How HARD Should You Hit A Tennis Ball? (Find Your Pace)

Finding the right swingspeed on your groundstrokes is incredibly important. In this video I’ll show you how to find your optimal groundstrokes pace!

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ABOUT MY TENNIS HQ
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We reveal pro tennis tips that help amateur players quickly win more. Our how-to videos cover all essential parts of tennis: forehands, backhands, serves, volleys, singles strategy, doubles tactics, and more. Brought to you by Gui Hadlich and Karue Sell, passionate former D1 college and ATP professional players.

#MyTennisHQ #TennisTips #Tennis

[JeredCuenco]

I needed this. As a decent athlete in other sports I feel like I should be able to crush balls consistently. It never works out in match. Slowly increasing what my personal 75% is makes so much sense. Don’t overhit your put away shot nailed me.

[Rorshacked]

Interesting nuance between “increase what your 75% looks like” vs getting comfortable hitting at 85 or 90%. I usually tell students hit the best shot you can control comfortably but I like the idea of improving your 75%

[divad]

The point about going from 75% to 280% is exactly me…I see a short ball and my excitement goes through the roof - and ball goes into net 🤦🏻‍♂️

[cldavis]

This is just so good of instruction.. I've been playing 25+ years, tried so many ways...this is just so sound and true. Karue is a real gift to rec players.

[LiamApilado]

Wow the universe has once again provided me the lesson I needed at this time. Great video Karue!👍

[DonYang]

this is so true, clean smooth swing and contact is just about the most important thing in producing good shots. the feeling of smooth perfectly placed shots is more satisfying to me

[ilips]

I think timing is key..hiting the ball before the rebound reaches it's peak to use the opponent's power..like a half-volley.
Requires good placement and anticipation!

[jonatanhenriquez]

I think this is amazing. I saw a video of Moratouglou that resonates with this lesson and I find it to be gold: (in practice) you need to find a rythm that you know you can't miss and by doing this you and your body understand how solid you are (you are prepared). You enter the court with confidence, relaxed, and play your rythm. Being an aggressive player, it is easy to get blinded, but not only you go for too much and become inconsistent, you stop playing with the geometry of the court. Lastly, if you play a good defensive player, you might win the first three games but then you might as well retire because you are breathing like jackass and your legs cant keep up the intensity. 'Solid' beats erratic and inconsistent power.

[Kelvinjan]

Great video and this probably gets into many people’s ego, including myself. Recently I’ve been trying what you preaches this video and hit more in the 75-85% because I’ve noticed when I go for it, I have a higher chance of miss hitting or hitting too flat and going long. Just adding that extra 5-10% like you mentioned is all you need sometimes.

[gkinghsmith]

Karue, I like you dude. And I agree with all you said here. But I'll make this point that most tennis players have no idea what 100% looks or feels like or how to create it. One of the biggest break throughs my team had were the 100% drills. The point of the drill was to hit the ball at 100% with clearance and maximum drive. Keep the ball in, hit it full speed, hit a target. For example cross court forehands. We'd rally like that (and it was ugly at the start) and then switch sides to backhand and then take a break. At 100 % the goal was to have 20 ball rallies. What we learned is how to get the body and the KC working so that your absolutely smashing the ball with just a little more effort than hitting rally balls. Then we come back on the court and hit at "85%" Results are that we're hitting the ball with 85% effort, but with more pace, consistency and spin. Now we're hitting 80 ball rallies. We would have never gotten there if the coach just said "Hit cross court 85%" You have to know exactly how to create 100% pace (as you demonstrate without knowing it) to know what 85% is and how to create and reproduce it.

[stupalmer]

Love this!!!Soo bored of seeing soo many so called coaches teaching incorrect click bait crap, trying to imitate what they think is a pros technique when they simply don’t understand body mechanics and confuse it with deliberate actions. Soo bad to push incorrect things under the guise of teaching. Karue always does a fantastic job of keeping things simple and teaching the fundamentals to take on board and then go to the court to improve on in practice/match play. Hats off sir 🎩 Did you get to measure the SW of that new sword coz that baby is slapping 🔥

[wolleo]

Great advice - and your as so right. Sometimes my Ambition is higher than my level and I need to slow down not to overpace 👌

[ranjanjha]

Wow — amazing video. My coach keeps telling me not to immediately blast and now I finally understand why! Best video !!

[kpwand]

You are a very good coach. Wish YouTube was around 25 years ago.

[dabarons]

Thanks Karue. Need to be reminded of that from time to time. As with many others, I struggle with that. The temptation to impress my coach during practice or an opponent during a match is awful. When just keeping the ball in play is what really matters.

[kiesbett]

great advice! I have a coach who once a while wants me to hit at 120%, what feels like absolute overhitting, but when i return then to my "85 %" i feel like i have a new level of 85%, i mean, more power AND control at the same time.

[wingchunmann]

Good Video and good advice for Players and Coaches also

Many Coaches teach that "Go for the shot" and create a habit to "overpace with lack of consistancy" and a mindset in the players, that the shot is not "good", when it is not 100% every time.. It also creates a way of doubt in Matches, when that way of playing doesn't work under pressure.
I've learned that way 30 years ago and i'm still struggling with getting that out of my head and change that habit!
Thanks for that precious lesson!

[robinhoodwink]

I like the ideas of getting a full stroke by having the back swing showing the hitting arm in line of shoulders and were you aim the ball. I can see you are there and have a big amount of racket speed.

[timformusic]

Hi Karue! Thanks for the great tip. Saw Marcos at the US Open practice yesterday and mentioned your channel by name. Can't wait until you guys collab again, keep up the great content!

[fgbegre]

7:54 you hit it so hard your student had to go to to the other court to fetch the ball lol