Lesson with Ben

Experiment with Rhythm, different kinds of breathing, making in and out sounds. Listen to music while playing.

accelerate through the ball!

Volley, stop at impact.

Backhand: Racquet up, rotate shoulder ever so slightly but do it smoothly as the ball lands.

Intent is paramount + ball machine lessons

Volley with targets; Marko method looks weak; Modern tennis methology , hands together like catching a ball, then stab (and pull back?) very strong both targets and feeling, looks great on video. Problem solved. Now try to step out with outside foot and slide on toe to step at moment of impact.

I CAN BECOME A VERY GOOD VOLLEYER USING THIS TECHNIQUE.

Serve, hit exact target will force be to look at the exact angle of when my racquet makes impact with the ball. INTENT is key!

FLoppy ankles low shoulders

Federer's ankles are very floppy when he moves, very relaxed yet fast feet when he moves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHXSQSWVzX8

Also, try while just walking to lower your shoulders and relax them, your arms will flop more.

Deliberate Grip Change backhand

A very deliberate back and forth grip change between ready positon and slightly more extreme grip in a rhythmic fashion seemed to increase my confidence and spin. worth experimenting with in mini tennis, but don't take the grip too far or you'll hit the net or slow down the swing.

Workout at OAC

25 back extension, 25 second rest followed by 25 leg curl x 2

30 squats followed by 30 toe raises (both feet) x 2

25 x 35lbs bent over rows

Add a little waggle to the early forehand

Early forehand prep on minitennis is too static, add just a little loop to it to make it flow into the hit.

Serve Practice today

Start without a takeback to get the feeling of the brush.

Shoulder hurts when I do my regular swing, but if I lead with my shoulder and let my arm follow behind, pain goes away. Is this what I'm supposed to do.

Tired of self teaching. Had very little technical instruction on the serve in spite of all the lessons. Want pain to go away, and want to brush the ball.

Inner arm hurt almost right away.. Why?

Aks Essential Tennis about "Beating Weaker Players" podcast: Specifically, why

Met Jordan and Sean Sweeney today "Must have a system, and we chose this system". Must use your legs and the entire kinetic chain; that takes more time to set up. Must get there and get set, instead of just getting there. But how to do this when you feel rushed by balls that are erratic and unpredictable.

Serve thought

In the forward falling spin serve that used to be my natural, try to go up through and past the ball even though I'm tossing out and forward so that my arm ends up being extended.

Carlo Lesson Nov. 2 2011

Worked on Mini; backhand, backhand prep, backhand more solid stance, reading right left wide, reading 1,2,3 depth, aiming for window 2 over net, volley, 2 kinds, finish and building, same stroke but 2 speeds, also aim for window one or two, serve, fix left foot step: Think: " Stay, pinpoint, land on front" --
Relax through stroke, take ball a bit earlier on forehand. Early read is key to successful shots. *My ultra short prep seems to work.

Finishing long through both forehand and backhand was nice today, especially while blending it with my natural feeling stroke and being fully relaxed.,

Don't take "getting set" to extreme by setting too early. Going to the ball should be smooth.

Check strokes with cam to avoid injury.


SHould I not be able to make a scratch should on the second serve? Mike can make me dive bomb the ball with big kick by changes to swing path.

Why do I mishit in matches, why do i often hit frame on backhand.

My problems are not technical at this stage; it's more about planning, efficient practice, plodding forward with small execution victories during matches. I'm not "Just do it" enough.

Depth is all about the long stroke while being relaxed which is about seing ball early enough to go through it long (and at angles which I dont see well yet). Go get the short ball, never wait for it to drop.

Figure out how to solve the deep ball footwork or hitting early problem also figure out the slow ball dropping through strike zone problem. Figure out exactly when I can choose the big hip snap so I can go fore it wheneven possible. IT is one of the biggest forehands in the city.

Take more lessons with mike for the stuff mike is good at.

Figure out how to go from ready position with just a wrist cock to the early backhand preparation.

Front facing forehand is great for lining up face, hand low and hight, and stilling going long thought the ball.

PLAN and EXECUTE ~ technique will come in droves. I will have huge game if I follow the plan.

Try to spin 2nd. serve fast through window 2, not way up high.

I forget the rest, must take notes right after lesson!

Pain in arm both top and bottom and shoulder after playing. Not after lesson though. Pain in lower back later in the evening. No hip pain.

Played against florence, many double faults, losing 5-3. Every time i get an easy shot, I seem to hit long or in the net, especially on backhand. Suspect I'm over hitting or looking up just before striking, but it's surely mental as the same tasks are performed with great success during lesson. The solution is probably much more simple than I think,,,, more time just feeling what i feel in lessons.

Trouble rallying with Paul, seem to work way too hard for just a rally. Can't handle high bouncing or deep balls during rallys. Backhand often misfiring and causing pain. Serve is hurting my shoulder somehow, probably bad tosses, or impacting too low?