While great tennis players may have different styles of execution, they all use the same scientific principles to maximize the efficiency of their movements. Now it's easy to apply these same principles to improve your game.
In High Tech Tennis, professional tennis coach and biomechanist Jack Groppel shows players of all levels how to apply the science of movement on the court. As chairman of the United States Tennis Association's National Sport Science Committee and a recipient of the United States Professional Tennis Association's National Teaching Professional of the Year award, Groppel is uniquely qualified to bring the sport sciences to tennis players and coaches.
For this revised and expanded second edition, Groppel spells out specific strategies for improving the mechanics of your game--from stroke production and footwork to equipment selection and mental fitness. He also provides numerous illustrations, an easy-to-understand writing style, and instructional cues that highlight the concepts presented for quick reference during practice.
In addition, Groppel reveals the facts and fallacies of tennis. He discusses--using a scientific rationale--some of the game's most hard-to-believe (or misunderstood) facts and most widely held myths. Here are some examples:
* Fact--Force in tennis comes from both linear and angular momentum.
* Fallacy--You should keep your eye on the ball.
* Fact--The racket face must be nearly vertical to achieve optimal impact.
* Fallacy--You should turn sideways to the net when hitting ground strokes.
Discover how this new edition of High Tech Tennis can help you improve your game by taking science to the court.
AUDIENCE
Reference for tennis players, coaches, and sport scientists.
CONTENTS
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. The Quest for the Perfect Game
How Sport Science Affects Tennis * How You Can Use Sport Science Principles to Help Your Game * What You Can Learn From Watching a Pro
Chapter 2. Optimize Your Game With the Proper Equipment Components of Racket Design * Your Tennis Shoes and You * Why So Many Different Tennis Balls?
Chapter 3. Footwork Is the Name of the Game
Your Center of Gravity and Balance * The Ready Position and Unweighting * Tracking * The Unit Turn * Moving a Short Distance Laterally * Hitting on the Run * Returning a Ball Hit Right at You * Recovery After a Shot * Open- and Closed-Stance Ground Strokes * How to Improve Your Movement * Movement Drills for Quicker Footwork
Chapter 4. Control Versus Power--Which Is More Important?
Avoid Those Costly Errors * Various Game Styles * Four Goals for Every Player of Any Skill Level * The Body's Sources of Power: Linear and Angular Momentum * The Solid (or Heavy) Ball
Chapter 5. The One-Handed Versus the Two-Handed Backhand: Which Is Better?
What the Experts Say * What Sport Science Tells Us * Ease of Skill Acquisition
Chapter 6. Ball Spin: Why, When, and How
The Effect of Spin on Ball Flight * The Effect of Spin on Ball Bounce * Application of Spin
Chapter 7. Making a Good Volley Even Better
Causes of Poor Volleys * Footwork Is Crucial on the Volley * Upper Body Mechanics in Volleying * What Sport Science Tells Us About the Volley Grip * More on Volley Control * The Drop Volley * The Half Volley
Chapter 8. The Serve and Overhead: Your Ultimate Weapons Developing Force for the Serve and Overhead * Why Do So Many Different Serving Techniques Exist? * Why Do Some Players Serve and Hit Overheads Better Than Others? * The Second Serve
Chapter 9. It's a Game of Continual Dire Emergencies
The Return of the Serve * Must You Always Hit a Backhand? * The Approach Shot * When the Opponent Is at the Net
Chapter 10. Facts and Fallacies of the Game
Facts * Fallacies
Chapter 11. Are You Ready for Championship Tennis?
Be in Control and Let Your Racket Do the Work * Make Things Happen During a Point * Hitting Shots You Own * Watch Out for Idiosyncracies * Know What Goes Into the Perfect Stroke * Use of a Teaching Pro and Visual Aids * Use an Effective Speed-Accuracy Trade-Off * Work on Adapting to Emergencies * Goal Setting with Mechanics in Mind * Practicing Effectively * Don't Be Afraid to Put Yourself on the Line * Anticipating All the Possibilities
Glossary
References
Index
About the Author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Jack Groppel is the executive vice president of Loehr-Groppel/Saddlebrook Sport Science, Inc. In 1987, Dr. Groppel became certified as a Master Professional of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and received the organization's highest honor as its National Teaching Professional of the Year. He is the chairman of the National Sport Science Committee for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and is on the National Steering Committee for the USTA Player Development Program.
Dr. Groppel is also a recognized authority in sport research. He served as a research associate to the United States Olympic Training Center and presented the keynote address at the 1984 Olympic Scientific Congress. His research has included performance analyses of over 12 sports, including work with such tennis greats as John McEnroe, Stan Smith, and Michael Chang.
In addition to being an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences at the University of Florida, Dr. Groppel is the author of over 200 articles on fitness, nutrition, and stress. He has written or edited 10 books, including the first edition of this book, Tennis for Advanced Players: And Those Who Would Like To Be, and Science of Coaching Tennis, both published by Human Kinetics.
WORDS OF PRAISE
"A valuable resource for both players and instructors. A very thorough job of identifying the basic questions that people ask about the game. . . . I recommend that all tennis players read this book."
Stan Smith
Director of Coaching, USTA Player Development Program
"This is an up-to-date resource. It lays out key issues in developing a tennis game by applying the research from sport science to coaching and playing tennis. . . . A great blend of real-life anecdotes and personal experiences that illustrate the accepted principles of sport science in tennis."
Ron Woods, PhD
Director of Player Development, United States Tennis Association
"The best reference for stroke production available today. It is scientifically based but written in a very personal,
easy-to-understand style. A significant contribution."
Jim Loehr, EdD
Former Director of Sport Science, United States Tennis Association
Available Colors:
Discontinued
No Longer Available
