"You can't miss from right here" Challenge accepted Also, have a question. What are some strategies for playing in a strong headwind both with the wind at your back and in your face?
stand closer to the baseline and with more spin on your balls when with the wind, play farther back and more height on your balls if you're farther back. also coming to the net with wind behind you can make it harder for your opponent to hurt you on passing shots
100% perfect instruction. nailed it. Things instructors say that should make you ask for a refund and walk out of the facility. punch the volley, never swing, swing down, always step with opposite foot, turn sideways, and finally, turn your shoulders and bring your non hitting arm to the same side when hitting a forehand volley, parallel arms. Either they are good and truly have no idea how they themselves hit volleys, OR, they suck at hitting volleys and have no business teaching it.
Excellent video. I’ve said this same thing for years. Half volleys, low volleys, volleys from the device line/a step or two inside, you have to simply guide/redirect the ball. Today’s rackets are so powerful, they generate the pace. You just have to guide the ball.
Great point Ian, every volley is different and calls for a different approach. I do like the guide approach, I saw Rafter talk about it on Fuzzy Yellow Balls videos. I think the biggest problem that I see with most recreational players is too much backswing. If you eliminate the backswing, you can still punch and you can still guide. The backswing causes timing issues. Shorten the backswing and see your consistency increase.
Sooooo many people have heard and been shown "punch" the volley, then they take a quick snap at the ball and mis-hit. Put the racquet in front of the ball and as you say, guide it. A little slight squeeze and acceleration of the racquet head just before contact really drills the ball. (That's actually the "punch.", but saying punch the ball just messes up people way too much.)
Hi Ian, as a coach I completely agree. I often hear the term 'Punch' for volleys and like you it doesn't make sense to me, so yes 'Guide' is a much better term. Best TH-cam channel, well done.
jana novotna is noted for punching her volleys but she too have beautiful control and touch on her volleys which makes her one of the best volleyers of all time just like navratilova. Always remember control and placement makes a good volleyer and a great way to reduce net error especially on a tight match.
I think the "punch" concept is helpful in thinking about weight transfer and using you legs (a boxer puts his weight into his punches) but NOT when making contact. Totally agree, I think of catch and release...
***** Thank you so much for addressing this! I was an assistant coach for the local tennis team last year. However, this year, I do not believe my time is worth it to help, since the head coaches always tell their players to turn! when hitting a volley. Turn is the same as to punch their volleys. It all depends on the situation of the ball. I always tell my students to read the ball, meaning where you at if its high and you're in a good position, then punch. But most of the time I tell them to follow through with leaning your body to the place you want to hit the ball! Great video! Also, what should I tell those head coaches, who for the past 6 years have been giving me headaches because of their terrible teaching skills. I'm a college student and they are well above 60 years old.
The rackets have changed so much and the technique along with it. Try hitting a volley with a wooden racket or a hard drive. It may be possible by respectfully explaining the reason for your different advice the students may choose to listen or advocate for your point of view. The ATP forehand vs the modern forehand is a case in point. I would actually probably advocate starting with a modern forehand and if players gravitate toward the ATP forehand let them as long as they aren't losing too much consistency. I also think the grip is a challenging point. Very young players who are hitting a lot of high balls will do better with a western grip but using developmental balls which bounce lower let them develop swings with an Eastern grip that lets them hit balls earlier on the rise. Once players become comfortable with a particular grip it is very hard to change and often unnecessary but I have seen coaches treating high intermediate (3.5-4) players like beginners and trying to start all over with a new grip and swing. I like the Canadian coaching method of progressive tennis where you continue challenging students to improve and solve problems instead of trying to teach skills they may not have the athleticism or talent to execute. I know this comment is 5 years old but maybe you can take consolation in the fact that the students who are able to execute those swinging volleys will adapt when it stops working for them, and the ones who can't are still probably looking for good advice. Just like Ian moved from the net to the service line to demonstrate his point asking players to do the same will often produce errors that you can then correct using the principles in this lesson.
I've found that the "punch" or "high five" image is helpful for young beginners who want to take a full swing at volleys. For the rest of us, sometimes "catching" the ball for a nice volley placement can work better. I try to plan on hitting more than one!
Great video. Love the channel. On this video, I wished you had demonstrated a bunch of the guided volleys you were referencing. You convinced me, but I’m not sure how to use it on the court.
Thank you so much for widening my knowledge about my volley skill. Punching is just one way to handle it. Other impromtu skills such as softening my soulder to quickly deal with a ball below my waist should be learned for me. I wish to learn more tips from you.
you missed a really critical tip. To "catch" the ball on the string. Also, hit the volley slightly out front, (dont let the ball get past you). I would also add, hang loose with knees bent and try to get under the ball if it is a low shot (which is what the opponent is trying to do... opponent is trying to keep the passing shot low, so usually you also have to stay low to stay balanced and use the muscles correctly.. crouching position to spring toward where the ball was hit.
totally agree with your analysis!! I feel that catching the ball has much better feel and control than punching the ball (Punching is more toward collision).
Ian, Inotice that on each of your strokes in this video, your racquet "follows through" the ball, even though on some shots it is only a little. Many of my students seem to interpret the term "punch" as a "short swing" that stops at about the point that the racquet contacts the ball, and for this reason, I prefer not to advise students to "punch" their volleys. Also, I emphasize that the volley stroke should continue on until the racquet is in the ready position, thus keeping the student from attempting to abruptly stop their stroke. Your demonstration of the volley stroke in this lesson is perfect for my volley classes. I only wish you had explained the fact that the stroke does not stop at the point of ball contact. Thanks for another great lesson to add to my classroom videos.
I concur. A good example is to watch John McEnroe. Probably one of the best volleyers of all time. Very relaxed. But then again, he has excellent hand-eye coordination. Not to mention that when he was one of the top players in the world, he used a Dunlap Max Ply.
as witnessed in most every age group...the grinder wins over the power player, and so we see controlled volleys win more points than high speed punch or slap volleys. By the way...would you like to have some of your tips/videos displayed on our tips site? We are rolling out a software application that sends out notifications to most android users...giving players etc. tips on how to improve their game. Its all bluetooth based with our clients being teaching pros and physical trainers. We can target most all androids within 50 meters of a tennis court. Let me know...take care and keep up the good work. At age 59 I"m usually compete against mid twenty ex college guys and find that having strong but controlled volleys (besides a big serve) helps to get the wins.
Yes you're right only when we are close to the net we can punch the volley and over high balls. When we are away from the net we have to "deflect" the ball , is it right?
Once again, Ian, you are right-on. I let people use my ball machine, with no advice, I just loaded the hopper and ducked (what advice could I give, I learned how to hit in 1970). Now, I have a piece of advice for everyone: Get with it, Subscribe to Essential Tennis, now! And I forward the link to all I know.
GOOD ADVISE Ian... It really doesn't occur to some people you can't always go FULL STEAM ahead on every shot... I see it every week with the league players I coach.. If you are picking that ball of your shoestrings on your way to the net you HAVE to soften it up at that point while moving forward and being prepared to hit that second ball. Some of them just don't get it, and they wonder why they are LOOSING points needlessly....Those who want to be critical about this, LAUGH it OFF.. Things don't seem right if some people aren't CRITICIZING something...
Funny, I can miss a volley from up there, especially if it's an easy forehand volley. I generally handle low volleys much better. What's that, angle of reflect . . . I like the comment about using the big parts of your body. We all think of McEnroe as having the best hands in the history of the game, and he did, but if you watch footage you'll see that it was his feet that had a lot to do with his amazing volley skills. Even today on the Powershares you'll see that he's using his footwork (not easy to do at this age) to set up his volleys.
rbraxley Interesting, I'm not sure I've ever worked with somebody where that was the case. Sure, lots of players dump those easy sitter volleys into the net or spray them, but actually preferring a low volley is quite uncommon.
***** I keep the wrist firm, keep the ball in front, and keep my brain out of it. High volleys, my mechanics slip and my brain takes over. Maybe it also has something to do with vision. Up high, I'm likely to look where I want to hit. Down low, the net's blocking the view (to some extent) so maybe I'm better focused on the ball. Anyway, these days I'm far less likely to come in because I'm just too slow. Deceptive speed, deceptively slow.
Can you make a video on staying calm when you get a volley? Often, when I miss volleys its because I get super excited/nervous and I end up going for too much/take my eyes off the ball. How can I fix this issue?
It is correct that the stroke is not a punch. If you watch a good volley in slow motion you will see the wrist and elbow are locked. The player swings from the shoulder. The difference is at what speed your racket is moving when you make contact. If the racket is moving fast, you hit a hard volley. If the racket is moving more slowly, it is softer. I feel direct language is what is useful. Terms such as punch, finesse, touch or guide are ambiguous.
You rock Ian...you're my favorite instructor because you hit on the problems that 3.5-4.0 players experience!! That was an excellent video and yes, I have been taught to 'punch' my volleys. Usually they'll also say to use your legs too which is correct. I have the EXACT same problem you talked about with getting many volleys at the service line! Mine always go up too high and the net person puts them away. Uggghhhh, how can I prevent that? Even if I try to go around the net player, they're still too high:( Help! Especially for my poor partner...YIKES!
The punch idea is for beginner's that will not be taking valleys from any were but were doubles puts them it is not ment to be used beyond that point and as you learn differ ing strokes to use you learn that punch only apply to the most basic form you learned first
OK, I see 163 likes and only 1 thumbs down. So, you must have made a fair and reasonable case... with your typical humility, I might add. Ian, I have seen slow motion video of many of the pros actually ending their net volley stroke with the racket face upward, even parallel to the court - hardly an abrupt punch. Thanks for all your hard work, myth busting friend!
Wow this feels like a revelation, it feels like many of my best volleys were when I just was forced to move so fast that I let my body just redirect instead of trying to jab at it with a "punch"
Hi Ian really good information on all your volleys as you can see my name is Canadian tennis pro but my dilemma is this i am a solid 4.5 to a 5 player maybe been playing along time as well as coaching . For the life of me i cant get a certain student to stop swinging on her volleys . i tell her to think catch on the volley as well as meet out in front but we do little progressions and its fine then we play points the pressure is on her and wham out comes the big backswings on the volley especially the forehand . what can i do ?
U can make her/him stand against a wall and feed some balls with the hand.She will then adapt slowly.Or u can also tell him/her not to have any backswing at all.
Have her practice moving to the ball with only her feet. Meaning, the racquet doesn't move and the body should be propelled by the legs. Start by tossing first (obviously) and progress to feeding and rallying. Wherever you teach her to make contact is where the racquet should be set.
hi Ian, I am really confused with the concept of volley when it comes low towards the feet. if I have to hit it directly then the racquet should be open and we should just guide. but if there is already a bounce then the racquet should be close as you demonstrated in your forearm video. So when to hit it as a volley vs when to hit it as a forehand shot?
soft hands people...on everything...even when u want to hit the ball hard...you still need to have good feel or youll just send the ball long . especially on the volley as he talks about here... .. a good volleyer never takes the racket past his/her ears...a great volleyer never takes the racket past his/her eyes...just my pennies worth for keeping the volley less swingy ...great channel.
I don't question your advice. It is obvious yo have a professional set up. I don't think you would steer us wrong out of ignorance. I've watched enough Essential Tennis to know that there is no ignorance. Thanks for what you do. Question: Is this channel credited to Jeff S.? I guess what I mean is for about a year I have been thinking this is Westermann's channel. Am I wrong? Thanks. Tom
I have a question, how do you play against players like nasal, that just use top spin to pull you off the court, or just keep the ball in play, it really annoys me a lot in game , and end up losing 0-6
It seems like a strange technique, but I actually like punching the ball from the baseline, on occasion. You have to hit the ball flat for this, and it's just fun to send your opponent and extremely hard and low ball.
The idea of punching helps stop players from swinging. Swinging on volleys seems to be more of an issue than the idea of punching. More advanced players will add finesse but recreational players tend too overswing in my experience.
The whole concept of "punching" has lead to terrible, TERRIBLE feel and control at the net for hundreds of thousands of tennis players. It's by far the most common technical problem among our private students, across every stroke. Here's a few examples: th-cam.com/video/qfflXKu0wXQ/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/L3ToU14dHEE/w-d-xo.html
LMAO. I've watched a few of your videos where you dismantle really common coaching advice, and almost all of them were things my coach said way back in high school. No wonder I never improved back then.
This guy is so f..ing right!! I´d changed my approach shortly before watching this today, and it works greatly!! Punch is nonsense. Been watching Federer and Joker a lot this Wimbledon.. they do it in the same way!! Guiding is the better word as well as finesse.. as well as touch.. But punching is pure nonsense. And to all of you haters, this guy would defeat you any time, any day.. So better keep your head down, focus and work..
Punch Volley comment. I’m a world class volleyer and doubles specialist- ex #1 doubles player for a top ncaa d1 team and teacher and I punch every volley, lol. Maybe it’s semantics but those volleys you were hitting from the service line in your demonstration of how the punch is not effective from that far back did not include you actually stepping into the ball. No one should ever bend down like that to punch or “guide” a volley as you say. The legs need to reach forward the same as the arms do. However, I see your semantics. I don’t prefer the the word punch either. “Reach and freeze” is more of my term. But, the follow through has no place in the best possible volley. All “touch” and “feel” and variations of speed and spin can be achieved with the framework of the “punch volley” stroke/ because not all “punch swings” are the same speed, and contain the same spin (racket face variation). Without the “punch” or “reach and freeze” technique your just preparing your students to have a backswing and follow through which is less Compact and maneuverable and which will get them clobbered at 5.0+ and or college level+ in close range and high paced volleys
Interesting perspective. I'm curious about your feel on the reach and freeze part. I encourage my player to follow the direction of the shot they want to hit and finish in the ready position. I know that I want to eliminate the backswing but what is the advantage of eliminating the follow through if they make good contact and don't chop too much across the flight of the ball. My question is what do you think of the extreme slice underspin a lot of players seem to try to generate? I think it likely reduces consistency compared to opening your racket as you contact and following the flight path of the ball to generate a longer hitting zone.
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
"You can't miss from right here"
Challenge accepted
Also, have a question. What are some strategies for playing in a strong headwind both with the wind at your back and in your face?
stand closer to the baseline and with more spin on your balls when with the wind, play farther back and more height on your balls if you're farther back. also coming to the net with wind behind you can make it harder for your opponent to hurt you on passing shots
Drop shots are better with the wind coming towards you
100% perfect instruction. nailed it.
Things instructors say that should make you ask for a refund and walk out of the facility.
punch the volley, never swing, swing down, always step with opposite foot, turn sideways, and finally, turn your shoulders and bring your non hitting arm to the same side when hitting a forehand volley, parallel arms.
Either they are good and truly have no idea how they themselves hit volleys, OR, they suck at hitting volleys and have no business teaching it.
Thank You So Much! My coaches always said to "punch your volleys all the tim" thx for clearing that up
Mostly guide, some you can punch 👏🏻 I always felt it that way when I look at RF, he effortlessly guides the ball all over the court.
Excellent video. I’ve said this same thing for years. Half volleys, low volleys, volleys from the device line/a step or two inside, you have to simply guide/redirect the ball. Today’s rackets are so powerful, they generate the pace. You just have to guide the ball.
Glad you enjoyed the video, Al!
Great point Ian, every volley is different and calls for a different approach. I do like the guide approach, I saw Rafter talk about it on Fuzzy Yellow Balls videos. I think the biggest problem that I see with most recreational players is too much backswing. If you eliminate the backswing, you can still punch and you can still guide. The backswing causes timing issues. Shorten the backswing and see your consistency increase.
Sooooo many people have heard and been shown "punch" the volley, then they take a quick snap at the ball and mis-hit. Put the racquet in front of the ball and as you say, guide it. A little slight squeeze and acceleration of the racquet head just before contact really drills the ball. (That's actually the "punch.", but saying punch the ball just messes up people way too much.)
Hi Ian, as a coach I completely agree. I often hear the term 'Punch' for volleys and like you it doesn't make sense to me, so yes 'Guide' is a much better term. Best TH-cam channel, well done.
robcherrytennis Glad you agree, thanks for watching.
jana novotna is noted for punching her volleys but she too have beautiful control and touch on her volleys which makes her one of the best volleyers of all time just like navratilova. Always remember control and placement makes a good volleyer and a great way to reduce net error especially on a tight match.
I think the "punch" concept is helpful in thinking about weight transfer and using you legs (a boxer puts his weight into his punches) but NOT when making contact. Totally agree, I think of catch and release...
***** Thank you so much for addressing this! I was an assistant coach for the local tennis team last year. However, this year, I do not believe my time is worth it to help, since the head coaches always tell their players to turn! when hitting a volley. Turn is the same as to punch their volleys. It all depends on the situation of the ball. I always tell my students to read the ball, meaning where you at if its high and you're in a good position, then punch. But most of the time I tell them to follow through with leaning your body to the place you want to hit the ball! Great video! Also, what should I tell those head coaches, who for the past 6 years have been giving me headaches because of their terrible teaching skills. I'm a college student and they are well above 60 years old.
Are you saying ideally there is no need to turn?
I keep hitting balls in the air too deep, backhand or forehand. Need your help. Lou
The rackets have changed so much and the technique along with it. Try hitting a volley with a wooden racket or a hard drive. It may be possible by respectfully explaining the reason for your different advice the students may choose to listen or advocate for your point of view. The ATP forehand vs the modern forehand is a case in point. I would actually probably advocate starting with a modern forehand and if players gravitate toward the ATP forehand let them as long as they aren't losing too much consistency. I also think the grip is a challenging point. Very young players who are hitting a lot of high balls will do better with a western grip but using developmental balls which bounce lower let them develop swings with an Eastern grip that lets them hit balls earlier on the rise. Once players become comfortable with a particular grip it is very hard to change and often unnecessary but I have seen coaches treating high intermediate (3.5-4) players like beginners and trying to start all over with a new grip and swing. I like the Canadian coaching method of progressive tennis where you continue challenging students to improve and solve problems instead of trying to teach skills they may not have the athleticism or talent to execute. I know this comment is 5 years old but maybe you can take consolation in the fact that the students who are able to execute those swinging volleys will adapt when it stops working for them, and the ones who can't are still probably looking for good advice. Just like Ian moved from the net to the service line to demonstrate his point asking players to do the same will often produce errors that you can then correct using the principles in this lesson.
I can't punch the volleys even when I am right on top of the net. I think redirect is the best description for most of the volleys.
I've found that the "punch" or "high five" image is helpful for young beginners who want to take a full swing at volleys. For the rest of us, sometimes "catching" the ball for a nice volley placement can work better. I try to plan on hitting more than one!
Great video. Love the channel. On this video, I wished you had demonstrated a bunch of the guided volleys you were referencing. You convinced me, but I’m not sure how to use it on the court.
As a fellow lead teaching pro, thank you and amen. Great video. I share your rant.
Thank you so much for widening my knowledge about my volley skill. Punching is just one way to handle it. Other impromtu skills such as softening my soulder to quickly deal with a ball below my waist should be learned for me. I wish to learn more tips from you.
Guide.....I'm going to remember that!! Thank you!!
You're welcome, Becky. Here's another video that demonstrates it better:
th-cam.com/video/qfflXKu0wXQ/w-d-xo.html
Is that helpful?
you missed a really critical tip. To "catch" the ball on the string. Also, hit the volley slightly out front, (dont let the ball get past you). I would also add, hang loose with knees bent and try to get under the ball if it is a low shot (which is what the opponent is trying to do... opponent is trying to keep the passing shot low, so usually you also have to stay low to stay balanced and use the muscles correctly.. crouching position to spring toward where the ball was hit.
totally agree with your analysis!!
I feel that catching the ball has much better feel and control than punching the ball (Punching is more toward collision).
Great tip as usual Ian.. Like the way you bring a degree of calmness to the shot..
Ananthan Mukundan Something I think is Essential!
Good explanation in every video. I learned a lot from this channel.
Great advice. Thank you. I agree with a comment below. Each volley is unique. Guiding it over the net seems right
Thanks for watching, Sarah!
Great reality check video for all learning and for beginning instructors
Ian,
Inotice that on each of your strokes in this video, your racquet "follows through" the ball, even though on some shots it is only a little. Many of my students seem to interpret the term "punch" as a "short swing" that stops at about the point that the racquet contacts the ball, and for this reason, I prefer not to advise students to "punch" their volleys. Also, I emphasize that the volley stroke should continue on until the racquet is in the ready position, thus keeping the student from attempting to abruptly stop their stroke. Your demonstration of the volley stroke in this lesson is perfect for my volley classes. I only wish you had explained the fact that the stroke does not stop at the point of ball contact. Thanks for another great lesson to add to my classroom videos.
I like your videos. I think you work better alone now ,not like before when you had a team around you. Great stuff Ian. 👍
I concur. A good example is to watch John McEnroe. Probably one of the best volleyers of all time. Very relaxed. But then again, he has excellent hand-eye coordination. Not to mention that when he was one of the top players in the world, he used a Dunlap Max Ply.
volley needs to be controlled. its ok to punch them on certain occasions but most of the time it needs to be controlled
Neil Modino Exactly, Neil
as witnessed in most every age group...the grinder wins over the power player, and so we see controlled volleys win more points than high speed punch or slap volleys. By the way...would you like to have some of your tips/videos displayed on our tips site? We are rolling out a software application that sends out notifications to most android users...giving players etc. tips on how to improve their game. Its all bluetooth based with our clients being teaching pros and physical trainers. We can target most all androids within 50 meters of a tennis court. Let me know...take care and keep up the good work. At age 59 I"m usually compete against mid twenty ex college guys and find that having strong but controlled volleys (besides a big serve) helps to get the wins.
Yes you're right only when we are close to the net we can punch the volley and over high balls. When we are away from the net we have to "deflect" the ball , is it right?
Once again, Ian, you are right-on. I let people use my ball machine, with no advice, I just loaded the hopper and ducked (what advice could I give, I learned how to hit in 1970). Now, I have a piece of advice for everyone: Get with it, Subscribe to Essential Tennis, now! And I forward the link to all I know.
do you have more instructions on 1/2 volley.
thanks
GOOD ADVISE Ian... It really doesn't occur to some people you can't always go FULL STEAM ahead on every shot... I see it every week with the league players I coach.. If you are picking that ball of your shoestrings on your way to the net you HAVE to soften it up at that point while moving forward and being prepared to hit that second ball. Some of them just don't get it, and they wonder why they are LOOSING points needlessly....Those who want to be critical about this, LAUGH it OFF.. Things don't seem right if some people aren't CRITICIZING something...
You should do a video on drive volleys.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to produce a very informative and helpful instructional video.
Funny, I can miss a volley from up there, especially if it's an easy forehand volley. I generally handle low volleys much better. What's that, angle of reflect . . .
I like the comment about using the big parts of your body. We all think of McEnroe as having the best hands in the history of the game, and he did, but if you watch footage you'll see that it was his feet that had a lot to do with his amazing volley skills. Even today on the Powershares you'll see that he's using his footwork (not easy to do at this age) to set up his volleys.
rbraxley Interesting, I'm not sure I've ever worked with somebody where that was the case. Sure, lots of players dump those easy sitter volleys into the net or spray them, but actually preferring a low volley is quite uncommon.
***** I keep the wrist firm, keep the ball in front, and keep my brain out of it. High volleys, my mechanics slip and my brain takes over. Maybe it also has something to do with vision. Up high, I'm likely to look where I want to hit. Down low, the net's blocking the view (to some extent) so maybe I'm better focused on the ball. Anyway, these days I'm far less likely to come in because I'm just too slow. Deceptive speed, deceptively slow.
demonstrate the soft approach please!!!!
Can you make a video on staying calm when you get a volley?
Often, when I miss volleys its because I get super excited/nervous and I end up going for too much/take my eyes off the ball. How can I fix this issue?
Phillip Chen That's a great topic, I'll add it to my list!
It is correct that the stroke is not a punch. If you watch a good volley in slow motion you will see the wrist and elbow are locked. The player swings from the shoulder. The difference is at what speed your racket is moving when you make contact. If the racket is moving fast, you hit a hard volley. If the racket is moving more slowly, it is softer. I feel direct language is what is useful. Terms such as punch, finesse, touch or guide are ambiguous.
You rock Ian...you're my favorite instructor because you hit on the problems that 3.5-4.0 players experience!! That was an excellent video and yes, I have been taught to 'punch' my volleys. Usually they'll also say to use your legs too which is correct. I have the EXACT same problem you talked about with getting many volleys at the service line! Mine always go up too high and the net person puts them away. Uggghhhh, how can I prevent that? Even if I try to go around the net player, they're still too high:( Help! Especially for my poor partner...YIKES!
the tips and instructions was wow! very helpful
The punch idea is for beginner's that will not be taking valleys from any were but were doubles puts them it is not ment to be used beyond that point and as you learn differ ing strokes to use you learn that punch only apply to the most basic form you learned first
OK, I see 163 likes and only 1 thumbs down. So, you must have made a fair and reasonable case... with your typical humility, I might add. Ian, I have seen slow motion video of many of the pros actually ending their net volley stroke with the racket face upward, even parallel to the court - hardly an abrupt punch. Thanks for all your hard work, myth busting friend!
Wow this feels like a revelation, it feels like many of my best volleys were when I just was forced to move so fast that I let my body just redirect instead of trying to jab at it with a "punch"
breadtimestories Glad to help.
***** I just wanna let you know I applied this advice a couple days ago and my volleys were way more quick and well-placed. Thanks dude.
great instructions, thank you Ian
What a great set of videos. Thank you.
ShudanLaklo You're very welcome.
Hi Ian really good information on all your volleys as you can see my name is Canadian tennis pro but my dilemma is this i am a solid 4.5 to a 5 player maybe been playing along time as well as coaching . For the life of me i cant get a certain student to stop swinging on her volleys . i tell her to think catch on the volley as well as meet out in front
but we do little progressions and its fine then we play points the pressure is on her and wham out comes the big backswings on the volley especially the forehand . what can i do ?
U can make her/him stand against a wall and feed some balls with the hand.She will then adapt slowly.Or u can also tell him/her not to have any backswing at all.
Have her practice moving to the ball with only her feet. Meaning, the racquet doesn't move and the body should be propelled by the legs. Start by tossing first (obviously) and progress to feeding and rallying. Wherever you teach her to make contact is where the racquet should be set.
canadian tennis pro when you play points give her the right amount of pace so she can't take a backswing, hopefully helps
Ask her to just block the ball....easy block..either bh or fh
Great video, thanks for the help.
You're very welcome, Huzefa!
Coach, you are very good. This is a million dollar tip !!!
sanyam Bhardwaj Guess I should charge next time ;-)
Hey guys anybody know what racquet and what ball machine Ian is using here?
keeping the head up is what they used to teach, you never see the bryan brothers do it in this day of age now
hi Ian,
I am really confused with the concept of volley when it comes low towards the feet. if I have to hit it directly then the racquet should be open and we should just guide. but if there is already a bounce then the racquet should be close as you demonstrated in your forearm video. So when to hit it as a volley vs when to hit it as a forehand shot?
Please Please Please make drill to roger federer's backhand..I wanna get better at it...It needs very good practice !!!
Mohamed Raafat I'll add that to my list, good idea!
Thank you !!
soft hands people...on everything...even when u want to hit the ball hard...you still need to have good feel or youll just send the ball long . especially on the volley as he talks about here... .. a good volleyer never takes the racket past his/her ears...a great volleyer never takes the racket past his/her eyes...just my pennies worth for keeping the volley less swingy ...great channel.
Great comments, Tns! -Ian
Another excellent video, thanks.
you should make a video on Kick your Volleys
hahahaha
keys to volley: Grip!, footwork, frim wrist and last learn to volley deep into the court
Great video Ian! I really love this channel!!
Jonny Evans Good to hear!
I don't question your advice. It is obvious yo have a professional set up. I don't think you would steer us wrong out of ignorance. I've watched enough Essential Tennis to know that there is no ignorance. Thanks for what you do. Question: Is this channel credited to Jeff S.? I guess what I mean is for about a year I have been thinking this is Westermann's channel. Am I wrong? Thanks. Tom
Glad you're enjoying the lessons, Decay. This channel isn't connect to or affiliated with Jeff Selzenstein at all. Thanks for watching!
Beers on me- good vid- and well explained.
*Yoda voice* The intro game is strong in this one
also nice video :)
ssj9997 Haha, Thanks Yoda
I have a question, how do you play against players like nasal, that just use top spin to pull you off the court, or just keep the ball in play, it really annoys me a lot in game , and end up losing 0-6
Thanks for the lecture. 😉
ollie pearce Any time.
Thanks Ian, was just thinking about this lately lol
Matthew H Nice :-)
It seems like a strange technique, but I actually like punching the ball from the baseline, on occasion. You have to hit the ball flat for this, and it's just fun to send your opponent and extremely hard and low ball.
Ouch! 😳
Share your extra rackets... so I can have tennis players in our school who are less fortunate...
Good job
Thank you for all your great tips and advice!
+Lucian Kahan You are very welcome.
Oh I can easily miss from “right here”
Sooooooooo, be versatile depending on the volley. But, punch them when you get em just right.😃
I like term "volley is made by legs"
very good video
Thanks Christopher.
-Ira
Good video !!!
The idea of punching helps stop players from swinging. Swinging on volleys seems to be more of an issue than the idea of punching. More advanced players will add finesse but recreational players tend too overswing in my experience.
The whole concept of "punching" has lead to terrible, TERRIBLE feel and control at the net for hundreds of thousands of tennis players. It's by far the most common technical problem among our private students, across every stroke. Here's a few examples:
th-cam.com/video/qfflXKu0wXQ/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/L3ToU14dHEE/w-d-xo.html
What strings are you using in this racquet ? *****
LMAO. I've watched a few of your videos where you dismantle really common coaching advice, and almost all of them were things my coach said way back in high school. No wonder I never improved back then.
Great intro!
Great To Good
Green light, yellow light, red light, the volley rules.
This guy is so f..ing right!! I´d changed my approach shortly before watching this today, and it works greatly!! Punch is nonsense. Been watching Federer and Joker a lot this Wimbledon.. they do it in the same way!! Guiding is the better word as well as finesse.. as well as touch.. But punching is pure nonsense.
And to all of you haters, this guy would defeat you any time, any day.. So better keep your head down, focus and work..
well said!
So true
Actually a darn good shot at 3:24. Sort of hurt your own argument.
I could hit a darn good shot whacking the ball with the handle of my racquet, too. Would that make it the best way to hit a volley?
superb video :)
#random but Loving those indoor courts !!!! good reminder on the volleys!
Thanks for watching, Bradley.
Nice video... Said the same thing 5 times or more... did not show how we should do it
bryan brothers rarely punch
You always punch your volleys.
I can miss from up there lol
Punch implies a forward motion, I just deflect.
"Nobody actually thinks you should punch every single volley" 😛🤓
Don't worry about the comments so much Ian. Just make a point and leave it to the viewers ;)
denis dralec You're right, I shouldn't worry about comments so much, haha.
Great vid. I’m out to punch now.
I mean, do your advice.
But u have to
is your channel or instruction sponsored?
Punch Volley comment.
I’m a world class volleyer and doubles specialist- ex #1 doubles player for a top ncaa d1 team and teacher and I punch every volley, lol. Maybe it’s semantics but those volleys you were hitting from the service line in your demonstration of how the punch is not effective from that far back did not include you actually stepping into the ball. No one should ever bend down like that to punch or “guide” a volley as you say. The legs need to reach forward the same as the arms do.
However, I see your semantics. I don’t prefer the the word punch either. “Reach and freeze” is more of my term. But, the follow through has no place in the best possible volley. All “touch” and “feel” and variations of speed and spin can be achieved with the framework of the “punch volley” stroke/ because not all “punch swings” are the same speed, and contain the same spin (racket face variation). Without the “punch” or “reach and freeze” technique your just preparing your students to have a backswing and follow through which is less
Compact and maneuverable and which will get them clobbered at 5.0+ and or college level+ in close range and high paced volleys
Interesting perspective. I'm curious about your feel on the reach and freeze part. I encourage my player to follow the direction of the shot they want to hit and finish in the ready position. I know that I want to eliminate the backswing but what is the advantage of eliminating the follow through if they make good contact and don't chop too much across the flight of the ball.
My question is what do you think of the extreme slice underspin a lot of players seem to try to generate? I think it likely reduces consistency compared to opening your racket as you contact and following the flight path of the ball to generate a longer hitting zone.
Here's how you can train your Volleys by yourself !
th-cam.com/video/43OXqrfEga8/w-d-xo.html
It seems as if the title of this video commits the same blanket statement that the people you are criticizing commit.
Haha, well played. -Ian
he had an opportunity to clearly illustrate the Punch and guide and the other different volleys - but he is too fond of his own voice
Always do not listen to that guy
You're telling us to PUSH not PUNCH? BRUH