So, after all this time, dealing with my arm and researching what could be wrong with it. I don’t think I can continue hitting a one-handed backhand anymore.

Turns out I have had this problem before, agitating a tendon in my right arm, hitting my backhand and serving the way I do. But I think it’s finally catching up with me, and healing is taking longer and longer. So, I may have some changes to make - first I will be moving to a two handed backhand, as not to agitate the tendon in my arm. Also I am thinking about adjusting my serve to use more of my arm/body weight to power through the motion.

I’ve hit a two-handed backhand before, so hopefully, the transition won’t be to hard.

Nothing is official, but I may tinker with the idea starting this week. And, I’ll keep everyone posted.

It’s like my work kills my arm. Now, I don’t know if it was because it was previously injured, or because work is what is irritating it. Mousing to be exact.

I’ve taken maybe 3-4 days off already, and my arm still hurts, and I wonder if what I do at work all day is affecting it.

I’m going to get a mouse-support or some kind. Grr @ this situation - big time Grr!

It’s unfortunate, for me at least, how tennis dictates, so much, who I am, even what type of person I am. How I feel about myself, when it comes down to it, tennis is me, without it it’s pretty hard to imagine really being happy with myself. I read a post once on a MySpace blog that said something like how a sport becomes who you are, and for me, it’s true, 90% of the time.

I was playing a friend this evening, and I just wanted it to be over. Feels like I’m out there, but tennis isn’t the challenge anymore. I just can’t figure out what’s wrong, I just feel bad, things aren’t working anymore, and I don’t think I changed anything! I know my arm being injured has something to do with it, if not 80% to do with it (*shrug).

I was playing this morning, and I remembered saying that it felt like my spirit’s dying.

So I’m thinking (right now) about maybe trying a month off. But, for me, it would be really tough. So, I don’t know…

When I was at Arizona with Adam Altschuler, I felt more like a professional than I ever have, it just all seemed to come together for me there. Even, despite the injuries I was dealing with, and even when I realized how much more I had to learn and gain, I still felt it. But, since leaving, I just haven’t felt it anymore, I serve the same, but the ball just doesn’t leave the racquet the same. Same goes for the rest of my game. I really hope it’s my arm, and I really hope there’s something (a month off) I can do about it.

Just not looking forward to it, it’s tough to not be out there, working - it’s what I do.

But I really felt like giving it all up today, but I know now, that’s practically impossible - tennis really does have so much to do with who I am; especially being an athlete. I’m not sure if I’m solving anything, but I need to do something.

I want to go out there at least feeling like I’m doing my best. I was about a 7/10 before, today, I felt like a .2/10.

A month……….

It can’t be something I’m doing wrong, at least, I still don’t think so. I tried modifying lots of things to try and figure out what is wrong with my arm. So, I think I am going to be taking some more time off to let it heal. I think I may know what I did to injure it, but I don’t think it is still re-injuring my arm, maybe irritating the area.

I’m not looking forward to it, I don’t even know how long I should take off. I figured I’d start off with a week, so next Thursday.

I was playing with Jason the other day, and I couldn’t even… it was just bad! And the thought of me not playing again by injuring myself permanantly caught my breath, so I think I need to take this a little more seriously. Before I was just thinking it was just a strain or ‘ouchie’, but I think it may be something more serious that needs more time.

Yup, it’s still bugging me. I went to practice early today with Juan, and of course, started hitting hard like I usually do. But, because of my arm, the practice was going downhill, like the previous few.

So, Juan mentioned that maybe we should hit 50%, like hitting on the wall, and I thought it would be a good idea. So while hitting, I was thinking about when my arm started hurting, and what I changed. I remember I had improved my slices, so I stopped hitting any, and attempted to get back to hitting over the ball well.

I found out the I had been preparing my swing way to high, almost shoulder level. And, although, I often do this on down the line shots or chasers, it’s not good to do all the time. Maybe it’s been stressing my arm? Well, after I got my top-spin backhand going well, I started slicing again, and noticed, immediatly, I started preparing high again. My body seems to be assimilating the high preparation when I incorperate a few slices.

Then, I stopped. I needed to think about it, and come back tommorrow and see if anything improves with the knowledge, especially the pain in my arm tonight.

I hope this leads to some improvement, I really miss my backhand, and the pain is just annoying. But, it’s a little less tight right now, so maybe that’s good news?