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Introduction Psychophysics Checklist Talent Triggers Syndrome Finder Glossary Unified Force Theory of Tennis Impulse Soft Hands Stretch Shortening Cycle Foundations Setting the Tone LocknLoad Addressing The Ball The Geometry of Tennis Strokes Short Stroking Double Pump Balance Spin Spindirection Lag Leverage OtherHand Power vs Consistancy Propellerator Back and Forth The Pose Wave Theory Modulation Zone of Experience Metabolic Collapse Mind Games Energy Worse Before Better Locating the Zone Consistency Design..Drill..Deploy Fear Feedback Checklist Taking Time Away The Shame Spiral Being the Ball Psycological Syndromes Syndrome Finder Walkabout Syndrome Fade Syndrome Tightness Syndrome Repression Syndrome Regression Syndrome Paralysis Syndrome Introversion Syndrome Nice Guy Syndrome ImpossibleDream Syndrome Forehandophobia Syndrome Expectationism Syndrome Ego Collapse Syndrome Defensiveness Syndrome Deenergizer Syndrome Alley-oops Syndrome Attribution Syndrome Trade-off Syndrome Dissatisfaction Syndrome Physics Syndromes Syndrome Finder Powerlessness Syndrome Short Court Syndrome Mis-hit Syndrome Inconsistency Syndrome Unconscionable Errors Syndrome Single Backswing Syndrome Rubber Legs Syndrome Rubber ElbowSyndrome Push Syndrome Underhitting Syndrome Lazy Feet Syndrome Hot Shoulder Syndrome Chicken Wing Syndrome Top Slice Syndrome Pile Driver Syndrome Overmodulation Syndrome Toss the Bouquet Syndrome Broken Timing Chain Syndrome Basic Science The Thalamus Ballistics Modulation Physics Power Wave Leverage Stance Counter Kicking Striking vs Stroking Stroke Theory Basic Engineering of All Strokes Serve Serve Toss Serve Footwork Serve Attack Angle Forehand Topspin Backhand Topspin (two handed) Backhand Topspin (one handed) Forehand Volley Backhand Volley Forehand Slice Backhand Slice Overhead Squash Shot Drop Shot One or Two Hands? How to Hit Stokes How to Hit a Topspin Forehand Stuff About Triggers Feedback Checklist Black Pearls Playing Style Basic Kinematics Slang Design, Drill and Deploy Feelings

The Master Checklist

I am pretty stupid. I have plenty of diplomas, certificates and even achievements that would seem to contradict that assessment, but I know that it is true. I know the importance of footwork in tennis but often forget to move my feet. I know I need to relax my grip, but I get tense and forget all about it. I know how important spin is to control and even know why, but I am constantly reverting to spanking the ball flat. In short, I forget to do the things I know to do, and the result is doo-doo. Worse yet, I know that I tend to forget the things I know and then forget to stop myself from forgetting.

Physicians forget things just as tennis players do. The life-or-death nature of their profession notwithstanding, physicians are human beings and by nature flawed and forgetful. Though admittedly apocryphal, I have observed that the most intelligent physicians have the biggest holes in their brain sieves. The only solution to this problem I have ever seen any physician use successfully is to refer to checklists. Checklists are pathetic, laughably simple and blunt instruments and yet they are widely used by airline pilots, astronauts, software engineers, soldiers... just about anyone with a complex, mission-critical procedure to perform. Is there any more complex or mission critical procedure than your forehand? ...or your serve? Yet I have never seen any pro teach checklists as a tool to perform in tennis. I believe that this is because no one dares say to students; "Do these things and you won't miss!" Well, I dare.

The list is in order of importance, but everything on the list is foundational and therefore essential. It is a universal list and applies to all strokes including the serve.

Master Checklist

Feet First
- chirping feet
- weight on one foot or none
- bent knees
- weight on balls of feet
Grip it Good
- loose
- appropriate for stroke
- relaxed but no-slip
Spin it In
- no spanking
- hitting across - not through
Snap the Whip
- back the forth then back again
- relaxed tone in the backswing
- some kind of snappy, flippy move during transition (load)
- stop all acceleration just prior to contact (explode)
- popping or pinging sound of balls off the strings
- funny looking follow through (long strokes)

The purpose of the list is not to build strokes or even maintain them. For that you need practice and analysis. You can use checklists when you practice and in the middle of a match. It is not like thinking, any more than hitting harder or softer is the result of thinking. The items on the checklist relate to sights, sounds, and feelings; not results. You can hit a ball way out and still be executing correctly. Conversely you can be hitting occasional winners and really be messing up pretty badly on the mechanics of the strokes and that will create issues that will eventually catch up with you.

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