Question 147: I struggle with the opponent's deep balls and low-bouncing short balls

Answer

▶ Do not think about the "grip" in your head

I imagine you think that using a continental grip increases your reach, making it easier to stabilize your defensive and neutral shots against the opponent's deep or low-bouncing short balls.

However, this is not a good strategy.

Based on the image of the shot you want to hit, and taking into account the situation at the time, your swing tendencies and habits, the strength of the impact you want to achieve, and the timing,your body will automatically select the best grip by making a comprehensive judgment.

Even if you try to consciously change your grip by thinking about it in your head, it rarely goes well.

However,it is effective to try out various continental and eastern grips during practice, and if you have that accumulation of images, as I mentioned at the beginning, your body will automatically change the grip according to the situation at that time.

▶ Can the grip issue be the "essence" of tennis improvement?

To answer your question,even among pros, the thickness or thinness of the grip varies widely.

That grip is a "result" that naturally appears as a form, judged comprehensively based on the situation at the time, the player's swing tendencies and habits, the strength of the impact they want to achieve, and the timing"result" (it is not the "cause" that allows you to hit a good shot"cause").

Therefore, there is no answer that can be called "this is correct" regarding whether you should use a continental grip.

As long as there are players who can hit back better with a thicker grip,the grip issue is "not the essence".

Starting to be conscious of non-essential issues (phenomena) is what causes tennis to become hard mode (related article"Didn't you say 'turn sideways' for volleys!?").

▶ "Shorthand" and "Calligraphy," don't the ways of holding change?

It is the same as saying that just because you changed how you hold a pencil, it doesn't mean you can change your handwriting to be beautiful.

I think your hand will comprehensively judge the situation at the time, your tendencies and habits as a writer, and change how you hold it.

For example,if you try holding it this way for shorthand, this way for calligraphy, and this way for coloring in a coloring book, don't you think the way you hold it changes naturally without you even thinking about it??

It can be said that your body is automatically selecting the best way to hold it, based on your own image of what kind of characters you are writing or how you are coloring, and judging comprehensively based on your tendencies and habits of brushwork, the strength of the pressure you want to achieve, and so on.

▶ If you ignore your senses, things will become inconsistent

At this time, if you do not follow your own tendencies and habits, orto put it another way, if you ignore your senses and forcibly change only the way you hold it (the form or appearance), the whole thing is likely to become inconsistent.

That is a "partial" form correction, so it disrupts the balance of the "whole" (related article "The true identity of the 'one of two' robotizing players").

▶ When what you see becomes invisible

If you are having trouble surviving or keeping the rally going against deep and short balls, please check once more whether you are viewing the ball with a calm mind via this link.

Alternatively, try imitating 'Joe Yabuki' when you get lost in how to watch the ball.

I think it will surely go better than worrying about what to do with your grip (when you are moved around, thoughts like 'Oh no!' or 'I have to do something!' can cause your mind to waver, making it harder to see what is right in front of you).

If you can see the ball, your body will try to react accordingly, so your grip might change, or it might not change at all.

But that is perfectly fine.

If you try to change your grip when you don't have enough time, you will still make a mistake.

Do not try to force it with your will; instead, surrender yourself to the automatic reactions of your body (to expand those options, practice with various grip thicknesses).

▶ The true nature of 'high-quality footwork'

Alternatively, if you are struggling to deal with shallow and deep balls, it is highly likely that revisiting your positioning and footwork will lead to improvement.

Basically, a ball that forces you deep is the most difficult, so it is desirable to position yourself to catch these balls easily.

To do that, naturally, your basic position (unless you are hitting back with a rising shot) needs to be further back than the baseline.

If you wait while positioned further back, you will have to run forward if a short ball is dropped, but that movement of switching positions forward and backward is the true nature of 'high-quality footwork' (related article: 'Tennis is also 'hit and away'').

Of course, you can also try the opposite approach of waiting on or inside the baseline, being wary of the opponent's short balls and moving back if they hit a deep ball, but generally, a dash forward can be performed more quickly than moving backward.

▶ To see from the ball's 'point of origin'

What you want to be careful about is watching the point of origin of the ball from the opponent's impact.

If you cannot see this, your 'start dash' will be delayed.

This delay is the reason you miss the 'shallow, low-bouncing ball' that should be easy.

To see from the 'point of origin,' a split step where you basically don't move yourself and stop to watch is effective.

The split step is not so much an 'accelerator to start moving quickly' as taught by conventional tennis instruction, but rather a 'brake to stop' (related article: ''accelerator to start moving quickly' as taught by conventional tennis instruction, but rather a 'brake to stop'' (related article: 'Split step when the opponent hits?').

▶ Image x Concentration on the ball = Body that moves automatically

However, regarding positioning and footwork (or the split step), if you are too conscious of them during play, it becomes harder to see the ball.

Therefore, I recommend trying training where you have someone feed you balls of various depths and you only practice moving forward and backward to change your position (in a free space where you don't have to worry about lines, have them feed balls continuously forward and backward, and try catching them, etc.).

If you have that accumulation of images, in a real match, all you have to do is concentrate on the ball, and your body will automatically take the position forward or backward without you having to think about it.

▶ When you set a goal, your 'RAS' will keep finding the necessary information

Also, I wrote earlier that 'if you are too conscious of positioning and footwork (or the split step) during play, it becomes harder to see the ball,' but conversely, I will certainly add that
if you don't think about it, it becomes easier to see the ball.
I understand your goal setting of achieving results and increasing your options.

Since such
goal setting is already part of building your image, if you just focus and work on it, the probability of achieving your goal will increase.
This is because, following the image, your brain will unconsciously keep catching the necessary information (related article: '
Your life is determined by what information you take in').

▶ The reason there are 'apps you don't notice' on your smartphone screen

To use a simple example regarding the 'RAS,' it's like when you imagine a red car you plan to buy, you start seeing many red cars (related article: 'I'm afraid to tell people because I feel like my luck will drop, W.A.').

We do not see everything that is in our field of vision.

As proof of this, even if you take in the entire smartphone screen, there must be app icons you don't notice.

Even if you are looking at them, your brain only recognizes objects you are interested in.

▶ During play, it's 'now, here, this moment'!

If you set a goal, your 'RAS' will filter information you are interested in regarding that goal and show it to us.

However, during play, rather than focusing on future goals, please strive to persistently remain in the 'here and now, this very moment'.

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