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<s>[INST]What if I’m too bad at the game? How should I practice at home? (Just to be safe)[/INST] Just bunt the ball against a flat wall of any kind. The most important thing when you first start is just watching the ball all the way into the string bed, probably very similar to badminton, if you don’t watch it all the way in, you can’t swing properly, just work on that until you find someone to hit with</s>

<s>[INST]1. The forehand that you hit after 1:37. Your racquet is back pretty much when it hits the ground at your feet. That's why you had no time to properly prepare to hit it. Even if it looks like it's going long, have your body set up to hit it. 2. For the return thing, I see what you mean about Nishikori, but watch [his return here](https://youtu.be/Z_xo_Q6B7UA?t=57). He likes to start with his body angled but when he actually is about to hit it, his feet are parallel to the baseline. Watch how he moves and squares up to return. I think by having your feet angled to the baseline when hitting your return you are "counting" it as a shoulder turn for the hit when in reality you haven't turned them at all. Also I want to emphasize /u/jk147's comments - REALLY watch the ball and try to make clean contact. I have a problem with shanking in streaks too and that's only fixed when I make an effort to concentrate on that shot and nothing else. His other points are spot on too. Edit: are you wearing airpods while playing? [/INST] Step that grunt game up</s>

<s>[INST]I plan on doing that soon. However if I swing too fast I sacrifice my consistency a lot[/INST] Yup, that’s the catch 22. But with a ball machine you can swing out and fix your timing at faster racquet head speeds.</s>

<s>[INST]Great question. Having a little heft to the racquet can help smooth out your stroke and teach you to let the momentum of the racquet work for you in generating pace. I'd recommend against hyper-light racquets even for beginners.[/INST] This is my gut reaction as well, if a heavier racket requires a new player to get ready earlier for the ball, I don't really see the downside.</s>

<s>[INST]Nope, not on my back, still basically the side of the shoulder, fairly close to the long bicep tendon, but definitely a couple of inches further back. Kind of where teres minor or infraspanatus is marked on that diagram.[/INST] Further around sideways (still on the arm) or further back upwards towards the top of the shoulder?</s>

<s>[INST]Open stance forehand is easier to get to, but there's no good weight shift to get pace on the ball. So it's a bit more wrist flick. Easy to miss time the shot. If you can get into position, don't hit it open stance.[/INST] Played yesterday - was shit but it’s always a good day when we are on the courts</s>

<s>[INST]This one’s 115. Btw is this thing legit?[/INST] Brand yes but unless you're a senior (60+) I'd recommend finding a smaller size. There's a reason why it's $20 - nobody wants it. </s>

<s>[INST]Using a ball machine next to an active court with people playing a match is a big no-no... Our club has a couple "instruction courts" which are fenced in - only there can hoppers and ball machines be used. If I had a coaching session once a week, I would use my other hitting times for match play. Tennis is about playing matches and winning points! If I had no coach, maybe a weekly ball machine session would be a great substitute. Of course you can do them all, too! I know a guy who bought a ball machine, and he will get 2 or 3 friends together to use it at the same time. One guy is hitting, the others are picking up balls and resting. It's a good rhythm for them. [/INST] Good points, thanks!</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] Liquidmetal Radical? Love that racquet. I have 3 and 1 broken one.</s>

<s>[INST]I envy your weather. [/INST] What you mean to say is, "I envy your weather this time of year."</s>

<s>[INST]Has anyone tried this new Wilson trinity ball?[/INST] I have, couldn't hit with them for more than ten minutes. Absolutely terrible.</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] Training regularly is more important than the intensity of your sessions. Would it be feasible for you to practice 3-4 times per week, but only for \~30 minutes? Hitting against a wall is a great way to get reps on your own schedule.</s>

<s>[INST]I played for another 2-3 hours today, switching back and forth and at one point I said "what am I doing" and decided on the Speed MP. It feels like an extension of my arm, and that's a cliche that I had written off as bullshit, haha. I went ahead and ordered it before seeing your comment, about two hours ago. &amp;#x200B; &gt;In terms of the Speed 360 MP, I actually prefer the Pro over the MP - it felt more solid through the contact zone, possible due to the extra static weight in stock form. I did enjoy the 16x19 pattern more on the MP, though. I would've bought the Pro without hesitation, but the weight of the MP feels perfect already. I know it's only 0.3 oz, but I plan to use lead tape regardless when I get stronger, so in this scenario lighter means better, because it allows more room for customization. Probably should've mentioned this earlier what with everyone recommending the Pure Strike: I tried that racquet a couple of years ago back when my brother used it and I didn't like it at all. I remember it feeling heavy in my hand and sort of dead when hitting the ball, so it made me feel like I had no efficacy on the court. Before trying any of these racquets, I was almost certain the 97L would be my choice, but it felt similarly dead in my hand like the Pure Strike. It just didn't feel right. Similar to the Yonex VCORE Pro 100 300, which I also had high hopes for. It had great control, but felt strange to swing, like it was too head-heavy. Strange, cause it's 4 points head-light, just like the Speed MP. Normally I'd have second thoughts and cancel my order to try the Gravity MP, but I'd rather not pay another $15 to demo other racquets just to assure myself I already made the right choice. (Plus, Tennis Express compared them and said the Speed had more power. I'm kind of a weakling right now and need all the power I can get.) TL;DR There's always another racquet to try. Since I've already found something that feels just right, there are diminishing returns for continuing the search. Thanks for the tips, cheers![/INST] Cheers man, enjoy your new racket! If you found that it felt that good, then it is probably a good idea to just stick with it. I find that the more control/feel oriented rackets tend to be more string and tension sensitive than tweener rackets that offer tons of free power and spin like the Pure Drive, Pure Aero, etc. For instance, I found that the Pure Strike played way too stiff and "boardy" when strung with a full bed of poly above 50~ lbs, whereas when strung around 48 or lower, the feel changed drastically. See if you can find out what strings/tension your Speed MP demo has - if you enjoyed playing with it that much, then you may as well stick to that same combo to save you the time and money of finding a setup that works in that racket.</s>

<s>[INST]Man that looks awesome. I’ll leave it up to the proper coaches I honestly can’t see much wrong. [/INST] I think it's important to have a section in the survey that asks if the pain/injury is from playing in general or a specific incident.</s>

<s>[INST]Love the underhand serve! And unranked d3 I reckon ?[/INST] Very much unranked haha</s>

<s>[INST]I like your writing style[/INST] I just watch the highlights on youtube now. I just don't have the attention span to watch hours long matches.</s>

<s>[INST]I don’t because I play so often. Usually when I play worse players I use that as conditioning and have them hit the ball where ever and I play to the middle. Fun for me and helps with my defensive tennis and conditioning. I have decided i will be running hills in the spring summer to get more fit. I’ll throw in some core exercises with a medicine ball and stretching.[/INST] How often are you playing and what would you say your skill level is right now? What are your goals in regards to tennis? What do you hope to get out of it? </s>

<s>[INST]You might want to try and read your opponent more. Were all his slices drop shots or was he hiding it well? With recreational players I find most of then have a go-to stance or scenario for certain shots.[/INST] That’s good advice but I’m not at the stage where I’m thinking clearly at all. Everything is reactive rather than planned or anticipated. He did have a go to shot that was a sliced drop shot but I couldn’t read it.</s>

<s>[INST]true, i tried continental grip for a bit but it just feels weird, i always end up just going back to the forehand grip. how do i stop reverting to the forehand grip? [/INST] That's why I always suggest carpooling. But yo that shade is perfect.</s>

<s>[INST]Wisdom from Gramps should take him far![/INST] I need to dust off the old shock collar. "NO, I said to keep your racket head above your wrist, ZAP!"</s>

<s>[INST]Let's be realistic. We're not going to win in the beginning. But we certainly can learn. When I play better players, I only try to get the basics right - watch the ball, get in position, preferably play a high rather than a low percentage shot, be more consistent, don't worry about match situation. When the focus is to improve technique &amp; patience rather than to win a match, you actually end up with more satisfying results, namely, by the end of the match you're probably doing 10 more things right than you did prior to start of match. I love to take the ego out of the game. It has helped me be a better player &amp; has also made me a lot of friends.[/INST] congrats!! best feeling in tennis is redemption lol</s>

<s>[INST]Complex carbs, proteins and vitamins. Plus Magnesium will help in muscle recovery and reduction in aches and pains. You can either get a topical oil spray, pills, in foods (scarce), or an Epsom salt bath for 30 mins (personally recommend the bath or pills)[/INST] Yeah I need to start doing an epsom salt bath. Coming back at fitness this hard has me real sore all the time. </s>

<s>[INST]Why don’t you go as well?[/INST] Well done. And now that he knows you can beat him, next time you have the advantage.</s>

<s>[INST]Just for clarification, with before you mean his serve after the improvements right? Tha ks for the tip and the video! I know about tossing the ball more forward... was surprised i barely did that myself[/INST] No, before the improvements. You kind of "sit" in place instead of leanding back and moving your hips forward.</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] It is insane to see how effortless Fed hit his forehands with such power. There was nothing Diego could have done to even defend these balls.</s>

<s>[INST]Treat your toss as though you're "lifting the ball to a spot" rather than tossing it up &amp;#x200B; If you want to hit harder, get lower &amp;#x200B; When you go down-the-line, hit it 90 degrees[/INST] The toss tip is a very good one. Sometimes it just takes a mentality shift.</s>

<s>[INST]3.5. Solid 3.5 if the servers are bit better.[/INST] Why do you particularly single out the serve? I thought the groundstrokes and serve level match tbh.</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] I haven't used that machine but personally I'm not a fan, not sure if your looking at doing other people's racket but I've heard that they're not good angled mains. The Head Ti.S6 is an example of that. You could try Clarke's Disturbing in Houston, last time I was there they had a lot of Prince Neos and some Alpha cranks as well, I'm sure they will ship to you if needed.</s>

<s>[INST]I have poly 2 lbs lower than the gut. Gut gives more power and feel in the mains which is what I like. Gut poly hybrid gives the best of both worlds imo and is better than full gut case the power and feel of gut is mixed with durability and spin of poly. No wonder Fed uses it, it's pretty sweet. I use 16g gut for more durability and 17g poly for more flex. I'm using synthetic gut cause this isn't my main setup. And I do prestretch the strings. 16g should be more durable than 17g cause 17 is thinner and moves more. [/INST] Take it to the ball wall. Work on your pace there. Jack Nicklaus went to take lessons and his coach said “go to the driving range and just hit the ball as far as you can until you can hit it long”... you’re probably consistent, and never developed power, or maybe traded it along the way. So go to the ball wall and just figure out how to hit harder. Don’t hurt yourself though, don’t need to hit “hard hard” immediately. A drill you can do there is crush one and if it’s halfway decent return that shot with a floater and then smack the next one. Eventually you can probably crush a few in a row.</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] It’s a nice shot. The only things I would suggest are: 1. Bend your knees a bit more 2. Lower your right shoulder a little when you are coiled (helps weight transfer) although I can’t tell because of the angle the video was taken 3. Perhaps straighten out your arm a bit more at contact for better leverage and therefore spin and power 4. Make contact a bit further out front (again can’t be sure because of the angle but it looks a bit close to your body) 5. Your swing path appears to be quite horizontal</s>

<s>[INST]As an 'older' gentleman, that was nice of you to hit them back to him. Remember, no drop shots, that's elder abuse![/INST] Yes sir. He was the one drop shotting, just to clarify</s>

<s>[INST]Having trouble with trophy pose[/INST] Sorry to hear that you hurt yourself. Hope it wasn’t too serious. ...did you apologise?</s>

<s>[INST]Yes that's correct. It's again hitting off center that will cause the racquet to make the most spin possible. So that's the key to a super heavy knifed slice. Or a kick serve. Or a slice serve.[/INST] It was really cool seeing all your videos on twistweights, swingweight and then realizing a heavy low twistweight racquet hit off center produces some very potent spin. Upped my groundstroke confidence a lot knowing I didnt need perfect contact timing/rolling over ball to produce effective spin.</s>

<s>[INST][deleted][/INST] Move to Phoenix, we need more tennis players, and it's usually in the 90's!</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] How often do you change your overgrip? I like a fresh one every time I play a match, especially in the summer. </s>

<s>[INST]Just a suggestion, but I would recommend trying lead tape before dismissing a racquet. The 'Thiem racquet' (pure strike) is a classic example. It plays amazing but is a little underweight, add some lead tape and ...[/INST] Yeah I’ve already thought of that. Three years ago. Lead tape is actually what convinced me to go back to the RF97. It’s funny how the story turned out. The pure strike, as expected, got better the heavier I made it. So much so that I decided that instead of trying to make the Babolat feel like the RF97. I should just go back to the real thing. I found three RF97s off of eBay (I was surprised they were available, but maybe it makes sense, because the RF97 is definitely not for everyone). And putting 6.25 g at 9:00 and 3:00 on the RF97 made them feel just perfect. I hope that when Roger retires, Wilson will continue the RF97 line in some shape or form, or else I’ll have to just get them custom made to RF97 specs.</s>

<s>[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[/INST] You drop shot your dad? Ouch. That's for sure elder abuse. Your dad needs to carry a sock full of quarters, so on the change over he can swing it at your knee. Even things up a little.</s>

<s>[INST]Thank you - I have been watching your videos for the past couple months and the way you explain and break down mechanics is very easy to follow and understand. Hope for the best success for your channel this year! [/INST] The little back and forth, in forward and reverse of very small parts of the mechanics really help me understand it. </s>

<s>[INST]Very good video. I learned a lot about the elbow positioning[/INST] Thank you my friend !!!</s>

<s>[INST]Haha I don’t think that’s true, your videos help so much. I just wish for everyone to know about your videos because they are so good. This morning my son stopped watching his cartoons to watch your videos with me, he is only 3.5 but asked me to take him to tennis court to try to serve this weekend. Maybe I make a video haha. [/INST] This is the most inspiring thing I heard my friend ,thank you and I hope to love our sport :)</s>

<s>[INST]Yes that's correct. It's again hitting off center that will cause the racquet to make the most spin possible. So that's the key to a super heavy knifed slice. Or a kick serve. Or a slice serve.[/INST] so the guy pushes or plays aggressive? just force cross court rallies and out last him, obviously easier said than done but im gonna guess thats where he feels uncomfortable</s>

<s>[INST]The chest can open a bit after you hit and after you’ve completed most of your follow through but it needs to be turned thru contact. Also some situations force you to open up in just talking about most normal shots.[/INST] Ah I see what you're saying, I thought you were suggesting the chest stay closed through the follow through. Totally with you on chest closed at contact.</s>

<s>[INST]Another great video! I’m playing again today in a few hours so I’m awake early to watch your videos and stretch![/INST] This also can help with kick serve,you have to keep your body sideways through the shot.write me how it goes!!</s>

<s>[INST]Lol, the classic “wait, that’s not how Federer and Nadal does it” scenario, I know all about that! But it got the job done! [/INST] Yeah the older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve realized that if I’m not super comfortable smacking, just rolling a forehand deep up the middle and living to play another ball is the smartest play. In this case the opponents couldn’t decide whose ball it was at all and led to some good laughs. </s>

<s>[INST]What string do you use? How often are you breaking it?[/INST] I mainly do gut in mains and poly in crosses for my main rackets. This one I was gonna have synthetic gut. I'm not a string breaker the only string I've worn out was multifiliment </s>

<s>[INST]I have never heard of this "ever present recommendation" but racket choice is a personal thing. Your wife should demo some rackets and pick one that suits her. Your preference doesn't much matter. The other night I added about 12 grams of lead tape on my Blade 98 just to see how it felt with more weight - it was awful and stressed my arm. I play a lot of tennis and am in good shape, but heavier is not better for me (I know the Blade 98 is not a lightweight racket - just making the point that racket weight is a personal preference.)[/INST] Oh she's settled on the AeroPro, I think it's a great choice for her game. As far as ever present, pretty much every light racket is marketed as "Great for beginners/intermediate" and anything over 11oz seems to be marketed for "intermediate to advanced players".</s>

<s>[INST]A basic stringer is probably the best investment for a tennis player. It easily pays for itself after a year. I share a really basic one with my friend and I string it whenever I want to and however often I want. Between us we probably used it 50+ times already. [/INST] Eh I've thought about it (&amp; trying out on crappy rackets), for frequent players/ strings breakers for sure it's worth it</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] I use poly string and restring every month or two depending on how much I’ve been playing. I’ve heard that you should restring at least as many times a year as you play per week so I guess some people go up to 3-4 months, but I can’t imagine the strings can hold tension for that long. You can also get more life out of them if you don’t leave your racket in your hot car in the summer etc.</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] Hi 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., I'm dad.</s>

<s>[INST]So you don't have any rhythm in your service motion. Thats mostly because you are trying to do too many things before getting the basics down. To start with you should only be working on tossing the ball and hitting it without using your legs. See [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW_m-G_wEy8) video for a good demonstration. Go out there and practice this for a month before adding any other variables.[/INST] &gt; So you don't have any rhythm in your service motion. explain. &gt; Thats mostly because you are trying to do too many things before getting the basics down. like? Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. </s>

<s>[INST]honestly your serve makes me sick[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]Great video, always appreciate your style of instruction. If possible in the future, I would love to see a video on how to hit a high bouncing ball![/INST] Thank you I appreciate,I will have in mind to make a new video about this topic</s>

<s>[INST]Thanks! I'll try that[/INST] I have also taken the tourna lead power strips (3g) and folded them in half and shove em in the buttcap. That works well. If you want to get it out you’ll have to use pliers. </s>

<s>[INST]Nice hit. Looks like fun. How often do you practice?[/INST] Thanks! We try to hit once a week or two. Would love to get out more and get back to comps.</s>

<s>[INST]Good information. I I think on balls this high I always start my swing from “above” the ball and hit down. I will try this style. [/INST] Here in Cyprus is raining 3 days know</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] I have 2 of the 97S. I was just wondering what the CV plays like because I saw a good deal. I did notice the CV has a thicker beam than the 97S so I decided to stick with what I have</s>

<s>[INST]Or put in extra sessions to get the upper hand ��[/INST] The key to what you just said was TIGHT. I've found that when I'm tight, it's in my shoulders, not my brain. I relax my shoulders and my tightness goes away. Don't get me wrong, yes, there are days when you float around the court not thinking of anything and just smacking the ball, but you just can't summon those days. And don't forget, you have to practice match situations as much as you practice your strokes.</s>

<s>[INST]Is this the first time you've lost to them in 30 years!? That's a pretty good streak.[/INST] It works the other way too. I've played against two other people for many years and never beat them. :(</s>

<s>[INST]I never realized how bizarre it was until recently. It works for me, though.[/INST] If you’re going for a pinpoint stance bring your feet together. It will help you coil your body up and create more power</s>

<s>[INST]I mean technically, a few coaches have seen me play and rated me 4.0-4.5. So I'm up there. Just not used to playing non-conventional players. But yeah, you're right![/INST] What’s your USTA computer ranking? I don’t understand how you are playing 3.5 if you’re a 4.0. The USTA won’t even let me enter doubles less than 4.0, and I’m a pretty crappy computer rated 4.0 player. </s>

<s>[INST]That makes a lot of sense. I guess I just gravitate towards the line on my partners serve because I love blasting it down the line on return any time I notice the person at the net creeping toward the middle :)[/INST] I totally get that. It is worth mentioning that when you rip it down the line, you probably are picking and choosing when you do so. Just based on the video, all four of you seem like solid players. So if you were at the doubles baseline in your ad court backhand corner and the opponent hit a heavy topspin shot deep and wide to your backhand, I think I can safely say that you are not gonna pick that time to go down the line. So a good net player will see that and take the middle. If you can rip a clean backhand winner down the line while backpedaling out wide on a shot that might be face-high while out of the corner of your eye you see the opposing net player taking over the middle of the court, well, great shot. But you most likely will have to either roll it crosscourt, or maybe (if you’re a two-hander) smother it crosscourt with a scissor-kick backhand, or hit a lob. So if you were the net player and you see what my mixed doubles partner (ex-women’s D1 player) calls a “green light” ball, you *should* take the middle. People call it “poaching,” but I call it good anticipation. Lastly, speaking as a singles serve-volleyer, if I’m not getting passed at the net, then I’m not being aggressive enough up there. People get so bent out of shape getting passed, or maybe they’re afraid of getting hit, I dunno, that they just stand there and watch crosscourt balls float by them. How many guys do you know wish they could “poach” better? I bet a lot. But being aggressive means you will have to give up the alley and get passed sometimes. The good net players I’ve known don’t even sweat getting passed. I say, bring it! If you haven’t gotten passed or tagged, you’re not having enough fun up there at net. ��</s>

<s>[INST]Having a set of plays to use and how you want to construct your points will help you focus on execution and prevent your focus from dwindling. Setting your strategic intentions before your match will also help. Best of luck![/INST] You also might want to practice meditation if you don't already do so. The whole purpose of it is to increase your awareness of when your focus shifts and to gently bring it back. A solid coach to help you with your focus (perhaps a mental expert) would be great too. Cheers.</s>

<s>[INST]Hey /u/CuigHS and /u/canonhourglass, I tried both of your suggestions today and they helped out a ton. My swing flows so much better now and I'm not bending my back to serve anymore. I might post a video later when I get more practice with it, but thank you![/INST] Solid!! Go get em! USTA 18+ is right around the corner �� </s>

<s>[INST]It's funny, because some of the premium multis like NXT, Excel, X-One Biphase, etc. actually come close to the price of a set of natural gut on occasion - especially when you can find a sale on a site like Tennis Warehouse. Multi mains notch and snap so much quicker than gut mains for me though. Along with that, although the soft feel is comparable to gut/poly, gut mains just give you so much more spin than multi mains. I'm currently trying to go through a mini reel of leftover Sensation, but once that's done, I'm tossing gut/poly into all of my rackets without looking back. I snap multi mains in like 8-12 hours tops, but gut mains have somehow managed to last me months on end, while still maintaining above average performance due to the excellent tension maintenance of the gut mains.[/INST] &gt; Multi mains notch and snap so much quicker than gut mains for me though Seconded. I usually get ~20 hours of play out of a set of modern poly's before they snap, or they're fraying and pretty dead. I tried out a wilson multi last week, forgot the name, and it crapped out on me after maybe 8 hours, only 4 sessions. Normally a fan of wilsons revolve, but I don't see much of a reason to use the softer natural gut imitating multi's unless you've got an elbow injury or something and you're concerned about moisture, I'd just pay the extra 5-10$ for gut at that point, a thick gut string will last me 30-40 hours.</s>

<s>[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![/INST] I find exhaling forcibly during my stroke works just as well without annoying anybody.</s>

<s>[INST]Yeah nerves can be tackled mentally I think I posted an anxiety thing in here a while ago. That's a start then from there it's just exposure therapy; gotta just play more matches Some level of nerves will never go away though. For practice just do games/sets. Drills that are starting points. If you're practicing or doing a lot of rallies that's very different than point structure. So play a lot of point structure. Ad Side to Deuce Side, starting out with either hitting or returning a serve.[/INST] To add to this: I also play a lot of 11’s (first to 11 points wins). Essentially you start the rally, the ball has to hit past the service line and to the middle for the starting feed and subsequent shot, then you start the point. Has helped my rally during match play become much more diverse, and confident</s>

<s>[INST]Or a bottle of wine![/INST] Haha. I don’t really drink alcohol, but sometimes I like a certain “herbal remedy” to my body’s aches and pains. </s>

<s>[INST]I use a friend with an ipad. He roams around the court and records from different angles.[/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.</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] I don’t really have any tips, but what racket are you using? Looks like Blade Countervail? If so, how are you liking it?</s>

<s>[INST]Oh man I have struggled with this too. Here is a battle plan that helped me improve: First, reboot from a new mindset: Topspin is NOT optional. EVERY groundstroke should have topspin. When you hit you should be thinking about two things: striking it to give it topspin and with enough height to get it over the net. Hit with more topspin than you think you need. Do not be tempted to hit flat. Master this and only this until you have reliable control. Expect your level to drop for a few hitting sessions while you re-tool the technique. Then start to \*very gradually\* add power back. Think about "throwing" the racket through the topspin swing. Don't "muscle" the ball by intentionally "hitting hard"; instead, let the natural forces of swing path and angular momentum provide the power. (You still need to avoid hitting flat.) Focus on that feeling of letting the string friction lift the ball up and over the net. You should still be hitting with feels like a lot of topspin. After practicing this often, you will start to feel more confident and find yourself naturally adding more power with the topspin keeping it in the court.[/INST] I don’t see why not tbh. Maybe the others can weigh in on this if necessary. This sub hasn’t got issues with threads derailing the sub so I don’t think there’s a need to police content heavily just yet.</s>

<s>[INST]Man, I wish my boyfriend would play xD[/INST] thanks for sharing this. out of curiosity. what would be your strategy for beating someone like yourself?</s>

<s>[INST]I don't really know how. That wind-up helps me find my rhythm on the shot. Any idea how I can make it work?[/INST] Not sure if it's actually hurting me to do this, but I find myself grunting when I need to get to a spot very fast and am unsure if I can make it in time. I grunt like I'm trying to muster all my power into my body to boost myself forward.</s>

<s>[INST]omggggg a turbospin video its been so long ��[/INST] This is a complex question. It would help to see what you're actually doing. Otherwise it's going to be a guessing game. Your technique and how your racquet are setup together probably are the cause. </s>

<s>[INST]Sort of. I prefer to go to a pro shop and actually get measured. Or use this site: http://protennistips.net/tennis-racquet-grip-size/ I think the “finger width” rule has too much variation and I’ve seen very different results. It’s a bit too loose as a rule of thumb. I’d rather measure tip to knuckle etc. it makes a difference.[/INST] I have the same thing - I've taken a completely different approach to yours, with marginally successful results - slight lessening of pain, and it doesn't hurt while I play anymore. Mine was only a problem for a few weeks to a month, and I'm 20 years younger than you. What I didn't do: see a physio What I did: I already lift weights regularly, and I started doing more light weight bicep curls, with slow eccentrics, super high rep. Also started doing slow eccentric pull-ups, really slow on the way down, very low reps, lots of sets. Only been doing this for a couple months now, since the elbow became a problem.</s>

<s>[INST]What do you mean by "Game of averages"? It looks like a cool term to use.[/INST] Your contact point is late. It’s forcing you to go up the ball more than through the ball on your strokes, so you’re losing depth and power. Your split step and footwork is solid, so this is more a matter of really tracking the ball better right into your strings, and making sure you are hitting more in front of your body. Once you get used to this, the next step would be to try to increase your swing speed.</s>

<s>[INST]Sounds like you're getting a bit nervous which leads to tightening up your shoulders and poor stroke execution. Learn to mentally and physically relax.[/INST] For grip get an original tourna overgrip. Even when they're fairly soaked they still maintain grip for me. Also get a wristband and wear it on your playing arm. It actually catches a surprising amount of sweat that would end up on your grip. Also a change of shirt helps too. Another alternative is to regrip your racquet each set. You can then dry your 'used' grips off and reuse them next time you play. Maybe a bit extreme, but it will help too.</s>

<s>[INST]I like your writing style[/INST] ;)</s>

<s>[INST]Yeah, but I meant the 17 gauge poly lasts a lot longer than the 16 gauge multi.[/INST] Oh I thought you meant both multi. Yeah poly doesn't break hence it's the best for durability but it loses tension the most drastically. Multi is able to provide a lot of power and comfort but the draw back is that it's the least durable. Combining them in a hybrid would be very cost efficient because you would get quality of both. Multi is pricy and poly is pretty cheap so you'd make your string sets last longer. Poly can also be replaced with synthetic for ultimate budget but I'd rather have good characteristics of poly. </s>

<s>[INST]This works for those who don't play often (such as yourself as you say). Someone like me who's a chronic string breaker and / or take very aggressive swings and cuts on the ball will break a multi very quickly. I had a fresh set of multis in my Pro Staff 90 snap in literally 17 minutes into a hitting session, after which I never used multis again. There are other string alternatives that last a while as well, natural gut being one of them if you don't hit often, hard, or aggressively, provided you keep the strings in dry conditions when not in use.[/INST] Yeah, different strokes for different folks. Natty gut is good, just is pricy, not stiff at all and thus doesn't do well with heavy topspin at all (+ rains a bunch in summer here in FL, always little puddles in the afternoon to evening that can ruin the strings) Am a fan of poly except it's so stiff/low powered &amp; loses tension very easy unless I am playing a bunch, it doesn't help my game. I do really like multi &amp; co-polys for all around general purpose strings</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] Have played a handful of these, they’re usually more laid back, so just enjoy yourself. It’ll also be a lot shorter than normal tennis games.</s>

<s>[INST][deleted][/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?</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] 1. The forehand that you hit after 1:37. Your racquet is back pretty much when it hits the ground at your feet. That's why you had no time to properly prepare to hit it. Even if it looks like it's going long, have your body set up to hit it. 2. For the return thing, I see what you mean about Nishikori, but watch [his return here](https://youtu.be/Z_xo_Q6B7UA?t=57). He likes to start with his body angled but when he actually is about to hit it, his feet are parallel to the baseline. Watch how he moves and squares up to return. I think by having your feet angled to the baseline when hitting your return you are "counting" it as a shoulder turn for the hit when in reality you haven't turned them at all. Also I want to emphasize /u/jk147's comments - REALLY watch the ball and try to make clean contact. I have a problem with shanking in streaks too and that's only fixed when I make an effort to concentrate on that shot and nothing else. His other points are spot on too. Edit: are you wearing airpods while playing? </s>

<s>[INST]Night tennis is the best tennis ��[/INST] Drive be right leg forward with the rest of your momentum. It swings backwards, that’s just that much more force working against you instead of with you. </s>

<s>[INST]How would syn gut as cross differ from multi? I bought a reel of Prince syn gut and am planning to string one racquet with full bed syn gut, and another with poly main. Also, what would you recommend as a poly main? I was looking at Luxilon 4G or Rough for the durability.[/INST] Smash the other racquet and double your fortune ��</s>

<s>[INST]Yeah. He said when he first started playign competitively (HE was a d1 college and challenger player) at like 14, he lost fifteen matches in a row. Then when he got injured and came back at like 16, he lost another fifteen in a row. He said you need to learn how to play matches. Hopefully I'll get there eventually.[/INST] You will get there. I can tell you have the drive. It’s just learning to play winning tennis which you just need experience, it seems like you already have the strokes. Maybe just bring a journal onto court with you, on changeovers just write down the score, each time, what you learned, what’s working, what’s not, what things are hurting you. The thing I’m saddest I lost in the world was my journals that got flood damage in my garage once :( </s>

<s>[INST]I could barely handle your deep penetrating balls, how do you hit them so hard, that must be a heavy stick...[/INST] Robbie Koenig: that... is... OUTRAGEOUS!! </s>

<s>[INST]When I started lifting, my vertical jump increased significantly - surprise a lot of people when they attempt to lob me at the net. I found the benefits of strength training to taper off once I approached some decent weights though (190kg squat, 210 deadlift, 130 bench). Started training the snatch and clean and jerk. Much more applicable IMO. Need a coach though, finally joined a weightlifting gym and was doing quite a lot wrong. Plus, using less weight for the same results on court means less stress on my joints.[/INST] Yeah I like these orange theory classes, bunch of weird movements, various one leg lunges/pistol squats off of benches usually while holding a dumbbell or doing dumbbell presses through the leg motion. Always keeps me guessing haha </s>

<s>[INST]What’s the secret? I’m constantly getting myself jammed up on the two hander or just slicing and accidentally floating it instead of cutting through the court. Can’t seem to get the footwork down I guess[/INST] Bh nonexistent need more drilling but you already have bad habits. Don't hug the baseline, stand farther back. Your partner is giving you low balls need more topspin so they bounce at your strike zone</s>

<s>[INST]My racquet has grown progressively heavier over the years. Lead tape is your friend, if you are adventurous you can also start injecting silicon into the handle, since you can only tape up the frame so much before it becomes too head heavy. I am at the point where now I just play with the same two sticks with one as backup. [/INST] Might be because with open stance one tends to not coil as much as with close or neitral stance, and thus arming the ball a lot more?</s>

<s>[INST]It was a classic one handed showdown. Tennis should outlaw the two hander, so ugly[/INST] Yeah, I've done it too. Never in a match though, just practice. You never want to show your opponent that he's getting to you.</s>

<s>[INST]Let's be realistic. We're not going to win in the beginning. But we certainly can learn. When I play better players, I only try to get the basics right - watch the ball, get in position, preferably play a high rather than a low percentage shot, be more consistent, don't worry about match situation. When the focus is to improve technique &amp; patience rather than to win a match, you actually end up with more satisfying results, namely, by the end of the match you're probably doing 10 more things right than you did prior to start of match. I love to take the ego out of the game. It has helped me be a better player &amp; has also made me a lot of friends.[/INST] I agree taking ego out is the way to go. I have a problem with this though, if I know I can hit a shot 9/10 times but miss it I still get insanely frustrated with myself. Tennis is a game I love to hate lol</s>

<s>[INST]All good info. Without seeing your game I would lean towards a tweener racquet...something in the 10.2 - 10.6 Oz range with a 98 or 100sq in frame. The Pro Staff 97L or Wilson Ultra Team might be good places to start. Babolat Pure Strike Team or even revisiting the updated version of your current stick, the Head Extreme MP would be on my shortlist. Ideally you have same string and tension in each and rotate but that’s in a perfect world. Avoid going too deep down the rabbit hole as you may never find your new racquet! When changing racquets, I’ve always gravitated towards the racquets that improved my worst shot but ymmv. I will also add that the best racquet for you is the one that feels the best for you and your game, which may not be any of the ones listed above. If you’re able to demo from a local shop or club that would help too as they likely have a longer term for you to demo. Hope that helps![/INST] Yes it does, thank you. I'll look into those racquets</s>

<s>[INST]Definitely want both. Reattach the manufacturers grip, then put an over grip on it.[/INST] [deleted]</s>

<s>[INST]What a great reply! Thank you so much for your time. I have a doubles tournament coming up this weekend and this is very enlightening.[/INST] Sweet! Crush it this weekend — this sub is 100% behind you ��</s>

<s>[INST]You mean big strokes as in an elaborate takeback/swing path, or in terms of power? If you want more power, weighting up your relatively light racket would probably be the easiest/cheapest thing to do. I am a big fan on Spiraltek for a lower priced spin friend synth gut. My wife plays with it on a pro aero at 56lbs, and it has respectable power at that tension, if you dropped it a bit more I think you'd find it pretty satisfying, and if not, hey it was only 5$. Do you break strings at all, or are you looking for more tension maintenance vs durability (string not breaking)? My wife gets ~4-5 weeks out of the spirateks playing ~10 hours a week.[/INST] 98 and pros between 95-100</s>

<s>[INST]Well, you did lose. Give the old man his due.[/INST] Man that looks awesome. I’ll leave it up to the proper coaches I honestly can’t see much wrong. </s>

<s>[INST]Pretty comparable I would say. Alpha might be a better machine but only have experience with the gamma crank pulls.[/INST] I ended up finding a slightly cheaper deal for the Revo 4000 at [Stringway](https://www.stringway.com/us/product/alpha-revo-4000/) and pulled the trigger. It'll take me 24 racquet string jobs to break even which isn't too bad in the long run. Hopefully this was the right choice, it seems like the item is brand new. Cheers</s>

<s>[INST]But in limiting the forward momentum you also reduce the speed and power of the ball you're serving. If taking 2 more steps gives me a better serve i would definitely take that. Or am i missing something?[/INST] Your landing is really good, just inside the baseline, so your body momentum is moving forwards through contact correctly. After this, the ball's already gone and taking two more steps isn't doing anything. Don't forget that your service motion is more than just hitting the ball, you should practice landing balanced and being able to immediately get into your split step so that you're not beaten by a good returner. You may choose to land balanced and immediately transition into the net, but it should be serve-land-ready-transition. This gives you the choice of moving forwards or backwards after contact. The pros will often skip the "ready" part of it if they're going straight to the net because they practice landing balanced and getting straight in. It looks like you're going in by following through from your serve and are still off-balance as you move forwards (see the first serve in the video; you don't completely regain your balance until you do a little two-foot jump step at the end - this should happen much sooner after contact).</s>

<s>[INST]&gt;You mean big strokes as in an elaborate takeback/swing path, or in terms of power? I meant the latter. I'm not sure if I *break* strings, but the Sensation 17g that I'm using fray very quickly; after 2-3 days, I can feel my shots go wonky and the strings become unplayable. Reviews on the Spiraltek say the same thing you do, so I'll have a look at it as well. Thanks.[/INST] I used to use sensation in my crosses as well and noticed the same thing, it would get extremely notched when I used a textured poly in the mains.</s>

<s>[INST]Here seems less toxic. We talk more about what's wrong with your game more than how loud Sharapova grunts. Although if I may add my two cents, WTF was Serena thinking with that outfit? Just say no to camel toe.[/INST] I thought it was kinda hot. She’s a nice lady and she shaking her yams.</s>