A little bigger loop for more pace?

[jun]

I have been experimenting with size of backswing (loop), and court position.

I tried a little bigger loop-mainly i take the racket a little higher, so my hand gets as high as my shoulder. I feel like I can generate more pace, and accelerate much better at the contact point. On the contray, when I tighten my backswing, I can't seem to generate as much racket head speed, and tend to frame a lot.

Should I stick with bigger backswing, or should I keep trying to make my backswing more compact?

I also took a step back from baseline to give myself a little more time. I am probably 4~5 feet away from baseline. This gives me more time to react, and hit a little cleaner. Some coaches didn't think it was that bad of an idea, as he observes that I seem very rushed on the court.

Any two cents?

[Bungalo Bill]

I have been experimenting with size of backswing (loop), and court position.

I tried a little bigger loop-mainly i take the racket a little higher, so my hand gets as high as my shoulder. I feel like I can generate more pace, and accelerate much better at the contact point. On the contray, when I tighten my backswing, I can't seem to generate as much racket head speed, and tend to frame a lot.

Should I stick with bigger backswing, or should I keep trying to make my backswing more compact?

I also took a step back from baseline to give myself a little more time. I am probably 4~5 feet away from baseline. This gives me more time to react, and hit a little cleaner. Some coaches didn't think it was that bad of an idea, as he observes that I seem very rushed on the court.

Any two cents?

Are we talking forehand or backhand? The bottom-line to takebacks is it plays into a preference area. There are more cons to a long takeback then a more compact one. This of course is if you can generate good pace with a short takeback. As you know, the game is faster today which favors a smaller takeback. A short takeback requires that you have good use of the kinetic chain that leads up to the shot so you dont over-muscle the ball.

The biggest issue that is with the long takeback is timing the ball consistently. Otherwise, it is a preference.

If you go here (http://www.tenniscruz.com/photo.htm with special thanks to Marcius) and look at the different onehanders (assuming we are talking about a onehanded backhand) you will see a big difference in takebacks. Haas has a compact takeback with very little upswing at the hand. He simple straightens oout the elbow which lowers the hand below the ball and pulls forward to contact from below the ball.

Henin on the otherhand has a high takeback and sort of winds up and then loops down and then up to the ball. Very hard to time. I am often amazed at this little girl when she hits her onehander - especially at Wimbledon.

Guga has a high takeback and then loops back down before heading back up to the ball.

Flipper or SCUD, has an inbetwen takeback of those mentioned above but can simply crush the backhand. He was mostly known for his serve while his backhand went largely under radar.

Hope that helps.

[jun]

Hey B.Bill, thanks for the input...However, i was talking about forehand.
I don't necessary have good hand speed, so i think a little bigger backswing gives me more momentum.

[Bungalo Bill]

Hey B.Bill, thanks for the input...However, i was talking about forehand.
I don't necessary have good hand speed, so i think a little bigger backswing gives me more momentum.

The forehand is more forgiving on the takeback because you are hitting from your strong side and the back shoulder. It is much like the twohanded backhand.

You can be a tad late and still cream the ball with the forehand. The higher takeback will give you more momentum. I don't like the high loopy takeback on the forehand because I have to use a "different" kind of stroke on a fast paced incoming ball. I prefer to keep the forehand generic and applicable to all kinds of balls. So, my takeback is very short and compact which resembles Couriers forehand (which is exactly who I modeled my forehand around). But I am blessed few very quick hands which helps my all-court game.

Do what you think is right for you. Just know that you might have a tendency to be late so make sure you prepare quickly.

[Marius_Hancu]

Jun,

First of all, any progress in serving in the ad court down the T? I think you mentioned once having some issues there.

Now, concerning the loop. The advice provided by BB here is very pertinent.

However, I would like you to think about something else too. Based on high-speed photography, it seems that the pros are accelerating much more during the last segment of the shot, when the racket is already advancing into the ball, than the amateurs. I.e. the amateurs have a much more distributed acceleration during the loop, while the pros are accelerating really during the last forward moving segment, but considerably faster, similar to a karate chop which should be very fast and short.

Are you practicing karate? Then you know more about this than I know ... Thus what I would advise you is to count say 1, 2, 3, 4 during the loop, in a very controlled manner, and on 5, which is really at the end of the loop you punch/accelerate forward into the ball, but much faster than you were used until now for a given distance.

Hopefully others will be able to provide timed pictures of this action on the forehand (if they agree with what I am saying here).

Now, if only the last segment in the loop is significant, then it means that you really don't need a large loop to provide a very effective final punch.

[jun]

Marius-
Thanks for asking. My trouble was serving down the T on deuce side.. I ended up switch to pinpoint, and it somehow solved a lot of problem.

I have pretty slow hand, and when i take a little bigger backswing, it gives me more momentum, and can go through contact zone a little quicker. When I shorten my backswing, and try to accelerate through contact zone, I am framing a lot of shots.

I am still experimenting and i will see how it goes.

[Marius_Hancu]

When I shorten my backswing, and try to accelerate through contact zone, I am framing a lot of shots

I think easitennis.com has an interesting discussion on stabilizing your shot during the last segment, they're saying the last 5 inches or so around the contact are critical and must be linearized from the "natural" rotational arc, if you want to be avoid errors. I think their suggestions are around the way your shoulder must push forwards and your elbow must detach itself from the body in order to correct the racket trajectory.

[alan-n]

I think easitennis.com has an interesting discussion on stabilizing your shot during the last segment, they're saying the last 5 inches or so around the contact are critical and must be linearized from the "natural" rotational arc, if you want to be avoid errors. I think their suggestions are around the way your shoulder must push forwards and your elbow must detach itself from the body in order to correct the racket trajectory.

Basically what they described can be summarized by a boxer's punching motion... You are using your body turn / shoulder / bent elbow and unloading your energy straight forward.

I've been hitting with this forehand for years and can attest to how it has simplified the forehand for me. Unbelievable how little effort it takes to get such a clean hit. No loops, big round about take back and swing... just simply turn, bend your elbow slightly, take your shoulder back... butt of racquet towards ball, then unload with firm wrist and grip straight into ball straightening out your arm and complete the follow through. I not a tall guy at all (5'8") nor have long arms.... amazing what this has done for my forearm, even while off balance and falling backwards.