3.5+ Tennis Practice Drills. Forehand Drive.

If too windy, wet or marginal, the picture above will be Pilot Butte. Instead of practice, walk/jog the Nature Trail. Less than 2 miles, round trip. Bring your wrist weights. Meet at parking lot restrooms.

Monday morning workout, enhance your conditioning and routines.

July 1st, 83 degrees or so, a continuous rally of about 120 hits accomplished.
July 9th, 78 degrees or so, about 70 hits accomplished.
July 25th, 73 degrees, high rally went to 55.

Modern Forehand Drive Review
Shoulder turn.
Relaxed arm and grip.
Keep your racquet on your frontside.
Imagine pulling your racquet and the pull “path” sort of resembles a Christmas candy cane.
Pull straight toward your target, pull some more, eventually turn finish.
Prior routines allow your racquet to get to your backside, which causes a more circular, round swing path.

Macci: Forehand “Flip” (1 Minute)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdsjAk2ds7k&pp=ygUQTWFjY2kgcG9zaXRpdml0eQ%3D%3D

Federer Forehand (20 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5MHugAF2DiQ&pp=ygUPTWFjY2kgZm9yZWhhbmQg

Carlos Alcaraz, Slow motion (6 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a7M6A8e-rXM&pp=ygUjY2FybG9zIGFsY2FyYXogZm9yZWhhbmQgc2xvdyBtb3Rpb27SBwkJwQkBhyohjO8%3D

Mouratoglou: How good can her forehand get in one lesson? (15 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8XYxMn0sXsY&pp=ygUrSG93IGdvaWQgY2FuIHJyIGZvcmVoYW5kIGdldCBpbiBvbmUgbGVzc29uINIHCQnYCQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D

Macci: Forehand Slice (1 Min)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_RQryIJXg&pp=ygULbWFjY2kgc2xpY2U%3D

Ground Strokes
Relax & Focus, Goal: 100 in a row
Give ‘em a “surprise, hit on the rise.”
Lean toward the net.
Hit the ball higher over the net.
FH: Elbow up, Pet, Legs, Pull.
BH Slice: Shoulder turn, knuckles up.
For balance, finish like eagle wings.

Novak Djokovic
Forehand, Backhand (6 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FmrLQmZ1CVQ&pp=ygUZbm92YWsgZGpva292aWMgc2xvIG1vdGlvbg%3D%3D

Lobs/Overheads & High Ball Volleys
Overhead Experiment:
Point your left elbow at the lob. This induces you to turn while your left hand guides your racquet back.
Left elbow and point, hit.
2/3 Speed, controlled placement.
Goal: Make 50 in a row

Babel: Forehand Swing Volley (8)
Semi-Western grip for topspin.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijm7tfl7uHk&pp=ygUSQmFiZWwgc3dpbmcgdm9sbGV5

Volleys
Shoulder turn, “U” shape.
Racquet head higher than your wrist.
High ball: High energy 8, finish point.
Low ball: Low energy 2, finesse/drop.
Aim for sharp angle, “Low and slow.”
Fast ball: No time, just BLOCK it.
Half Volleys: Forward “ta-da.”

Drop Shot (Dropper)
Delay and “disguise to surprise.”
Lock your wrist, 90 degrees.
For backspin, pull down high to low.
You “hit the drop and make it stop.”
Goal: 50 in a row

Serve
Middle grip, maybe a bit Eastern.
Pinpoint your feet.
Relax your arm.
“Be water, my friend.”
Racquet palm toward you so that a side edge of your racquet “leads.”
Experiment:
Space your grip fingers more.
Bend your knees to jump higher.
Underhand serve.

Return of Serve
1st: Get the ball back over the net.
Forward “split, for better hit.”
Quick, brief backswing.
Generally return cross court.
Consider chip, volley your return.
Consider more lobs.
Think “Return to Sender.”

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USTA NTRP Ratings Information:
https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/adult-tennis/programs/national/usta-ntrp-ratings-faqs.html#tab=tournaments

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Prerequisite: Proficient NTRP Level 3.5 +. RSVP to attend, no walk-ons. Donate a new can of balls or $$. Thanks.

Value your time.
You probably won’t get it back.

Today’s practice is not a lesson with a teaching pro.

Now stop the junk food, get outside and get in shape!!

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Videos for visual learning.

Roger Federer Practicing (14 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RvwGv8Ie6Dk&pp=ygUQRmVkZXJlciB0d28gZ3V5cw%3D%3D

Carlos Alcaraz Practicing (16 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MFpSeZRx83g&pp=ygUXY2FybG9zIGFsY2FyYXogY2xvc2UgdXA%3D

Novak Djokovic & Carlos Alcaraz
Practice (13 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Gl-T2dtss&pp=ygUdY2FybG9zIGFsY2FyYXogcHJhY3RpY2UgcGFyaXPSBwkJwQkBhyohjO8%3D

Chris Evert vs Monica Seles
Moon balls, patience (18 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AKwAHVo5nyQ&pp=ygUMRXZlcnQgc2VsZXMg

Martha Stewart
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs (2 Mins)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=we_JQ2Vt-XA&pp=ygUdbWFydGhhIHN0ZXdhcnQgc2NyYW1ibGVkIGVnZ3M%3D

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LIABILITY WAIVER: By signing up for or attending this Event, I agree that the Organizers of this Group and any of its Members will not be held responsible for the actions of any participant at this Event. Each tennis player attends Event at their own risk and is solely responsible for any injury or damage to themselves, their equipment, other Persons or other Property.