, I draw the line in the sand to personal attacks that go below the belt and these guys never cross it. So I respect them for that but never will let their own insecurities affect me. End of the day, they enjoy tennis in their own way even if they make comments about it. [/INST] That's a good way to think about it man, thanks. I'm sure I also take myself too seriously on court sometimes as well come to think about it. </s>

<s>[INST]when you’re allowed to serve until you get the ball in, instead of just two tries.[/INST] Never heard of that...who plays with that rule?</s>

<s>[INST]Slices are the best when the ball is coming low, since the natural motion is cutting down and almost across. With an eastern grip the face is really open so you are almost hitting a lob. I think you are slicing down pretty extreme and close to your body. Instead of extending it out. It would be interesting to see a video of this tho. [/INST] The racket face is more closed with an eastern grip though I believe. My problem using continental was that for whatever reason my racket face was generally too open at contact unless the ball was very low.</s>

<s>[INST]This is just part of my collection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-1JmvXuPek[/INST] Just get a new racquet that one is way too light</s>

<s>[INST]Honestly, it looks like all 4 players are dead on their feet. No tries to poach balls, no teamwork at all. just stand one in front and one in back. Both players should move either up and down the court to pressure their opponent. you can have two players at the net pressuring when one of you hits a great ball. If you're at the net, look to poach 24/7. Other than that, all 4 players honestly need to work on their technique overall. I'd recommend a coach.[/INST] Agree. At the net gotta be on the balls of your feet, split stepping with each shot, loading that weight so you have more spring. I’d try to be more focused on making the ball rather than not getting beat: keep the ball in, let the other team have an easy shot over trying to keep it away from the net guy. I feel like what I’m seeing is the pressure of the net guy getting to the groundstroker a lot, and him feeling like he only has a small area to hit in. (That could be just me, that’s how I feel when I play poor dubs. I’m much better when i let them play wel too). Basically, you have to stop caring about who wins the point and just try to extend the point and be happy for the other team when they close out a point. Of course to do that you need to be all friends. If you play with a cooperative team and kinda tacitly agree that you’re gonna play clean versus competitive, you can get better pretty fast. And that doesn’t have to be every team you play with obviously, but if you play with three guys like that, or even two out of three, half the time, you’ll handle the competitive team more calmly and play more freely.</s>

<s>[INST]Dunno if you’ve purchased your frame already but the Blade 98 is a good racquet for most people. Check which string pattern before you buy—16x19 or 18x20. I’m not too familiar with the 104 but iirc it’s an extended frame and so is harder to manoeuvre. The Hyper Hammer is a very head heavy frame best suited for players who can’t create any power themselves and have no desire to develop any. They’re your classic weekend warrior frying pan serving old farts at the public park kind of racquet (as described to me when I talked about having started with that exact line of racquets myself). You may also consider other Wilson racquets like the PS97 or Babolat / Head / Yonex frames as well if you have an opportunity to do so. You can try the RF97A but it’s not a forgiving frame over time (you get tired very quickly if your technique is not there yet, which is likely the case as you said you’re a 2.5), and from personal experience I have yet to meet someone who wields that frame that is proficient at tennis...usually they’re Federer fans who bought it because it’s what he uses. On the plus side if you do really want that frame there’s a good chance you can find it for sale second hand. Finally, if you want a frame with more swingweight, you’re may be best served adding lead tape at 3 and 9 on a lighter platform racquet that has the features you want, instead of buying a racquet that is heavy to begin with that isn’t quite your style.[/INST] Well the thing I do when I'm not playing tennis is I think how to improve my game. It took me a week to learn how to serve. But that week was spread across two months(cuz injuries). What I did was watch and analyze as many slow motion videos of pros serving as I can. I still cannot serve properly but am able to hit flat pretty fast(but without a lot of consistency). I watch slow motion service videos everyday and show the motion. And each time I watch, I discover new things( like how the pros incorporate pronation, when they begin accelerating, how they play loose, their footwork, placement of various parts of body, etc.) Each time I come to play, my opponents comment how much I have improved. Well before playing any sport, you have to be mentally prepared and ready to accept new patterns in life. </s>

<s>[INST]I’m not sure I follow. I always respect my opponent’s ability which is why I try to do anything I can to gain advantage and win. Edit: well based on upvotes seems like people agree with the guy above. I’ve heard the saying “if everyone you meet seems like they are a jerk, it’s probably you that is the jerk.” Seems like maybe I’m the jerk then? It’s a hard pill the swallow, but seems like others agree, so maybe I should at least consider the idea that perhaps I am a jerk on court. Should I change my play style, or maybe just my mentality?[/INST] From what you've said I don't think you're a jerk, but I get the impression you're the type of player who plays at a standard good enough to win well at 3.5-4, but probably doesn't result in you ever improving or really playing "proper" tennis. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all; it's totally your choice to play the way you want to play, and if you win games and have fun then that's definitely something to be proud of. But from the sounds of it you probably aren't ever going to improve if you keep playing junkball tennis, and those that think tennis should be about improvement might see that as a failure on your behalf. As long as you're being polite when you play I wouldn't really worry about it.</s>

<s>[INST]The most important thing I’ve learned when choosing a racquet is to make sure the grip size is right. Too small and your elbow will get worn out quickly. Regardless of the amount you spend, just make sure that the grip fits you. I was getting tennis elbow and learned that my grip was too small. Bumped that up and the elbow pain quit so fast it was obviously related.[/INST] want to challenge yourself and look cool while hitting satisfying shots?? double forehands baby but also i'm a lowly 4.0, so don't take advice from me.</s>

<s>[INST]I hadn't seen that tip about the initial hip position and subsequent rotation demonstrated so clearly before. Thanks for the tip, I'll surely be working on this tomorrow. That foot placement is going to be quite an adjustment. How similar should the stance be for the flat and kick serves?[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]What did you do differently ?[/INST] This might be a bad idea, but I’ve been able to return serves I never could before by standing 2 feet behind the baseline and moving in after hitting the serve (hopefully) in. Also I played someone like that 2 weeks ago. Try to predict where their ball is going to go. I’m actually really good at that compared to other people so I am actually a lot better than my strokes are. Also, if you’re ever in any doubt, hit to their backhand.</s>

<s>[INST]I regularly talk down to people who lose on purpose so they get to keep playing weak opponents, so it makes sense that people are talking down to you. They can sense it. It's *very* selfish, dickish behavior because you're shoving your own insecurities off on an innocent third party who, I might add, *paid* to play tennis against similarly-skilled opponents. "You wanted a good match? Too bad, you got me because I don't like to lose."[/INST] I envy your weather. </s>

<s>[INST]I agree with you. But I also say we should go back to wood rackets.[/INST] I used to do a bunch of distance running and on off days some lifting with a bit of conditioning. I joined Orange Theory a few weeks ago, and it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done for my tennis conditioning. I was noticeably faster Monday night, defense much better, closing on net much better, wasn’t nearly as out of breath as I used to be after longer rallies, etc. I’m probably just going to keep doing it, and mix in 1-2 days of “pull” lifts because honestly there’s not too many pulls at Orange Theory, lots of pressing/squatting/lunging/sprinting/rowing machines, but very few dedicated lat or shoulder pulls so I’m going to need to supplement that. I generally do my main pulling workouts once at my HOa gym that has a bar/cable machine that I’m able to mimic a deadlift with and they have a lat pulldown/seated row station and try to get in some work Monday nights before adult practices at my tennis club’s gym because they have a bunch of power cages available when the academy kids aren’t there, they have assisted pull-ups which is great to get some volume work on because I can only do a few pull-ups since I’m a weak fat slob, and they have a rows only isolation machine plus multiple lat pulldown stations down in the basement with some more power cages and Olympic barbells and stuff. If I want to use the cages and free weights though I have to go either around lunch, or after 5:30, because the academy kids do their “class work” from 10:30-2 pm so the stuff is free to use, and then they are done at 5. Those kids are on a pretty rigorous 5x5 power lifting and circuit split daily. They are animals, which I guess is why our club places dozens of kids into D1 programs yearly. Kind of sucks for members because we have to make use of the lifting equipment around them, but then again how many Tennis clubs have power cages and Olympic barbells and drop plates and stuff, so there’s that. </s>

<s>[INST]I'd just be worried about the smaller head. I think 97 is about as small as I wanna go [/INST] Frankly I find the sweet spot of Six.One 97 bigger than the one of RF97A. Cannot say anything about PS97 though. Honestly, if you're concerned about the small size of the head, you still should demo the Six.One. You might be pleasantly surprised how easily you find the sweet spot on that stick.</s>

<s>[INST]I absolutely hate when this happens. Ok, traffic accidents or whatever holds you up, I can understand that. BUT when this happens over and over again, I just leave. You can't cure someone else's bad habits.[/INST] The best workout is one you’re consistent with, but as a general strength building program, this looks good, especially for the off season. Things I would add to this program are rotator cuff stabilization and strengthening exercises such as cable or band external rotations, face pulls, and/or KB presses, landmine work. I would also avoid the bench press as it is not specific to overhead athletes. Replace that with dumbbell work(flys, alternating one arm presses, etc.), landmine presses, or pushups. As far as cardio goes, be more specific the closer you are to competition. If you’re looking for genera fitness, I’d look to add steady state work for a while to build and aerobic base and then get specific as possible. Work and rest periods that mimic actual point play scenarios. Sprints of 5-10 seconds with 15-20 second rest. Repeat 4-5 times. Rest 90 seconds and go again. Throw in some change of direction, ladder work, and jump rope. If you plan on hitting the same day as a lift, always hit first then lift. If you plan on sprinting any day, always sprint first. Always do the longer cardio sessions after weights and any sprint/HIIT work before lifting to maximize speed gains.</s>

<s>[INST]A few months( three maybe?). I can play both backhands. When I still used the two hander it was my best shot.[/INST] So, what is wrong with your timing? Are you opening up too early? This is a common mistake that the two-handed backhand corrects.</s>

<s>[INST]From what I heard sports like baseball and volleyball carry over well into tennis since the shoulder swinging motion (throwing, spiking ---&gt; serve) is well ingrained in their muscle memory?[/INST] Currently, it's not as important as in the past. Lots of pros are hitting more with their wrist than with a good shoulder turn. It's much easier to step into your forehand and get good weight transfer by turning your body and stepping into the shot. Easier on your body too.</s>

<s>[INST]I just played the way I usually do. I think it was mainly endurance as we usually only play to 8 games instead of best of 3. I also hit a lot more to his backhand. It’s his worse shot but he has a good backhand drop shot so before when I played him I didn’t really think he had a weak side and I was more comfortable going cross court to his forehand. This time I hit good deep approach shots. Also I now have 2 different first serves. I have a slice and a flat serve. I can hit either of those anywhere and he couldn’t predict them. I’ve worked on my serve placement a lot. My second serve is also much better than it was the first time so no free winners for him.[/INST] I have a little tripod with flexy legs that holds an iPhone. Works well if you have something to fasten it to, and a full phone battery.</s>

<s>[INST]Honestly i couldnt say as i personally use platform stance, but looking at it logically sliding back foot up makes way more sense. serve is a precise series of movements at precise times, so it makes more sense both rhythmically, and momentum wise to have momentum coming from back to front. on big first serves or second serves with pace you will be jumping forward into the court a bit or a lot depending. doing it opposite would be detracting momentum. could be wrong though[/INST] Yeah, I thought so too but for some reason by body wanted to take my front foot back. I was still able to hit effective serves with, from what I experienced/felt, no loss of pace. I'll try to work on correcting the foot movement though.</s>

<s>[INST]Currently, it's not as important as in the past. Lots of pros are hitting more with their wrist than with a good shoulder turn. It's much easier to step into your forehand and get good weight transfer by turning your body and stepping into the shot. Easier on your body too.[/INST] Looks good. Might be the drill you're doing but its a very closed stance. </s>

<s>[INST]NYC here, it was very chilly the last month but we've been fortunate to get 60 deg the whole week. As an FYI for those might not know, string tension is quite sensitive to temperature. In winter your strings will become hard and brittle to hit with and the resulting strokes will feel like the ball isn't going anywhere. Typically I lower my tension and compensate by driving through the ball more.[/INST] I grew up in Rochester N.Y. I know all about playing in crap weather. I even played while it was snowing once for a college tournament. It was like hitting bowling balls, not tennis balls. :( I got out of NY as soon as I graduated.</s>

<s>[INST]I just played the way I usually do. I think it was mainly endurance as we usually only play to 8 games instead of best of 3. I also hit a lot more to his backhand. It’s his worse shot but he has a good backhand drop shot so before when I played him I didn’t really think he had a weak side and I was more comfortable going cross court to his forehand. This time I hit good deep approach shots. Also I now have 2 different first serves. I have a slice and a flat serve. I can hit either of those anywhere and he couldn’t predict them. I’ve worked on my serve placement a lot. My second serve is also much better than it was the first time so no free winners for him.[/INST] Great analysis and adjustments. It seems like you absorbed a lot of information from your previous match and corrected your strategy.</s>

<s>[INST]Sorry about the shoulder. I’m on week 4 of a calf tear myself. The real pain is still being in the “GroupMe” chat and seeing every time a match is arranged that I can’t play in. It’s been torture. Heal well, my friend. We’ll be back on the courts someday.[/INST] It's all about just playing as much as you can and finding what works best for you! I switched to a 1HBH about three years ago and went through the same trials you did trying to figure out the best grip for my swing. I found that when instead of focusing on my grips and finger placements and instead just focused on footwork and racquet set up so I could step in and and get a nice full swing, over time I completely forgot about my grip and just let it come naturally. It actually wasn't until a while later when I was doing some fine tuning with my coach that he pointed out I'd migrated from a full eastern to a semi-western, I couldn't believe it. But I think that's what you'll find will happen with you as you play more and focus on good racquet and body position so you get a nice clean swing at the ball, your hands will just subconsciously and naturally settle on whats best for your game.</s>

<s>[INST]Serena's current UTR is 13.31, which is lower than the lowest ranked men's player with 1 ATP point, Xin Gao, who is at 13.82. She is around or lower than the level of the very best (top 100) D1 college players, so she is obviously really tough to get a point against. I would say the average 4.5 men's player could definitely get points, maybe even a game or 2 if the stars aligned right. The average person definitely would struggle to get even 1 point if she was trying.[/INST] How is UTR calculated across genders? I mean are there some men v women singles matches to control the UTR on both sides? If men never play against women comparing UTR across gender seems meaningless. FWIW I agree with what you said, a 4.5 is getting points for sure and possibly a game or 2 if Serena drops her level for a bit (which almost always happens for at least a period in her matches)</s>

<s>[INST]My feeling is to get a decent racquet. The game is hard enough as it is. No need to struggle with the racquet too. Babolat will have a stick that suits your needs; I’d stay away from the Head Prestige Pro and the Wilson RF97 until you know you need the weight. I would keep in mind, though, that as you get back into it, you may find, regardless of which racquet you choose, that you might switch racquets down the road, if anything just to suit your playing style. I used Prince as a junior, then got back into it as an adult and went Babolat (Andy Roddick’s model), then found it was too light and went Wilson ProStaff six.190, stuck with it through the next generation of the RF ProStaff, then tried going to a stiff Babolat (the new one that Thiem uses), found it was too flimsy for my one-handed backhand, and went back to the ProStaff RF97, which I’ve been using for several seasons now, and this time for good.[/INST] Really appreciate the help mate. I used to use a head radical. I'm the same as you with the one handed back hand. I will definitely look into some of the ones you mentioned. The only reason I mentioned the Babolet pure Drive is because a lot of people seem to rate it , so thought I couldn't really go wrong with it!</s>

<s>[INST]Looks pretty similar to the "before" video down the page on https://www.feeltennis.net/one-handed-backhand/ -- the swing is quite horizontal making it hard to control the direction and generate topspin. Look at how the racket ends up higher in the "after" video. This video lists the swing checkpoints that I think could help you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUlcUoxtUgI [/INST] Thanks! That was actually quite helpful</s>

<s>[INST]Never heard of that...who plays with that rule?[/INST] The motion is very good. I think minor adjustments only. But how is the consistency? In match play, how is your service % (approximate) and is your second serve identical (motion wise) to your first serve? A little difficult to tell, but it seems that you "fall under the ball" a little like a flower bag because your toss i a little to low. A high quality/slow motion would be helpfull. Also a video from the service line or straight behind you, so it´s easier to see how you toss the ball left/right</s>

<s>[INST]Low stiffness and middle weight imho. Too heavy or too light can both cause elbow issues depending on your swing path. Also, if you don’t already, do “Tyler twists” with a flex bar. They basically cure tennis elbow. You can look it up on YouTube.[/INST] I feel you gramps, same out here. Getting a bit antsy at this point, honestly. Hopefully things align better soon, for us both.</s>

<s>[INST]Positioning needs a ton of improvement. Servers partner should never be in the alley. Cover the high percentage option and force opponents into the low percentage option. Also remember to “follow the ball, and follow your partner.” You should always be shifting, repositioning, looking to poach, even when the ball is not played to you. Discuss the play with your partner before each point. Plan your poaches, don’t just wait for balls to come to you. Edit: a word[/INST] Now that I re-watch the video, I notice the one guy that's been in a tennis academy back in the day plays almost in the center of the service box when he's at the net (guy in the red shirt), and I definitely hug the line too much. Thanks!</s>

<s>[INST]For only 4 months of tennis experience, I'd say it's quite a solid serve, thanks for posting! My first tip is about something that I've only started correcting at about 6 years of tennis playing experience: Don't lift or move your front foot at all before the actual jump, because if you set it down at a different angle than before, it can cause a foot fault. You're keeping your arm straight for the toss, which is great. Usually the toss can cause problems for beginners but yours is solid. You have a lot of body rotation, which is fantastic and it's contributing to the power of your serve, but my second tip is actually to lessen that rotation, because it is throwing you off balance after you hit the ball. You'll find you can get more accurate, consistent placement if you end your rotation in the direction you want the ball to go, and not past that. To me it looks like you're going about 35-40 degrees too far. You're getting a lot of power from your legs, too, which is good. Looks like a strong explosive motion. It also seems like the follow through is not as far to the left as it should be and not quite pronated enough for a flat first serve. When it comes to the power generated from the actual contact of the racquet onto the ball, so much of the power comes from the pronation, so make sure to focus on that. It's actually kind of difficult to judge the pronation and racquet trajectory from this angle though; leading up to the serve, I would have expected it to be slice or kick serve but it looks like you hit the ball flat. Could you post a vid directly from behind? It would be easier to check the technique.[/INST] this is awful advice. Lifting the front foot is common in pros. VERY common. None of your advice is relevant to him at all. He has great pronation and his serve is flat. please don't give bad advice.</s>

<s>[INST]Yes. It's a difference of it having power, spin and pace vs a mediocre shot that a good player will tee off on.[/INST] I'm loving Golden Set Tennis, Snake Bite 16g. I'm on 55lbs right now and it's been great.</s>

<s>[INST]The most important thing I’ve learned when choosing a racquet is to make sure the grip size is right. Too small and your elbow will get worn out quickly. Regardless of the amount you spend, just make sure that the grip fits you. I was getting tennis elbow and learned that my grip was too small. Bumped that up and the elbow pain quit so fast it was obviously related.[/INST] 93 head graphene xt prestige pro. &amp;#x200B; i believe most pros play in the 100 size now.</s>

<s>[INST]I'm about to head off for bed, so I'll just say a few quick things: 1. You "present" your backhand before you actually take the swing. This may lose you time when trying to return bigger shots to that wing. 2. Bend your knees, even if it's a practice rally. You don't need to bend it as much if it's a warmup and you're just trying to get a feel for your shots, but once you've finished your warmup you should keep your feet and knees active. 3. Avoid the two-bounce tennis. If you don't practice getting to balls that are out your reach or trying to hit back shots that are inconvenient, you won't magically be able to make those shots in a match situation. 4. Video is too short to really make accurate comments. Provide context too, if possible (eg, whether this was the first 5 minutes of your session, or half an hour in).[/INST] While I think it’s very wrong to smash a racquet (I haven’t broken one by “smashing” it but have cracked a frame by throwing it - not my proudest moment) I can at least understand it. Some people will try and go high and mighty on you for admitting this but this is how people learn. Tennis is a process, now it just might be time to start tackling the mental game as well as the physical. Personally when I threw my racquet and broke it I made myself take a 3 month break from tennis because I felt that a) I didn’t deserve to play until I could control my emotions and b) took a step back and just reminded myself why I am learning and playing the sport. Ever since then my tennis has improved at a dramatic rate because I find myself being relaxed in all kinds of points now. What I’m trying to say is it’s a process, just learn from it. Happy hitting</s>

<s>[INST]I'm guessing I used to be 4.0, but I've only just started playing again after a 2 year break so I'm kind of all over the place. For strokes do you mean how long my swing is? In that case it's probably medium. I may be wrong though. I hit with as much topspin as I can. I basically never ever hit flat shots from the baseline. As for power I think I do okay considering how skinny I am. I use my whole body to swing and I can hit (relatively) hard for my muscle mass compared to those around me. I'm going to start working out soon so strength will increase. I will record some video tomorrow and get back to you. I wish I had better info for you. Edit: Oh and as for playstyle I LOVE running up to the net as soon as I get the chance. For backhand, I basically spam slice unless I'm 100% sure I can two-hand it. My two hand backhand is terribly inconsistent in the sense that sometimes it's way past the baseline and like 30% of the time it hits the net. Anything else in particular I should elaborate on? Edit: I compared my swing with others' swings and it turns out mine is actually a full swing, not abbreviated in any way. Idk if that affects the racquet choice though.[/INST] I would recommend giving the blade 98 V7 18x20 a try. The blade line is great at keeping slices low - the 18x20 a bit more than the 16x19, although they are not extremely different due to both of them having 8 mains in the throat. The blade is closer to even balance compared to most stock rackets - as a result, the swingweight of the racket is higher, which makes the racket play very stable in stock form, despite the low static weight. A bit of lead tape makes the racket play even better, in my opinion. You noted that you didn’t like how stiff the first batch of rackets you tested were, so the blade will probably work well for you with the lower stiffness rating of 62RA. A few other rackets to consider - Yonex Vcore 95, Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 and 320HD, Wilson Pro Staff 97 (lighter version of the RF97, although much lower powered), and Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 or 18x20 - more control oriented than the Pure Aero and Drives. The Strike is similar to the blade in that the 16x19 also has 8 mains in the throat, his lends itself to a lower launch angle and easier access to low slices. Main difference is that the strike offers more free power/spin than the blade, while the blade offers more feel.</s>

<s>[INST]I hadn't seen that tip about the initial hip position and subsequent rotation demonstrated so clearly before. Thanks for the tip, I'll surely be working on this tomorrow. That foot placement is going to be quite an adjustment. How similar should the stance be for the flat and kick serves?[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]There is no better feeling that you get on the regular than hitting with new strings. I break my strings every 5-6 hours of play so I get to hit that high every week. Wallet hates it though.[/INST] 97 for matches, 93 for funsies</s>

<s>[INST]which non-tennis workouts do you think translates well into improved tennis footwork?[/INST] File it down with a flat file like I use to sharpen ski edges</s>

<s>[INST]You’re the one whose wife does orange theory right? Hit it twice a week, if your wife already has a membership, the 8 times a month membership is only 89 bucks because family member discount. [/INST] I actually have a reel of RPM Blast that should be coming in from them this week with the PostNL Express. Me and a few people I know order from them regularly to the U.S. (I live in Maryland), and we haven't had any issues with hidden fees or the like. You don't have to pay the VAT if you are ordering from the U.S., so the only thing you'll have to double check is making sure your credit card company doesn't charge a foreign conversion fee. If they do, that rate will get added to the final charge on your card. I would probably just ask them about anything else you should know about purchasing from foreign retailers since policies and fees could vary among the different credit card companies. I'll also double check later today to confirm my credit card was charged the amount that was reflected in my invoice. Edit: Just double checked my transactions. No hidden fees, no tax, I was charged the amount on my invoice. On their website, you can toggle the currency to US dollars on the top right corner, so it should show you how much you would be paying in USD.</s>

<s>[INST][deleted][/INST] Great plan! Tennis can be a mentally and physically taxing sport, I'd love to see some sort of measurement of a players eyes and focus during a competitive match, I'm sure we'd find that tennis requires an extremely high level of focus compared to other sports.</s>

<s>[INST]So you lift or is that all just from tennis?[/INST] Just tennis.</s>

<s>[INST]Thanks for the info! I have a question on a totally different topic but hopefully I won't need to start a new thread. I have a budget of about $500 for a stringing machine (preferably crank) and I found this [Ektelon Model H](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ektelon-Model-H-Tennis-Racquet-Stringing-Machine/143448900420?hash=item2166388344:g:mKYAAOSwkold1v84) for a total of $430. The description is: &gt;This is in working condition with signs of wear from normal use (see pictures to determine condition of the stringer). The stand tube is missing, but can be used as a table top stringer as pictured. I’ve toyed with the idea of crafting a replacement tube out of pvc pipe, but never got around to doing it. The throat clamp was missing so I made a replacement. The rubber pads should be replaced and can be found on the internet for about $20. There may be a little rust in spots, but it shouldn’t interfere with the ability to string racquets. I've heard that the Ektelon is functionally identical to the Prince Neos, which is well regarded. Would you say this listing is worth a buy, or should I wait for something else?[/INST] Personally I’d wait to pull the trigger on this. Keep an eye out for other deals on eBay and see if you can stretch your budget a bit in the meantime since you’ll be able to find some decent Gamma/prince crank pull table tops in the 8-900 range. You can grab a brand new table top Gamma Progression ST II on tennis warehouse now for under $800.</s>

<s>[INST]Professional stringer here. What's your playing level, age, previous experience with strings, playing style, and how often does it usually take you to break strings (if at all)?[/INST] Hi! I'm probably in level between 3.5/4, 22 years old. I don't usually break strings. My last racket was Dunlop Revolution NT with poly/gut combination. I play mostly on baseline, constantly adding spins to my strokes. I'm thinking about trying out Babolat Natural Gut mains/ Luxilon Alu Power cross because I'm curious about how it feels regardless of its price, but it'd be great to hear suggestions from co-players.</s>

<s>[INST]There is no better feeling that you get on the regular than hitting with new strings. I break my strings every 5-6 hours of play so I get to hit that high every week. Wallet hates it though.[/INST] Prince Phantom Pro 93P</s>

<s>[INST]Nice, which prestige pro is that one? I picked up a Youtek Prestige Pro a few weeks ago and have been loving it. Seems to be the perfect fit for me, some other rackets were too light, too heavy. Loving it so far. &amp;#x200B; Also, what strings are you putting in there?[/INST] i find each one does one thing well. racquet tech for the tech info, id probably say essential tennis for the in match mental fortitude and strategy (they have matches with commentary about what they are thinking, very helpful), top tennis training for technique and drills (one guy is ex atp pro, other is an open level player). Dont take all the tips from one source, you kind of have to cherry pick each channel</s>

<s>[INST]I'm about to head off for bed, so I'll just say a few quick things: 1. You "present" your backhand before you actually take the swing. This may lose you time when trying to return bigger shots to that wing. 2. Bend your knees, even if it's a practice rally. You don't need to bend it as much if it's a warmup and you're just trying to get a feel for your shots, but once you've finished your warmup you should keep your feet and knees active. 3. Avoid the two-bounce tennis. If you don't practice getting to balls that are out your reach or trying to hit back shots that are inconvenient, you won't magically be able to make those shots in a match situation. 4. Video is too short to really make accurate comments. Provide context too, if possible (eg, whether this was the first 5 minutes of your session, or half an hour in).[/INST] Appreciate the in depth reply. This was about midway through, and is how I hit the ball when I’m trying to be in form. There is more footage admittedly of me being lazier with my footwork and preparation, but chose this snippet because this is how I hit when I’m trying to do the right things (footwork, bending knees, proper setup, eye contact etc etc).</s>

<s>[INST]Thanks so much! Yes my toss is rather low I think. I will work on finding balance in my legs, thanks again. [/INST] My friend generally I like your serves,just I think you have to gain better rhythm before the contact point ,I mean you rush too much to hit the ball ,secondly you should transfer your body weight into the court for all your serves ,if it’s first serve you turn your body earlier and if it’s second serve you stay more sideways but you have to transfer your body into the court Also try to stay more high with your arm after the contact point </s>

<s>[INST]In this case, volley ball did not translate well to tennis. Just did some basic ground strokes and tried a little volleying at the net. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. At least he was enthusiastic.[/INST] Ah, interesting!</s>

<s>[INST]I do the weights only fpor the underarm, will try for biceps and push-ups too. Thx for replying.[/INST] I played in 43 degrees today. I lasted 20 minutes. Next time I might wear gloves.</s>

<s>[INST]Going with the 16x19 or 18x20 Blade?[/INST] Take a look at the Wilson Clash. From the reviews I've watched and read, it seems like a good all-around racket somewhere between a ProStaff's control and Blade's power, but is easy on the arm. Been wanting to demo one and compare it with my ProStaff's, just didn't want to during the middle of league season.</s>

<s>[INST]Why not learn an overhand serve and push to master the shots you dont know properly? It seems to me that this style of play is not that fun for you, or the other player. I would not be satisfied with the win, if the other player does not want to play a third set. Just my two cents. Seems that you do not want to get better at all.[/INST] I'd say go for it. Go to Walmart or other stores and pick up a racket that feels good. Swing it around a bit and make sure the grip is comfortable. And then go out and hit I'm sure you'll learn a lot just hitting. Ask the local pro or the coach for some pointers. </s>

<s>[INST][deleted][/INST] Hells Yeha this is the one’</s>

<s>[INST]I do want to get equipment to record myself. Was thinking GoPro or similar, but still need to look into a mount.[/INST] My arm is very slightly bent. It's basically like Thiem's, I take it back with a pretty straight arm. I do think there are some advantages with a more elastic, bent arm take back. But I hit my backhand the best when I keep the arm straighter all throughout.</s>

<s>[INST]Sounds good! I am looking at the silent partners, if I decide to get a machine it will probably be that one. [/INST] I’ve hit em into the fence or court before but never hard enough to cause any serious problems, I find that smashing a ball into the fence is a lot more effective and less harmful for venting anger</s>

<s>[INST]I just hang one in the fence on each side of the court.[/INST] Wind screens prevent that. Plus the hot court dries it out faster because there is ZERO breeze! I really need to stop playing in this heat/humidity.</s>

<s>[INST]Probably depends on where you live, joining club, going to drills, see if there's a meetup.com group Where do you live OP?[/INST] One thing that helped me is to focus on net clearance. As was said above, top spin ain’t optional - give every shot spin, but focus on giving yourself at least a metre clearance above the net with every shot, and gradually, they should start getting longer and more controlled.</s>

<s>[INST]So: 1) Relax a bit. Remember tennis should be fun =). 2) You never really go into the trophy pose. You keep your arm by your side until the last second when you hit it. You are losing tons of power. After you throw the ball your racket should be behind your head.[/INST] do yourself a favor and just use a 2h backhand</s>

<s>[INST]Do you do any drills with pros? Have you asked them? Have you tried talking to the people you play with? Almost everybody I play with has a backup racket in their bag and will be happy to let you give it a try. Everyone thinks they have the best racket and is eager to have you try it. Do you have a local pro/tennis shop? Have you talked to them? Trying a wide variety of rackets will help you dramatically narrow your choices. The local pro shop help me start with a wide range and quickly narrowed it down.[/INST] &gt; Do you do any drills with pros? Have you asked them? I don't know any pros. &gt; Have you tried talking to the people you play with? I have asked them what they use and what they like about it, but I made the assumption that some people wouldn't be comfortable giving me their equipment and didn't want to put them on the spot. But I'll have to give that a shot. &gt;Do you have a local pro/tennis shop? Have you talked to them? Actually yes, but they charge waaaaay more to demo than Tennis Warehouse does, and they didn't let me choose grip size or strings, so it's a no-go.</s>

<s>[INST]The idea is to push off the ground for power. If you look at pros hitting and they're leaving the ground, it usually means they had good enough footwork to get in position and really push off hard. A good way to feel the kinetic chain is to shadow swing without your racquet and with a limp arm. [/INST] I’ve always liked the idea of shadow swings and I do them often but how can you know if you’re doing it correct without a ball and without being able to see where it goes? I feel like it’s an easy way to ingrain bad habits and incorrect muscle memory.</s>

<s>[INST]I’ve always liked the idea of shadow swings and I do them often but how can you know if you’re doing it correct without a ball and without being able to see where it goes? I feel like it’s an easy way to ingrain bad habits and incorrect muscle memory.[/INST] Just give it a try. You don't have to do this 100 times. </s>

<s>[INST]&gt; stop spinning the racquet. Your not getting set early enough because of it. interesting observation but I don't see this, care to point out an example? &gt; you should be setting up much closer to parallel with the baseline when return. Not parallel not not that cheated either explain this? &gt;arm and wrist is way too active on the shots you are hitting. Relax and use the body/ big muscles to generate your forehand. nerves, it takes me a while to adjust but yes, true. &gt;You are setting up in a forehand stance before the serve is hit and selling out to that side because of it. I'm modeling a Nishikori return of serve, it favors the forehand side because he tends to adapt to the serve of his opponent. Maybe I could have a more neutral stance to have a better chance at the backhand return, but most serves tend to come to my forehand side anyway, so why not get even better positioning? If I noticed my opponent starting to change his serve to try and punish my positioning, I would just switch to a more neutral stance. &gt;work on your backhand constantly to get more confidence in it. Yes[/INST] The best thing for me was to play more sets to get used to the match play mentality. You put all this time into practicing, so you should trust the practice.</s>

<s>[INST]The most important thing I’ve learned when choosing a racquet is to make sure the grip size is right. Too small and your elbow will get worn out quickly. Regardless of the amount you spend, just make sure that the grip fits you. I was getting tennis elbow and learned that my grip was too small. Bumped that up and the elbow pain quit so fast it was obviously related.[/INST] Well done. Solving those problems with opponents is one of my favourite things about playing this sport of ours.</s>

<s>[INST]I'm still trying to figure out why there isn't a single indoor court in this city?[/INST] The general rule is to use the heaviest racquet that you can swing without losing racquet head acceleration. You should also consider whether it's heavy enough to tire you out before you can finish a match. The other thing to bear in mind is that the static weight of the racquet is often not the best indicator of how "heavy" it feels when you swing it. For that, you need to consider swingweight, twistweight / recoil weight, balance, etc. Personally, I went from a stock AeroPro Drive GT to a Pro Staff 90, to a RF97A, to a Pure Strike 16x19 (One7), to the 2019 Pure Strike 16x19 3rd Gen. Although the static weights on those frames varied from 330 g to 365 g, there was virtually no adjustment needed as my swingweight only went up incrementally.</s>

<s>[INST]Looks good. If your consistency and placement is solid, you just need to ratchet up your swing speed.[/INST] I plan on doing that soon. However if I swing too fast I sacrifice my consistency a lot</s>

<s>[INST]Damn, and I thought I sweated a lot. How hot/humid does it get where you live?[/INST] Really bad in Phoenix this year. More humid than most years.</s>

<s>[INST]Looks good. If your consistency and placement is solid, you just need to ratchet up your swing speed.[/INST] Winner Winner Chicken Dinner</s>

<s>[INST]The most important improvement is the better flow you have because the motion is continuous[/INST] Thank you - I know you have a few videos on the forehand, but which would you say is the best one that can help me to practice my swing at home to keep the racquet face down naturally? </s>

<s>[INST]Ahhh.... My return is coming back low and at your feet.[/INST] I do this a lot to my dad and the 4.0 level 60+ dudes I play. 60+ knees don’t like it, lol. For the younger guys I like to use more misdirection see if I can’t get them going one way and try to make them lose footing as they cut back</s>

<s>[INST]I see! I thought it had a negative meaning, since I often hear it used with a critical undertone. So it's a catch-all phrase for all levels of recreational players then?[/INST] Positioning needs a ton of improvement. Servers partner should never be in the alley. Cover the high percentage option and force opponents into the low percentage option. Also remember to “follow the ball, and follow your partner.” You should always be shifting, repositioning, looking to poach, even when the ball is not played to you. Discuss the play with your partner before each point. Plan your poaches, don’t just wait for balls to come to you. Edit: a word</s>

<s>[INST]How often should I be restringing? Is 2 months on the more frequent side? Restringing costs quite a bit here ($20 plus strings), so it adds up quickly.[/INST] Hit it to his backhand!</s>

<s>[INST]If you are only 3 total months into playing, then most of this is more a matter of time than anything else. In my experience, most teenage and adult players take about 6 months to a year to develop a real sense of their preferences, strengths, and weaknesses in how they play. Be in communication with your coach about all of those areas, if you can. Also, while working on form is great, if you continue on with this coach, don't be afraid to bring up recreation of match scenarios that bother you. It's best to send them an email or text about what's been bothering you in matches (or mention at the end of a lesson for next time) so they have some time to design some drills or exercises to help with those areas in the next lesson. Know that what you describe here is common in most, if not all, players and take any comfort there is to be had in that. Accept that it will continue to happen in the future, and explore mindframes that reduce the pressure in your mind. Some like to take a Zen-like approach when playing, making effort to focus and silence their mind by dialing in on the ball, or their feet, or whatever. Some take the more conventional competitive mindset,with lots of positive self thought and talk. Others still sort of disconnect themselves from the outcome, see themselves as more of a "come what may" type. I won't proselytize what I think is best, whatever works at the time. In the long-term, perhaps the very long term, a focus on match play will probably be the best move for you going forward. You will squelch or learn to maneuver your choking, nerves, yips, and all other manner of mind and body non-congruence by playing more in situations that create those pressures in you. Your first 1000 break points might bring a lump to your throat, but by the 10,000th one, you'll be more deadened to the feeling. The only way to replicate break points is to face them, and you won't get that having a 30 minute hit and chat twice a week before a real match. If you hit with someone, ask to play a set after warmup, it's a perfectly reasonable request and the worst they can say is no thanks, or that they would prefer to rally. Good luck, hope you enjoy the journey.[/INST] This was a great response Thanks so much! I'll make sure to keep at it. Tennis is such a fun sport and there are so many different opponents and ways to play it. Gotta love it!</s>

<s>[INST]What do you mean by "Game of averages"? It looks like a cool term to use.[/INST] Hi Christopher. Thanks for sharing your vid. Like others have said here, you are doing well for someone a year out. Two obvious improvements are: 1. Your footwork - need to split-step to get ready before each shot; and 2. Add topspin to your strokes - currently very flat and difficult to control I used to play around D2 college level in Australia. You can see some of my strokes here: [https://youtu.be/VBsS9wMaxrs](https://youtu.be/VBsS9wMaxrs). You can see that you can hit a lot harder and keep the ball in play when you add topspin. Flat is obviously great for finishing off points but tennis is a game of averages and you generally win matches with consistency. Keep playing and enjoy the process!</s>

<s>[INST]I took a closer look at some of their backhands, and it looks like [Shapovalov](https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/denis-shapovalov-of-team-world-plays-a-backhand-during-a-practice-picture-id1175680481)'s hitting arm is relatively straight on the backswing. [Tsitsipas](https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/files/800px_Stefanos_Tsitsipas__2___43079345114__Tennis.com_Tsitsipas_and_Sakkari_are_transforming_the_sport_in_Greece_836308261.jpg)' looks more bent. I guess you can't go wrong with either?[/INST] I would suggest looking at relatively younger 1hbh players like Tsitsipas and Shapovolov as well. Follow whatever the newest trend is!</s>

<s>[INST]Hi &amp;#x200B; Sorry to hear you are having problems with your elbow. And I feel for you. I had the same issue. And I´ll give you the short version. &amp;#x200B; Played active as a junior, but was not good enough (lazy) to be good enough to really go for tennis. So I ended up playing very little between the age 17-20. At that point I was challenged in badmington, and after a few days I had a serious case of golfers elbow (way to much wrist movement compared to my "tennis muscles". I was more or less cripples and had problems grabbing door handles, tying knots on ropes etc. , at witch point the tendon seat on the inside of my elbow felt almost like touching a table tennis ball. Just so swollen and hard it was very, very uncomfortable. &amp;#x200B; My solution was laser treatment (heat treatment), followed by naprapathy in combination with acupuncture. During the rehabilitation after the ended treatment I was using a neoprene "sock" on the elbow to keep the muscles warm. I was given specific exercises to work on the muscles on the inside of the elbow. &amp;#x200B; The key lesson I learned (from the naprapath) is that the tendons and muscles in that area have very limited blood flow (due to the physical properties and location). This means that the natural healing of a golfers elbow is sloooow. &amp;#x200B; Now I know [this article will most likely not be readable for most of you](https://forskning.no/partner-fysioterapi-sykdommer/ingen-effekt-av-behandling-for-tennisalbue/471836), as it is in Norwegian, but it is an article from the scientific community in Norway, saying that a study on people with tennis elbow showed that 2/3 of the participants was cured from the pain within 12 months, regardless of treatment. The take-away from the article is that medical treatment (physiotherapy, +++ ) seem to have negligible effect, and that the best option is to "take it slow" and do exercises but stop when you feel pain. &amp;#x200B; This article, together with the information regarding the tendons, has lead me to believe that in most cases, is it just a case of being \*very\* patient, do exercise but stop when you feel the pain. &amp;#x200B; Now, it might be the placebo effect, but I felt that my treatment was helpful. Never the less, it too me many years to truly be able to play tennis (inc. tournaments) without feeling any pain on the following Monday, &amp;#x200B; There are a couple of players I currently play with that is suffering from the same golfers elbow as we are talking about. One of my friends says he has very good experience with [devices like this](https://www.rehaboteket.no/albue/spenne-til-tennisalbue-epicon?gclid=CjwKCAjw04vpBRB3EiwA0IieategQ0GZmUJvVynsYR87GDBybSvL-a99IUvu9T8MM5DF2-rjdh1KoBoCwDUQAvD_BwE). What is (apparently) does, is by adding pressure to the tendons, effectively moving the point where all the load and vibraton to a point more towards your wrist when using the device, effectively reducing the stress on the area you are experiencing pain. I have not tested any of these myself as I only used [something like this](https://www.rehaboteket.no/albue/albuestotte-tennisalbue-med-avlastende-epikondylitspenne?gclid=CjwKCAjw04vpBRB3EiwA0IieaojnZ0jLatgrcj3MFK1szdKHxc0mUt390-EvFDwAIIb1UjEmuQI7tBoC28gQAvD_BwE) &amp;#x200B; With regards to equipment, I can highly recommend natural gut strings to help reduce stress on your elbow. I know the strings comes at a heck of a price. But if you can afford it, you should definitely test it out. &amp;#x200B; This became quite the long reply, so here is a TL;DR * golf (and tennis elbow) take a long time to heal * physiotherapy have very limited effect * do exercises and stretching but stop when you feel the pain * try devices on your elbow like [this](https://www.rehaboteket.no/albue/albuestotte-tennisalbue-med-avlastende-epikondylitspenne?gclid=CjwKCAjw04vpBRB3EiwA0IieaojnZ0jLatgrcj3MFK1szdKHxc0mUt390-EvFDwAIIb1UjEmuQI7tBoC28gQAvD_BwE) or [this](https://www.rehaboteket.no/albue/spenne-til-tennisalbue-epicon?gclid=CjwKCAjw04vpBRB3EiwA0IieategQ0GZmUJvVynsYR87GDBybSvL-a99IUvu9T8MM5DF2-rjdh1KoBoCwDUQAvD_BwE) * Try natural gut in your racket * Be patient! &amp;#x200B; I wish you all the best and hope you can play tennis again, pain free, soon &amp;#x200B; &amp;#x200B; Best regards from a life-long tennis player[/INST] Thanks for your comprehensive comment, I have some hope. Thanks a lot.</s>

<s>[INST]Got a couple liters of chocolate milk. I’m needing serious recovery mixing Orange Theory classes and hitting. My body is relatively wrecked because I’m just so out of tennis shape. I guess the spring is a good time to try new recovery foods, new diet and a new workout regiment to get myself in shape. [/INST] You push off the ground to create the rotation in your body that is the engine for power on ground strokes. Your muscles need something to push off of to do so, and that's the ground. This leaving the ground phenomenon is just players accelerating their body and pushing so hard to rotate. It's not at all a bad thing. But they're pushing off the ground to rotate. Not just jumping From what I've seen you're mostly just jumping off the ground and that's not adding anything to your strokes. Your strokes have several elements that are missing. You probably shouldn't be focusing on what your legs are or are not doing.</s>

<s>[INST]Nice to hear. Your advice on diet is paying off. Body fat dropping, crushed out over 600 watts of power on the tower, serve is back in the 120s, if I could just stop being a head case and double faulting multiple times a game I should have east service games down here at 4.0, lol. It really is amazing how my body has taken to 200-250 grams of protein a day. Almost like instant recovery.[/INST] Unless you're hitting the sweet spot every time, I think you're better of with the 100 sq. in. That's the size I use.</s>

<s>[INST]Bounce back! Make sure you are eating properly and drinking water. Bad days happen to everyone.[/INST] I assume you're the guy in blue shirt? Good work, get a better hitting partner. He's not making you work.</s>

<s>[INST]Can’t speak to the trend you stated about new players but my game drastically improved when I switched from a lighter Prince to a Pure Drive. Was much more enjoyable to play in terms of feel and control. My experience is that string tension impacts my joints more than weight of racquet. I am able to avoid elbow problems below 53 lbs of tension.[/INST] Honestly there is nothing to roast, really. If that's how you play your forehand in matches then it's already more than good enough and you might want to focus on other aspects of your game. How is your inside-in / longline FH?</s>

<s>[INST]NYC here, it was very chilly the last month but we've been fortunate to get 60 deg the whole week. As an FYI for those might not know, string tension is quite sensitive to temperature. In winter your strings will become hard and brittle to hit with and the resulting strokes will feel like the ball isn't going anywhere. Typically I lower my tension and compensate by driving through the ball more.[/INST] First off, I'd say you have to master your strokes before you start 'constructing' points. If you have a weak shot, your opponent is going to pick on that shot so you can't develop a point. And let's face it, the number of times someone gets the ball over the net and into the court averages what, 3 times? Unless you are skilled, the points are really short rallies. This is especially true for college players. They usually just hit the ball as hard as possible. If you have great timing, you can change the speed and spin on the ball, but it's a rare talent. I usually notice that when an off pace or deep shot with little spin is hit to me, I make a lot of mistakes if I try to add a lot of pace to the ball. I've always said that if you can hit a backhand down the line off your opponent's backhand cross court shot, you're going to win.</s>

<s>[INST]omggggg a turbospin video its been so long ��[/INST] This really outlines the pat the dog. One of my favorite videos of tennis oxygen. He has such amazing content.</s>

<s>[INST]Probably depends on where you live, joining club, going to drills, see if there's a meetup.com group Where do you live OP?[/INST] Wilson Six.One 95 is 332g unstrung, should be a bit lighter than RF97A and more arm-friendly (not as stiff).</s>

<s>[INST]You know, it probably isnt as much about the mental game as you think it is. If you're losing 6-0, 6-2 in a 3.0 league, its probably your technique. Do you have a coach?[/INST] Grip is what you put over the naked handle. They come in different flavours, eg leather, gel, synthetic, shaped, etc. Overgrip goes over that and is replaced every few hours of play depending on how sweaty you get.</s>

<s>[INST]Honestly i couldnt say as i personally use platform stance, but looking at it logically sliding back foot up makes way more sense. serve is a precise series of movements at precise times, so it makes more sense both rhythmically, and momentum wise to have momentum coming from back to front. on big first serves or second serves with pace you will be jumping forward into the court a bit or a lot depending. doing it opposite would be detracting momentum. could be wrong though[/INST] Bend knees and then explode up to contact, you are coming forward too much</s>

<s>[INST]I have, couldn't hit with them for more than ten minutes. Absolutely terrible.[/INST] Thanks, so I guess no go.</s>

<s>[INST]Essential tennis is scum in general. Video isn’t totally wrong ofcourse but it’s not the best place for what it claims to be a channel of. The tennis instruction isn’t the most helpful.[/INST] Care to elaborate on how they are scum?</s>

<s>[INST]Enough space to fit index finger when holding the racket continental?[/INST] Looks pretty similar to the "before" video down the page on https://www.feeltennis.net/one-handed-backhand/ -- the swing is quite horizontal making it hard to control the direction and generate topspin. Look at how the racket ends up higher in the "after" video. This video lists the swing checkpoints that I think could help you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUlcUoxtUgI </s>

<s>[INST]Not bad at all. I'd like to see you move more to 'press' the shot. You can always see more when you press. Sorry, I know it's a sensitive thing, but you need to loose some weight. Helps with movement.[/INST] �� working on it. Lost 20 lbs past 12 months</s>

<s>[INST]I believe the recommendation is because newer players are still learning a lot of technique and fundamental aspects of the game so a lighter racket is not only is easier for untrained players to swing, but if they are swinging wrong there is a lot less risk for injury.[/INST] &gt; but if they are swinging wrong there is a lot less risk for injury. It seems to me that perhaps they're at more risk for overuse injury, but less risk for repetitive strain injury or tendonitis with the heavier racket since it takes some of the shock out of the ball.</s>

<s>[INST]I was going to recommend a multi/poly hybrid because its super comfy with good control but my setup snaps every 5-8 hours. You could try a thicker gauge synthetic and a soft poly hybrid? I’ve tried both synth/poly and poly/synth and synth/poly was more comfortable and spin heavy. I was using a 16 gauge OGSM and for polys with that string ive tried, isospeed baseline, gamma octo, lethal 8, prince poly (PP S8, BO soon!). The down side to this is, the main strings wear down very quickly and string snapback dies quickly, I end up cutting it out before it breaks most of the time. Another option would be poly/poly hybrid. put a heavy spin shaped poly in the main and a soft rounded slick poly in the cross. I’m testing out a lethal 8/isospeed baseline combo atm and it hits pretty great + the isospeed really softens it up. I play on a midsize too and I usually string my multi/poly hybrids at 51/47 but on this poly/poly I actually did 45/45 and it feels surprisingly good, might try even lower next time[/INST] Thank you for your recommendation. I will look into the poly/poly hybrid that you recommended. At the moment I don't have a contact that will string and at the same time allow me to bring my own strings. So I'm limited to what the two shops that I frequent offer in terms of strings. Do you string yourself?</s>

<s>[INST][deleted][/INST] How long do you play? When I first got back into the game I'd want to go out and grind it out for 4-5 hours a day on the weekend, and I was so exhausted and sore that I couldn't play mon-thurs. I find it way more beneficial to get out 4-5 times a week for 45m-1hr a day.</s>

<s>[INST]Prince Phantom Pro 100 (18x20) at 320g unstrung Prince Phantom Pro 93P (14x18) at 325g unstrung Prince Phantom Pro 93P (18x20) at 330g unstrung Yonex VCore Pro 97 (330) at 330g unstrung[/INST] Thanks! Gonna take a look at those</s>

<s>[INST]I do the weights only fpor the underarm, will try for biceps and push-ups too. Thx for replying.[/INST] /u/woogie_2901 is similar to what I had done. Ultimately I took some time off because of another injury, and now the golfer's elbow is completely gone when I play. I am back to playing about 4-5 times a week now and as long as I maintain flexibility/pliability I think I will be able to avoid pain. This is something I wrote to another tennis player experiencing the same issue you and I experienced. &amp;#x200B; \-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't know how bad yours is.  For me it was only affecting me on serves, and I felt a small pop one day serving a lot (it was nagging a bit in the weeks leading up to the minor acute incident).  A couple weeks later it was getting to the point that it would hurt the next day after a match.  Simple daily tasks started to irritate my elbow (anything that involved concentric muscular activation of my bicep, such as bending over and picking up my dog).  At that point I stopped serving, didn't play matches for about 5 weeks, limited hitting to once or twice a week for a few weeks, and began searching for a rehab program.  After three weeks of no match play and a week after finding a good rehab protocol, I tested serving again to no success (pain was significant on warm up serves and any throwing motion).  After another week I could serve about 60% and then 5 weeks after stopping I got through a good 3 setter with no ill effects.  I still am trying to rehab it because it is not 100% (minor discomfort in warmup and rehab), but it is good enough to play without thinking about it.   I ice my elbow after tennis and after rehab in the mornings (max 20 minutes).  I also wear a compression sleeve for a few hours, after icing and apply biofreeze (probably better to use actual heat, though).  There is little scientific evidence for compression wear assisting in healing or mitigating injury, but my thought process is to restrict blood flow a little bit to muscles to hopefully increase it to the ligament.  The sleeve helps a little with incidental contact with the arm and stressing the ulnar collateral ligament throughout the day. Tennis player XXX suffered from this ailment for months and contemplated stopping altogether until he found a protocol that worked for rock climbers.  Local chiro suggested some exercises that I believe similarly stimulate blood flow to the affected ligament, but not as effectively as the rehab exercises I currently do.  He also had suggested I wear the sleeve for playing, which I agree may be beneficial, but I am impatient and the sleeve feels too restrictive.  If I had time to get used to it I may end up using it. The rehab I do consists of a protocol similar to what Steven Low suggests: [http://stevenlow.org/overcoming-tendonitis/](http://stevenlow.org/overcoming-tendonitis/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/overcominggravity/comments/8jzr8q/overcoming\_tendonitis\_gathering\_data\_on\_overuse](https://www.reddit.com/r/overcominggravity/comments/8jzr8q/overcoming_tendonitis_gathering_data_on_overuse) I suggest checking out his site and bio, and even reaching out to him if you have questions.  He is much more of an expert than I.  The first link gives a good overview of the common misunderstandings of the injury, and some concepts to follow.  If you're super adventurous you can try reading his published works (I probably will do this when I have time). My summarized understanding of what Steven is arguing is that low weight, high repetition, eccentric exercises has a high success rate of helping athletes suffering from "tendinitis" related injuries back to a high performing state.  The eccentric exercises help with improving the overused muscles to extend and lengthen.  It also helps with not starving the ligament of blood needed to help heal.   I started my road to rehab by really digging in to my forearm and tricep area with a roller similar to this: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BXVN1JJ/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_cp\_awdb\_t1\_4UaZBbKXJZH9J](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BXVN1JJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_4UaZBbKXJZH9J) I had neglected stretching adequately my forearms and this made it really obvious.  When I first started digging in I could feel minor pain rushing to my pinky and ring finger.  Now the massage roller doesn't affect me as much, but I do it to try to stay pliable. I then started using the Taylor twist rubber sticks, but I don't think those are super effective.  Now I do the low weight high rep eccentric exercises (2 types).   First exercise: basically I will hold a 25lb dumbbell in my affected hand in a supinated position and let gravity pull it down slowly over 3-5 seconds, hold, then pull back up with the opposite hand.  25lb may be too much, but I found 10lb was too light for me and 25 is what Steven suggested for rock climbers.  You will need to find a weight that works for you (I would guess between 5-15lbs).   [https://youtu.be/0\_BcOI3By5E](https://youtu.be/0_BcOI3By5E) Second exercise: get a weight and do eccentric pronation.  Tennis player XXX had suggested a tennis racket with a towel wrapped around it.  I have a dumbbell that I can pull the weights off of the ends and use one end to grab (I currently have 5lbs on the dumbbell about 8 inches above where I grip it).  You can also use a stick: [https://youtu.be/iwtm43B1CLs](https://youtu.be/iwtm43B1CLs) Keep in mind you are not doing the exercises until failure, but should be able to do them through to completion.  For exercise one I am currently doing 3 sets of 30 reps and exercise two I am doing 2 sets of 40 reps.  I do them every other day or so (no more than 4 times a week).  Steven references 36-72 hours is required for tendons/ligaments to heal.  You should feel minor discomfort, but not significant pain.  If it is painful try using a lower weight until you only feel discomfort.  After a week or two of a weight try incrementing it up until you get to something reasonable.   Playing tennis while doing rehab should not be a big deal.  I just recommend not doing the rehab immediately following playing, but space it out at least a few hours (generally I rehab in the morning and hit in the evening).  Coincidentally my gf picked up Tom Brady's fitness book, and he stressed pliability.  He suffered a lot of arm issues just due to the nature of his profession.  His work is a lot less scientifically structured than Steven's, but I think it concurs with his findings.   Again, I recommend you check out the links, and if you have questions feel free to reach out!</s>

<s>[INST]You pull the cleanest set of white crews out of your dirty laundry pile, shove your feet into your clearance rack tennys, and snap on your headband. After you crank up your 1995 Volvo wagon and begin the drive over to the local park, you mind begins to scheme. The goal today, as it is every day, is to break your opponents will to play, and then feast on the fleeting moments of his agony, the only time you feel something inside since the divorce. But what will do the most damage? With all the different attitudes out there how can you really get under this guy's skin? Your lifetime of experience has left you with a number of options. All of them experienced first hand and further refined through even more first hand experiences. The Theological Crisis: Second serve ace Shank shot Net cord winner These will have the scum on the other side of the net shaking a fist at his God, asking why this match has been predestined against his favor. As your 4th frame shank begins to hurtle down towards the baseline from 25ft in the air, all he will be able to ask is "why have I been forsaken?". The Intimidation Factor: Nothing brings on a case of the sads on like undeniable brute force. No mercy, no care, no apologetic hand. It's bad form to apologise for another's weakness. Yes, I meant to hit it at you. Overhead Obliteration Short Ball Savagery Volley violation Playing you is beneath Me: Playing a real poser? A guy who just doesn't deserve court time with you? Down 0-5 but want to score a mental victory before you have to shamefully report your score? Return winners Underarm serve Down-the-middle approach and slap putaway Low Grit: Prefer your mental warfare with a side of attrition? Hitting a winner may make YOU feel good, but nothing upsets another person like a mistake of their own making. Short slice and lob, repeat as needed Moonball Back-and-forths[/INST] get an older gopro (hero 4 silver or later as you can record 60fps 1080p) and a flexible tripod. cant recommend it enough, ive improved so much over the last year its crazy for me to think about. as if i need more reasons to be addicted to tennis lol</s>

<s>[INST]The best thing for me was to play more sets to get used to the match play mentality. You put all this time into practicing, so you should trust the practice.[/INST] I'd be more aggressive with the finish (more wrist action) and would take the ball a little closer. It looks like you're reaching kinda far.</s>