The Slow-Mo Tennis Edition

On YouTube, mechanics, and the beauty of footwork

Colin here. There are a few Youtube-native formats that I have come to love. One is the super long train trip, ideally through snow or mountains. This Norwegian train journey to the arctic circle is a good example. Nothing much happens, and that is the point. Then there are the slow, bobbing strolls through neighborhoods. Tokyo rain walks through back streets lend an ambiance that is hard to put my finger on. But recently I have discovered another rabbit hole: Slow motion tennis. It is an increasingly popular format on Youtube where people record court-level hitting sessions with pros like Federer or Medvedev. 

Here’s an example:

Some are all in slow-mo, but some let points play out at full speed, only slowing down before contact, to allow a viewer to see the complete, end-to-end mechanics of a groundstroke. 

Why is this interesting? 

There is beauty in the context shift. Tennis is fast-paced, with shots going over a hundred miles an hour. It requires focus to stay locked into the back and forth. But when you slow down the shots, it becomes more of a meditation on form, muscle memory, and athleticism. It is also interesting to compare modern forehands, say, versus how they were struck even 10 years ago. When you watch Federer, what is interesting to see is the racquet moves from a near vertical prep position in his “unit turn” to then drop down and importantly lag back with a relaxed wrist. The compound effect of this movement, which is much easier to see in slow motion, is the amount of topspin that can be generated on the ball as the racquet pulls through from low to high, ending with his elbow pointing to the opposite side of the court.

Slow-motion tennis also allows you to hone in on the other thing that makes pros great: footwork. When you see the flurry of preparation starting with a split step as soon as the opponent strikes the ball, you see the distance between good and great. And you can see the micro-adjustments made before contact. Slow-mo tennis is an addiction, and if anything, it is a meditative reminder of how far I have to go. But the act of seeing things over and over helps my brain understand the form, and hopefully connect it to my muscles and tendons in time. (CJN) 

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Thanks for reading,

Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN)

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