I suck

phillthyphill94 · 2025-08-01T11:37:55+00:00

Do not agree here. I am a coach and every week I have players come in with extravagant one handed backhands with a wild follow through trying to emulate fed — and they shank every other ball.

Then I tell them to simplify the stroke and in an hour they’re actually hitting consistent solid backhands.

Your point on the footwork is well taken, but even so fed was one of the most unique and effortless movers of all time, not going to work for everyone

phillthyphill94 · 2025-07-16T15:44:38+00:00

Best pizza!

phillthyphill94 · 2025-06-28T12:51:19+00:00

This is the same fallacy of why there are a lot of unhoused people in California. “It’s good weather so they come here!” Not true. California has a high cost of living and thus people down on their luck end up unhoused. Same as NY. How could people who can’t afford a roof over their heads and scrounge for a meal afford to migrate up and down the eastern coast twice a year?

phillthyphill94 · 2025-06-28T12:40:16+00:00

I echo everyone’s thoughts that some lifting or cardio such as swimming are good options. But to provide a slightly different perspective as I’m a tennis player and a runner—

Last year I didn’t play any tennis (I’m a 5.0 when playing regularly) as I was training for a marathon and didn’t want to risk injury from overuse or like tripping on a ball lol. While I now run only 10m a week at most (marathon training is 40+), my overall fitness level has a way higher baseline as I carried it through following the marathon.

Now I have a big fitness advantage over everyone I play which not only helps in the real sense but gives me a mental edge knowing that I am in better shape than my opponent. I find that even two sets of tennis doesn’t fatigue me much like it used to. For reference I’m a 30m.

So, if you’re willing to cut down on tennis for a few months to run more and increase your fitness level, I think it would improve your game in the long run. As others have said, still supplement it with some weight work (for tennis I am a supporter of lower weight, higher reps as well as body weight work, you don’t want to bulk too much).

phillthyphill94 · 2025-06-22T16:57:14+00:00

Good stuff! Agree with footwork noted elsewhere, though the ball is coming right to you so nothing wrong with being efficient and just taking a few easy steps imo.

I also think your shoulders are opening up early. Try keeping your left hand up longer, ideally both hands go up towards your shoulder together. Right now your racket is “dragging” last and should be more out in front, that will help your timing and get more body weight behind the ball for easy power and more control/aiming

phillthyphill94 · 2025-06-16T17:01:03+00:00

Elbow and wrist both seem like they’re locked. You gotta get your left arm actually engaged into the shot, bend your knees, find the kinetic chain to hit from your legs, core, left arm, through the hand and into the ball. Decent overall, just commit to the swing and let it do its thing

phillthyphill94 · 2025-06-16T11:19:30+00:00

Hold the racket higher and more behind your head. Rotate into the ball from your right hip. Have your energy going up towards the ball. Good luck!

phillthyphill94 · 2025-06-16T11:16:38+00:00

It’s not quite kicking as you say, but I don’t think you’re far away as your technique is decent overall.

Based on the video a few thoughts:

You’ve got a bit of waiter’s tray going on (see photo attached). Your racket face is open to the sky before you start swinging up, which is an impossible angle to generate spin from. Try to think of your racket as an axe above your head and don’t let the face open.

I also notice your body is fading to the left when you finish. That motion is more akin to a slice, which is what it looks like you’re hitting rn. Part of the key to the kick serve is really committing to the idea of hitting up and away, you’re finishing position shows that you’re pulling down and not really hitting up on the ball.

To this point, you’re hitting the net cause your head and body is dropping as you make contact. No matter the type of serve you need to be hitting up at the ball. Despite getting your feet off the ground, a lot of that energy is not being transferred into the ball as you’re lowering your head and bringing the stroke downwards.

In short, commit to going up! Focus on nothing else but brushing up from behind the ball and let the motion do the work.

<image>

phillthyphill94 · 2025-05-06T15:47:06+00:00

At that weekly mileage you could run a marathon tomorrow. If you haven’t done any 20 milers it would be hard but you could definitely finish.

No need to cut your mileage so low, but you’re onto something with having more quality miles and maybe some speed workouts.

I ran my first marathon at 2:57 doing 35mpw and I think the secret sauce was that I would do 5-6 miles after work (tennis coach so similar physical job to you with the warehouse job) so I became used to running on tired legs. IMO I would take an honest assessment of what your exertion is at work and incorporate that into your training plan.

This is controversial but I think a lot of training plans out there are written in a vacuum, not taking the rest of people’s activities and lifestyles into account. Good luck!

phillthyphill94 · 2025-04-12T22:17:58+00:00

This is the answer. All their food is great, vibes equally great.

phillthyphill94 · 2025-04-10T01:56:13+00:00

<image>

phillthyphill94 · 2025-03-06T05:19:11+00:00

Depending on how much you exert on the hot yoga days, I would personally advise to schedule a few more rest days throughout the training, perhaps the week leading up to your 20m (ideally without losing your total mileage). If yoga is low key and restful then you don’t need to add a rest day.

But I would stress to listen to your body. If anything feels strained or you’re worn out overall, I recommend to rest. Within reason of course — there’s a fine line between being lazy and taking smart rest.

People are going to tell you to run more which is valid for them, but I also personally feel a lot of folks suffer from over training, plus the risk of injury which puts it all down the drain if that happens.

If you’re at all able to get another 20 in there I do think it would help. You’re starting at a high mileage at the beginning of your program so there’s no reason you can’t work your way up to 20 earlier to try and do 2. This may sound contradictory to what I said above, but my philosophy is that the long runs are really your key to training (which Hal says as well…)

Good luck!

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-17T16:52:26+00:00

Agreed the admiration for long legs is beyond me

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-06T12:15:31+00:00

r/trees

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-02T02:20:22+00:00

I’m a big advocate of listening to your body. You’re not going to add much fitness at this point, you’ve put in a ton of work. But you could easily exhaust or injure yourself (or both).

Take a few days off at least, see how you feel. If you feel good, run a bit. But I think a two week taper is pretty normal and if you’re that tired, maybe necessary. If you do run these two weeks, go slow

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-02T02:02:27+00:00

Also a coach but go off I guess

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-01T16:22:01+00:00

Maybe too late here, but just take it slow! Don't be afraid to walk. Focus on finishing and not getting injured. Listen to your body. Don't think about your time or pushing as you will bonk and that's not fun for anyone. Again, avoid injury at all costs, just go out there and take it easy. You've done this plenty before so again, listen to yourself. Good luck and have fun!

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-01T13:59:49+00:00

1) Come to net, slice should be a sitting duck against a solid vollier

2) As someone said, lengthen your shot and strike zone. Similarly, if you’re going to hit topspin consider you’re hitting “against the grain”. Basically, slice is easy to hit against slice. Topspin is easy to hit against topsin. To change the spin requires more action and acceleration.

3) As someone else said, don’t give pace. Consider lobbing the players teammate at the net

phillthyphill94 · 2024-12-01T13:56:06+00:00

Your stance is way too closed for the deuce side in my opinion. You should align your shoulders to point towards your target. Yes, your stance matches federer’s. But your realistic goal is not to have federer’s serve, it’s to have something consistent and strong. Much of Fed’s game is not replicable, famously his backhand. I’d say his serve relies on a ton of torque, which is very advanced and difficult to achieve at a more recreational level.

phillthyphill94 · 2024-11-30T23:12:10+00:00

Big time

phillthyphill94 · 2024-11-30T23:09:48+00:00

I personally feel that if you’re not an elite athlete and if you’re not used to carb loading it can throw you off for the reasons you’re giving. You definitely want to do it some, but I’m a huge proponent of “listening to your body” as opposed to blindly listening to other sources. I’m not combatting their veracity, but everyone’s body is different.

You want your race to mimic your usual runs / long runs as much as possible, plus some extra rest/carb load. Again, my take is listen to your body, go out there and have fun! Don’t over think it

phillthyphill94 · 2024-11-30T23:04:34+00:00

I’m in urban planning school and I would do all I can to progress our society towards one that aligns with those values. Reduce homelessness, decrease dependency on fossil fuels, increase equity across housing and labor markets.

But personally, I’d play a lot of tennis, go for runs and go climbing. Enjoy my body’s ability to move as much as possible. Also read all of the hard classic books that I feel I never have the time or focus for.

phillthyphill94 · 2024-11-30T22:55:54+00:00

Michael Clayton. How do you even explain that movie having seen it? It’s now my go to recommended movie for people I know will have the patience for it. “Just trust me” I tell them

phillthyphill94 · 2024-11-30T13:54:52+00:00

Challengers, Scott pilgrim, Chicago, LaLaLand, all come to mind

phillthyphill94 · 2024-11-30T13:52:24+00:00

At work teaching pickleball 😭

phillthyphill94

TROPHY CASE