Tennis Pod Pro Videos

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Bernard Gusman, USPTA, Tennis Director, Punahou School, USTA High Performance Coach, Honolulu Hawaii shows the different grips used for the two-handed backhand. In this video he discusses the following different grips:

Left Hand - Eastern Right Hand- Eastern (fh) Level- Beginner Player: Evert
Left Hand - Eastern Right Hand-Continental Level- Beginner/Adv Player: Safin
Left Hand - Eastern Right Hand- Eastern (bh) Level- Adv Player: Roddick
Left Hand - Semi-W Right Hand- Eastern (bh) Level- Adv Player: Safina
Left Hand - Semi-W Right Hand- Continental Level- Adv Player: Nadal
Left Hand - Cont Right Hand- Eastern (fh) Level- Adv Player: Baghdatis
Left Hand - Eastern(fh) Right Hand- Semi-W Level- Adv Player: S. Williams

Posted by Lee Couillard at 5:11 PM | Permalink

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Lee Couillard, USPTA, Head Tennis Professional, Punahou School, Honolulu, Hawaii explains the strike zones in tennis.

As confusing as the strike zone may seem, it really isn't. There are specific reasons why it's different today than it was in generations past.

Strike zone comes from baseball. Your preferred strike zone in tennis is determined by many factors: your grip, your stance, your height and the surface you mostly play on. Also, the strike zones vary from the shoulder to the knees (preferred strike zone), from around the head to the knees (advanced players) and from just above the head to just above the ankles (expert players). Your predicting and intercepting skills determine whether or not you can hit the ball in your ideal strike zone.

The taller the player, the larger the strike zone.

Posted by Lee Couillard at 10:21 AM | Permalink

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DR. MARK KOVACS, PhD., CSCS
Senior Manager of Strength & Conditioning/Sports Science
USTA Training Center in Boca Raton, FL

Dr. Kovacs was an accomplished player and coach before transitioning to a career as a sport science expert. As a player he was a collegiate All-American and NCAA champion at Auburn University. He has a Masters degree in Exercise Science from Auburn and a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from The University of Alabama. Dr. Kovacs is an Associate Editor of the Strength and Conditioning Journal and co-author of tennis book titled "Tennis Training-Enhancing On-Court Performance". Mark is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the NSCA, certified Health/Fitness Instructor through the American College of Sports Medicine, USPTA certified coach and United States Track and Field Level II Sprints Coach. Before starting with the USTA, Mark was an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Wellness at Jacksonville State University.

Posted by Lee Couillard at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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DR. MARK KOVACS, PhD., CSCS
Senior Manager of Strength & Conditioning/Sports Science
USTA Training Center in Boca Raton, FL

Dr. Kovacs was an accomplished player and coach before transitioning to a career as a sport science expert. As a player he was a collegiate All-American and NCAA champion at Auburn University. He has a Masters degree in Exercise Science from Auburn and a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from The University of Alabama. Dr. Kovacs is an Associate Editor of the Strength and Conditioning Journal and co-author of tennis book titled "Tennis Training-Enhancing On-Court Performance". Mark is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the NSCA, certified Health/Fitness Instructor through the American College of Sports Medicine, USPTA certified coach and United States Track and Field Level II Sprints Coach. Before starting with the USTA, Mark was an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Wellness at Jacksonville State University.

Posted by Lee Couillard at 3:35 PM | Permalink

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Lee Couillard, USPTA, Head Tennis Professional, Punahou School, Honolulu, Hawaii explains how to hit the reverse drop shot. This is a shot that hits on your opponents side of net and then bounces back on your side of the net.

If you can do this shot we invite you to join our "Reverse Drop Shot Club." Send in your name and we will add you to our exclusive list. No proof needed, we trust you, however, if you have a video please send us the link.

Reverse Drop Shot Club:

*denotes video

Charles Gillet
Jerry Cape*
Fumiya Nakano*
Michael Chan
Bernard Gusman*
Julia Sandborn
Brent Hunter
Lee Couillard*

Posted by Lee Couillard at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)