One of the greatest things about using the video for coaching is that we can always look back and compare what we used to do in the past. Knowing that your technique is evolving increases one's confidence for future changes and accelerates the learning process.
Throughout these three years with Ian I've abandoned very early a typical coaching style that focus primarily on technique. Instead, we have payed more attention to Ian's mental skills, footwork and fitness on court. We've mainly spend our weekly one hour lesson on developing Ian's rally abilities at an intensive level, where the focus is on keeping the ball in play but executing shots with ambitious speed and spin. Regularly I've recorded his shots (mainly the forehand) on high speed video. That way it was easier for Ian to know where to go when improving his technique and for me to explain it to him.
Although we had access to the best coaching tool (HS Video) we didn't really made a very conscious and painful effort to change and improve it. We pretty much let it happen by itself. As a coach it has been great to witness (some times almost passively) how Ian has been improving his skills.
Ian hasn't really competed a lot and I think that has been an advantage for Ian's fast learning. When so many kids in their late teens quit the game at an alarming rate due to the pressure of competition, Ian is as motivated as ever and now he is tripling his weekly schedule. Not having the worries of competition allowed Ian to concentrate on his skills, while having no fear of changing and trying new things. Because he feels safe, he knows no boundaries. He is the one responsible for his skills. My job is to help him out to do that as much as I can.
These were the first video recordings that I have made of Ian's forehands more than 3 years ago:
05/06/2009
On these videos we can see that Ian had already improved a few elements on his technique such as having the left hand on the racquet and a left arm stretch (or just) after the left hand release. However he used his forearm to drive the racquet backwards, keeping the elbow always very close to the body. On contact the elbow is bent and extremely close to the body and probably a bit late as well and there was no leg drive or any power coming from the lower body.
At this stage Ian had what its been lately named by Brian Gordon a Type 1 Forehand where the racquet head is positioned on a parallel position to the baseline before the forward swing and the right hand goes too far back and to the left side of the player.
Next videos were recorded a month after: 08/07/2009
Although video quality wasn't the best we can see that the shots just look a bit better. Ian is lower on court and he seems to be hitting the ball more in front. On these videos we can see that when the ball bounces Ian is extremely late and hasn't completed his preparation. We can easily see a lot of independent movement of the right arm especially the forearm. His unit turn wasn't still very sound.
Almost a year later I've recorded again his forehands: 03-06-10
Ian has his right elbow very close to his body. Now Ian is hitting the ball much more in front. He changed from a double bended elbow to a straight elbow at contact. I didn't advise him to do that. Actually when I looked at it for the first time on video I was quite surprised!. Ian changed it because it felt natural for him.
One month later and with a better racquet Ian started to tune up his forehand. The video quality isn't the best. The shot is recorded at 500 frames per second at night: 30/06/10
Ian's forehand is starting to look pretty good. The unit turn just looks so much better and notice as well now that when the ball bounces Ian is prepared and loaded. We can see how Ian is striking the ball with the arm fully extended. He is much lower and for the first time he is using his legs to produce power. Just notice the upward movement of the left leg from the bounce of the ball till contact!
This next shot was recorded on 20/07/10 and interestingly Ian is changing from a type 1 Forehand to a type 2 forehand. Notice how the racquet on the forward swing is kept much more perpendicular to the net than before and the right hand is positioned more towards the right side. Ian is a bit late by the time the ball bounced on the court.
Another week later recorded from far away we can see how Ian started to get his elbow further away from his body:
29/07/10
And then three weeks after we can see how Ian is maintaining the right elbow away from the body: 17/08/10
Another month and Ian's forehand is looking better: 22/09/12
Four months later and we have another video at 500 frames per second. This next shot looks terrific! I love the way how Ian maintains a low position and how he attacks the ball with both feet on the air. It seems that Ian is just hitting the ball a bit too far back, maybe because his right hand went too far to the left side:
17/03/11
After the last recording Ian had a break of roughly six months where he didn't play. later he started again in full power and here I got him on the camera again One year and three months later : 27/05/12
And this is where Ian's forehand is at the moment. He has a type 3 forehand now. Notice how now during the descending loop of the hands and racquet, the racquet head is positioned on the right side of the right hand. This last video was recorded when Ian was already a bit tired and so he wasn't using much his legs.
Where should Ian go from here? I think Ian starts his descending loop a little bit too early. I would say that Ian could have his hands higher by the time the ball is bouncing and then start the descending loop towards the contact.
This article shows how Ian has been developing his forehand in the past three years. As I said before the majority of the technical elements that Ian has been improving he has found them either by accident or trial and error. Occasionally he might have gone off track here and there and I might have send him in the right direction as I'm sure I've made a few mistakes as well on the way.
What really matters is that Ian is extremely motivated to continue improving his whole game and that is what's tennis is all about.
Thanks Ian for sharing your videos and keep rocking those forehands.
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