Why You Need to Swing Hard... Not Just Fast

[@oliverquast7036]

Great!!! You are one of the best coaches!!!! Thank you! You take the tennis sport to another level!!!

[@jeanb.3493]

As someone who's been taking improvement and learning seriously, going from a measly 3.0 and approaching 5.0, with an ITF 1 Trainer license and a degree in pedagogics, your concepts and ideas are pure gold. However, reading a few comments and discussing similar topics with coaches, I'm afraid these concepts fly past most recreational players as well as most coaches. Most coaches are or used to be great players, that took to the game easily. Most good players they teach, fall into the same category. However, as an adult, there are several key areas that fail in comparison, esp. regarding movement, dynamic stability, core control, coordination, aso. Unfortunately, a lot of coaching, including the ITF 1 "gold standard" does not answer these issues at all. The main reason players get better is their own ability to learn and adjust. Most coaches reflect way too little on teaching vs learning.

[@15PointsOfTennis]

Thanks Jean... I cringe at myself describing some concepts as I know it can get misconstrued, esp because they overlap and it’s hard to isolate as it’s own variable. Even this box concept, I think it’ll look different for different body types, as I use Fed a lot and not everyone has his long, flexible body type. Otherwise the videos would go on forever, so another topic entirely. Appreciate your comment here. Thank you!

[@jeanb.3493]

​@@15PointsOfTennis I think one of the big misconceptions in teaching and learning tennis, is how most understand the concept of "effortless" tennis. I've come across a lot of players and teachers that have bought into the idea that they generate power "effortlessly", which they explain with terms like "swinging through", "fluid, effortless technique", "i just concentrate on being relaxed", aso. They take the idea of "effortless" and project it into every part of the swing: they think every movement is relaxed and technique based, with little use of power. This is very common in golf. But if you look at slow motion impact footage, you clearly see how much active muscle use there is, even for "smooth" players like Ernie Els, aka "the big easy". Athletic players, that have a strong body throughout, will find it easy to get into the right positions at the right time, and perhaps even more important, will have a very coordinated upper and lower body. By that I mean, they are not "segmented" like a lot of players, are: even if coaches teach the unit turn, not many reflect that this is difficult if your upper body is segmented into a left and right part *because* you do not have a strong upper body. I'm sure you've seen players swinging with the right upper body/shoulder, whilst the left side is not in sync or hardly moves. The "box" addresses that. Another concept that is often teached when in comes to the kinetic chain, is the "whip", which I think is one of the reasons people misunderstand "effortlessness" and "swinging through relaxed". The whip as a kinetic transfer tool, is a limp/lax object, leading you to believe your body should be equally limp/relax throughout the swing. A complementary idea would be the graphite fishing rod (or golf shaft). It is mostly rigid, with some flexibility, allowing to leverage. This image is easier to understand if you look at Fognini, because that's how he generates power. A short impulse, going from the ground up. At the end of this "impulse" you have "stop-and-pop" type of explosive release through impact, just like a boxer would. I think your two concepts of "stop-and-pop" and "the box" are gold for taking "non-athletic" players from 4.0 to 5.0. It's sure done so for me, so thanks for that :-)

[@tennis47]

Another great video! Totally agreed with your 2nd and 3rd concept. Regarding the 1st, swing hard v fast, in my view, the swing should be up to the coming ball: if the ball slow, swing hard and adding pace; if fast, swing has to be fast and maintaining the pace. If your swing is hard, it is very difficult to control the ball.

[@15PointsOfTennis]

Good points here! Sorry if I wasn’t clear, I guess I tried to make the point of swinging with strength whether you swing slow or fast. I think part of what you’re referring to is keeping your swing speed in rhythm with the ball and I agree 100%. I see some players tho getting good racquet head speed, but aren’t engaging their bigger muscles for stability or can’t take the pace of heavier balls despite swinging fast.

[@r.forrestblount9222]

Excellent, clear striking principles.

[@ATIL1304]

22:16 Roger is dancing.His footwork is super.

[@monprenommonnom4411]

Wonderful video again. I am always very surprised about the new concepts you introduce regards to other coaches. It is a different way to practice tennis and to go up to the next level. The video is very clear, great Thanks for your nice work.

[@arlquimlumongsod4970]

Yow, you are the meaning of a coach and a mentor as well keep up the good work man 😊😊😊😊, just finished liking and subscribing to your video

[@robertgonda2168]

Nice! The box actually reminds me of a Qi Gong stance :D

[@donduck1176]

You forgot about the grunt. The grunt is everything! KEY-III or lose. Grunt your way to Wimbledon.

[@FairwayJack]

good stuff

[@SB-up9bz]

Great videos and concepts.

[@suyu2099]

Greatest stuff, ! Thanks!

[@fingersm]

Great video. Best out there, imho!!

[@cryptomando]

Great video, as usual 👍

[@cotasa]

this video is gold

[@alexanderthegrape3873]

Very helpful.

[@solomonpossible]

Edit the videos to 10 minutes videos Very nice presentation

[@charliemullem7482]

what is the name of the first video on the box , you mentioned this is a follow up on another video about the box?

[@15PointsOfTennis]

Hey Charlotte.. you’ll have to scroll through the list of videos but it’s right before this one w Dominic Thiem on the thumbnail

[@emilioguerrero3497]

cuando podriamos disfrutar de tus clases aunque sea con subtitulos en español?

[@twinwankel]

I know you are not a proponent of a loose wrist and arm but I prefer looseness because it takes much less energy to drive ball hard. As I said before, this does not come freely, you need some weight in the racket to plow through. The benefits of looseness is that racket head speed increases while the stress on your joints decreases. If you were to use more strength in your swing without looseness you would tire yourself out rapidly. I use to do this myself before and I got tennis elbow as a result.

[@15PointsOfTennis]

In my video on grip strength, I advocate for an extremely loose wrist but a tight grip. For a higher ball you’re driving flat for example, you don’t need to grip as tight where a low ball you’re spinning up and down you need a very tight grip. It takes a bit of muscle control to squeeze the fingers without locking the wrist joint, so the wrist can appear very loose with a tight grip. Definitely looser before you hit the ball and squeeze at contact as the forearm is the last piece of the kinetic chain. Agree 100% on your points regarding tight muscles getting tired.

[@서경일-q1u]

It's very good....!!!

[@서경일-q1u]

A deep impression...^^

[@akifm6160]

The Student @4:47 needs to smile more often lol

[@jlook6070]

How tight is your grip on the racquet handle? Can you get power by hitting hard but loose grip absorbing tons of pace? Why can't you just swing fast like a chi sau type sensitive contact to the ball technique?

[@15PointsOfTennis]

When the ball comes hard and heavy or I’m hitting heavy spin I hold it tighter. When the ball is softer and or I’m hitting flatter I don’t hold as tight.

[@thomaspham6593]

Are u 2 hand forehanding?

[@watcher687]

I'm just wondering if there is a specific reason why you don't respond to comments or answer questions?

[@user-pl4eu5jc5w]

Seems like most of the balls are not being hit very deep to the opponents side of the court but short into the service box. How to get more depth?

[@daikayll1897]

Practice !

[@louiscyphre7023]

You got it the wrong way round - Swing fast not hard - Swing fast will relax the muscles , swinging hard will put tension in the muscles -

[@akifm6160]

You’re an idiot!!

[@patriciourdinez2468]

I agree

[@patriciourdinez2468]

@@akifm6160 you are rude

[@TheFlydeagle228]

Swing hard ..more like swing through

[@AlexanderGr8]

👍👍👍

[@prasadhadkar]

Keeping things simple is best to generate smooth stroke, too much of technical coaching only complicates things for player and players look like robots on court.

[@akifm6160]

Tunnel visioned noob!

[@TemiBabalola]

your videos ARE GREAT! but tooooooooo long !

[@joelhammrac]

The key to clear messaging is appropriate editing.

[@daikayll1897]

Still no mention of the REAL IMPROVER to any , ANY , player ? I've been all over tennis coaching on KZbin , books , dvd's etc for the last 16 years. and this one MAJOR implementation is NEVER , NEVER , EVER MENTIONED. Incredible really. No ! I have , a few times ten years or so ago but no one wanted to listen , expand , explain or try.

[@jemand8462]

isn't this "muscleing the ball" ? it's exactly what I'm trying NOT to do because it slows down the racket and decreases spin and control for me.

[@15PointsOfTennis]

In a way, yes. Don’t bother with it if it doesn’t work for you though. I try to teach using more muscle without “muscling the ball.” This concept would need to be combined with the concept of flow to get the muscles coordinated and the stroke silky smooth. I have some students who try to swing fast but don’t hit it solid whereas if you watch say Djokovic hit his first few balls in warm up, the ball is heavy off his strings with moderate swing speed. It’s not a perfect concept but I may need to put it in better context.

[@quyanhau8453]

Most of players don’t understand what you try to explain.

[@akifm6160]

Quý Anh Đậu I understand him just fine.

[@akifm6160]

@Quy cuz you’re incompetent and a bat eater!!

[@dannyschmidt1536]

Seems pretty rigid

[@Ihasfinger911]

Is there like an apartheid on Asian tennis players in the US? Why do you only have Asian students???

[@gxyxy1012]

he lives in california (socal i think) which has a higher population of asian americans than other regions of the country

[@pjakobsen]

I'm a huge fan of your videos, but what is up with your cheesy intro music. What's next, Kenny G?

[@15PointsOfTennis]

Thanks... Open to suggestions!