'The Load'... Use your legs to generate your power

One of the foundations of good groundstrokes involves 'loading and unloading' your weight into the shot...! 

Loading on the left foot

In this photo you can see I have 'found' the ball and am pointing to it with my right shoulder.  Notice my weight is firmly on my left foot as I am about to step in and transfer my energy into the stroke from the ground up.  Timing is everything with tennis shots.  If your backhand is your weaker shot, try these simple tips:

Next time you go out to hit with a friend, or even to play a practice match, purpose to start all your rallys with a backhand feed.  Most players are used to starting every rally with a forehand stroke. But if your backhand needs attention, by starting every practice rally with the backhand allows you one additional controlled practice situation on the backhand side every rally.

Unloading on the right foot

The more repetitions you have will increase your muscle memory and your consistency.   If you need help on a particular shot I would be happy to work with you.  Contact me at 713-818-9109 voice mail or text message.  You can also visit me at my website:  http://chadwelltennis.com

Happy Tennis...!

Coach Sam Chadwell

You are invited to find and like my pages on Facebook:

Chadwell Tennis

Columbia Lakes Tennis Center

Flextennis Houston

Roger Federer -Slow Motion

You will love this short Roger Federer video... Here are Coach Sam's observations:

Watch how Roger is constantly moving his feet.

Notice Roger's 'split - step'.

 Check out his recovery movement as he gets back in position following each shot. Notice how he 'stalks' the ball. See how he loads up his weight as he sets up...?

 Check out the shape of his swings: round, circular strokes, always lifting and pulling across the body. Watch his swing speed: slow at the beginning then accelerating to the finish.

There is much more to point out, but this is enough to concentrate on for our first video critique session!  I welcome your comments and questions. Email me at Coachsam@chadwelltennis.com



 Here are a few other things to watch out for: Notice the ease at which Roger hits while moving forward and backward. Friends it is possible, and many times NECESSARY to be able to strike the ball as you are backing up. You do NOT have to step into every shot! I am a firm believer that up and coming players (young and old) need to watch clips like this one over and over to get a visual idea of how its done by the best in the business.

 I plan to add this video technology to my 'coaching bag' in the very near future. Look for Video Camps and Clinics coming soon at the Columbia Lakes Tennis Center and Alvin Community College...!

 See you on the courts soon!

 Coach Sam Chadwell,

  http://chadwelltennis.com

 http://flextennis.com

Playing Tennis in the Winter..? -Dress for Success...

This time of year the weather can change drastically in a matter of minutes. If one is not properly prepared, the result could be very uncomfortable. Here are some of Coach Sam's tried and true suggestions for training in adverse weather conditions.

Cold Weather... If one dresses properly, it is possible to play (and enjoy) tennis in colder temperatures. First, start with your feet. Wear two pairs of socks. If your feet are cold you are not going to be comfortable no matter what else you do!

Wearing layers is one of the most important things you can do! I try to wear two or three thin layers that I can take off as I warm up. Thin layers are better because the more 'bulk' you wear restricts your range of motion. Try to wear at least one thin long-sleeve shirt.

Gloves... I never wear gloves because even a thin glove restricts the feel and makes a grip change awkward. If my hands are too cold I have often taken an old sock and cut a small racquet handle sized hole in the end of it so my entire hand is covered but I still have skin contacting the handle of the racquet.
-Be sure to NOT use one of your wife's 'good socks'. (that's the voice of experience speaking...!)

Hats... You must wear a hat. Statistics show that lots of body heat is lost through the top of the head. A ski hat that can be pulled down over the ears is a good choice, but any hat is better than none. If it's windy then I'll also put cotton in my ears.

So, after you put on all this extra special clothing you might look a little funny, but that's way better than trying to endure a lesson or match situation while your extremities are freezing off...!

Now, these same tips apply to tennis parents, but you folks can also take additional precautions. If you are going to sit outside during your child's lesson or match, You can bring a blanket. But why not layer your blankets and be sure to bring an electric blanket and extension cord... If there is a handy power source near by then you can be warm, toasty, and the envy of others who were not as thoughtful and resourceful as you...!

Is Your Game Stuck on a Plateau...?

Have you ever heard of this old saying?

If you keep doing what you've been doing then you're going to keep getting what you've been getting.

If you're serious about improving your tennis game then you've got to put in some serious practice time. As a junior player, I can't remember one single day when I didn't hit with a friend, play a match, hit on a backboard, or practice serves. Honestly, I played seven days a week. There was no way you could keep me off the court. I wanted to be the best player I could be and the only way I could figure out how to achieve that goal was to practice every chance I could get. -And if I wasn't on court practicing, I was reading a tennis book, magazine, or engaging in some kind of off court training.

.

Many players I coach today want to get better but simply do not put in the amount of practice time necessary to achieve their goals. The first step of course, is to identify one's goals. If your goal is just to get a little exercise and have fun, then there's no pressure to practice very much.

.

But if you really want to improve you need to have at least two or three meaningful tennis experiences a week. And if you want to be the best you can absolutely be then you've got to try to practice five or six days a week. Obviously, this might not be possible for an adult who has a full time job and family responsibilities, but virtually all the top juniors are logging in more than three days a week of court time.

.

So, the questions to ask are what are your goals, and does your practice routine line up with your goals...?

.

Ryan Beene pictured above is one of the fastest improving and brightest young tennis stars in Brazoria County because he works hard and engages in meaningful practice time just about every day.

Consistency Wins...!

Here is a photo of my stepson practicing his serve last year. Nice knee bend. Good arm extension. There are a lot of good things happening in this photo but one of the best things going on in this picture is the fact that Connor was setting aside special time to practice his serve.

Strokes don't improve without time spent honing them. Generally there is a direct correlation to a player's match results and their practice time. It's important to focus on consistency first. Remember, more points in a tennis match are lost, rather than won, even at the professional level.

Make it your goal to put the ball in play consistently before moving on to playing power tennis or focusing on put away, finishing shots.

Note: This tennis tip is under construction. More content will be added soon... Please check back again...

Dear Novak and Andy: Please learn how to Win and Lose with Grace and Style

Anybody catch the 2008 US Open quarter final match between Novak Djokavic and Andy Roddick...?

.

Djokavic ended up winning in five sets, but there was a little bit of controversy before and after the match. Apparently Roddick had made some comments about Djokavic's physical condition prior to the match, and Djokavic did not take too kindly to it.

,

At the conclusion of the competition, during the post match on court interview Djokavic was anything but humble or complimentary toward Roddick. In fact, his comments drew many boos from the New York crowd. Even the network tennis analyst John McEnroe assessed Djokavic's comments as giving off a 'weird, strange vibe...'. Now, as far as I'm concerned, if you can 'weird out' McEnroe then you've really accomplished something.

.

My question is this:

.

What ever happened to winning and losing with grace, class, and style...?

....

Look, here's how it's supposed to go down, people:

.

The moment that you step onto the field of competition in any sport then you give up the right to make excuses. You should play hard and give your best effort. If you happen to win, don't make a big deal out of it. If you go down in defeat then just give the credit to your opponent. That's being gracious.

/

Don't gloat in winning and don't sulk in defeat.

.

You know, neither of my mom or dad had an extensive tennis background, but they both taught me good life lessons that pertain to today's topic.

/

1. My mom always told me if I didn't have anything good to say about somebody or something then don't say anything.

.

2. My daddy always told me to keep my mouth shut and let my racquet do the talking.

kkk

Sound advice, wouldn't you say...?

.

In my humble opinion I'd like to suggest that neither Djokavic nor Roddick have learned those lessons yet.

To be continued...

Give 100% And Have No Regrets!

I believe our society and the world places too much emphasis on winning. Sure, we all enjoy winning, and probably prefer it to losing. But in the context of sports I am a firm believer in focusing on the 'process' rather than the result.

'Self Worth' should not be equated with winning and losing. You are not a 'Loser' if you lost and you were trying your hardest and giving your best right to the end.

A Sport like tennis is just a vehicle to learn life skills such as interacting with others, problem solving, and handling crises and pressure. In fact, one of the main things a sport like tennis CAN teach us is how to cope with setbacks.

If we develop a bad attitude about competition and losing then we have missed out on the greatest lesson that sports teaches.

My advice is to set a goal. Go out there and give 100% of your effort and focus towards achieving that goal. If you fall short, KEEP TRYING. If you give your best effort, YOU ARE A WINNER...!

Trying one's hardest is all that can be asked of a person.

Before I was a Christian I used to get very depressed over lost tennis matches, but Ephesians 6: 7-8 says: we should serve wholeheartedly in everything we do as if we were doing that activity for God, not man....

After reading those verses I understood that when I gave my best I was honoring God. And that is now my goal every time I step on the tennis court. The winning and losing will take care of itself if I just give my best effort. And You know what, that attitude definitely took the sting out losing.

If you are a Christian I hope this tip has given you a new perspective on your personal relationship with God and how you can express it on the tennis court. If You are not a Christian I hope and pray that You have not been offended because my intent was most definitely not to offend, but to help you play better tennis.

If You have any questions about tennis or a relationship with Jesus Christ I would be happy to take time to visit with you. Please email me at coachsam@chadwelltennis.com or make a post on this blog.

HAPPY TENNIS...!

-Coach Sam