I've hit a wall.

...Not literally of course.

But over the past 4-5 months, I have been practicing tennis for 1-2 hours almost every day of the week. However, I don't think i've actually improved much, if at all. Before these 4/5 months, I was practicing at the same rate and improving my game- slowly but steadily. Now it seems like whenever I identify a problem with my game and fix it, the problem always recurs, be it the day after I address it or a week later. I've really been trying to work on my consistency and it's just not improving at all, because I keep doing the same things wrong over and over again, and for some reason I can't keep it fixed for more than a week. Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

But over the past 4-5 months, I have been practicing tennis for 1-2 hours almost every day of the week. However, I don't think i've actually improved much, if at all.

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I do not know how old are you and when have you started to play tennis.To know this information would be helpful, but I will help you even without knowing this information.

I wiill give you advice on each part I quoted you.
If you practice too much then you get tired, and in short term you do not make progress, but actually you worsen your performance

example
When I played competitive tennis I practiced a lot.One Sunday I played sparring match and won 6/0, 6/2.Next 6 days I practiced 7 hours per day (42 hours in six days).Next Sunday I played sparring match against same opponent, and lost 0/6, 0/6.

Conclusion:
Six days in the row I played too much (I never before practiced 7 hours per day , six days in the row).Even, my practice was quality practice it was too much (above my tolerance level) in quantity, and as such detrimental in short run.One has to balance work/rest ratio

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bubo

I do not know how old are you and when have you started to play tennis.To know this information would be helpful, but I will help you even without knowing this information.

I wiill give you advice on each part I quoted you.
If you practice too much then you get tired, and in short term you do not make progress, but actually you worsen your performance

example
When I played competitive tennis I practiced a lot.One Sunday I played sparring match and won 6/0, 6/2.Next 6 days I practiced 7 hours per day (42 hours in six days).Next Sunday I played sparring match against same opponent, and lost 0/6, 0/6.

Conclusion:
Six days in the row I played too much (I never before practiced 7 hours per day , six days in the row).Even, my practice was quality practice it was too much (above my tolerance level) in quantity, and as such detrimental in short run.One has to balance work/rest ratio

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To answer your question, I'm 15 and I've been playing tennis for about 7 years.

Hmm. Did you feel tired or fatigued at all after practicing that much? Because I know I would if I practiced that intensely, and I'm not feeling fatigued at all right now. It doesn't feel like I'm overworking myself- however, I don't know if it should or not.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

To answer your question, I'm 15 and I've been playing tennis for about 7 years.

Hmm. Did you feel tired or fatigued at all after practicing that much? Because I know I would if I practiced that intensely, and I'm not feeling fatigued at all right now. It doesn't feel like I'm overworking myself- however, I don't know if it should or not.

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It is good that you are so young and you started to play so early because playing tennis is a lot of coordination which is mostly inborn physical component, and it should be address very early for best results.

I felt tired but I though the more the better.When, someone is tired he cannot make right decisions.This is one of the reasons for tennis coach;to monitor what is going on, and make decisions what to do because a player is not able to perform at his best and control the process at the same time.Too much practice leads to fatigue, and diminishing performance, and if continue to overtraining, and can be detrimental to player¨s health.

Fatigue makes coward of us all in other words is detrimental to player¨s self confidence, and we all know how self confidence is important during a tennis match.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Before these 4/5 months, I was practicing at the same rate and improving my game- slowly but steadily.

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If you practice right way you should improve.At the beginning improvments are faster (and you are far away from beginning), and as you go on, you improve but at slower rate because the things to learn are more complicated.This is called a law of diminishing returns.You should improve but at slower rate.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

. Now it seems like whenever I identify a problem with my game and fix it, the problem always recurs, be it the day after I address it or a week later. I've really been trying to work on my consistency and it's just not improving at all, because I keep doing the same things wrong over and over again, and for some reason I can't keep it fixed for more than a week. Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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When you try to improve something in your game criteria for what to correct, learn or improve is what will once improved the most rise your overall performance .This is called window of opportunity, and there is always one window of opportunity that is the thing which when improved will add the most to your game.

As in medicine it is very important to diagnose a problem, and prescribe a remedy to cure it.The same is here.Before you start to devote time and effort to learn, improve or correct something, you have to be quite sure how to do it.
I will give you an example.I learned tennis mostly by watching better players.The problem with that method is that that is very probable that you do not notice, and differ what is important from what is not.So for example, I would come to net to practice volley, but I really practiced nothing because I did not know the volley mechanics.One can practice something when he is aware of its mechanics.I could practice volley this way day in and day out, and nothing happened.Everytime was the same during the practice, and I avoided it during a match.

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Originally Posted by Bubo

When you try to improve something in your game criteria for what to correct, learn or improve is what will once improved the most rise your overall performance .This is called window of opportunity, and there is always one window of opportunity that is the thing which when improved will add the most to your game.

As in medicine it is very important to diagnose a problem, and prescribe a remedy to cure it.The same is here.Before you start to devote time and effort to learn, improve or correct something, you have to be quite sure how to do it.
I will give you an example.I learned tennis mostly by watching better players.The problem with that method is that that is very probable that you do not notice, and differ what is important from what is not.So for example, I would come to net to practice volley, but I really practiced nothing because I did not know the volley mechanics.One can practice something when he is aware of its mechanics.I could practice volley this way day in and day out, and nothing happened.Everytime was the same durig the practice, and avoided it during a match.

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Watching the pros play doesn't do much for me either. Maybe it's just the way I learn, but all I end up noticing is that every single player has a distinct style, and you can't really model yourself after one and "use" their form, because it might not be best for you.

Your other point may be true though. At practice today it seemed like I finally solved a big problem with my groundstroke form (in short, I started putting my weight into shots instead of just trying to smack them with only force from my arm) and I'm cautiously optimistic about it, but what I'm saying is the next day I remember nothing about these "fixes" and I'm constantly learning and re-learning them. This one does feel different, and we'll see how it goes. However, I often feel like I'm not aware enough of what I'm doing. ie. I'll hit a clunker, and my coach will tell me to change so-and-so in my swing. A few minutes later, I rip one across the court, and my coach says "wow, great job! see what happens when you do that?"
Problem is, I don't see what happens because apart from the good feedback from the racquet, I can't tell the 2 different swings apart.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Watching the pros play doesn't do much for me either. Maybe it's just the way I learn, but all I end up noticing is that every single player has a distinct style, and you can't really model yourself after one and "use" their form, because it might not be best for you..

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At the time when I have learned tennis watching better players did not me any good either.I thought too that they play in different way;that each has his own individual way.I was very interested and passionate about tennis, and little by little I understood that certain things ("What is tennis all about" my other thread) are commons to all professional.These are the things which count, which contain essence of tennis.Pro differ in details which have no importance.These details are just individual thing mounted on what is commom to them.If they would not have body mechanics things their tennis would look ridicule, and they would never be where they are now.
As I said I used to see just outside, superficial things (like difference how a person is dressed and what is he really like as a person) which are not important for the tennis stroke, and to me seemed too that every pro has his own way of playing tennis.Actually, they all play the same in general.They respect the same law of physics.Their implementation is little differen due their physiological differences.What you see right now is just surface.The same was with me.I remember time when I tried to learn swing for serve.I saw many players using different swings so I copied and was going from one to another for unknown reasons so my serve was not stable.I learned swing for serve when I could answer questions like:
- what is purpose of swing in serve
- which law of physics apply
- how and why concerning position of the racket
- how swing has to end to faciliate next movement (loop).
- what physiology here has to say

When I was able to answer these questions and explain to myself why is this the best then I was on the right track.From there I would add just details to meke it even better.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Now it seems like whenever I identify a problem with my game and fix it, the problem always recurs, be it the day after I address it or a week later. I've really been trying to work on my consistency and it's just not improving at all, because I keep doing the same things wrong over and over again, and for some reason I can't keep it fixed for more than a week. Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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If your coach and you diagnosed well what does not let you to make further progress, you have to find right solution.In implementing this solution is important that you go from general to individual that is from gross movements to fine movements.There are 3 stages in learning, correcting stroke mechanics:

- mental stage(when coach explains you how to do it, and possibly why.I am in favor of developing self sufficient player compared to dependent player.Self sufficient is one who knows why is something happening so he is able to see what is happening, and find out how to correct.During this mental stage is the most explaning how to do it with less actual hitting

- practice stage (where you actually do the things you have been told with shorter pauses for further explanation and correction

. automatic stage (when player instictively hits the ball.This stage characterized a lot of repetition)

I'll try and keep all this in mind. You've been very helpful; thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Now it seems like whenever I identify a problem with my game and fix it, the problem always recurs, be it the day after I address it or a week later. I've really been trying to work on my consistency and it's just not improving at all, because I keep doing the same things wrong over and over again, and for some reason I can't keep it fixed for more than a week. Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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You are welcome.

I explained these three stages of learning because it is quite normal under assumption of right diagnosys and prescription that the problem recurs because you are still in mental stage or at the beginning of practice stage.Nobody can learn anything so fast especially if you are trying to correct things.
In the later case first you have to unlern what was wrong, and then learn the correct technique.Sometimes it is even impossible.It depends how is embeded(how many balls you hit using wrong technique, and how difficult is task itself)

Example:
When I played tennis in competition I used continental grip for forehand.When I realized that this is not the best grip I tried to change, buit not a chance;I hit so many balls using wrong grip so that was impossible to change

Quote:

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Now it seems like whenever I identify a problem with my game and fix it, the problem always recurs, be it the day after I address it or a week later. I've really been trying to work on my consistency and it's just not improving at all, because I keep doing the same things wrong over and over again, and for some reason I can't keep it fixed for more than a week. Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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Some things you will never learn at the level to do them instictevely (automatic stage).You probaly do not remember Ivan Lendl.He was great player, especially from baseline.He did not feel at ease at the net, and he could not win Wimbledon.He hired Tony Roche, who taught him very good volley technique, and Lendl could play volley on ordinary points, but on very important points he could not.His volleys would break under pressure because they never became second nature to him;he never made progress from practice to automatic stage of learning, and he was world class player.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

...Not literally of course.

But over the past 4-5 months, I have been practicing tennis for 1-2 hours almost every day of the week. However, I don't think i've actually improved much, if at all. Before these 4/5 months, I was practicing at the same rate and improving my game- slowly but steadily. Now it seems like whenever I identify a problem with my game and fix it, the problem always recurs, be it the day after I address it or a week later. I've really been trying to work on my consistency and it's just not improving at all, because I keep doing the same things wrong over and over again, and for some reason I can't keep it fixed for more than a week. Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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I'm not a tennis coach or psychologist, but I can tell you this. You need to enjoy the game to improve. You'll find that by having fun, you'll believe in yourself. Sometimes one can be their worst enemy. Regulate your breathing and go do your thing.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Some of the things I have been trying to improve are footwork technique, movement, and handling low balls, and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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You should try to improve one thing at the time, and for each thing you should allow enough time.Adaptation time for physical conditioning is at lest 4 weeks, and lerning technique is more complicated.Do not attack everything at once.It would be the same that one tries to learn flat, slice, and kick serve at the same time.He would get confused, and learn nothing.First one has to learn flat serve and stabilize it (consistency, direction, depth, speed) then slice, then kick.It must be learned in order of difficulty.

Once you learned parts, it needs time to integrate these part in the whole.It is one thing to hit law ball which comes close to you (go down in your hips and legs by wider stance, upper body position stays the same)from the shorter law ball where you have to use different footwork to reach it, and then to hit it.

There is nobody who can play the best every time.Even the best professionals cannot do that.It is not possible to practice everything one knows, and it is not necessary.One practice more things which are used more during the play.Practice is adopted even to the surface the next tournament is played on;so for fast courts one would practice more return, serve, attack game, and finishing a point off while for slower surfaces one would practice more on groundstrokes (consistency, placement, speed, spin).
The very best professionals play their best not very often too, but they have enough experience to handle the situation when one shot is not going as they would expect.They use conservative approach that is they pay attention to its basic, and they limit their use in the what they do with this shot.If and when they feel more comfortable with a shot they add variety to it.
Inexperienced players do just opposite.They try to force it happen.This is very wrong because consequently not that this shot suffers, but suffers complete game.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

and honestly, after I spend some time focusing on each issue, I do improve. However, when I stop completely focusing on one issue at a time and try to play my natural game, I just revert back to my old methods and miss shots. I can't figure it out.

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This is quite normal, because this did not become second nature to you, and you have to be very concentrated at task at hand to do it right.At the moment you loose concentracion you loose track of sequences that follow each other, and you do not execute it right way.
This is reason why the better the player the higher is his average level of play that is his consistency is better.

All in all this shows the importance of quality tennis coach;the one who understands the essence of tennis.It does not matter if in question is recreational player or competitor.For both is very important that their coach understand the essence of tennis, and difference between the coaches are that one who works with competitors has to know everything in more details than one who works with recreational player.
Why is such importance that your coach understands what is tennis all about?Because oterwise he cannot diagnose the problem in your game, and is not able to "precribe right medicine to cure the problem" in other words he is not able to see "forest from the trees".

At first sight it seems that it is not big deal to learn and understand the essence of tennis, but it is because it differs quality coach from just a coach;in other words it differ the one who will teach you proper tennis mechanics from the one who calls himself a coach, but this is all to it.
I will give an illustration for better understanding:
The parent of the children come to me as the last resort;when they have gone and tried everything to no avail.At the beginning, when I see these children and their shape thay are in, I wonder too if I can help them at all.Then I diagnose the most acute problem, and start patiently to work on it in logical sequence.After some time there are visible results, and what happen next is that the same parents who were begging me to take their children now suddenly become experts and they think that by imitating me they can do the same thing.Normally , there is no way that they can do it, but because of lack of own criteria (they would never reach the point they reached if they had some criteria)they take over and destroy everything.The end result is that the children stop playing.

There is fine line between one who knows and one who does not, and they never cross.Why these parents cannot succeed by imitating me?They cannot succeed because they do not understand the essence of tennis, and as such are not able in this process of transformation based on children¨s reaction decide on next move, and children on the same stimuli react differently so this is big challenge for quality coach in spite of his experience and knowledge which requires ongoing education.Difference between one who understands the essence of tennis and one who does not is like between one understands the matter, and knows how to interpolate different values in a formula to calculate the end result, and one who knows just a formula by heart but do not understand the relations between valuesThe later one will never get correct end result.

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Originally Posted by -Hope-

Watching the pros play doesn't do much for me either. Maybe it's just the way I learn, but all I end up noticing is that every single player has a distinct style, and you can't really model yourself after one and "use" their form, because it might not be best for you.

Your other point may be true though. At practice today it seemed like I finally solved a big problem with my groundstroke form (in short, I started putting my weight into shots instead of just trying to smack them with only force from my arm) and I'm cautiously optimistic about it, but what I'm saying is the next day I remember nothing about these "fixes" and I'm constantly learning and re-learning them. This one does feel different, and we'll see how it goes. However, I often feel like I'm not aware enough of what I'm doing. ie. I'll hit a clunker, and my coach will tell me to change so-and-so in my swing. A few minutes later, I rip one across the court, and my coach says "wow, great job! see what happens when you do that?"
Problem is, I don't see what happens because apart from the good feedback from the racquet, I can't tell the 2 different swings apart.

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Take a look at Oscar Wegner,s dvd,s. They are a great help for what you are trying to overcome. Try waiting as long as you can before hitting the ball and you will find yourself in the best position to see the ball and the shot should come automatically.

I am in process of trying to do my own membership web site where I plan to describe what I went through (I was with one player for 16 years)from the start to professional play, with advices and recommendations so that a parent/coach who tries the same path cuts on mistakes.
I had this idea for long time, but did not know how to implement it.One day I read on internet"How to build a membership site in less than 2 hours, and for less than $20.00."I decided to buy this how to do it thing, and use it to build my membership site.
Easier said than do it.I am working on it for 2 and half month, and I am still not sure if I will be able to do it.How come?Because I do not have the basic knowledge in this area to build on in the other words I do not understand the essence of the matter.
Why am I talking about me building my membership site?Because it can be drawn parallel between me in building this site, and a tennis coach who does not understand the essence of tennis.I cannot build a membership web site, and it would be irresponsible that I teach someone how to build a web site.The same thing is with a coach who does not know the essence of tennis - it is iresponsible of him to try to teach someone tennis because he does not know himself.What a paradox!To teach someone something what one does not know himself.

Now, by doing this I am in position to understand the confusion a coach is in who does not understand the essence of tennis.Because of lack of fundamental knowledge and experience one is like in a complete darkness.Things are happening against your will, and you do not know to explain why and what is happening.Very frustrating.
I will illustrate what I am talking about.When I have a problem with my process of building my web site, I ask, and people tell me what to do, but I receive different answers, and because of my lack of fundamental knowledge of the matter I have no idea which answer is correct , and what repurcussions will have implementation of each advice on what I did so far.Very frustrating.

Now, I do understands why some of my collegues would advice something like this:

- coach duty is just to throw balls, and a child will learn by himself if he is talented, and if he is not he will not learn anyway

- everybody learns tennis technique and tactic, but physical conditiong is what makes difference

Simply, they call themselves coaches, and they do not know the essence of tennis, but they are aware that they know nothing so they do not want to start something that is beyond their head.In other word tennis teaching (due to lack of knowledge and experience)is for them like building a web site for me;Pandora box.They do not want to open it because they would not be able to control its content.

There are two alternatives for a student (recreational player or competitor):to make a progress or to hit a wall and feel completely helpless like I do in building my website.

This is difference in choosing between quality tennis coach who knows the essence of tennis, and a so called tennis coach who does not.

The biggest challenge is to choose right person.This is not easy because results will not appear right away, but will become obvious in the future when will be already too late.
As I said it is very difficult to recognize quality tennis coach.They are rare as good tennis players.Quality always comes in small quantities., but there are hints which can be heplful such as:

a coach is good marketer, but he is not going to give you straight forward answers to your questions - his answers will be blurry and unclear.He will never say that something is above his head.

a quality tennis coach will give you conscise, clear answers to your questions.He will not be ashamed to admit that something is above his head.

Once when you choose (hopefully the right person) trust him because it is necessary trust and respect between player and coach.

If you are lucky to choose right person (it is very difficult) relax, concentrate and enjoy the game of tennis.

This person will diagnose your tennis problems, come up with best solutions considering your overall physical and mental capabilities, and surely lead you to improvement.All this will be happening in pleasant, pressure free environment.Real enjoyment.This is consequence that this quality tennis coach understand the essence of tennis, and knows about sport science, and understand its practical application to his tennis teaching.

If you were not lucky to choose right person, then you are heading for big disapointment.You can become injured (older person) or mentally and physically abused (younger person).Because that coach does not understand the essence of tennis, and as such he cannot improve your game.The biggest problem is not that he does not know, but that he does not admit that he does know so he puts all the blame on you.He would even say that something wrong with you mentally.This is pretty bad.The problem is that you being involved so much in the process itself are not aware what is really happening.

The most in danger are young competitors whose parents see them as future tennis stars and because of lack of knowledge have high opinion about their coach.They can experience serious physical and mental problems

I will give an example.There was a person who was excellent athlete (water diving), and in late 30¨s he started to play tennis and because of his excellent physical capabilities he was good in categories under 45, 50 year old and so on.The problem was that he started to coach young competitors, and he had very high opinion of himself, but actually knew nothing.What happened:he could not give these competitors basic tennis skills, but problem was that he was punishing them with squats and push-ups for not doing he though he should be doing.They could not do it because he did not know how to show them.So it was close circle in which children were punished for something they did not even know why.They practiced a lot but made not progress.They were physically and mentally beaten.They actually stopped growing.
Once, they parted, they started to grow again, and enjoy their youth.

This is extrene case what coach who does not know the essence of tennis (and is ambitious at the same time) can do to his students.

After all advice is:

Choose a quality tennis coach , and you will never hit a wall.

The advice I cannot give you is how to recognize a quality tennis coach.It is very difficult at first sight.

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In Depth Description of Bringing a Child Up a Competitive Ladder with Advices and Recommendations