Hi, and welcome . Thanks for stopping by. Helping players make significant progress through video analysis is what we are all about here on Personal Best Tennis. Have you ever seen yourself playing tennis on video?
Video is so good at helping us relate how it feels to how it actually is. You may think you are turning sideways enough, for example, it may certainly feel as if you are, but when you see yourself you suddenly realize you are not! And slow motion playback also allows us to observe what is happening in far greater detail than can be picked up at normal speed. And we can hit the repeat button until we catch every single aspect!
ANGLES TO SHOOT FROM:
There are 4 basic video viewpoints. You can film from the net post, from the side at the baseline, from back behind the baseline, and from the service line. Which you use depends on what you want to observe. Let's take each group of strokes one at a time.
GROUNDSTROKES:
NET POST VIEW. This is the view when the camera is at the net post. You can see the whole stroke, and movement to and from the ball. You can see the timing of the hit, but not the result. It is difficult to judge preparation speed, or how early you reacted to your opponent's shot. It is easier to view forehands from this angle. For backhands, the view from the opposite net post is better.
BASELINE SIDE VIEW. This is taken from the side of the court at the baseline. This is especially good to see the contact point. An inconsistent point of contact makes for many errors. You can see from this angle your weight transfer into the shot, your balance, whether you are hitting a dropping, peaking, or rising ball. Are you going to meet the ball? Are you letting the ball come to you?
BACK BEHIND BASELINE VIEW.
This is a great view to observe speed of reaction, and preparation. You can see when you start to react, and how, as you can see the opponent hit the shot. It is good to observe how far turned to the side your shoulders are. Also visible will be your recovery position based on the placement of your last shot. Height over the net, and target selection can also be checked. Your court coverage, agility, and movement become very evident from this angle.
Try to take footage from all 3 angles. Best to keep the camera shooting in 'landscape' mode. 'Portrait' mode loses much of the court. If you move the camera do it very slowly and smoothly to avoid camera shake. Best to turn your body rather than moving your hands. If using a fixed tripod or mount then take a few seconds to test whether you have the best framing. Place the camera where it has the least danger of being hit!
I like to mention the date when I hit the record button, saves having to remember months later, if the file is not date stamped by the camera. Great for looking back and rating your progress over time.
SERVES:
NET POST VIEW.
This angle gives you the overall impression of
the serve. The rhythm, the flow, and the energy
can all be seen. You cannot see the result or the placement, or the amount of spin.
BASELINE SIDE VIEW.
From the side you can spot 'foot creep' causing foot faults. Not usually a problem in friendly matches, but certainly something to correct should you play more serious events. See how far forward you toss the ball, and how low you let the ball drop before striking it.
BACK BEHIND BASELINE VIEW.
This angle reveals whether you fall away to the side after contact, opening up the court for the receiver. It will also show how much shoulder turn you have. Another problem to watch for is whether (if you are a right-hander) your follow through is past your left knee or your right. The right knee follow through puts much more strain on your serving shoulder and is to be avoided to prevent future issues.
With the camera in the same place, change ends, and serve. This view reveals the outcome. It shows the placement and speed of the serve. Watch for habits. Do you always miss the down the centre serve? Are most of your serves to the forehand side? How about second serves? Too short? Always down the middle? What do you need to work on? Consistency? Power? Placement? Disguise? Why not serve and volley a few times to see how that works for you.
VOLLEYS
SERVICE LINE VIEW
Taken from the other side of the net, at the side by the service line, this view shows volley technique off best. How close you are to the net when you volley is important, and how you move to the oncoming ball. Also good angle for overhead smashes.
BACK BEHIND BASELINE VIEW
To see the results of your volleys take clips from
the back of the court, and play from the other end. What are your volley errors? Too many in the net? Too many long? Going for too much? Not reading the passing shot early enough? Too far from net?
CONCLUSION:
It is so easy these days to see yourself on video, and taken from the right angle, can really show you what you are doing. You can match up how it feels to how it actually is! To avoid feeling overwhelmed by everything you could work on, to avoid 'analysis paralysis', make a list of the one thing to focus on for each stroke. And give yourself a 'cue word' for each, to remind you when you are playing.
It is also easy to forget how much progress you have made, especially if you have 'plateaued'! By saving your video clips, filed by date, you can look back and see just how far you have come! Very motivating sometimes!
I hope this was helpful. And I am sure that if you do this you will be able to watch yourself improve! Till next time Happy Hitting, and Happy Filming!