Do you hit your forehand with a bent arm or a straight arm?

Do you hit a bent arm or a straight arm forehand?

  • Bent arm

    Votes: 34 63.0%

  • Straight arm

    Votes: 20 37.0%
  • Total voters
    54
Wander

Wander

Hall of Fame
So, apparently the bent arm forehand is much more common at all levels, and I'm sure this is true. I just took a look at my own forehand on video and my arm is bent at contact too. There goes the dream of having a perfect replica of a Federer forehand. but I want to hear from other TT users!

I am interested in the percentages, but you are free to comment on the topic of bent vs straight arm technique as well. I'm guessing it's probably more of a natural preference thing, though.
 
Wander

Wander

Hall of Fame
vectorthurm said:
Either is ok....
Click to expand...
I of course know that either is okay. This is about data. Same as if I was to ask whether people hit 1hbh or 2hbh or platform serve or pinpoint. We have plenty of data that all these work, but I was interested in whether straight arm at recreational level was as rare as it seems to be in the pros.
 
SystemicAnomaly

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
Bent arm on a high % of FHs but not all by any means. Close to straight arm for high contacts (and, perhaps, for very low shots).
 
5263

5263

G.O.A.T.
Wander said:
I of course know that either is okay. This is about data. Same as if I was to ask whether people hit 1hbh or 2hbh or platform serve or pinpoint. We have plenty of data that all these work, but I was interested in whether straight arm at recreational level was as rare as it seems to be in the pros.
Click to expand...
pretty much a meaningless distinction that is mostly just a stylistic aspect. Most of the big claims about how the straight arm is better are about 180 out and wrong. If you like the straight arm Fh, it's sort of like having a black car....just tougher to maintain, but worth it if you prefer black for your car.
 
Last edited:
vectorthurm

vectorthurm

Rookie
Wander said:
I of course know that either is okay. This is about data. Same as if I was to ask whether people hit 1hbh or 2hbh or platform serve or pinpoint. We have plenty of data that all these work, but I was interested in whether straight arm at recreational level was as rare as it seems to be in the pros.
Click to expand...

Mines a little bent...are we still talking about tennis [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Born_to_slice

Born_to_slice

Legend
Bent. I can straighten it out a bit in practice with more forward contact and it feels really good and more powerful. Can't seem to replicate that in matches though (yet).
 
Wander

Wander

Hall of Fame
So many have said straight arm, but I am doubtful that they have all actually looked at their forehands on video!
 
F

flex

Semi-Pro
Regarding straight arm vs bent arm, might be being simple minded here...but isn't it a large part about the contact zone? If you contact more out in front (relatively speaking), you would have a straight(er) arm forehand. More behind, its more of a bent forehand.

Someone correct if I'm missing something
 
F

FRV3

Guest
Wander said:
So many have said straight arm, but I am doubtful that they have all actually looked at their forehands on video!
Click to expand...
You are doubtful of me?!?!? I also have video evidence, and am a crazy person. You want to fight with me, a crazy person?
 
S

seebol

New User
flex said:
Regarding straight arm vs bent arm, might be being simple minded here...but isn't it a large part about the contact zone? If you contact more out in front (relatively speaking), you would have a straight(er) arm forehand. More behind, its more of a bent forehand.

Someone correct if I'm missing something
Click to expand...

Bent arm forehands have a bent elbow at contact and usually throughout the followthrough. Straight arm forehands like Federer and Nadal have unbent arms at some point well before and during contact. Some nice visuals and description of both styles are here: https://www.patcash.co.uk/2019/04/tennis-forehand-technique-straight-arm-vs-bent-arm/ Pat Cash advocates bent arm for its larger hitting zone
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
seebol said:
Bent arm forehands have a bent elbow at contact and usually throughout the followthrough. Straight arm forehands like Federer and Nadal have unbent arms at some point well before and during contact. Some nice visuals and description of both styles are here: https://www.patcash.co.uk/2019/04/tennis-forehand-technique-straight-arm-vs-bent-arm/ Pat Cash advocates bent arm for its larger hitting zone
Click to expand...
I read through the Pat Cash analysis. Interesting that Pat Cash doesn’t even seem to acknowledge any advantages to hitting with a straight arm.

In my opinion, a straight arm is advantageous for having more natural power from leverage. And arguably, if done with proper technique, reduces degrees of freedom in the kinetic chain, enabling good control on high-racquethead speed shots.

I do think that a straight-arm forehand is more difficult to master to the point of high reliability. So beginner adults are properly better off starting with a bent arm closer to the body.

Personally, I’ve never been very good at hitting forehands with either technique, due to limited forehand talent.
 
F

FRV3

Guest
OK here is my forehand from a long time ago that you guys desperately want to see. You can see the arm is fully extended at contact. I have changed the forehand recently so it is more like an ATP forehand, but the arm still fully extends at contact.
 
Wander

Wander

Hall of Fame
FRV3 said:
OK here is my forehand from a long time ago that you guys desperately want to see. You can see the arm is fully extended at contact. I have changed the forehand recently so it is more like an ATP forehand, but the arm still fully extends at contact.
Click to expand...
It's certainly a lot more prevalent here than the coach experience in the second post's video would've lead me to believe.
 
sredna42

sredna42

Hall of Fame
Just did a shadow swing, pretty sure it is straight at contact. I kind of imagine I am throwing the raquet at the ball, like skimming a stone, when I hit a forehand, so like a throw the arm just ends up straight at point of release. Never really thought about it, probably just more useless trivia tbh
 
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G

grzewas

Semi-Pro
Wander said:
So, apparently the bent arm forehand is much more common at all levels, and I'm sure this is true. I just took a look at my own forehand on video and my arm is bent at contact too. There goes the dream of having a perfect replica of a Federer forehand. but I want to hear from other TT users!

I am interested in the percentages, but you are free to comment on the topic of bent vs straight arm technique as well. I'm guessing it's probably more of a natural preference thing, though.
Click to expand...
I play forehand with both arms bent because I use two handed forehand. But before I injured right wrist I used one handed forehand with bent elbow. With bent elbow you have better control and you can adjust to aproaching ball even if you are not in a perfect place.
 
Last edited:
5263

5263

G.O.A.T.
travlerajm said:
I read through the Pat Cash analysis. Interesting that Pat Cash doesn’t even seem to acknowledge any advantages to hitting with a straight arm.
Click to expand...
I think Cash is on target as there is not real mechanical advantage to the straight arm, and especially when compared to a bent that is mostly straight.

Remember, that lever is longer, but working against your shoulder, not for it.
The quality that you "feel' with a straight arm is momentum if you can get it moving well.
 
J011yroger

J011yroger

Talk Tennis Guru
5263 said:
I think Cash is on target as there is not real mechanical advantage to the straight arm, and especially when compared to a bent that is mostly straight.

Remember, that lever is longer, but working against your shoulder, not for it.
The quality that you "feel' with a straight arm is momentum if you can get it moving well.
Click to expand...

If there were, everyone would migrate to that style. Over the past 20 years I have seen a gradual straightening on average but just like string tension it gets gradually looser but if there were a tremendous advantage everyone would change just like they did with graphite racquets or poly strings.

J
 
T

tendency

Rookie
Wander said:
So, apparently the bent arm forehand is much more common at all levels, and I'm sure this is true. I just took a look at my own forehand on video and my arm is bent at contact too. There goes the dream of having a perfect replica of a Federer forehand. but I want to hear from other TT users!

I am interested in the percentages, but you are free to comment on the topic of bent vs straight arm technique as well. I'm guessing it's probably more of a natural preference thing, though.
Click to expand...

Bent and I put hella spin and pace on my FH.
 
Slicerman

Slicerman

Professional
In most cases I hit my forehand with a near straight-arm (slight bend)

But there are occasions when I do use bent arm like when I get jammed from being too close to the ball.
 
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