Hit More Ball, Hit Less Ball

As players work hard on improving their ability to " make balls", and eliminate needless unforced errors, they invariably slow down their swing speed. This effort to gain control and improve consistency is actually a recipe for losing control and making more errors.

A more effective approach would be to maintain a considerable amount of racquet head speed, and adjust "how much ball" you are hitting. On the flattest shots, you should be hitting the most of the ball, or making a more square and solid contact. When it's time to create more spin and control, then we can strike "less ball', making more of a brushing contact, and imparting heavier spin on the ball. If you don't maintain racquet head speed, the ball won't spin much, and your desire to control will be compromised.

Let's imagine that the flattest contact, with the swing path relatively parallel to the ground, is a contact we'll call a 100, ( or hitting 100% of the ball). Conversely, shots with the most spin, like a topspin lob or a "buggy-whip" sharp angle, require a contact that is the least square and the most brushing. Let's call these a 1 on the same scale. The reality is there are very many versions of swing possibilities between these two extremes. Every shot selection brings the possibility of designing and executing a swing path that suits the situation. Maybe you need a 20 or an 80, depending on your target and strategy, but all of them need substantial swing speed. The key difference being "how much ball" you need to strike.

As you learn from your results, you can develop a better understanding of your need to "hit more ball, or hit less ball', depending on the requirements of the specific shot you are hitting. By hitting less ball and maintaining racquet head speed, you can create more controlling spin, increase your margin over the net, and improve your likelihood of success..

We train our players to try and see the ball differently depending on the quality of contact they are designing. On a flat shot, the ball is a two dimensional disc that you are going to smash with the string bed. On a brushier spin shot, see the back of the ball, (and sometimes the outside of the ball!) as a line that you will brush the racquet face against. This visualization will help you vary the amount of ball you are hitting. This action is similar to the difference between your flat serve contact and the slice serve contact. Some coaches refer to that slice contact like "peeling an orange", which is another great way to visualize striking less ball.

So work on hitting more or less ball, and choosing the right contact for the right situation. Keep your racquet head speed up to make plenty of controlling spin. Hit the right amount of ball and enjoy winning a better amount of matches.