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I created a "space" on Windows Live Spaces so I can blog there, and just link it here.  If you want to add a comment just click on "Read Comments" below each blog and it will take you to my Live Space so you can post.
 
 
Video From Youtube of Player Injuring Eye
 
February 19

People Who Don't Wear Eye-Protection
Okay this is going to be short.
WEAR YOUR EYE-PROTECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 
Disgusting eye injury pictures here.  Be warned, they're gross.  I believe these are all from playing Squash, but you get the idea. 
  <-----maybe 20 bucks for these?  They'll last you a year, maybe 2.  Not a bad investment to protect your eyes!?!??!
 
NOTES:
 
- I don't play with or against anybody who refuses to wear eye-protection.  I hit the ball very hard, and swing very hard, and I don't need that on my conscience.  You shouldn't either.
 
- In the last month I've seen 2 people getting hit HARD with the ball, directly into their eye-protection.  They both speculated that they may have lost their eye had they not been wearing them.  One guy actually hit the ball into his own eye.  He was trying to save one off the back wall.  It's not always the other player you have to worry about.


1:06 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 16

Apparently I Play Too Much Racquetball - Do You?
I came to the realization the other day that playing racquetball 4 or 5 hours straight isn't the "norm".  At our local club we have 7 courts and it's usually very easy to find courts that aren't being used.  So we book a court or 2 and play the night away.  Even on league nights, we play our league, and then play another couple of hours after.
 
The other night, a newer player who stays in Vegas for the winter says to me "man, you guys play a lot of racquetball".  He went on to explain that he's used to booking a court, playing 3 or 4 games of doubles or whatever, and then when the hour expires the next group comes on to the court and he goes home.  1 hour of racquetball, and done.
 
Is that what most of you do as well?  For the last 7 or 8 years I've been playing 3 to 5 hours per night (I'm down to about twice per week now).  But I started thinking....I wonder if the human body is really cut out for that much abuse in one night.  Racquetball isn't exactly the easiest sport on the joints, muscles and tendons (or even bones for that matter).  The human arm isn't really the best tool for the violent stroke that is required for a power player's shots.  That's why tennis players get tennis elbow, baseball pitchers have to rest 4 or 5 days after a long night of pitching, and athletes from other "arm heavy" sports often get tendonitis and other chronic injuries.  Maybe we'll evolve into stronger armed humans in the future, but for now racquetball is not an easy sport to physically play.
 
Here's what I think. If it wasn't so damned fun, I wouldn't be playing it for 4 or 5 hours.  You won't see me on the treadmill that long.


11:53 PM GMT  |  Read comments(1)

Playing Against People Who Won't Move Out of the Way
This has to be one of the most frustrating aspects of playing racquetball.  There's this lovely rulebook so eloquently written by the USAR, and few people read it.  At the club level, this can lead to some frustrating moments on the racquetball court.  I constantly find myself trying to explain rules to people who just don't take the time to learn them.
 
Forget about all of the little intricate rules for now, such as the encroachment line, the drive serve zones, and time limit between serves.  Those are all important, but the main rule that I see broken or abused all the time is the "move out of my way because I'm about to hit the ball" rule.  Okay, so that's not really what it's called.  It's under the "Penalty Hinders" section 3.15 (a) in the rulebook.  At it's most basic level, the rule states that you must allow your opponent a clear straight-in shot, and a clear cross-court shot.  Just two shots.  That's it.  So if you're standing in a manner that you're blocking one of those two shots, that's a penalty hinder.  NOT A REPLAY.
 
At the club level, most people don't play penalty hinders because of the "gray area" that they apparently involve.  They inevitably lead to arguments or heated discussions so most people just replay the rally, rather than award a penalty hinder (side-out or point against for the penalized player).  To me this is just as silly as not calling fouls in basketball.  How ugly would THAT be?  Someone goes in for a lay up, the defender hacks his arm, jarring the ball loose and knocking the player to the floor, and no foul is called.  Silliness.
 
In racquetball, it drives me nuts when my opponent hits a bad serve that brings the ball in to the center of the court.  I use a quick side step and set up to rip it, only to see that they haven't repositioned themself in order to give me a clear straight in or cross court.  So they say replay, and I let them know they don't know the rules.  Then I get tired of explaining the rules and end up just replaying everything for the purpose of not wanting to sound like I'm complaining all the time, and to move the night along.  The problem is this:  if you hit a bad serve giving me a chance to rip a nice return, you should NOT be awarded a "mulligan" and be given another chance to serve.  Because if your next serve is a crack ace, you can be sure that I'm NOT going to be holding up the next time you hit a bad serve.  And you can be sure that your wife or girlfriend is going to be asking you why half of your right butt cheek is black and blue.
 
In all seriousness though, please learn the rules.  They aren't that long to read, and you WILL be a better player because of it.
 
Notes:
-In a well officiated tournament match penalty hinders ARE called.
 
-Most people I play know how hard I hit and make a valiant effort to move.  Others just have really, really sore butts.
 
-I get in the way of people, too, sometimes.  We all do.  It's part of the game.  People who know the rules just do it a lot less.
 
-If you find yourself consistently in the way of people, you're probably looking toward the front wall after you hit, rather than watching the ball and your opponent about to hit it.  Face forward in center court, but turn your head to see what they're doing.  It'll help your reaction time, and aid you in adjusting your positioning allowing them their shot.  If you're worried about getting hit in the face, put your racquet in front of your face and you can still see through the strings.  I've seen pros do this, and I do it as well.
 
-Seriously...I don't hit people in the butt on purpose.  I was just kidding.  *wink wink*


11:51 PM GMT  |  Read comments(1)

February 10

Racquetball Instruction - Who Knows Best?
As with any other sport, racquetball consists of people who play it, people who teach it, and people who do both.  The question for anyone who wants to learn how to play racquetball, or for current players who want to improve their game is simple:  who do I learn from, and why?
 
Some people might believe that learning from the best player on the planet might be beneficial.  Just copy what they do, and you're good to go right?  The problem is this:  the best player on the planet does things on the court that you probably, and most likely, can't do.  Their speed and quickness far exceeds yours, as does their natural power and shot making ability.  If you see the best player on the planet hitting a splat shot from above their shoulder from 38 feet deep in the court at 160 miles per hour, that doesn't mean that you can, or should try learning that shot.  It's the same as Michael Jordan (arguably the best basketball player ever) dunking the ball from the free throw line.  Just because he can do it, and he's the best, doesn't mean that you should try it.
 
So my advice is to learn how to play the game properly starting with the basics, and then once you can do that you can start "customizing" your game style based on your abilities.  Some people hit the ball harder than others, others are faster and more agile, and others have better reflexes.  Once you learn how to play properly you can use all of those skills to your advantage.
 
For example, Jason Mannino has an uncanny ability to dive for a shot that others simply can't get to, and then flick it back up to the ceiling, keeping the rally alive.  Kane Waselenchuk (arguably the best player on the planet right now) has the speed, agility and reflexes of Superman and can get away with a lot more on the court than anyone else.  He can actually get away playing a little closer to the front wall than most players because of his reflexes.  That's a pretty big advantage because it allows him to cover passes AND kills at a higher rate than most.  You probably shouldn't try that, unless like you losing. 
 
My point is, learning from the best players on the planet isn't always a good idea.  They're a special breed of players.  There's a reason that people like Butch Harmon and David Ledbetter have jobs instructing / coaching golf, and great players like Tiger Woods hire them to improve their game.  That's right, Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer ever, has a coach that helps him learn how to play properly.  His name is Hank Haney.  Tiger is an amazing golfer, but even he needs someone to tell him what he's doing right and wrong.  Is Hank Haney one of the best golfers ever?  No.  Has he ever won a Major?  No.  Could he compete at the highest level on the PGA Tour?  Probably not.  But he understands the game better than most people (including pros) and can teach what he knows so that people learn how to play it right.  There are great players who simply can't do that.  They just go out there and let their natural ability take over.
 
So when it comes to racquetball, I highly recommend learning how to play from someone who truly understands the game, and how it should be played.  If you have a few people to choose from, and they each have different ways of teaching, or different approaches to the game, then you have to discover which of their philosophies makes the most sense to you.  For example, if someone tells you "kill the ball as much as you can so your opponent can't get it", you have to ask yourself if that makes any sense.  How often can you really kill the ball?  How often does your opponent even give you a chance to kill the ball?  Does this game plan lead to too many skips?  What if someone says "play in front of the dotted line so you can cover kill shots"?  Do you find that you're getting passed too easily, and that a simple ceiling ball is beating you?  Playing that way is allowing your opponent to hit the easiest shot possible to beat you?
 
I learned how to play racquetball from Fran Davis and Jason Mannino, two of the best instructors / players ever.  They teach smart racquetball:  being in good position at all times, hitting the smart shot, moving your opponent out of center court the most efficient and safest way possible, and having a game plan that suits your game style and gives your opponent problems.  I believe in this philosophy, and it makes the most sense to me.  You might find that other instructors have different philosophies, and you'll have to decide for yourself which one is best for you.  Here's a hint:  Jason Mannino has been in the top 4 on the IRT for about 14 years now, and has been #1 in the world in 2003, has won 2 US Opens, and at the ripe old age of 34 is still able to compete with younger, more athletic players.  This is because Jason plays a smart, high percentage game that allows him to use his skills to his advantage.
 
So from now on, when someone gives you advice on how to play, or when you see a racquetball instructional video, or when you read an instructional book, ask yourself if that philosophy makes the most sense to you, and use the information accordingly.  You'll find that not all game styles are for you.  You'll also find that you have the ability to play a much higher level of racquetball if you play a game style that suits you.


9:48 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

The Great Court Positioning Debate
As an AMPRO / IPRO certified racquetball instructor, I've been trained to look for the mistakes that people make on the racquetball court.  I believe that other than swing mechanics, the #1 mistake I see people make is in court positioning.  Improving your swing mechanics can take weeks, months and even years to perfect.  Improving court positioning is something you can do the very next time you play.  And the difference it makes to your game is absolutely astounding.
 
A racquetball court is 40 feet long, and 20 feet wide.  Horizontally speaking, it makes sense that you want to be toward the center of the court to be able cover shots to the right and left.  If you shade to one side, then you're vulnerable to shots on the other side.  Pretty much everyone agrees with this.  The debate, however, is where to stand in terms of front and back.  Some instructors will tell you to stand directly on, or even in front of the dotted line so you can cover kill shots from your opponent.  The closer you stand to the front wall, they say, the more chance you have of retrieving kills.
 
The problem with this line of thinking is that it is more difficult for your opponent to kill the ball, and much easier for them to pass.  A kill shot is hit 6 inches and lower, and a pass shot is hit 1 to 2 feet high.  So why would you try to cover the shot that is more difficult for them to hit, and give up the shot that is easier for them to hit.  Basically, you're saying "go ahead and beat me with a very high percentage shot that is easy for you to execute, and I'll cover your low percentage shots that are more difficult for you to execute".  Doesn't make much sense when you think about it.
 
Fran Davis teaches that you will be able to reach 70% of your opponent's shots by standing 1 to 2 feet behind the dotted line in "center court".  70% is a good number.  If I have to give up just 30% of their shots (kills, pinches, splats) in order to cover 70% of their shots (ceiling balls, passes and z's) I will do just that.  If someone gives you odds in Vegas, you always want the better odds right?  Think of court coverage as playing the percentages.  The higher percentage of shots you can cover, the better.  Here's the basic rule of thumb:  Get beat by the kill, not by the pass.
 
Let's find out what that means, and the benefits of it.  "Get beat by the kill, not by the pass."  When you truly understand and believe this, you will become a better player.  As a general rule of racquetball, you would agree that you want your opponent to be as uncomfortable on the court as possible.  So when they have a shot, you want them to take the lowest percentage shot right?  You don't want them beating you with shots that have a 90% success rate.  You're just making it easy for them.  By standing too close to the front wall, and allowing your opponent to pass you all day, you're doing just that.  Play further back in the court, cover the pass and give up the kill.  Not only will you be able to retrieve more shots from your opponent, but you will also start frustrating them with your ability to keep the rally going, and force them to try to take an ill-advised kill shot when they aren't set up.  Now you're making them uncomfortable, and that's what you want.
 
Still don't believe me?  Still believe that you can kill the ball from anywhere on the court at any given time?  The pros can't, so why do you believe that you can?  The #1 shot on the pro tour is the pass shot.  It's the safest and most effective way to get your opponent out of center court using an offensive shot.  (A ceiling ball would be the easiest way using a defensive shot).
 
Try this:  go on to the court and try to hit 25 kill shots from somewhere in the back court (deeper than 30 feet).  A kill shot, remember, is a shot that is 6 inches and lower on the front wall.  Record your success rate.  Now hit 25 passes (1 to 2 feet high) and record your success rate.  I guarantee you that you'll have much more success hitting passes than kills.  So if you can beat your opponent with a passing shot or a kill shot, why go for the lower percentage shot of the two?  And more importantly, pertaining to court position, why would you give up the easier shot to your opponent?
 
Play 1 to 2 feet behind the dotted line and watch how many more shots you can cover.  It's unbelievable.  And when your opponent kills the ball, look at them and say "nice shot", and then whisper as you walk back to return serve "but the odds say that you aren't going to be able to do that all day".
 
Notes:
-Watch a pro match or record yourself.  Notice how many rallies are lost due to the defending player being out of position.  The same applies to tennis, badminton, and any other  racquet sport.
 
-There are times when a kill shot is the right shot to take.  I'm not advising against it.  I'm advising to understand playing the percentages.  Most people go for the lower percentage shot which plays right in to their opponents hands.
 
-There are some professional players who don't fully understand good court positioning.  At a recent racquetball camp, I spoke with Fran Davis and Jason Mannino about this very topic, and some pros play too far forward.   Shhh....don't tell them.


9:46 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)