Is this how to hit the forehand?

[joppy]

I am new to Tennis. So a coach is telling me the racket face is closed at 45 degrees during contact. This is talking about hitting balls at waist height. But from the video of pros hitting this does not seem to be the case. The other thing he says is to tuck the elbow of the hitting arm to the side of the body during the takeback. So you end up using the forearm to make the loop. Is this how to hit the forehand?

I am asking because what he says doesn't sound like the instruction I am finding on here and on youtube, but he does have a coaching certificate.

[Charlzz]

I think you can look at the videos and see this is not the case. The racquet is perpendicular or slightly closed, perhaps 10-15 degrees closed. Most people have a results-oriented approach. If you can consistently get the ball over the net, then you probably have the correct angle. It's difficult to control the angle very accurately. As far as tucking the elbow to the side, it used to be somewhat more common, say in the 1980s, but only among a few players (they were decent players), but it is not meant to be a purely forearm hit.

[LeeD]

Perhaps the coach is trying to make you close the racketface, if you tend to hit balls long with little topspin. Closing the racketface, but not to 45 degrees, will force you to swing faster, farther upwards, impart topspin, and keep the ball in the court. But not 45 degrees.
As for the takeback, does you takeback get led by a wide elbow? If it does, he's trying to adjust your takeback, not necessarily force a new one onto you. Lots of young players lead the takeback with just the elbow, rather than a more unit turn.

[user92626]

What Charl and LeeD are alluding to is correct. Your coach gives instructions specific to your own situation so he probably knows some tendencies from you. Hard to tell whether the instruction is correct or not. What is your result from applying his instructions?