Tennis Breakfast

Weiss Cannon Scorpion - soft poly for happy tennis elbow

2010-10-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for a soft arm friendly poly? Check out Weiss Cannon Scorpion. I've been playing with this string for the past few months. On my second reel now and still loving it. It has good power and it is a SOFT poly. Personally, it feels even softer than SPPP.

Right out of the package you can tell it's more flexible than a string like Tecnifibre Pro Red Code. I've been using it in a stiff frame POG Mid and haven't experienced any pain yet. Also, this string gets pretty good reviews for tension maintenance and it has decent spin. It's no ALU Rough, but you can still generate plenty of spin.

If you seek comfort, this string is definitely worth a try.

Congratulations to Rafael Nadal!

2010-09-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

You are truly a beast on the tennis court, and completely deserving of the 2010 US Open Championship. I am in awe.

Just published my first eBook! Free to download

2010-06-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've been dabbling with the idea of an eBook....and I finally got around to writing the first issue. Writing and tips by me. Illustrations by friend and artist, Amanda Potter. Free to download. If you like it, please give this blog a shout-out. Thanks!

Behold....Vol 1, Attacking the Net

vol1_attacking_the_net.pdf
File Size:	488 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

NTRP Progression

2010-05-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

For those of you that play leagues....

There is a really interesting thread right now over at the forums on tennis-warehouse.com. Here's the direct link http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=328235

This got me thinking about tracking my performance over the last 7 years that I've played USTA. When you see your long term performance mapped it out, it's really gives you a whole difference perspective on why you are winning or losing. And you can point to the peaks and valleys and reflect on why you were so successful (or miserable) that year.

For example, 2006 was a great year for me - I won a national championship in the peak of my prime. Yay! That was followed by repeat ratings bump into higher levels and my performance dropped. Admittedly, competition was tougher - But then....I hooked up with a fun group of guys who play morning tennis in the park but then spend the rest of the day drinking many beers and eating lots of fried chicken (which I totally love).

I call this time period "the downward spiral." That's also right around the time I became a 30-something....correlation? Nah...I'm sure it's the fried chicken. For kicks, here's my chart below.

Now this is some beautiful tennis weather....

2010-04-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to a great weekend...check out this forecast

Wear 2 socks for happy feet

2010-04-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a tip to make sure you can play tennis for an extended period of time. This is especially useful for people that play multiple days in a row.

Wear 2 pairs of socks to make your feet more comfortable. The extra padding helps to secure the foot inside the shoe, and it minimizes jammed toes and jammed nails that occur from hard stops.

Why does this work?

The outer layer of socks helps to wick moisture away from your skin. Your feet will be drier and less likely to develop blisters.
The inner layer of socks can slide independent of the outer layer - reducing overall friction on your feet. Less friction = less soreness
More socks = more padding. It's the difference between walking on a plush carpet vs. the thin carpet in most office buildings.

I've been doing this for months...and I love it. Can play multiple days in a row. No blisters and the feet still feel great the next day. When my feet are comfortable, I tend to have better footwork, and that makes me play better.

If you haven't tried the 2 socks approach, I highly recommend it. Try it and see what your feet have been missing.

Product Review: Wilson BLX Six.One Tour vs K Factor Tour 90

2010-03-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

I just play tested the new Wilson BLX Six.One Tour. It's part of the new family of Wilson racquets that use "basalt" to reduce vibration. I'm not sure if the basalt actually has anything to do with it, but this racquet did have a more dampened feel, and I could play without using a shock absorber....so maybe it's not all marketing b.s. after all.

That said, the Wilson BLX Six.One Tour plays very very similar to the K Factor Tour 90. It's basically the same thin beam racquet with a different paint job. The only real difference is a slight shifting of weight. The BLX has more mass around the throat area, and the Tour 90 has more weight in the head (and a slightly higher swing weight).

Serves: Serve placement was quite good. I was able to create really sharp angles on the serves. This racquet is spin friendly, and that spin helps to pull your kick-serve back down into the court. Kick was good, but not amazing. Serve had good pace, but felt slightly slower than the Tour 90. I was able to get about the same movement on the slice serve.

Ground strokes: The BLX Six.One Tour felt great during sustained rallies. It was really comfortable to hit with, and though I don't have it, I think it would be good for people experiencing elbow or arm pain. Compared to the Tour 90, shots were falling about 1-2 feet shorter than usual. There just wasn't the same level of plow through. I had to work harder to hit the same type of aggressive shots. I think this would be great for someone that was hitting too deep with the Tour 90. It just shortens your shot a little bit.

Volleys: Awesome! Just like the Tour 90, the BLX has plenty of punch and is super maneuverable at the net. I felt like I could move very quickly to get to the ball. At times, I did wish the frame was slightly bigger than 90 inches. If I missed a shot, it was because of my bad footwork and not because the racquet made me "late." Great stick for volleying.

Overheads: Very solid. The ball goes where I send it.

Overall: I think this is a great stick for people that like the Tour90, but wanted something a little softer. I think adding 2 grams of lead at 12 o'clock would basically turn this into a Tour 90. Other than comfort, I don't think the BLX Six.One Tour was an improvement over the Tour 90. In fact, I prefer the Tour 90 and plan to stick with it.

If you already own the Tour 90, this is worth demoing...but not worth investing the extra $$ to switch to basically the same racquet. If you own neither, this is a great racquet to consider - especially since the Tour 90s are discontinued.

Top Rated Tennis Strings in 2009

2010-03-07T21:19:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Stringforum survey results are out. Here's what other tennis players are using and what they consider to be the best. To see more survey results and additional categories, go here
http://www.stringforum.net/string2009.php

The best Poly strings

Poly of the Year 2009
Rank	String	Score
1	Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power	161
2	Tecnifibre Black Code	140
3	Signum Pro Poly Plasma	123
4	MSV Focus - HEX®	121
5	Signum Pro Tornado	79
6	Topspin Cyber Flash	76
7	Kirschbaum Pro Line No. II	66
8	WeissCANNON Silverstring	65
9	Topspin Cyber Blue	64
10	Luxilon Big Banger Original	48
11	Polystar Energy	23
12	Luxilon Big Banger Ace	22
13	MSV Co-Focus	17
14	Pro's Pro Plus Power	13
15	Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter	7

The best Non-Poly strings

Non-Poly of the Year 2009
Rank	String	Score
1	Babolat VS Team	214
2	Tecnifibre X-One Biphase	199
3	Babolat VS Touch	128
4	Wilson NXT Tour	68
5	Gamma Live Wire Professional	46
6	Head Rip Control	39
7	Babolat VS Tonic+ Ball Feel	34
8	Pacific Classic Gut	33
9	Tecnifibre Multifeel	30
10	WeissCANNON Explosiv!	27
11	Signum Pro Fiber High Tec EXP	22
12	Isospeed Professional	19
	Head IntelliTour	19
14	Isospeed Professional+	14
15	Isospeed Control	13

Today....

2010-03-04T20:52:00.001-08:00

I lost 1-6, 1-6, 1-6 in doubles. In fact, it was going so badly, I didn't even know the second set was over and we had already played a few games of the 3rd set. Today...totally...sucked.

Calculate your swing weight?

2010-02-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

One of the best ways to customize your racquet is to use lead tape to modify the swingweight of your racquet. If you're into this, then you'll love this swing weight calculator. It does all the math for you and gives you a scientific way to evaluate how that lead is going to impact your swing. Generally, most pros are around swing weights of 360 or more. Plug in your specs and see how you compare!

http://www.racquettech.com/store/learningcenter/lc_combinedswtbal.html

The adidas 6 month warranty does work!

2010-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

I just got my replacement shoes from adidas. I sent them a worn out pair of Barricade Vs and they sent me back a new pair. They do honor the 6 month warranty (yeah, I was a skeptic). I included a nice note and they even sent me back an alternate color.

Here they are. Thanks adidas. You rock.

Indoor court time costs a fortune....

2009-12-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

In New Jersey this week. There was a blizzard last week, so there's snow on the ground. Plus...it's 35F outside - which isn't great for tennis. Indoor court time is a whopping $41/ hour. At those prices, you better do all your stretching before hand and play fast if you want to get more than one set in. It was worth it though, since my brother and I only see each other once a year...so this was pretty much the only chance to play.

I wonder if indoor courts cost more anywhere else...leave me a comment if you can think of one.

Teaching pro certification with USPTA

2009-12-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

Just took the USPTA teaching pro certification exam. It was a lot harder than I expected, but it was also well worth the time. The whole thing takes 2 days and it's a combination of classroom instruction, on-court instruction, and then testing. After taking it, I feel like I'm much more prepared to give a structured lesson that uses progressive teaching elements. I also think I'm better able to identify technical problems in people's swings and to choose the primary correction needed to fix it.

It will be a few weeks before I get the exam results. Hopefully, I passed. If you are interested, you can learn more about the USPTA at www.uspta.com

The exam has 6 parts but it's really broken into 2 main categories.

The theory catrgory covers the different types of grips, pros/cons of each grip, history of tennis, business aspects of running a pro shop, and culminates in a 100 question multiple choice test and a video test that has 15 questions.
The skills test includes teaching a 25 minute individual lesson (graded), a 25 minute group lesson (graded), and then demonstrating proficiency in all shots. You have to hit small target areas if you want to get the highest score.

Lastly, there's an annual fee ~$250 to join the USPTA but it comes with a few perks like on court insurance, discounts on head racquets, etc.

Tennis Kick Serve Grip

2009-11-18T23:39:00.000-08:00

I just read an article that advocates the eastern backhand grip as the best way to hit a kick serve. The argument was that this grip allows you to put the most spin on the ball. The more spin you get on the ball, the higher you can clear the net while the ball will still drop back down into the service box. You get a lot more room for error, so your serve percentage goes up. Also, the extra spin and sideways kick make it hard for your opponents to adjust to the serve. They are less likely to make an aggressive return, and you are more likely to maintain control of the point.

I learned to hit my kick serve with a continental grip...which is less extreme than the eastern backhand. However, it seems to work for me. I'm going to try out the eastern backhand grip. It would be awesome to get some more spin on the ball so that it really jumps.

If you need a refresher on the different grips, check out these visuals. I got all of them from this link. http://www.tennis.com/yourgame/instructionarticles/forehand/forehand.aspx?id=649

Hello Babolat Star 5

2009-11-10T00:08:00.000-08:00

Just got a new stringing machine. After doing lots of research, I decided on a high-end machine with electronic constant pull. Babolat has a great reputation, and the Babolat Star 5 seems to have an almost cult like following. It also comes up top notch clamps, 10 point mounting system for maximum frame support, and is designed so that the stringer has plenty of room to work inside the frame.

It's accurate to 0.2 pounds and seems pretty easy to use. Assembly took about 20 minutes and was straightforward. Just follow the picture directions that come with it.

In comparison to my old Klippermate...it's like going from a civic to a ferrari. I can see some top-quality string jobs coming out of the Babolat Star 5.

The hardest part about the Babolat Star 5 was figuring out how to buy it. Babolat doesn't really advertise it, and you can't even find it on their US website. After searching some tennis forums, I was directed to a guy named Nate, the sales manager for Babolat, USA. He is based out of their Colorado office. If you are interested, you can contact Nate at 877-316-94353 ext 117. He was great to work with.

Tennis String Review: Tecnifibre X-One Biphase

2009-10-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered a string that I've been very very happy with. It's called Tecnifibre X-One Biphase. This is a premium string priced around $15 per set, but I think it's well worth it. It's very soft on your arm, has good spin, and a ton of power. (More on this later). Here's what it looks like.
This is a really powerful string. I recommend using it in control oriented frames. It's goes very well with headlight frames and frames with dense string patterns. Even if you can generate your own power, this string would allow you to focus more on placing the shot while still getting that that extra pop on your serve, volley, and groundstrokes. I found it really easy to hit with pace and depth and it added about 5-10mph to my serve.

Spin = good and enough. Even with a dense string pattern, I found plenty of spin and felt like I was in control of the ball the whole time. I couldn't get really wicked action on the ball like with Big Banger or Signum Pro Poly Plasma. However, it was more spin than your typical synthetic gut and more than enough to play with high accuracy.

Comfort = FANTASTIC. This is a really soft string that's easy on your arm. I think this is one of the best strings you can use if you have tennis elbow or a wrist injury. I was able to play 4 hours / day for 3 consecutive days and my arm did not hurt at the end of it. For comparison, my arm used to ache using Signum Pro Poly Plasma. Other people have described this string as being "as close to gut" as you can get. The postgame soreness in my arm has gone away ever since I switch to Tecnifibre X-One Biphase.

Tension Loss - Biphase lacks in this category. I did feel that tension loss was a bit on the extreme side. There was a significant tension drop after the first few hours of play. However it then settled in nicely and has been pretty consistent since then. It was more tension loss than other synthetic guts like Prince Duraflex or Gosen. I'd suggest that you string this 1-2 pounds higher than normal to account for the extra tension loss. I originally strung at 55 pounds. Next time, I plan to string at 56 pounds.

Durability - I've gotten some good mileage out of this string using an 18x20 string pattern. On average it will last about a month before the mains snap. On a 16x18 pattern, I'd expect 2-3 weeks. Given the tension loss, I think you'd want to cut it out after a month anyway.

Summary
- I love this string.
- Great power
- Good Spin
- Good Durability
- Below average tension stability (but you can compensate)
- Expensive at $15 / set

If you can afford to restring monthly, I think this is one of the top synthetic strings you can buy. I suggest trying the 17 gauge. I think it's even better than Tecnifibre NRG2 and much better than the average $4 synthetic gut. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Learn to hit a kick serve

2009-10-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Learning to hit a kick serve? This is a great drill that develops the "kick," It forces you to hit up on the ball, making sure you get the right angle and spin so that your ball is pulled back down into the court.

Toss your way to a great tennis serve

2009-10-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

A reliable toss will help improve the consistency of your serve. This clip demonstrates 2 ways to hold the ball so that your toss has as little spin as possible. More tips at www.tennisbreakfast.com

How to develop a long fast swing

2009-10-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

The first thing you need is room to swing. For most players, this means creating more space between you and the ball than you are used to. You need room to extend your arm and racquet so that you are making contact as far from the body as comfortably possible. There is a balance between ball distance while still allowing enough elbow bend to snap through the ball. To find the right extension, imagine reaching out to someone seated across from you to shake their hand.

Now that you've got the right contact point, you need to find the right swing path. Start low and finish high with the racquet well extended from your body. An exaggerated stroke would be to have your racquet hand finish higher than your opposite shoulder so that your racquet is pointing backwards over your shoulder. In reality, most pros finish lower than this, but it's a good way to practice racquet extension. Also, at this point, don't worry too much about wrist snap or wind-shield wiper finishes. You can add those bells once you've got the basic stroke down.

How far back to take the racquet?
Take the racquet back only as far as your shoulder turn. The head of the racquet should point directly toward the back fence and the racquet should be parallel to the ground. Get this basic part right before you start adding the loop to the backswing.

Why long fast swings are better...

2009-10-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

Advanced players are often described as having long fast swings. They can generate their own power, and they make it looks so easy to hit deep penetrating groundstrokes.

Is it because they are so much bigger and stronger than you? Not really. Even 12 year old girls (top juniors) can generate a lot more pace than the average 25-40 years old club player.

They can do this, because their form efficiently takes advantage of all the kinetic energy the body can generate. Advanced players usually make contact further from their body. This allows them to extend the arm and use the torque from their shoulder rotation to really whip the racquet around with a lot of speed. In contrast, you see some "big strong men" who use a very short swing that contacts the ball close to their body. No matter how hard these guys swing, they can never hit as hard as the 12 year old with the fast racquet speed. And it takes more energy, to generate pace with short strokes, so the big strong guys will get tired faster.

Racquet Review: Wilson K Factor KSix-One 95 (16x18)

2009-09-09T21:25:00.001-07:00

Here are my thoughts on the Wilson K6.1 95. For comparison, I have also played with the Pro Staff 6.1 Classic, K90 and the K6.1 (18x20) string pattern. Of the 4 racquets, I prefer the K95 because it's larger surface area is more forgiving and the 16x18 pattern generates noticeably more spin and power than the 18x20 version.

Pros
The K6.1 95 generates plenty of power and spin. It is a heavy racquet, weighing in at 12.3 oz. I felt like I had the potential to rip winners from all areas of the court. If I was caught off balance, the mass of the racquet would still let me get the ball back, even if the swing wasn't the perfect long fast stroke. At the net, the racquet weight really helped to put away volleys. There was quite a bit of punch. However, it was somewhat difficult to maneuver.

The racquet has good control, but not great control. It's not quite a scalpel...but you can certainly generate some nice angles. For comparison, the K90 is much more control oriented.

The K95 really shines on the serve. You can generate a lot of pace and spin. Kick serves bounced 6 inches higher and I could really flatten it out to generate pace. I was able to place serves with great accuracy. I've played over 100 sets with the K95, and I've been more successful holding serve using this racquet than any other I've ever used.

Cons:
The racquet is quite stiff, and not the most comfortable to play with. It feels more like you are wielding a club, but it's a very effective club. I would not recommend poly strings with this racquet, and it will really wear down your arm over time.

Overall
I'm a 4.5 level player, and I had trouble consistently finding the sweetspot on the K90 and I had trouble generating power with the K90. I've heard similar feedback from other players. The K95 seems to be a great fit for 4.5 players that want a little more room for error over the K90. Overall, I've been very happy with the K95. It's an improvement over the K6.1 Classic, and more forgiving than the K90.

Increase your serve percentage

2009-09-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick tip to increase your serve percentage by elevating the height of your contact point on your serve. A higher contact point means better net clearance and greater margin of error.

To make contact higher, spring up and into the court with your legs. Before the toss, put most of your weight on your back foot. This will force you to jump with both legs rather than just the front leg, resting in greater height. Emphasizing the back leg also sets up your body to naturally jump forward into the court. Ideally you are making contact as high and as far in front of the baseline as possible.

Watch footage of great severs like Sampras, and you'll see that he often was leaning almost 2 feet into the court. This allows you to get all your weight behind the serve, clear the net easily, and hit some really wide angles.

Beat big servers with a lob return

2009-09-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all you can do against a big serve is to get it into play. A lob return is an easy way to so this. Use a lob to get yourself into the point, so you have a chance to use your strengths.

When returning serve, stand about 5 feet back from the baseline to give yourself as much time as possible to react to the speed of the ball. Instead of taking a big swing at the ball. Just block it back with a deep lob using some underspin. Ideally you want to drop it into the corner about a foot inside the baseline and alley. This gives you time to reset and find better court position (or come to net if it's doubles). It also forces your opponent to hit a shot they rarely practice.

Try this....to prove to yourself just how hard it is to deal with this return. Hand drop 10 balls in the deep corner and try to rip a winner with your backhand. Most players will find this very difficult - making maybe 5 of the 10. In most cases, you feel more comfortable playing back a deep lob...and that's what your opponents are going to do. Then you can use you strengths...like getting into a rally so you can hit that big forehand you have.

Neutralize that big serve with a deep lob. Good luck.

Short angled chip return for doubles

2009-08-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

This is a great return to have in your arsenal, because it works extremely well against players that like pace or players that want to get to the net quickly for that first volley. You can hit this shot using either a backhand or forehand chip, aiming the ball cross court so that it passes 2-3 feet wide of the center tape.

This low angled slice is very difficult to return. It has very little pace so the volleyer needs to generate their own power. They also need good footwork to get behind the shot. Lastly it's lower than net, so they volleyer will be forced to hit up and cross-court... making it easier for your partner to put it away.

Slow returns also give you more time to get to net. This is especially effective if your opponent has a great first volley and is constantly forcing you to hit from your shoe laces. Give yourself more time to get into position by slowing down your return.

Most players 4.5 and below have a very tough time with the crosscourt chip return Its not flashy, but it's extremely effective. Go out and try it. You'll be really glad to have it in your arsenal. You'll be controlling a lot more points, and breaking a lot more serves.

Treatment for Tennis Elbow

2009-08-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

Great article and video that shows you how to fix tennis elbow using a simple rubber bar. Recover twice as fast as normal.

Researchers announced last month that they've developed an effective and supremely cheap treatment for chronic tennis elbow.

Phys Ed: An Easy Fix for Tennis Elbow?
By Gretchen Reynolds
August 25, 2009, 11:54 pm

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/phys-ed-an-easy-fix-for-tennis-elbow/?emc=eta1