Tennis Student Savy Before and After InstructionTennis student Savy is highlighted in this Dartfish video analysis side by side a pro tennis player before ACE technical instruction in October 2008. This is followed by Savy’s advanced technique after one hour, three weeks, and two months of coaching with Bud Cox. Savy’s tennis forehand technique was good in that he kept his racket hand “chest side.” However, his arm was too bent at contact. At our first one-hour lesson he began to extend away from his body with a straighter arm at contact. He also began to rotate from his "left leg to right leg" to the forehand ending. Savy’s tennis backhand technique was similar to the “low to high” form. I taught that technique until I did the ACE certification. Notice that the pro tennis player (next to Savy) has his racket head "45 degrees to the sky." This allows him to use a "gravity drop," increasing the racket speed. We want Savy to keep his right arm straight as he as it goes away from the body and across the chest to assist the linear aspect of the swing. Executing the forehand and backhand volley well is critical to end the point at net. Savy hit the forehand volley with the racket head down and the ball behind him. After showing him the forehand volley reference points, he kept the racket head up and extended out in front to the ball. On his backhand volley, he dropped the racket head on the ending, so we corrected that. On the tennis serve, Savy opened his palm to the sky in the “L” position (like many kids), so we worked on keeping the racket “on edge.” He also turned the racket face to the side fence just after contact, so we have done several pronation drills to develop the correct "motor engram." Tennis student Savy comes to practice with the desire to get better. He has moved through all "five stages of muscle memory" in a short period of time. We’re continuing to work on his footwork and movement. He’ll grow into better balance as he develops physically. |
