You're making it way too complicated. I gave you another thumbs down on your first video on respecting the X b/c you didn't cover the 'poach' to allow your partner to move up or is on the run, if your partner doesn't move up, or they're getting targeted, or to get into your opponents head. If I'm on the R and balls coming across the net from their L and it's on my side or around center, I'm backhand flicking it 100% of the time, sorry buddy. We play fast and aggressive, your method is for old fogies playing paddycakes. The X is a thing, but you're over-complicating it

Eye opening explanation! I wish you had also addressed backhand volley.

Dude, with the bangers I play with, including myself...you hit a recommend shape shot like that...your gonna get a lot of tattoos my friend. You but it up that high at or near the kitchen line or even approaching mid court your highly likely to get the body bag put away.😂

Ok no offense if you hit this ball to me when I’m at the baseline rather then more down, I’m rushing and crushing that ball with top spin putting it either in your feet or right into your chest. This is not the shot you should be teaching anyone, I understand your going for less errors but your putting the ball in their green zone throughout the entire court. To be 100% when your at the Net it’s simple all you need to do is block a drive, or roll a drop keep them back and make them earn the kitchen. If they earned the kitchen then make them earn the advantage.

Great video. I think I'm technical lefty given your description of the lefty friend. While I have played tennis and table tennis in the past, I spent most of my time playing squash and racquetball in college and find that my backhand is often better than my forehand.

Good points, as much as I implore open play partners to get to the net, they remain fixed at the baseline and become targets of the serving team. It’s maddening but I can’t keep repeating myself because it comes off as complaining. Any suggestions to approach this Diplomatically? Nice haircut!😊…Patrick here not Joan

Which paddle do you use, I am suffering from tennis elbow.

Very true Tony. Starting with a plan of doing 4 things right when starting play sounds good, but just staying focused on being ready, in an athletic position with the paddle in the right place every time is a challenge. Hoping to make that a habit in '25.

SO helpful! Thank you. Some of my Open Play partners have tried to explain this concept to me, which I understood as far as kitchen play is concerned, but didn’t at all practice in the back court. I think you just made me a better playing partner! 🙏 ❤

KZbin is 80% of my pb learning. I do pay for lessons, but I need to stay on a budget.

Waste my time

What an uninspiring voice to listen to. 😮

Totally agree with this. I've tried a lot of different paddles. This is the one for me.

Enjoying your channel and the game physiology

Tony, how much weight did you add to each side?

what does respect the "X" mean ?

Nice namedrop there.

This is an excellent format for learning to defend this most common mistake for beginners like myself.

I don't have your experience, but I have learned that getting slammed is often due to hitting an easy return when your opponent is at the kitchen and you are back. Many players seem NOT to have a conscious intention when they return the ball, beyond getting it over the net. They hit a "lollipop" shot that ends up coming back at 50mph at your feet or your partner's feet. Hitting a non-attackable or less attackable ball can reduce getting slammed especially at the 3.4 and 4.0 levels where many seniors are.

That weird cuz l’ve hit many a great shots with my feet off the ground.

Great tip. It's easy to give up your stance especially if your worried about getting all the way to the NVZ line on your ROS.

My question is, who is the position leader ( the forehand player on the left or the one on the right) ! Thanks

This is really a real sport? Thought it was hobby for old folks.

You should do one on returning heavy spin serves

One key component of respecting the X with the player hitting the backhand third shot is that the shot must be played back diagonally from whence it came. Suppose the ball is played to the opponent directly in front of the returning, hitting the backhand, and is not a quality drop shot. In that case, the 3rd shot returner's back is not facing their sideline of the court, thus opening the court for the attack in the same fashion as if the overreaching forehand shot pins the partner back, opening the "ad" side of the court. I regularly play with a partner who takes this shot, which is great, but most often hits the ball to the player directly in front of them. At our level of play, that ball, if not of high quality, is put behind my partner's back with no chance of recovery. We lose 1-3 points per game this way. We've talked about this scenario, but at this point, it's somewhat ingrained in this player's makeup, so I accept it will eventually happen. Also, so many players are "forehand in the middle" that with other players, they take the "forehand" overreach when my backhand is equal or better to my forehand with 3rd shot drops. Frustrating at times, but so it goes. The fun never ends!

Dinking and dropping are still a huge part of the game, and should be, but with even beginners buying expensive top end paddles, I think the game has changed. I play in the 3-3.5 range and it seems everyone can spin the ball a lot more and anything popped up even slightly into the green light zone above the net comes back at lightning speed. It seems that fewer and fewer rallies go beyond 5 or 6 shots now at my level.

Aren’t your balls consider “dead dinks?” And can’t they be easily lobbed? Just what I’m seeing unless I hit their feet.

Big T love the way you coach! Can't wait to go to Florida someday to take in a clinic with you! I know what I'm doing wrong most of the times, too much energy most of the time!

Great video

If opponents have soft hands, they will start making hairpin resets tight to the net and you are so totally foofed standing side by side at the baseline. Then the ball will be scooped up and you will practice serve/return one more time, with feeling. A very important detail is that some former tennis players (esp. those with bad knees) don't even like to creep up half a step per ball exchange. This is because the drive becomes risky faster than it become more effective. If you drive the ball hard and low from midcourt, a simple static block can squirt the ball right past you, unless you have elite reflexes. If you can't push your drive through the opponent's punch volley from the baseline, you probably can't push your drive through the opponent's static block from midcourt. But the opponent can push the static block through you, using your own pace against you, and your situation after moving forward is actually worse.

Are we allowed to switch? Bc yea sure we have both forehands in the middle, but what about when both of our back hand are in the middle, now the middle is wide open, so can we legally switch places to have both our forehand back in the middle

I still don't know what to di when it's slammed right down the middle. Neither of us had time to get it. There must be a solution to that.

He forgot to mention paddle vibration, this is the number 1 cause for my pain, I have switched to a Prokennex now, and pain is gone

When X and s broken due to stronger forehand opportunities, where should player aim ? Probably it should be hit crosscut drop to the player outer hand side, right? What if the x-breaking player more skilled in drive? Should then they hit drive in the middle ? Then should both players stay move to the middle or back to defend ?

Great stuff guys 👏👏

Tony you are the best brother! Love your coaching and your delivery! I missed you at Nationals last weekend in Arizona?

13:53 That save is crazy. Not only he connected the ball, it didn't pop up but beautifully dropped to the kitchen. I wouldn't even hit the ball...

Very good. Thanks 👍

This has up & down dead spots make me lose points..

What happens if you tell your partner that the ball falling towards him is an out ball but the ball was actually in and so he hits it. Can the opponent on the otherside say it was a distraction and call for a do over?

Do you have any other tips for loosening a death grip? I twist my paddle in my hand in between points and switch hands. When i start a game and am really focused on the grip, i do well. When it gets intense at the kitchen line, you couldn’t pry that paddle out of my grip. My grip is the right size but i am still throttling it. Any other advice? Someone should make an overgeip with little tacks on it going outwards to train yourself to grip lightly!!’

Ya, sorry dude. C was deeper than B and way more effective

I just demo'd this one yesterday and really liked it. Wasn't too hot so I could hit pretty hard and it stayed in.

On your serve, looks like you’re not dropping the ball but tossing in an upward release.

I felt like Dekel Barr was over Tony’s shoulder intimidating me to follow this program….

Which Paddletek are you using?

Serve A is nastier to return