Developing ball recognition for me has involved maintaining a good level of mindfulness to focus on the peculiarities of each incoming ball I receive. I need to never assume I know exactly where the ball will reach. On put-away balls it's difficult to maintain this focus with the extra expectations placed on myself to finish the point and not miss, or the stress from being in an under-practiced situation, but it's the most necessary here since the ball with no penetration will react wildly to spins, wind, and odd bounces and it's easy to become jammed if you just assume the ball's path and let your focus drift.
1) if you hit the ball above net level you can go from up to down and play a winner with any speed necessary to make a winner, 2) if the ball drops below net level, you can still play an aggressive forehand ball, the higher it bounces, the less spin you need and the safer you execute it. What i recognize in amateurs is that do not change their forehand grip or are not aware of its effect. I also played all these balls with the same grip before i realized that i have to make sure i play a western grip for high balls and i can play a semi-western or eastern grip for low balls. When you approach the net you have enough time to make sure you have a) the correct feet position, 2) the correct idea where to put the ball, 3) the correct grip (ball recognition, how high will it jump off the ground).
@@patrikmarflak6559 it took me a while, but now i do it every time, you get used to it. initially i thought i would never get it right, but then i realized that even hitting normal forehands i will always slighty change my grip, cause when hitting different strokes, your hand does not keep same grip all the time. so refocusing on a good grip helps anyways and getting more angle on a high ball helps too
Excellent! Most opponents know to hit short low balls to either side against me and I’ve been working on ball recognition since I saw one of your videos on that and of course my intensity too. I’ll keep training with your videos. Thank! I uploaded a video last Sunday on my training and I was performing for HEAD employees. Getting there! Thanks again
Tip #1 I personally give: Don't hit 100%!!! Especially at the net. No more than 75%. 60% is probably fine. The other thing that helped me is not sprinting to the ball and getting there early. I found it easier to hit the ball when I am stepping into it than when I am just standing still and waiting for it.
Awesome video Nick. A must-watch for all of us rec players🎉 It took me a while to actually understand how to approach half court transitional shots. Intensity is the crucial thing. We often get lazy when dealing with such balls. Also, it used to be counterintuitive for to do a half turn and then approach the ball. It takes time for this particular sequencing to settle in😊. Well explained👍
Intensity is super important. I’ve been coaching recently and am not match fit. When I play sets with other coaches and players even though I can predict where they’re gonna go I’m just a split second late.
Nick, if I may, you missed out a very important piece of those short/approach shots - footwork. 90% of low-mid level rec players have no clue what is front foot hop footwork pattern and without explaining it they would never get this shot no matter how much they would practice it. And then you would also need to explaine when to use front foot hop and when just get down with your legs and hit the ball while still staying down.
@IntutiveTennis, may I ask which racquet you are using and why the switch. You seem to be using a Wilson shift 99. Its v1 or v2, its normal or pro version ? Is the switch due to elbow issues?
Most of the time these type of balls are hit off the left foot (for righties), there are some scenarios, such as not getting there quickly enough, or wide balls where the right foot is utilized (righties). Transitional shots are step up shots in nature 👉 th-cam.com/video/mrTag-q3F84/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1penF-_nD5Z6Bhkq
Some of these comments sound like they’re written by iPad children. If your attention span can’t handle quality instruction for a complex sport like tennis, it’s not for you.
Hey coach can we get a video on what the left hand should do on forehand? I notice mine falls down to my hip then back up on my shot, I notice you do it sometimes but not often
You don't discuss the use of a half-court ball as an opportunity to approach the net (as versus to hit a winner). Is that because it's a bad idea to attempt approach shots on the forehand from a half-court ball?
it doesn't have to be a winner, but it will have to stress the opponent, otherwise you are a sitting duck. All these are approach shots. you don't back up after hitting this ball.
Unless there is a natural law behind it applicable to everybody, no one can tell you. Most probabale answer. You know your techniques or apply them better with the other hand.
It's very hard to recognize my partner's ball, his exaggerate hitting post seems muscling the ball so hard but the ball second bounce on 6 feet before the baseline like a drop shot😑😵💫😵🥴
For all these setups having a ball machine providing you the correct ball is essential. Otherwise you need a coach, cause your friend will not like you trying winners on every ball
@@IntuitiveTenniscould I have a video about overheads? I can put the easy ones away but I can’t really control the depth which leads to the overheads when moving back (past the service line) going into the net
You're a good coach but it always takes forever for you to get to the point. They are unnecessarilyntoo long. Break your video into segments please. Intro, step 1, step 2...
He seems to go on in every video about how recreational players are not as good as high level players. Which is an obvious point but you don't have to keep making that obvious point. We all know high level players are better.
You don't know what you're talking about, he's explaining the differences between high and low level players to give you an understanding of what you need to work on. Nothing about that is 'unnessesary'. This in particular is a shot that low level players struggle at but is easy for high level players so he is explaining why that is.
I disagree. It's good to know what the common pitfalls are so that you know if you're doing them. It's not enough to tell a rec player do this and that. You have to point out common pitfalls
He knows a lot about tennis but he talks too much for these videos to be useful. He should just TEACH THE POINT. Instead of 9:45 he could say his main instructions in 3:00 and it would be great, memorable and vivid.
I appreciate the input but it’s impossible to explain every point in this video in 3 min I have a second channel @intuitivetennis247 where the content is much more compressed. I will however try to cut any unnecessary or repetive talk in my long form content on the main channel ✌️
@@IntuitiveTennis Sad reality, but Tiktok and Instagram has really shrunken people's attention spans nowadays. I remember the days of hours long tennis instructional videos on vhs.
Related: 4 Ways to Attack the Net
👉 th-cam.com/video/NAAkUwE01FU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=9R3_AMB11BxiTkNE
Nick is without a doubt one of the best on line teachers .
who is better?
Developing ball recognition for me has involved maintaining a good level of mindfulness to focus on the peculiarities of each incoming ball I receive. I need to never assume I know exactly where the ball will reach. On put-away balls it's difficult to maintain this focus with the extra expectations placed on myself to finish the point and not miss, or the stress from being in an under-practiced situation, but it's the most necessary here since the ball with no penetration will react wildly to spins, wind, and odd bounces and it's easy to become jammed if you just assume the ball's path and let your focus drift.
Great video. I miss these shots all the time. Usually long. This is not a long winded video. Please don’t change the way you make your videos.
🙏
Nick and Milan has an effortless way of playing! Great video Nick! 👍👍👍
Thank you Hans
You're most welcome!
7:26 - How to move towards the ball
1) if you hit the ball above net level you can go from up to down and play a winner with any speed necessary to make a winner, 2) if the ball drops below net level, you can still play an aggressive forehand ball, the higher it bounces, the less spin you need and the safer you execute it. What i recognize in amateurs is that do not change their forehand grip or are not aware of its effect. I also played all these balls with the same grip before i realized that i have to make sure i play a western grip for high balls and i can play a semi-western or eastern grip for low balls. When you approach the net you have enough time to make sure you have a) the correct feet position, 2) the correct idea where to put the ball, 3) the correct grip (ball recognition, how high will it jump off the ground).
@@patrikmarflak6559 it took me a while, but now i do it every time, you get used to it. initially i thought i would never get it right, but then i realized that even hitting normal forehands i will always slighty change my grip, cause when hitting different strokes, your hand does not keep same grip all the time. so refocusing on a good grip helps anyways and getting more angle on a high ball helps too
@@patrikmarflak6559 try a ball machine! you can even practise it playing balls against the wall.
Great video. Control is a lot easier if you can get up to the ball to hit at you waist or just above the waist. Can't wait to try this! ❤
🔥💯🙌
Excellent video as always, Nick!😍
Thank you 🙌
Excellent! Most opponents know to hit short low balls to either side against me and I’ve been working on ball recognition since I saw one of your videos on that and of course my intensity too. I’ll keep training with your videos. Thank! I uploaded a video last Sunday on my training and I was performing for HEAD employees. Getting there! Thanks again
🔥
I have been struggling with returning short balls for a very long time getting the sequence wrong. Thanks for making the video.
You can do it!
Tip #1 I personally give: Don't hit 100%!!! Especially at the net. No more than 75%. 60% is probably fine.
The other thing that helped me is not sprinting to the ball and getting there early. I found it easier to hit the ball when I am stepping into it than when I am just standing still and waiting for it.
Excellent video Nick. This is on my mind recently. And I am looking forward to your one handed backhand mid court video…. 🙏 thanks
💯
Great video. Thanks!
Thank you James
once again excellent, thank you coach, greetings from Chile
Thank you 🙏
Awesome video Nick. A must-watch for all of us rec players🎉
It took me a while to actually understand how to approach half court transitional shots. Intensity is the crucial thing. We often get lazy when dealing with such balls. Also, it used to be counterintuitive for to do a half turn and then approach the ball. It takes time for this particular sequencing to settle in😊.
Well explained👍
Thank you Milan. The sequencing is super important 🔥🔥
Intensity is super important. I’ve been coaching recently and am not match fit. When I play sets with other coaches and players even though I can predict where they’re gonna go I’m just a split second late.
Yes please make the high backhand video. I have super hard time with it.
Nick, if I may, you missed out a very important piece of those short/approach shots - footwork. 90% of low-mid level rec players have no clue what is front foot hop footwork pattern and without explaining it they would never get this shot no matter how much they would practice it. And then you would also need to explaine when to use front foot hop and when just get down with your legs and hit the ball while still staying down.
I talked about it in detail here th-cam.com/video/zbcd2Vqi6B0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-UX9ZDS9QXY7GVh7
@@IntuitiveTennis Ah, thanks, I haven't seen this video!
I need to find a practice wall in this city. I found that key to my previous advancements
What type of grip should you use on short balls? Same as your forehand?
Yes
@@IntuitiveTennis is your grip in this video semi western? It looks a bit more western than only semi
@IntutiveTennis, may I ask which racquet you are using and why the switch. You seem to be using a Wilson shift 99. Its v1 or v2, its normal or pro version ? Is the switch due to elbow issues?
Racquet reveal coming soon…
What stance would you use if you have plenty of time on a high midcourt ball vs the chest level mid court ball that you have to rush to get to?
Most of the time these type of balls are hit off the left foot (for righties), there are some scenarios, such as not getting there quickly enough, or wide balls where the right foot is utilized (righties). Transitional shots are step up shots in nature
👉 th-cam.com/video/mrTag-q3F84/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1penF-_nD5Z6Bhkq
Some of these comments sound like they’re written by iPad children. If your attention span can’t handle quality instruction for a complex sport like tennis, it’s not for you.
Do an analysis of Andy Murray forehand. And do you have to keep your elbow up on the forehand
This is my biggest problem - finish short ball. Iam often too close to the ball.
Work on it & you’ll see improvements
Hey coach...what racket are you using?
Racquet reveal soon…
Hey coach can we get a video on what the left hand should do on forehand? I notice mine falls down to my hip then back up on my shot, I notice you do it sometimes but not often
Sure
You don't discuss the use of a half-court ball as an opportunity to approach the net (as versus to hit a winner). Is that because it's a bad idea to attempt approach shots on the forehand from a half-court ball?
it doesn't have to be a winner, but it will have to stress the opponent, otherwise you are a sitting duck. All these are approach shots. you don't back up after hitting this ball.
How come I am more sure on my high backhand than my high forehand?
Unless there is a natural law behind it applicable to everybody, no one can tell you.
Most probabale answer. You know your techniques or apply them better with the other hand.
double handed? - if so, it provides more stability when swinging from high to low.
those g'd'pickleball lines. Especially when it's yellow over white instead of blue, bastardos
It's very hard to recognize my partner's ball, his exaggerate hitting post seems muscling the ball so hard but the ball second bounce on 6 feet before the baseline like a drop shot😑😵💫😵🥴
@@patrikmarflak6559 bcoz he want to hit all the ball as hard as🤷
My approach shots are garbage.
Also known as the Federer hop
I've been struggling with my short forehand, last match getting an average of 1 in 5 short balls. It's like you heard my pleas.
LOL same! I've been working on my short ball for the last couple weeks 😂
For all these setups having a ball machine providing you the correct ball is essential. Otherwise you need a coach, cause your friend will not like you trying winners on every ball
biggest reason why rec players don't practice this ball
I did some short ball drills with the ball machine
Very fun & exhausting
th-cam.com/video/N_VNxTk9C5I/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Cl0-dpGr2sZGI-8Z
Hey Nik, is the Monday Morning Rant retired?
It’s not
@@IntuitiveTenniscould I have a video about overheads? I can put the easy ones away but I can’t really control the depth which leads to the overheads when moving back (past the service line) going into the net
Here is one with Felipe th-cam.com/video/qSilXwJRYhY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=OynWTnjS0tL8CHyc
I have a great serve but lose all my matches because of this, so frustrating.
Work on it and you will see results
First! Haha
🙌
You're a good coach but it always takes forever for you to get to the point. They are unnecessarilyntoo long. Break your video into segments please. Intro, step 1, step 2...
He seems to go on in every video about how recreational players are not as good as high level players. Which is an obvious point but you don't have to keep making that obvious point. We all know high level players are better.
You don't know what you're talking about, he's explaining the differences between high and low level players to give you an understanding of what you need to work on. Nothing about that is 'unnessesary'. This in particular is a shot that low level players struggle at but is easy for high level players so he is explaining why that is.
Not having patience to sit through a video. Shows you probably don’t have the patience to improve your game .
I disagree. It's good to know what the common pitfalls are so that you know if you're doing them. It's not enough to tell a rec player do this and that. You have to point out common pitfalls
@ahraafkhan4849 🤣 news flash... not everyone is a rec player, and needs to be spoonfed from the beginning.
PAUSE
He knows a lot about tennis but he talks too much for these videos to be useful. He should just TEACH THE POINT. Instead of 9:45 he could say his main instructions in 3:00 and it would be great, memorable and vivid.
I appreciate the input but it’s impossible to explain every point in this video in 3 min
I have a second channel @intuitivetennis247 where the content is much more compressed.
I will however try to cut any unnecessary or repetive talk in my long form content on the main channel ✌️
@@IntuitiveTennis Sad reality, but Tiktok and Instagram has really shrunken people's attention spans nowadays. I remember the days of hours long tennis instructional videos on vhs.