Topic: Returning serve: what do you make of this?

[Babblelot]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

[kickserve]

I stand well inside the baseline and I'm the same: maybe it's something to do with taking the ball on the rise? If it bounces nearer to you, and your somebody who likes to take it on the rise, maybe you'll hit better returns when the ball bounces closer to you. If that's the case then probably it would be better to stand a bit closer in, assuming you handle the serve speed-wise.

[Somil]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

I always seem to do this, but when I decide to come inside the baseline I fluff my shots! So it probably is something to do with the pressure, but I can't be sure.

[Babblelot]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

I always seem to do this, but when I decide to come inside the baseline I fluff my shots! So it probably is something to do with the pressure, but I can't be sure.

Yes, it is crazy-making.     I hope the answer isn't simply that I relax (but I have a feeling it is) because returning serve is definitely the weakest part of my game and the part I feel most pressure and relaxing would be the hardest thing to change.


kicker: maybe I should stand closer--it kind of sounds that way. The reason I don't is that I do have elongated strokes and I feel I need more time to get the head through the ball. That said, it contradicts the fact that I return long balls best   

[pawan89]

you nailed it, i have the book inner tennis, same author as inner game of tennis. and he says the exact same thing, you are lose and let your inner natural game take control when its out and ti doesn't matter and so when you "try" to hit a long serve, you swing away and your body unconcsciously does all the movement and everything. the "try" is in quotes because that's exactly what gallway says we do on normal shots and normal returns, so our conscious thinking self does the whole "ok watch the ball.. stand a foot ahead, bend your elbow, bend your knees.. no the grip's supposed to be this way" and then when you hit it long or something, everytime since then it goes "you moron, if its a kick serve you step in, step in.. and don't mess this one up.. keep your legs bent and swing through" and such, and that's what "try" often means and you are not letting your inner game through - like you do on an out serve return.

he mentions this exact scenario too.

[Babblelot]

you nailed it, i have the book inner tennis, same author as inner game of tennis. and he says the exact same thing, you are lose and let your inner natural game take control when its out and ti doesn't matter and so when you "try" to hit a long serve, you swing away and your body unconcsciously does all the movement and everything. the "try" is in quotes because that's exactly what gallway says we do on normal shots and normal returns, so our conscious thinking self does the whole "ok watch the ball.. stand a foot ahead, bend your elbow, bend your knees.. no the grip's supposed to be this way" and then when you hit it long or something, everytime since then it goes "you moron, if its a kick serve you step in, step in.. and don't mess this one up.. keep your legs bent and swing through" and such, and that's what "try" often means and you are not letting your inner game through - like you do on an out serve return.

he mentions this exact scenario too.

That makes all the sense in the world, but it makes me want to    and   

Great info, pawan. Maybe I should buy that book! (Does he give advise as to how to overcome this conundrum?)

Thanks, man 

[kickserve]

you nailed it, i have the book inner tennis, same author as inner game of tennis. and he says the exact same thing, you are lose and let your inner natural game take control when its out and ti doesn't matter and so when you "try" to hit a long serve, you swing away and your body unconcsciously does all the movement and everything. the "try" is in quotes because that's exactly what gallway says we do on normal shots and normal returns, so our conscious thinking self does the whole "ok watch the ball.. stand a foot ahead, bend your elbow, bend your knees.. no the grip's supposed to be this way" and then when you hit it long or something, everytime since then it goes "you moron, if its a kick serve you step in, step in.. and don't mess this one up.. keep your legs bent and swing through" and such, and that's what "try" often means and you are not letting your inner game through - like you do on an out serve return.

he mentions this exact scenario too.

That makes all the sense in the world, but it makes me want to    and   

Great info, pawan. Maybe I should buy that book! (Does he give advise as to how to overcome this conundrum?)

Thanks, man 

I have the Inner Game of Tennis, but not inner tennis. The General advice he gives is to stop thinking and switch off your conscious self, but I found it a bit unclear on how exactly to do that: there's no failsafe method on how to 'switch off'.

[Victor]

you nailed it, i have the book inner tennis, same author as inner game of tennis. and he says the exact same thing, you are lose and let your inner natural game take control when its out and ti doesn't matter and so when you "try" to hit a long serve, you swing away and your body unconcsciously does all the movement and everything. the "try" is in quotes because that's exactly what gallway says we do on normal shots and normal returns, so our conscious thinking self does the whole "ok watch the ball.. stand a foot ahead, bend your elbow, bend your knees.. no the grip's supposed to be this way" and then when you hit it long or something, everytime since then it goes "you moron, if its a kick serve you step in, step in.. and don't mess this one up.. keep your legs bent and swing through" and such, and that's what "try" often means and you are not letting your inner game through - like you do on an out serve return.

he mentions this exact scenario too.

That makes all the sense in the world, but it makes me want to    and   

Great info, pawan. Maybe I should buy that book! (Does he give advise as to how to overcome this conundrum?)

Thanks, man 

I have the Inner Game of Tennis, but not inner tennis. The General advice he gives is to stop thinking and switch off your conscious self, but I found it a bit unclear on how exactly to do that: there's no failsafe method on how to 'switch off'.

Simply stop thinking about your mechanics
E.G I discovered its best if you set up a general gameplan for every point you play (wether it is doubles with your partner or singles in your head. Youll be more focused towards where you want to have the play going to then how to do it. You stop worrying about strokes but look well to the ball, anticipate and collect information about your opponent, where is he good and bad at and so on. Thatll make you switch into a mode where you stop caring about yourself and your strokes will come out of your concious, you make sure you do the right movements and all you do is make sure you know what you actually want to do with the ball.

Thats my impression, atleast. Im moving more and more into this and it refines your game.

[monstertruck]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

This thread belongs in your journal!

I think Dr. P has got it right.  After reading your post about the pressure you feel on the ROS I would have to agree. 

I understand the concept of 'letting go' and allowing your 'inner self' to just react to shots, but I've got a funny feeling you and I aren't wired that way Babs! 

[Babblelot]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

This thread belongs in your journal!

I think Dr. P has got it right.  After reading your post about the pressure you feel on the ROS I would have to agree. 

I understand the concept of 'letting go' and allowing your 'inner self' to just react to shots, but I've got a funny feeling you and I aren't wired that way Babs! 

You have a better chance of convincing the wall you're talking to "let go"...   
Hey, monster, that's why I liked football so much. React or die thinking.   


Thanks Victor, I couldn't agree more with you and pawan.   

[monstertruck]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

This thread belongs in your journal!

I think Dr. P has got it right.  After reading your post about the pressure you feel on the ROS I would have to agree. 

I understand the concept of 'letting go' and allowing your 'inner self' to just react to shots, but I've got a funny feeling you and I aren't wired that way Babs! 

You have a better chance of convincing the wall you're talking to "let go"...   
Hey, monster, that's why I liked football so much. React or die thinking.   


Thanks Victor, I couldn't agree more with you and pawan.   

Maybe that's why you're doinking those long serves so nicely......

[Babblelot]

I never thought about this, but it's something I've noticed for some time.

When I return serve, I stand just behind the baseline. What irks me is that I hit my best returns when the serve is clearly long.

Do you think it's because I relax when I see that it's long as there's no pressure to return the ball, or do you think that I just stand too deep to begin with... or is it a combination of both?

Thanks!

This thread belongs in your journal!

I think Dr. P has got it right.  After reading your post about the pressure you feel on the ROS I would have to agree. 

I understand the concept of 'letting go' and allowing your 'inner self' to just react to shots, but I've got a funny feeling you and I aren't wired that way Babs! 

You have a better chance of convincing the wall you're talking to "let go"...   
Hey, monster, that's why I liked football so much. React or die thinking.   


Thanks Victor, I couldn't agree more with you and pawan.   

Maybe that's why you're doinking those long serves so nicely......

Maybe I should shout to myself, "Out!" on every serve.   

[pawan89]

Inner Tennis is just an expanded version of the Inner Game of Tennis kicker. The author claims that he wrote Inner Tennis as a way to build on Inner Game of Tennis and more important talk about how to use your inner game - which as you noted, he doesn't do much in the first book. I don't think there's that much in the sense of "instructions" to get into the inner game, so I think 90% of the book is the same as inner game of tennis, just with a lot more words.

hey bab, I was thinking I'd type up that book or at least the important stuff from every part for people to read since there are a lot of people who don't have a chance to pick it up (and probably not even inclined to particulary buy that book since it doesn't really tell you how to, you know, hit a better serve or a flatter forehand) and I know could benefit from it as I have.
I'll see if I can do that over spring break, and see what Galleway has to say about it (any more details that is, cuz in essence his whole book is basically saying everything can be fixed if you let your inner game out).

[Tennis4you]

I think standing closer is a good option, try it out and see how it feels.  In the end you will have to deal with less spin and possibly less movement of the ball away or into your body.  And maybe you do hit better off of the rise when the ball is lower and it hasn't had a chance to get up higher.

[Babblelot]

You know, given everything I've said, standing closer might address everything.

The fact that I can crack a long ball proves that I can get the head through the ball. And my reaction really slows down the longer I have to look at the ball. So it seems that if I'm given a nanosecond more time, I really try to recoil and unload. I'm actually the same when batting. If I see a pitch I like, my hitch and recoil will be exaggerated and I'll never be able to catch up to a very hittable pitch. In baseball, just as in tennis, the "longer" I have to set up for a ball, the harder I try and the slower I am to react.

Hmmm... good stuff guys, I think I'll move in just a bit and see how that works for me.

Funny thing is, I've only experimented with moving back thinking the problem is that I need more time. That never works out for me because I get lost back there and can't reach anything.

[monstertruck]

I think standing closer is a good option, try it out and see how it feels.  In the end you will have to deal with less spin and possibly less movement of the ball away or into your body.  And maybe you do hit better off of the rise when the ball is lower and it hasn't had a chance to get up higher.

Not only that, but you cut down on the angle and reaction time for your opponent off your shot!

[Babblelot]

I think standing closer is a good option, try it out and see how it feels.  In the end you will have to deal with less spin and possibly less movement of the ball away or into your body.  And maybe you do hit better off of the rise when the ball is lower and it hasn't had a chance to get up higher.

Not only that, but you cut down on the angle and reaction time for your opponent off your shot!

   I just posted that a few seconds before yours  ^^^

[monstertruck]

I think standing closer is a good option, try it out and see how it feels.  In the end you will have to deal with less spin and possibly less movement of the ball away or into your body.  And maybe you do hit better off of the rise when the ball is lower and it hasn't had a chance to get up higher.

Not only that, but you cut down on the angle and reaction time for your opponent off your shot!

   I just posted that a few seconds before yours  ^^^

It was several minutes!
Boy you react fast!

[Babblelot]

I think standing closer is a good option, try it out and see how it feels.  In the end you will have to deal with less spin and possibly less movement of the ball away or into your body.  And maybe you do hit better off of the rise when the ball is lower and it hasn't had a chance to get up higher.

Not only that, but you cut down on the angle and reaction time for your opponent off your shot!

   I just posted that a few seconds before yours  ^^^

It was several minutes!
Boy you react fast!

59 seconds to be exact between #14 and #15

[OSU Buckeye]

I think also, on top of what has been agreed upon, that the deeper out serve kind of forces you to get your eyes down on the ball moreso...........that is, if you want any chance to return it.