https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDROk3gsTR4 8:30 2handed backhand keep paddle face, above hand entire time()   1. Serve - backfoot to frontfoot 2. Backhand serve - spread the wings 3. Backhand return - step the foot in front, play the ball close to your foot and let it bounce , to avoid slicing, pick it up a little higher and not too low. 4. Forehand topspin - weight back, arms back and down like the nike swoosh. hit the ball at your hand, keep your hand there and look down. hit ball 1, 2, 3 and then follow through to the back of your shoulder, with the bottom of the bat pointing out. 5. Drops - low , not high. 6. Overheads - walk back fast, wings and cock the upper body and swoosh the weight forward. its a core shot. ## Countering at the kitchen - On counters, break the wrist back to counter. [[2026-03-10]] - Slide and meet the ball in front of your body. (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7nm0EK_2ug at 4:30) [[2026-03-10]] - Questions to ask coaches: - Clip 1: https://youtu.be/HWcFKKdP6ko?si=DE2vERLzQKuQaJZU&t=284 (4:44–4:54) — I’m the player in the blue cap. Opponent hit a lob/drop: could I have taken it out of the air instead of letting it bounce? - In that same sequence, he sped up to my forehand. Was that a good speed-up by him, and what should my best response be from that position? - Should my default response there be a cross-court reset, a block middle, or a counter? What decision rule should I use? - Clip 2: https://youtu.be/5fdetzr5x58?si=RnzSrhgGXndXoD4X&t=459 (7:39) — I missed this easy put-away. What exactly did I do wrong? - On that put-away miss, was the main issue footwork, spacing, paddle prep, contact point, or shot choice? - What specific drill should I practice to improve forehand hand-battle defense and put-away consistency? [[2026-03-28]] ## Footwork / Athleticism - Split step and tilt towards agility more than getting down too fast (stay springy/ready to move). [[2026-03-05]] - Don’t be flat-footed — don’t be on the heels. [[2026-03-05]] - At ~3.3, footwork is high ROI because it drives balance, timing, and consistency. ### Footwork “truth” metrics (non-DUPR) - Split-step compliance: on video, count 20 opponent contacts; target 80%+ split-step on their contact. - Balanced on contact: for 20 of your hits, stable base vs reaching/falling. Target 15/20 balanced. - “Arrive early”: on dinks/resets, feet set before ball bounces on your side; trend upward. ## Mindset / DUPR - DUPR is useful but noisy/lagging (partner/opponents/format/variance). Don’t let it run day-to-day nervous system. - Keep “truth” without obsession: multiple truth signals (video review, constraint tests, opponent-quality log, periodic strong-player/coach audit). - Guardrail: check DUPR on a schedule (weekly/monthly), not right after sessions. ## Competitive mode / self-talk - Best performance state: amped + focused (more Virat Kohli than Dhoni). Say I'm here to dictate to amp up. But keep grounded. Earn the speedup - Goal state: regulated fire (high intensity without spiky forcing / rushed decisions). - Self-talk is the main lever.