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The WebTennis.net Newsletter
Premium Edition

Date: July 29, 2003
Topic: "What we SHOULD do at the moment of contact with the ball..."

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Audio clip from Brent
 
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Keeping your head still throughout your reaction to your opponent's shot (split step), your movement to that shot, your set up to the incoming ball, the initial part of your swing shape, and then NOW... the contact with the ball is critical for keeping the racket aligned with your intended swing path and eventual stroke finish position...

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Keeping your head still... sounds so simple, but it ain't. And typically what happens is this... just prior to contact, you start to "peek" at the result of your shot and maybe even where your opponent is, and if that "peeking" is too early, well, the swing gets disrupted...

I like to feel that I 'allow' the ball to come into the perfect contact point and that at contact, not only do I keep my head still, but I make sure I don't look up to see the result of my shot until I feel the finish of the swing.

So, right, there is a moment when I'm not watching the ball. But it's a nano second, and the benefits are absolutely huge. Your racket gets to stay in it's intended swing path, but equally as important to me is the confidence I get from not having to rush to see the shot I've just hit.

And, your ability to have better visual contact with the ball is directly related to the quality of your movement on the court.  Not necessarily the speed of your movement, but the stillness of your head when you move...

Roger Federer is a living breathing model of this stuff. His movement on the court is as clean and smooth as it gets, AND at contact, his head is really quiet. What I want to you to get from this tip is how his eyes stay looking DOWN at the contact point for a moment as he finishes his stroke.

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Trying to model that Federer forehand grip, swing shape, and finish is pretty tough to do.  Even McEnroe was commenting that this guy is a once every ten years type of player.  It's rare that he can do so many things on the court, a true 'all-court' player for the ages.  I'd be content just trying to copy his ability to remain calm at contact and NOT look up (peek) too early...!

I interviewed Jim McLennan recently.  Jim is the world's leading expert on 'gravity motion' in tennis and our tip today is directly related to what Jim talks about during his interview.  And by the way, Jim has graciously allowed me to make a special offer to my WebTennis.net subscribers and visitors to pick up his video tape and companion training manual along with a couple of valuable complimentary gifts...

But, his exclusive special offer to WebTennis.net subscribers and visitors is only good until Thursday midnight July 31...!  Click on over when you're done with this tip and check out Jim's interview and offer at Jim's interview...

Practice Drills for this newsletter topic...

  • On court...
    Exaggerate keeping your head down and not 'peeking' at your shot until you've finished the stroke.  It's not easy to do.  Our natural instincts want to see right now what we've done!  Exaggerate it for awhile.  Eventually, you'll get comfortable with it and it'll become natural...
     
  • At home...
    You can get the feel of keeping your head still and not 'peeking' by also practicing at home with a stroke developer.  If you don't have a stroke developer, it is the best way to work on your groundstrokes and approach shots without having to deal with the timing of an incoming ball.  Order one here.

     
  • In a match...
    Hey, once you're in a match, don't try to consciously manufacture your new stroke or changes.  You've got to simply visually find the ball and then just decide where you're going to hit it. 

    Whatever practice time has paid off will come out on its own.  It must be instinctive.  In the beginning there'll be no way your changes will just automatically be there in a match.  It's a process of tinkering in practice and then believing that eventually it'll come out on its own.  You gotta have faith in the process...!

Thanks for listening today and be sure to let me know if you have any questions... Brent

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Recommendations for this newsletter's topic:

Jim McLennan's - "The Secrets of World Class Footwork"

video and companion training manual

Special offer until midnight Thursday, July 31...!

__________________________________________________________

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OK, that's it for me for now...  hope you enjoyed this issue.  Have fun out there and let me know if you have any questions...  

Thanks, Brent...

Recommendations for this newsletter's topic:

Jim McLennan's - "The Secrets of World Class Footwork"

video and companion training manual

Special offer until midnight Thursday, July 31...!