My Tennis Grind: The ‘John Chin’ Way
Alright, so I wanted to share what I’ve been up to on the tennis court lately. It’s not like I’m going pro or anything, just trying to get better, you know? I sort of stumbled onto this idea, maybe I picked it up from someone named John Chin, or maybe it’s just what I started calling my specific routine, the name just kinda stuck in my head. Doesn’t really matter. Point is, I decided to really commit to this particular way of practicing for a while.
So, first off, I dusted off my racket – the one I’ve had for ages – and bought a fresh can of balls. Felt good just doing that. I headed down to the local courts. Wasn’t planning anything fancy. The whole idea I had in mind was about just getting the ball back, focusing on consistency, not trying to hit winners every single time. Sounded simple enough, right?
I started with the forehand. Just hitting crosscourt. Over, and over, and over. My main goal was just to keep the ball within the lines, aiming for a spot, trying to get a feel for it. Honestly, it felt a bit repetitive at first. My body wanted to swing harder, put more spin, but I kept pulling back. Had to consciously tell myself, ‘just make the shot’. Then I switched to backhands, same thing. Hit, recover, hit, recover. Drilled serves for a bit too, focusing on getting it in, not necessarily acing.
- Focused on hitting to specific zones.
- Tried to maintain longer rallies against the wall first.
- Worked on footwork – getting there early, not rushing.
- Reduced power, increased control (or tried to!).
There were definitely days I felt like I was going backwards. You know those sessions where nothing works? Yeah, had plenty of those. One afternoon, I swear, I couldn’t hit a backhand down the line if my life depended on it. Ball just kept sailing out or hitting the net. It was frustrating. Reminded me of trying to fix that leaky faucet last year – felt totally useless for a bit there. Almost packed it in a few times.
But I kept at it, mostly. And slowly, I started noticing things. My unforced errors started dropping. Not dramatically, but noticeably. I wasn’t winning points with flashy shots, but I was losing fewer points because of dumb mistakes. Rallies started lasting longer when I played with friends. It wasn’t exciting tennis, maybe, but it felt more… solid. Like I had a foundation I didn’t have before.
So, where am I now? I wouldn’t say I religiously follow some strict ‘john chin’ method every second I’m on court. But the core idea? That focus on consistency and reducing errors? That’s stuck with me. It’s baked into how I approach practice now. I still try to rip a forehand winner now and then, who doesn’t? But mostly, I’m thinking about getting the ball back, making the other guy beat me. It’s less exhausting too, which is a plus. Feels like a more sustainable way to play as I’m not getting any younger!
