C8Lecture: Slowness and the Effortless Quotient

Hi class welcome to month 8. Today I wanted more of a classroom setting because this month, all of month 8 is about the idea of slowness. Its more of a concept than a technique and this idea that there is power, great power in slowness through this slowness you achieve effortlessness thats really where you want to be at the highest level of the game. You want to be really enjoying yourself out there. You want to be like a Federer who plays from his soul. He is not trying to hit a ball he is just connected to the ball and whatever opponent he is against. Lets start right away with this idea of slowness, slowness = awareness and in our system in our method awareness is a key. Remember we have talked about paying attention, its all about paying attention. The more aware you are out on the court the better you can play. The slower you think , think in terms of slowness out there. The slower you produce things the more aware you become. You know for starters we have a time line we talk about the figure 8 off the hips. The arms playing off the hips and really just staying along this 45 degree line on every stroke. The volleys, the forehand, the backhand, serves every stroke its all about staying true to this 45 degree line where you have the optimal view and the optimal hitting point. Through this time line through this wave we start very small, we start positionally. We start this one little movement right here at the 45 degree angle in either direction. Then off there as the shot dictates you construct your wave and you flow into the shot as to time, the convergence out on the 45 with the passing of the ball right there at the 45 degree angle. You start positionally very small and then it all converges right here at contact. You watch a guy like Federer, I was watching him last night in the Australian against Del Potro he moves very slowly and only right at the last little bit right right at that crack of the whip is when his racket moves very quickly through the air. As apposed to Andy Roddick will take a big wide swing at the ball and the speed stays relatively the same throughout the hit he doesn't have that little additional crack at the end of his stroke. You have got to understand that because we have our system let it work for you. You follow me so really move slowly in and out of all the strokes have your players really practice this every stroke of the game. Practice this slowness. let me refer to my notes for a moment. There is no reason to over do anything thats the whole idea of this slowness. You want to move so slowly that you realize you are never rushed. It doesn't matter what shot they hit you, you just have to stay at the 45. You should never do anything but move slowly. Once you get this, this half way through our month here then we start to talk about the effortless quotient. This slowness and awareness they work together so you can finally really be effortless and have your players play effortlessly out there because they are no longer producing the wave they are just experiencing the wave. They are experiencing the wave going through them because you have done it enough and you have done it slowly to where you can now feel the connection between your body, your arm and the connection between your center right at the 45 and out at the periphery. Move slowly and you can get to this point which is really the highest level of our game, this effortless quotient. Work on it this month with your students. Emphasize this idea of slowness and being very aware and paying attention. There is the greatest power in this slowness the very next level and where you want to be is the Federer. The effortless quotient I talk about , give it a good shot this month its going to be amazing for you. Absolutely guarantee it will be amazing for you and all your players. Thanks see you next month.