Please analyze my forehand

[Sweden]

Please give me some suggestions on what to do to improve my forehand. Thanks in advance!


http://media.putfile.com/Forehand9

[GOOOOOGA]

I'm not a tennis coach, so I could just as easily be wrong, but...

your forehand looks really smooth. You seem pretty confident with it. However, it looks like you're not turning your shoulders enough, making it seem like you're facing the wall. And occasionally, you're not moving thru the shot (hitting off back foot). I dunno, otherwise, it looks pretty good. Loopy topspin forehand.

hope this helps a little

[norcal]

Your take back seems a bit late. Looks like a hard hitter would force you into some mishits. Watch the pros and see how early they prepare.

[Sweden]

it looks like you're not turning your shoulders enough, making it seem like you're facing the wall. And occasionally, you're not moving thru the shot (hitting off back foot).
hope this helps a little

Thanks Googa! Yeah, I think you’re right. I was thinking about my shoulder turn doubting I was turning it enough. I’ll try to turn it more from now on almost showing my back towards the net before the shot. Yeah, my problem is when I get under pressure out on my forehand wing, then I tend to come to much on my back foot which results in short shots for my opponent (easy shots for my opponent). Maybe the shoulder turn can help me avoid doing that. I'll test tomorrow.

[Sweden]

Your take back seems a bit late. Looks like a hard hitter would force you into some mishits. Watch the pros and see how early they prepare.

I checked out my video again and realised that the shots I missed (under net level) were caused by hitting the ball too late. So an earlier backswing would probably help me. Thanks for the tips!

[Slazenger]

You're hitting very well man! Keep it up.

The only thing I can add is to try as much as is possible to hit the ball in your strike zone. You let a coulple drop too much before hitting. While all were good strokes, the quality of those hit in your strike zone were better.
I really like the 3 forehands from 17 - 22 secs. Good footwork setting up the shots.

About hitting off the back foot. For those that predominantly hit off the left foot, you sometimes have no recourse but to hit off the back foot AND will be unable to hit forward through it.
E.g running forehands. Hit off the right foot and your body isn't moving into the shot.
When you're pulled back, you will most likely hit off your back foot and your body will actually rotate backwards as you hit.

[Slazenger]

I checked out my video again and realised that the shots I missed (under net level) were caused by hitting the ball too late. So an earlier backswing would probably help me. Thanks for the tips!

You weren't making contact late.
What you did was wait for the ball to come to you and it was too low by then. An earlier backswing will not change this.
You just have to position yourself based on the trajectory and type of spin of the ball to hit it in your strike zone whether on the rise or as it's falling.

[ShcMad]

I could see a little Justine Henin-Hardenne forehand form there lol. I'm no expert in this field, but I believe you have a consistent forehand. I envy you. lol.

[Sweden]

Thank you Slazenger for the tips and the thorough descriptions, I’ll try to think about my strike zone next time I play.

When I think about this, I think this can be caused by playing on this fast carpet that I play 9 times out of 10. When I play hard court I don’t get the ball “to me” (the ball doesn’t naturally come to me because of a slower more high bouncing surface) in the same way and maybe this is why I forget to take the ball early.

[jlui21]

Personal question sweden: do you consider yourself a hard-hitter? IF so, where you rate yourself out of all players who you have seen in terms of hitting hard, excluding pros? And where is this footage taken? Thanks.

[Sweden]

Personal question sweden: do you consider yourself a hard-hitter? IF so, where you rate yourself out of all players who you have seen in terms of hitting hard, excluding pros? And where is this footage taken? Thanks.

This was a very hard question! Hard hitter, maybe. I have a little more power than is shown on the video and I can hit winners from the baseline from both wings. I’m in fact a serve volley player but after my second serve I often play an aggressive baseline game, so also when my opponent serves. I try to steer my opponent as much as possible? What do you really mean with the term hard-hitter? Hitting hard on every shot or just have the ability to make powerful shots? Compared to the guys I play I might hit a little bit harder then they do. I mean the guys that are even with me. The video was recorded a late night at my tennis club in Sweden.

[predrag]

Please give me some suggestions on what to do to improve my forehand. Thanks in advance!


http://media.putfile.com/Forehand9

Not too bad.
However, I agree with other posters that you are little late in your preparation.
You should try to have your shoulders turned and racquyet ready BEFORE the ball bounce.
Noe, hitting against the wall, ball comes little quicker, but still you could do it.
Also, I think that racquet backswing is little too high. I tell my students that racquet head shoudl not be much higher than your head.
YOu always have extremes. Like Hewitt, or Pop, ..., but more compact your takeback is, more time you will have to prepare.

Regards, Predrag

[Mattle]

It looks good, nice. Things you can do to improve this is, for example: When you hit the ball, try do like the most pro, watch the contact AFTER you've hit the ball.. Remember to keep stabilized, don't move when doing the shot(unless you're out of position) Really nice you leaning forward into every shot even if you're using an open stance, good job

[HappyLefty]

My two cents:

Watching your video I can see your knees are not bended enough. Watch very careful and you can see your legs a bit straight. It provoques that most of your shots are relayed in your arm, that's why you can't rotate your shoulder adequatly .
My recommendation: try to bend a little bit more your legs and have an early preparation.
I hope it helps you.
BTW, could be useful a video playing another guy and not the wall. Sometimes when using a wall, your early preparation fails.

[Sweden]

Not too bad.
Noe, hitting against the wall, ball comes little quicker, but still you could do it.
Also, I think that racquet backswing is little too high. I tell my students that racquet head shoudl not be much higher than your head.
YOu always have extremes. Like Hewitt, or Pop, ..., but more compact your takeback is, more time you will have to prepare.

Regards, Predrag

Yeah my backswing is high, I have tried to change it several times by making it smaller but after a while it ends up the same way with this big swing. I'm afraid this is a part of the shot that is impossible to change, prepare earlier would be the only way out of this. I would also tell my students the same if someone of them would start swinging like me ;) this hasn't happened so that is great. BTW who is Pop? Gonzales has a pretty big swing too but smaller than my I think. Thanks for writing!

[predrag]

Yeah my backswing is high, I have tried to change it several times by making it smaller but after a while it ends up the same way with this big swing. I'm afraid this is a part of the shot that is impossible to change, prepare earlier would be the only way out of this. I would also tell my students the same if someone of them would start swinging like me ;) this hasn't happened so that is great. BTW who is Pop? Gonzales has a pretty big swing too but smaller than my I think. Thanks for writing!

Aleksander Pop was German, top 50, if I am correct last year.
I think it was him, or other German player. I am not 100% if it was Pop.

If you have a membership to tennisplayer.net you could go and check Agassi and Federer on their takebacks. If you are not, I highly recommend it.

On your takeback try to make sure that your wrist and elbow do not go above your right shoulder. Strings need to face side fence (if there is a fence around the court :))

Regards, Predrag

[Sweden]

When you hit the ball, try do like the most pro, watch the contact AFTER you've hit the ball.. R

I don't really understand what you mean? Do you mean I should look at the contact when the racket hits the ball? And look at it even after the contact. I have heard about watching the ball contact but I have never heard about after? Please explain to me.

[predrag]

I don't really understand what you mean? Do you mean I should look at the contact when the racket hits the ball? And look at it even after the contact. I have heard about watching the ball contact but I have never heard about after? Please explain to me.


To prevent your body from opening up too soon and to prevent pulling your head you should try to watch the point of contact a split second longer even after the ball is gone.
Example: Federer on both forehand and backhand.

Regards, Predrag

[Sweden]

Aleksander Pop was German, top 50, if I am correct last year.
I think it was him, or other German player. I am not 100% if it was Pop.

If you have a membership to tennisplayer.net you could go and check Agassi and Federer on their takebacks. If you are not, I highly recommend it.

On your takeback try to make sure that your wrist and elbow do not go above your right shoulder. Strings need to face side fence (if there is a fence around the court :))

Regards, Predrag

Yes, Alexander Pop has a big swing when I think about it, Mayer too. Can't believe Pop did so well at Wimbledon with that swing. Think he has reached the qf or something twice. Yeah, there are nets between the courts everywhere in Sweden :) so that would not be a problem. That’s great so you don't have to say sorry 15 times during a practise session while disturbing other players.

[Sweden]

To prevent your body from opening up too soon and to prevent pulling your head you should try to watch the point of contact a split second longer even after the ball is gone.
Example: Federer on both forehand and backhand.

Regards, Predrag

Okey, now I understand, that is pretty clever! Thanks

[Sweden]

My two cents:

Watching your video I can see your knees are not bended enough. Watch very careful and you can see your legs a bit straight. It provoques that most of your shots are relayed in your arm, that's why you can't rotate your shoulder adequatly .


I watched the video again and I think I can work with my knees more bent even when I move around the court. It would probably make me look less stiff and automatically give me more balance. I take this in consideration. Thanks

[Sweden]

Thank you guys for the replies. I just wanted do tell you all that I practised tonight and tried to take back the racket earlier and turn my shoulders more. It absolutely made a difference, the times I came under real pressure on my forehand I felt like I had more time and got more control. This made me hit back balls I usually don't hit back. That felt nice ;)

[austro]

Looks pretty good. But it would be even better to see you hit during play and under pressure.

[jlui21]

This was a very hard question! Hard hitter, maybe. I have a little more power than is shown on the video and I can hit winners from the baseline from both wings. I’m in fact a serve volley player but after my second serve I often play an aggressive baseline game, so also when my opponent serves. I try to steer my opponent as much as possible? What do you really mean with the term hard-hitter? Hitting hard on every shot or just have the ability to make powerful shots? Compared to the guys I play I might hit a little bit harder then they do. I mean the guys that are even with me. The video was recorded a late night at my tennis club in Sweden.

Sorry for the confusion. Since you were just rallying/warming up or whatever, I wanted to know if you were hard hitter in general outside of the vid. Since you are, you have answered me question. Do you have any vid of you serving? This serves as a comparative forum for me - to "see" (inside my head) how I stack up against other individuals.

[DSL]

It looks like a good forehand. One thing I would try to work on is bringing your racket back earlier. When you are bringing your racquet back, the butt of the racquet is facing toward you or the side. I would try to have the butt facing your opponent as you are bringing it back.
Also, I agree with one of the replies on your rotation. I think you could benefit from rotating into your forehand better.

[AngeloDS]

The strokes look good but they're inconsistent -- taking some high, low, to the left, to the right etc. You should really work on trying to get the ball hitting one spot on the wall from different angles rather than just hitting the ball and reacting to the ball. Be proactive, aim for spots and set yourself up well with excellent footwork.

Footwork seems a bit lazy on a few but overall is a bit below average for how well your strokes are, a lot of the balls you could have moved in faster on and take it into your zone(s).

What I'm curious is how you would take some balls that are hit deep with pace near the baseline. And trying to take them off the bounce (like half volleys but not really). That's where I see problems possibly arising because of your inconsistency and take back.

Changes: Take some pace off and get better control and be proactive than reactive, faster footwork and understanding how the ball will react after you hit it. If you know it's going to die like it did on a few move in rather than stand around and still have control when you hit it.

Bring some Duct Tape next time in the middle of the wall make a square. Doesn't matter how big it is but a fairly good size is nice. And aim for it.

[rocket]

Please give me some suggestions on what to do to improve my forehand. Thanks in advance!


http://media.putfile.com/Forehand9

Put (swing) your right hip into the shot. you're a big powerful guy, you should be able to punish the ball, don't just merely hit it back. :cool:

[jagsv650]

I would say you definitely want to bend your knees more, I think bending your knees more also helps you rebound to get in position for the next shot. It looks pretty good besides that though....IMO

[Slazenger]

Put (swing) your right hip into the shot. you're a big powerful guy, you should be able to punish the ball, don't just merely hit it back. :cool:

Umm he's hitting against a wall...

[rocket]

Umm he's hitting against a wall...

Yeah, I guess that was a wall that he was hitting against... but we could see his preparation & hit, so I only suggested he put more hip into his shots. This way, the following wouldn't happen:

Yeah, my problem is when I get under pressure out on my forehand wing, then I tend to come to much on my back foot which results in short shots for my opponent (easy shots for my opponent). Maybe the shoulder turn can help me avoid doing that. I'll test tomorrow.

[Sweden]

Do you have any vid of you serving? This serves as a comparative forum for me - to "see" (inside my head) how I stack up against other individuals.

I have a video of myself serving as well. I am thinking about putting it out on this forum to get some response but first I would like to work on my forehand and use all the great response all guys on this forum has given me. Maybe the video will be on this forum next weekend or something. If you want to look at it I can put it online on putfile.com. If so, please write your e-mail and I'll send the address.

[Sweden]

It looks like a good forehand. One thing I would try to work on is bringing your racket back earlier. When you are bringing your racquet back, the butt of the racquet is facing toward you or the side. I would try to have the butt facing your opponent as you are bringing it back.
Also, I agree with one of the replies on your rotation. I think you could benefit from rotating into your forehand better.

I tell my students to point towards the ball with their butt cap, but for me I think it will be hard. I have played with the same swing many years and making this change will totally change my swing. However, I'll try this just to see. Thanks for the tips ;)

[Sweden]

The strokes look good but they're inconsistent -- taking some high, low, to the left, to the right etc. You should really work on trying to get the ball hitting one spot on the wall from different angles rather than just hitting the ball and reacting to the ball. Be proactive, aim for spots and set yourself up well with excellent footwork.

Footwork seems a bit lazy on a few but overall is a bit below average for how well your strokes are, a lot of the balls you could have moved in faster on and take it into your zone(s).

What I'm curious is how you would take some balls that are hit deep with pace near the baseline. And trying to take them off the bounce (like half volleys but not really). That's where I see problems possibly arising because of your inconsistency and take back.

Changes: Take some pace off and get better control and be proactive than reactive, faster footwork and understanding how the ball will react after you hit it. If you know it's going to die like it did on a few move in rather than stand around and still have control when you hit it.

Bring some Duct Tape next time in the middle of the wall make a square. Doesn't matter how big it is but a fairly good size is nice. And aim for it.


Thanks for the long reply. You have a good knowledge of tennis and gave me some things to consider. I really like the one with making a square. Can’t believe I haven’t thought about that! Must also say that if I take pace of the ball it will land very close to the wall since the wall doesn’t push the ball back very long. Next time I hit that wall I might try to find the newest balls so it bounces back better. On top of the wall there is a wire holding the net so I can’t really hit higher for better length on the balls.