I have to admit, when I first started these, I thought it would be much different. I thought I would be talking about flaws in my game, how to improve them, working towards being .500 or better, etc.
Instead, they actually feel pretty repetitive.
Tonight I was at the gym doing weights and playing basketball for 2 full hours before racquetball started. Once it did I was fighting fatigue, but now I have the skills to still do so.
My serve earns me lots of points, I use position and fundamentals to hit tough shots, I use strategy to win points, and I win. And win.
Even on a night like tonight where 25 was playing better than ever...he was getting to ball after ball after ball after ball...and serving better than he ever has before, I still have that extra level. I use more strategy to get to the right position, select the appropriate shot and, when necessary, use bursts of evnergy to win tough, hard-fought points.
Twice he took leads at 13-12. Twice I won 15-13. There were a couple 15-10 games and a couple blowouts. Fun time, great volleys, 8 games...no losses.
Showing posts with label 8-0. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8-0. Show all posts
Wednesday
Monday
1515 Racquetball Chronicles XIII
Something strange happened. For the first time in weeks I took proper rest. I did nothing Saturday or Sunday. Before the game tonight I did do my regular weights, but I was fresh and ready to roll.
25 started slowly. The first game was quick, efficient and brutal, a 15-4 maiming. And part of it was the freshness. I was relaxed, smooth, not straining to get to the ball and thus was able to blast perfect passing shots, strong pinch shots, and my serve was blistering.
Game two I relaxed the serve and we had numerous spectacular volleys. How spectacular? Other guys between games were coming by to watch our games and applauding after volleys. 25 was getting to everything and so was I. Strong passing shot...he retreats and hits a fantastic ceiling shot. I wait for it, hit a pinch shot...which he somehow gets to, and hits one of his own. Somehow I get to that and hit a long passing shot. he scrambles back, hits a ceiling shot. I retreat, ceiling shot of my own. He tries to hit it low, I lunge and think my pinch shot wins it...but he gets to it, only this time I hit a passing shot winner.
We must have had 6 or 8 volleys like that. He actually led 13-12 before finally bowing 15-13. We then had a similar game that ended 15-12.
As we were taking a water break, a guy asked if we wanted to play cut throat, but neither of us did...but that simple question put 25 off his game. The next 4 games were all 15-7 or 15-8.
We practiced his serve a bit, working on getting it lower and faster. It was starting to get nasty, but in the game he shifted his aiming point. The final game was another massacre, about 15-4 or so.
The thing is, I was hitting better shots tonight. It did not really matter that he played better...the extra spring in my step helped me get to every ball hit and the relaxed way I was playing meant I was scoring at will.
Learning from tonight; the casual wrist-flick seems to automatically put the right pace on the ball, whereas when I set up and swing fundamentally, my touch is poor. Something to think about.
25 started slowly. The first game was quick, efficient and brutal, a 15-4 maiming. And part of it was the freshness. I was relaxed, smooth, not straining to get to the ball and thus was able to blast perfect passing shots, strong pinch shots, and my serve was blistering.
Game two I relaxed the serve and we had numerous spectacular volleys. How spectacular? Other guys between games were coming by to watch our games and applauding after volleys. 25 was getting to everything and so was I. Strong passing shot...he retreats and hits a fantastic ceiling shot. I wait for it, hit a pinch shot...which he somehow gets to, and hits one of his own. Somehow I get to that and hit a long passing shot. he scrambles back, hits a ceiling shot. I retreat, ceiling shot of my own. He tries to hit it low, I lunge and think my pinch shot wins it...but he gets to it, only this time I hit a passing shot winner.
We must have had 6 or 8 volleys like that. He actually led 13-12 before finally bowing 15-13. We then had a similar game that ended 15-12.
As we were taking a water break, a guy asked if we wanted to play cut throat, but neither of us did...but that simple question put 25 off his game. The next 4 games were all 15-7 or 15-8.
We practiced his serve a bit, working on getting it lower and faster. It was starting to get nasty, but in the game he shifted his aiming point. The final game was another massacre, about 15-4 or so.
The thing is, I was hitting better shots tonight. It did not really matter that he played better...the extra spring in my step helped me get to every ball hit and the relaxed way I was playing meant I was scoring at will.
Learning from tonight; the casual wrist-flick seems to automatically put the right pace on the ball, whereas when I set up and swing fundamentally, my touch is poor. Something to think about.
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