Forehand keeps going long AND in the net

[zenmaster]

My forehand used to be a consistent shot, meaning I could hit it in every time with ok depth and pace, but it was never a weapon. Now, however, it's basically my crutch as I can't even do ANYTHING with it. It goes long, like almost to the fence long when I try to hit hard, and when I try to be conservative and just push it over it hits the ground ON MY SIDE.

Now I basically understand the forehand. I'm not claiming to be a great player, but I'm decent and have played tennis for about 4 years. After a long vacation of not playing for a while, it just seems like I have no forehand anymore.

I understand the problems I'm having, I'm definitely not hitting through the ball, and I just can't seem to naturally do it. Also I am at a loss for why I can no longer hit with good topspin, since I used to be able to. If I concentrate really hard, I can start hitting decently, however, the problem is, in the heat of a rally/game I can't seem to remember my faults and revert back to hitting short and not hitting through the ball.

So I'm not really in the need of a lesson, since I have many videos/tapes to show me how to hit a forehand, but I need like an exercise or a mental unblocker to help me to be consistent and start hitting atleast consistently again.

Please help.

Thanks

[tennis_eel]

Think about your feet mate. When I'm missing my forehand it usually goes back to my feet and getting to the ball. Using your wrist a bit more may stop the ball from flying long and just make sure you're hitting the same shot the whole time, keep the swing path the same.

[burosky]

What you might find useful is some kind of a "check up" if you will instead of a lesson from a pro. The pro can point out specific things in your stroke that you need to fix and show you how you can correct them. Watching all the videos and even reading all the books is good but unless you can figure out exactly and honestly what you are doing wrong, it is best to have a different set of trained, unbiased eyes to point them out to you.

[smoothtennis]

What you might find useful is some kind of a "check up" if you will instead of a lesson from a pro. The pro can point out specific things in your stroke that you need to fix and show you how you can correct them. Watching all the videos and even reading all the books is good but unless you can figure out exactly and honestly what you are doing wrong, it is best to have a different set of trained, unbiased eyes to point them out to you.

I agree. Any stroke can go south anytime. I play 10 hours a week, and I have people still watch me every week, and they find things still.

One poster mentioned feet. Likely the big cultprit. I'll bet anything your set-up to the ball, stance, takeback, and weight are a little out of kilter. And if that is the case, it is very easy to see for a person observing that knows a little bit about good technique.

Go find a good player, and ask them to watch you hit for a couple of minutes.

[Mountain Ghost]

What on Earth makes you think you don’t need a lesson? Your question rings of having no conscious idea of what you’re doing when things are going well, and so you don’t know what to focus on when things are going badly. There is no “mental unblocker” available anywhere that can magically restart a sound technical flow if one never existed in the mind of the technician. Even if you were to get this mythical process going again, it would serve you greatly if it was based on a more customized professional remedy than what is available on video.

MG

[Oxford]

If I concentrate really hard, I can start hitting decently, however, the problem is, in the heat of a rally/game I can't seem to remember my faults and revert back to hitting short and not hitting through the ball.

My read is that you need to concentrate on your stroke with a good hitting partner and groove your stroke back. THEN play some games and don't care if you lose. JUST DON'T RESORT TO YOUR OLD CONSERVATIVE PLAYING. Play with your practice form and relax and hit through the ball.

Scoreboard makes people transform into jacked up crap-strokes too often.

If you want to keep score -- give yourself a point (in your head) when you hit a GREAT natural shot during a game. ;)

You will get through this.

ox