STOP trying to follow through! (tennis technique)

#1 Amazon new release for tennis book - Essential Tennis: www.amazon.com/Essential-Tenn... Order your copy today and learn from my top 38 principles for tennis success!
You've heard it before!
"Finnish your follow through"
"Make Contact out in front"
Things your coach and other players are always telling you, but for some reason it doesn't seem to be helping. It's because that if the result or effect of doing something properly, not what you should ACTUALLY be doing! You need to have a proper unit turn and use your body correctly. Having a proper connect chain movement is key to having not just a proper forehand, but every stroke in tennis.
#tennis #forehand #lesson
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If you can read this you have an impressive scrolling game.
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#tennis #essentialtennis #tennislesson

[@furiobisotti8150]

I love your choice of an aged, passionate player. It's really nice to see an amateur getting advantage of your skills. I will try to follow your hints on the court

[@EssentialTennis]

Keep up the great work, Furio!

[@2Macros]

I scrolled down looking for a comment to this effect. Glad it didn't take long.

[@danhogan7156]

Older people don't have to play pickelball.

[@photobearcmh]

I've not talked to anyone who had video used in lessons. It's crazy, I got much better using it on myself than taking lessons. Once you get over the shock of seeing your real swing, it's a super useful tool. Golf has been doing this for decades, I don't know why it isn't more prevalent in tennis.

[@EssentialTennis]

You’re preaching to the choir! So glad you’ve made the leap and utilized this tool! It’s the only way to know the truth!

[@ChrisKimDMD]

I cannot watch myself in video, because I look so pathetic in it, it's better to imagine myself doing things right, it's better for self-confidence hahaha

[@photobearcmh]

@@ChrisKimDMD you fix that by getting better. Trust me, due to an accident I had to switch hands and relearn the game. In the beginning, it was not pretty. But, I examined it, found out what I was doing well and what needed fixed. You'll be surprised at things you're doing right. I used to worry about my toss height. I recorded a serve session to find out my toss was fine, I had other problems but it wasn't what I was spending time on. Try it, it's really a game changer.

[@aldroid4844]

Any good Tennis Coach uses video! My Coach used Super 8 back in the 70’s and was the Top Coach in the Country. One does need a Coach to explain what you see though! Biomechanics is complex. This guys video above, while very basic, is important especially for beginners!

[@minboogie]

'The shock of seeing your real swing' this is realest tennis comment ever. (truth can hurt)

[@trapattoni_]

This might be the most insightful tennis lesson video I've ever watched. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!

[@allenmiller8689]

Hi Ian, I've been teaching this for years. I call it "hit with your hips" emphasizing using your body to pull the racquet around and extending through contact. I also focus in using an "inside-out' swing path to get away from the linear or "straight-ahead" swing that comes from getting too close to the ball or arming it. Add this notion to your excellent approach and descriptions here, and you've got a complete package of body mechanics and swing path. The result is tremendous racquet acceleration with very little effort.

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you're teaching this Allen! Keep it up!

[@aplesen3408]

This is all okay but… this motion if we separeted to much our body and hips with hand we can go on our back ( like the granpa in this video) Also, tennis is controled sport, we dont need only power, we need more control and precision Furthermore, if you lead with your hips to early we will feel a little strech in our Pectoralis muscle, and that micro-trauma, if repeated, can cause an injury in the near future

[@canadiantennispro]

i agree and just to quote macci ...........make the racquet swing shorter but make the racquet go faster is the epidemy of the kinetic chain . great video

[@mattiasledunger3982]

Thanks coach! This is some truly useful input. It is even possible to remember and hopefully implement!😃

[@chengifoo7603]

My tennis coach is always filming me so it is extremely helpful to watch the videos together with him and also hear his explanation on how my technique could be better. His videos are always very short just enough to enable him to try to show me how I can improve so yes filming your students is definitely a good way of being an effective coach.Thank you for this video which was highly informative and my coach did say the same thing too use your body to transfer the power.🙂

[@gmoney9794]

I’m 54, athletic and started playing tennis 2 years ago and when I started I struggled just trying to keep the ball in play during rallies with my brother and during doubles matches I’d just botch up everything etc. Now for the last six weeks Ive been fixing my forehand using video via my lobster and hitting 300-500 balls 4-5 times a week. I’ll video every other session and quickly see that there’s “another thing to fix”. I’m getting there tho and have seen Major improvement thanks to videos such as these. Video yourself and grow!!! I also just ordered the book. Thx Ian!!!

[@crosscourtrabbitcompletetennis]

I agree with everything you say, including the need for greater use of videoing when coaching/teaching the game. Just over a decade ago I made the transition from the old, essentially linear strokes I learned as a kid to the more rotational modern strokes, and I dd it largely by videoing myself and comparing those videos to videos of the pros. We don't fully understand what we are doing until we see ourselves doing it.

[@rajatisivan381]

Thanks to all the coaches for teaching how to hit the right way. I have transitioned from arming the ball to hitting with the body. Here is my perspective of a student about the difficulties in making the transition. When I was arming the ball, I could get away with poor rhythm (bounce-hips-hit) and poor spacing (ineffective use of left hand). All that mattered was making sure the racket is put in the way of the ball at the correct angle regardless of how the racquet got there. But to hit it with the body, the trigger needs to be pulled a lot earlier, and spacing has to be spot on (within a much narrower range of feasible options that allow for a hit with the body). And to get to the right position and time, the read has to be much better. Meaning, reading the opponents body, positioning and racket face. The split step has to spot on with a solid first move. So the transition was really hard, since I had to do a lot of other things much much better to be able maintain the right swing technique. It is relatively easy to mimic the correct swing path in a controlled setting in a relatively slow ball feed. But to that in a live ball drill, a whole host of skills needs to be perfected. A lot of students get frustrated when they think they got it, and find out they are now losing to opponents that they used to beat easily before. This takes a lot of time and practice. Short term pain, but long term gain

[@EssentialTennis]

Keep up the amazing work, Raj!

[@ToOpen6seven]

You are spot on in your assessment. This is me! During my doubles I freeze up, hit the ball bad, tense up, get tyrannosaurus rex arms etc., etc.

[@johnhammond2287]

Beginner to expert takes sequential steps and time. How much time is pupil dependent. Don t rush it.

[@dchanluffy]

I found this video incredibly helpful and relevant to my game. It's clear that you truly do want your viewers to improve and become better tennis players. Thanks!

[@IndranilBhattacharyaDhanbad]

Such a simple but super effective explanation of the techniques to use the body to lead the shot making. Will focus on this and come back with how it is working - thank you so much for your guidance

[@registrationsOne]

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.

[@devotedtennis]

This is great stuff as always, Ian! I hope you don’t mind, but I have really adopted your technique in my coaching. I love filming and showing students what it looks like vs what they think it looks like. I also like how you break things down into steps. A lot of people think it’s boring, but the progress that is made through this style is so much more than trying to break bad habits while doing live ball drills.

[@66jashford]

This is fabulous news as I have been breaking down my forehand and "thinking" too much! Thank you so much for this great instruction! It takes all the stress of trying too hard!

[@brahimjamal177]

videos are a good the best witness of a tennis player placement , movement and technic . The more you see yourself the more you tend to adjust all weaknesses. Your analysis of the ground strokes is 100% preparation is absolutely true and to the point. Nice presentation!

[@jamespettinelli6953]

I use video when I coach, especially during private sessions. It's amazing what you can see in slow motion replay that you can't in real time. I definitely agree with Ian that video is "essential." 🙂 Further, Ian is on point with turning the body first. There's a risk that of being too open, where you're flailing, but the principle is nevertheless sound. Great and very coherent instruction as always Ian.

[@paulevans2230]

Over the years I have taken numerous lessons from different pros and never once did the pro record me. After reading Essential Tennis (highly recommend this book) I showed up at my next lesson with a tripod and my tablet. The pro was surprised when I said I wanted to record the lesson and was 100% on board. We both ended up looking at the video during the lesson which allowed the pro to point things out to me. Seeing is believing and this turned out to be the most productive lesson I have ever experienced.

[@EssentialTennis]

YES, good for you, Paul! Way to take responsibility for your tennis improvement!

[@photobearcmh]

Paul, did he pay you for the coaching lesson?

[@samtrautman6416]

the pro is not a videographer he might record your serve but if you want proper footage you gotta take your own stuff bro

[@JoelMitchell-tp7yk]

Video is so important and you are so clear in your teachings. Thankyou

[@orangechicken3408]

This is good stuff! Just what I needed! Thanks coach

[@gaylejones5398]

Very helpful. Thank you Ian!

[@Zenon-fg4dw]

This is the best coaching ever. Thank you!

[@igorgrunskyi]

Thanks for a great advice!

[@jilbertderashotion4008]

This is an awesome video and excellent teaching 👏

[@raidraid6672]

I completely agree with you in all what you have said.. the logic is complete and flawless.

[@vincemorgan6781]

Really clear patient training ! Thanks!

[@colincloute]

I've spent the last year re-learning my forehand, going from side on arm swing to semi-open hip swing, and it's made a huge difference. This video is excellent at getting the point across, and would have helped enormously if I'd seen it any number of years ago. One thing that worked for me (I think) while I was transitioning, was to skip the high takeback and racquet drop, and just start with it low. Helped simplify the timing so I could just focus on leading with the hip and everything else that follows from that.

[@mauricioreginato]

I really liked"when you said "exaggerate a bit", so that the player can fix that in the brain... I tottally agree and I have done it myself and it's different from everything I had learnt so far. It works. Good lesson!

[@edisonlouie1501]

You are so right on with your instruction and tips! This should be critically helpful for anyone playing the sport. It is so interesting to see the commonalities between the sports now that pundits like yourself are studying how the body most efficiently generates effortless power and speed to create natural lag. Thank you for your insight! From a tennis player of nearly 60 years who has switched to golf.

[@entraygues]

This is a fantastic video, Ian! Thank you!

[@josehenriquezgonzalez2391]

Excellent! Thanks so much!

[@paulhowsurridge2391]

Brilliant. Absolutely the right advice.

[@bobrien6565]

wow. thank you bunches Ian! love the info

[@Anonimowy_Jutuber]

8:00 Very good advice on recording your workout. I've been doing this for years and I always see something to improve. Thanks to the fact that I can watch on the recording how I train, I am constantly improving my technique. I recommend recording not only your training sessions but also matches.

[@daveclifford7895]

Excellent video Ian

[@truthvfauxyeshu4068]

Thanks Ian. Good to know the causation and effect.

[@dai786]

Wow IAN , thanks so much, just made a Diagnosis for one student , now it's all clear.

[@yoshischookee7115]

Well that is just a super smart and original, but actually totally logical and natural approach..thanks so much for sharing this wisdom man!!

[@gp8900]

Great video. You make it easy to understand.

[@striketochill]

This is such a helpful video! I just started playing and struggle to follow through. I've noticed that sometimes when I'm not making myself do it and just playing with no pressure, I find myself following through naturally and correctly. I must be leading with my body those times. I'm going to use these techniques next time I play. Thank you for breaking it down so simply!!

[@valcervi2742]

great point and explanation

[@TigerWoodard]

This is absolutely genius Ian, your videos along with total tennis dominations Kevin Garlington videos have drastically changed my game and have massively increased my knowledge of the sport. Thank you both so much for creating this wonderful content for us to see. God bless you both

[@MrStampfer]

nice Video with great Tipps ☺ really #thanks for that. i will try it out. 👍

[@jmarcus110]

Great tips!!

[@alastairtheduke]

You're spot on with recording players as coaches. I have heard other youtube coaches scoff at the idea saying that it's silly and it doesn't make sense to use it. I find it invaluable when working on technical aspects of the game for the simple fact that, what you're doing and what you think you're doing are two different things. This, on top of the fact that coaches can cue you in but they can't really show you what you look like.

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you're using it Radek! Keep it up!

[@Better_Call_Raul]

A coach can describe the problem but the student will often not quite believe it. One compelling reason to use video is that the camera does not lie. It will sink in only when the video is shown. That said, a good coach will be able to spot a lot of problems with the naked eye. I am coming to the conclusion that video is more for the student than for the coach.

[@AlphaTennisinPittsburgh]

Get Ahead in Tennis with Killer Volley Techniques. Great Video! Thanks for sharing this one.

[@TheoJansn]

This is a great lesson! I'm being told this all the time by my trainer!

[@KollisionBR]

That's a really great insight, Ian. It's one that only recently (after so many years) I've come to realize.

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you've made the realization! Check with video and keep going!

[@KollisionBR]

oh yes! if only I could practice and play as often as I want... but yeah always moving forward even if slowly, that's the idea 😁😁

[@bernardzammit6459]

Loved your video

[@eldartop1634]

Great lesson indeed.

[@thomasbarnes9766]

Best video you’ve produced - been watching for years.

[@aineiasbabulis1512]

Incredible information's you have on this video. Well done, people will appreciate this.

[@pfpvilano]

Ian, you nailed this one and kept it under 10 minutes - well done sir

[@alejandrohualdez5550]

Coming from a golf background, and being a latecomer to tennis, I'm amazed at the lack of video use in club tennis coaching!!! It's so much easier to correct a swing fault once you can see what you're doing.

[@Sweeney-Kubach]

Coach Ian I agree with everything you said, I started playing tennis again after an 25 year hiatus, due to injuries that made me disabled. I have been back at tennis for about 3 months and I record all my practices, and use your videos, and boy Coach Nicks videos to improve my game and performance. When I played tournaments and leagues in the 80s, and 90s video was a rare tool in teaching. Agassi’s coach N was using video back in the 80s, and his coaching produced at least 4 world champions Agassi, Samprass, Selles, Courier. The video coaching helped those world champs see their mistakes in live time and fix the problem instantly. Great job on the video my friend.

[@quentincrisp6933]

Instead of stating moving you body first be more specific and state moving or firing your hip which is the main body part that starts the chain reaction. Still the best video I've seen on these chain of events for the FH!

[@CryptoSimplifiedTutorials]

This really helped me so much. I hope i can get this into muscle memory 🤔

[@rayrozema5960]

great instruction !

[@dennisckh]

This is really useful for my forehand.

[@nishachainani]

Gonna try this

[@user-ie7ue3zk2c]

Thank you so much sir . This video made me rerealize what mistake I did which even my coach didn't notice.

[@mikealbert728]

I had a similar issue. I improved a lot when I started using a "skipping rocks technique". If you know how to skip rocks already try to get that same feel with your swing. You don't have to bring your hand as low but it will really help you feel the kinetic chain and get that sweet wrist lag.

[@EssentialTennis]

Great idea, Mike!

[@plinden]

Will try!

[@louismurphy3238]

so using your wrist more too or am I thinking too far in to the name of the technique?

[@mikealbert728]

@@louismurphy3238 if you haven't skipped rocks before it's a little difficult to explain how your body and arm feels. If there's water around just try it. You can watch videos of someone skipping rocks or side arm pitchers are kind of similar with the kinetic chain. They typically step in like a closed stance forehand but way lower than for a tennis swing and the arm is also further back because you have more time than you would on a tennis back swing. As you come forward though the upper body mechanics are similar. The waist turns followed by the shoulder which is pulling the arm with the wrist lagging behind except with tennis you will be swinging you arm upwards where as with rock skipping your are going more linearly or slightly downward on the finish. It feels very loose and relaxed until just before release when you accelerate your wrist. Maybe try snapping a towel or rag like a whip. Different motion but it's a very relaxed motion then you accelerate your hand at the very end to make the towel snap. Not sure if any of this makes sense but it helped me stop pushing my forehand so much.

[@ToOpen6seven]

Sounds like Patrick Mouratoglou throw the racket technique.

[@timscott-sandvik3479]

Definitely putting this into practice when I coach next

[@rainsprinkle1965]

Love your teaching method of focusing on cause not the symptoms!

[@EssentialTennis]

🙏

[@gianlucaparisi4610]

Simply the best

[@rickbonner6252]

Hi Ian, I like teaching my players to hit the ball with the dominant shoulder in front of the nondominant shoulder. To achieve this, I want them to cynic the racquet racquet drop with the nondominant elbow rotating back and around. They quickly learn to create more inertia on their forehand. There's a ton of old phrases like hitting through the ball that need to be tossed. The forehand is an arch that intercepts the line of the ball. I coached for years in the LaCrosse area.

[@GrungePopRecords]

Say it like you mean it! Bravo! This needs to be said! Thanks so much!

[@EssentialTennis]

Thanks for the support Grunge! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@awachsmann]

Great insight! 👍👍

[@EssentialTennis]

Thanks for watching

[@BN99239]

I thought this video was someone trying to "disrupt" tennis coaching techniques that's been working for decades and showing something useless but what you've said is spot on that all of these things are a biproduct of leading with the body first. Great video!

[@afoster1955]

Absolutely Fantastic tennis lessons. Literally, someone can actually learn how to go hit a tennis ball on a tennis from watching your videos. They can also improve their Tennis IQ as well. I mean they can learn to match their tennis thinking with their body and tennis racquet! This is very critical in my opinion and you have addressed this in your videos. Thank you so much for that.

[@EssentialTennis]

❤

[@user-pe1ur2yt1k]

Thank you excellent vedio

[@hopeallwell7228]

this is on point. you can see the older gent is actually leaning back and there is no turning of the body during the contact. I think he needs to prepare hitting the ball a bit earlier, start turning earlier. He's a thicker gent so it's harder for him to turn or even with the right foot stepping forward after the forehand strike. I mean you don't want him to fall at this age. But I do see the before and after improvement. The follow through thing is to encourage student to stick a full swing instead of just tapping the ball. But the rurn of the body is vitally important.

[@SandroBuss]

You're absolutely right

[@EssentialTennis]

Thanks Sandro! We appreciate your support!

[@chadboyles7707]

OMG, that is me!!! A arm hitter. I want so badly to improve and break that habit, and I just can't figure it out. This is the first time I have seen and heard it explained. Great video.

[@andygittins7629]

Great video, wish I had known this years ago !

[@EssentialTennis]

You can still make the change! Just takes some work! Let us know how it goes!

[@atllzable]

Love it...just great..!!

[@gw11159]

Another great instructional video recording. Ha! Ha! get it?😄 Loved it. And I picked up bonus tips just reading the comments!

[@roentgenium6682]

very true, I tried this recently it's giving great results. One question, how to hit down the line? just the same(turn shoulders) but take the ball late? Thank you!

[@dalef84]

An important cause to me as well has to do with ball recognition: if you don't recognize a deep ball, it'll catch you by surprise and while walking backwards, making it really hard to apply these concepts.

[@EssentialTennis]

Yes! We have many lessons on recognition! It is the key to every thing in tennis!

[@lamranikarim]

Tomorrow I will apply it in Marrakech, thank you 🙏

[@mtns7036]

Nice video. Would love to know your thoughts on the constraints led approach to teaching.

[@franciscomanrique4979]

GRACIAS

[@adamburt394]

Hi Ian, I agree with what you have said, I wanted to add something to it. Another cause of not being able to lead with your body is if you are too close to the ball for your contact point (based on your forehand grip). If one judges the ball with their hand instead of their strings at the contact point, they are too close to the ball. This prevents them from being able to turn forward and lead with their larger muscles.

[@Ormsby504]

yep great reminder to power with the body and steer with the arm. keeping arm loose also is key to getting racket head speed into the ball.

[@andrewshewmon5859]

Ian, great video. I've been working on this for a while now, the miracle of easy power. It's fun when it works. It's cool knowing it's a good groundstroke the moment before contact. For me the big challenge is knowing, feeling when to initiate the sequence, especially with a mix of fast balls and slow ones. With my one handed backhand I've found it helpful to keep a loose hand and try to punch the ball with the butt of the racquet. You can't help but have a follow through. Still, there must be a racquet drop and body turn happening before the punch. When, exactly? And how to adjust to different pace?

[@producermind9030]

Good tips!

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pedrohero7]

I agree very much on point 2) The lag happens automatically and it's a very very short time.

[@michaelwhalley6098]

Great video - Do you know any coaches / academies in London that make good use of video?

[@stevenyu8390]

Thanks for the video. Just have a question on the leading part where I was watching coach Mourtatoglou and he said to lead with the hand and the body follows? maybe I am not understanding correctly

[@PeterFreemantennis]

Great video buddy perfect

[@EssentialTennis]

Thanks 👍

[@hesido]

Excellent breakdown. I also notice you are left handed and it's nice for the student to "mirror" you during your lessons!

[@atdog98]

Great video, thank you, to which I would add just one thing. Lead with and turn your body but you still want a calm head with eyes watching the ball to contact. When your student was practicing w/o the ball he was looking forward way before imagined ball contact. He did better once he was hitting live balls though. Just something that might be mentioned.

[@ministerofjoy]

Essential, its true🎉

[@snprasad3472]

This is the real guy...will follow

[@Bikerbeest]

Early preperation for each stroke is the key of succes this is so important , create time for yourself I see lots of players who are starting with their preparation just before the bounce or after the bounce. You have to start with the preperation when the ball just leaving from the racket from your oponent.

[@scissorsharp9032]

I think the non dominant hand plays a huge role in the uncoiling process, I try to think of my forehand as a simplified 4 step, 1.set rear foot 2.non-dom hand points to target 3. Set front foot to begin the weight transfer. 4. Relax whilst your partner retrieves the ball you just crunched. I find the more anxious I get on the court, the more restricted my left arm becomes but making sure I’m conscious of it, I make far less silly unforced errors.

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you found something that works for you! As long as your doing the kinetic chain properly and you've checked with video...keep going!

[@DavidBreneisen]

Your opponent might appreciate you pointing to where you're going to hit to as well. :)

[@lisasanguiliano3229]

I completely agree on the lack of use the video. I also play golf, and when the video take me once it made a huge difference.

[@freeman038]

I recently have many observations and thoughts on the exact swing issue you mentioned. The first thing I found is that this issue seems to be more on people who learned tennis in or after their Middle Ages, but very rarely found in kids and younger players, no matter how inexperienced they may be. So I guess old people do start to be less efficient rotating their body and use core muscles to initiate a swing, even if they try even harder than youngsters. The second thing I found with my own experience (I am 55+ and leaned tennis for three years) is that although I managed to swing quite well (proved with videos) with slower swings practiced in half court, once I play back the normal tennis session, my old swing issue came back! (not as bad as before but certainly much worse than my slower swings). This means practicing slower swings as you taught although helps, but may not fix the issue totally, especially when normal swings might restrengthen the wrong muscle memory. Above two of my observations seem to show one thing in common: old people do have trouble to efficiently use their core muscle to initiate a quick swing. Simply put: their bodies may be too old to be flexible and react fast enough for a rapid tennis swing, especially when such muscle memory has never been established in their younger ages! Then don’t we have a fix here? I must say it’s probably quite hard to find, otherwise I won’t see many people with such swing problems in my own tennis club! However, I do think older players can “trick” their bodies to open sooner by focusing on deliberately hitting the ball sooner: if you hit the ball more in front, then you must open your stance more by rotating your body. The actual ball hitting spot might not be that much different, but your body stance will certainly change in that hitting moment. One final thought: Maybe the whole swing issue which is so popular on people who learned tennis late is actually caused by their slower reaction to the incoming ball? When they learn tennis, their reaction is already slower, so naturally their most natural hitting time tends to be late and the spot is too behind. Then body rotation is too late to hit the ball and arm swings much sooner before core muscle is utilized. This also explains why slower swing seems correct the issue for them: they have much less trouble react fast enough to slower incoming balls! When I played half court, I always feel I have much more time to reach the ball in front, and naturally my body opened sooner and much more naturally. Anyway, I think it’s not easy to fix the swing issue which already become a bad habit of many older players like me: either we start practicing lots of slower tennis to build correct muscle memory but refrain from playing regular tennis, or we must try very hard to react faster to incoming balls and focus on hitting them sooner and more in front.

[@claudiosartori1546]

This is the most useful forehand tip I've ever heard.

[@marianogonzalezsardi5867]

Hello Ian! I love your way of teaching. Do you teach online individual lessons? Im from Argentina and want to improve my forehand, very relatesld to this video concepts Thanks in advance

[@paddlepower888]

Doggone it. Had my tripod and phone yesterday, but wasn't shooting during the last five minutes. While working on leading with the core, I felt my wrist doing a quick flip before contact. No idea what was happening 🤷‍♂, but contact felt good in front & the balls went per intent. Gave up the court to the juniors & left. Hope to replicate for video today. I'm Medicare age -- you've helped immensely. Thank you!

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you've felt we have helped in anyway! That's why we continue to make videos! We hope you're seeing the progress and continue to use video!