overheads

[steve s]

I hit my overheads with a eastern forehand grip. I have a boat
load of trouble hitting it with power. Do i need to switch grips
and how do i force a grip change during play???

[TripleThreatPlayer]

For overheads, Serves, and Volleys, most people use a continental grip (hammer grip). When I used a eastern grip while doing overheads, I found that the balls often went long. By switching to a continental I added more spin, and could wack the ball hard without it going out.

Switching from a eastern to continental is not difficult (in a game)

Continental-V should be on the side of the racquet. You should be able to hit the ball with the edge of your racquet.

[Cypo]

Triple Threat - it's academic, but I'll bet the reason that the smashes go long with the eastern is that it's hard to snap your wrist and bring the ball down with it.

[lendl lives]

overheads are a weakness for me. any advice on improving?

Don't think about hitting the ball. Concentrate on catching the ball with the non-raquet hand. Don't point, CATCH the ball. This will line you up for the shot. When the ball gets close, just exchange one hand for the other. Try it, you'll like it!

[Bungalo Bill]

One of the things we work on with overheads is to not point at the ball. The overhead requires a good shoulder rotation and pointing at the ball doesnt help you achieve that. If you need to point, a better option is to point at the ball with your non-dominant arm elbow.

The key with the overhead once you establish where your going to hit it, is to not start focusing on other things like where your opponent is. This causes your eyes to drop and most likely your head will follow.

The number one reason players have trouble with overheads is a dropping head just as or slightly before impact. Keep the head up and watch the blur of your arm go by.

You should also hit an overhead with a serving grip. You have to perform slight adjustments with a eastern forehand grip to sqaure the racquet to the ball. These adjustments (with a ball dropping very fast) can cause a number of errors and inconsistencies. I would suggest you practice with a Continental grip for your overheads. Remeber you dont want a lot of stuff going on with the overhead. There is enough "calculating" going on to meet the ball properly.

[jun]

I used to have nightmares about overhead, but I have become pretty good at it.

First is you have to recognize them first. In certain situation, your opponent gives you tips that he's going to lob. In other situation, it's just obvious that he's going to lob..

If it's just a technical problem, you just have to practice. One thing that particularly help my overhead is hitting it against wall. Well, more like you smash it into ground, and it will bounch up against the wall.. Start out easy, and increase pace, see how many you can do w/o missing..

Another thing is, "lift". The stronger your core body is, the better coordinated you become with your arm and leg. At least I feel like that way. Do some ab work, and bench press...

[Bungalo Bill]

Good point Jun I agree very much that strength can greatly increase your control and coordination - let alone your confidence.

[lendl lives]

Bungalo Bill and friends,

thanks! so you should point with you non dominate elbow- not point or try to catch the ball with your non dominate hand...then right? Look forward to trying this.

how about foot work wise I feel sluggish and uncoordiated when a lob goes up....

[lendl lives]

bungalo, also what level of player are you? are you a coach? whats your background?
tks

[lendl lives]

Bungalo,

your a genius!! ha. thanks for the shoulder pointing tip on overheads. what an improvement.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! boy i need to ask you some other questions...let me think....hum...

[jayserinos99]

BB et. al, great tips. One thing not really mentioned about the overhead is getting behind the ball to meet it out at front. If you can't get behind the ball you'll hit your overhead late and possibly could get hurt. That means that as soon as the lob is thrown up you have to backpedal as fast as possibly allowed and as others have mentioned, turning your shoulders.

[kevhen]

First get behind the ball and then step forward and into the ball while snapping down with the wrist like when hitting a flat serve. Practice this a few hundred or thousand times. Eastern grip works fine for me. Try whatever seems to work best and most comfortably for you.

[kevhen]

I point with my off-arm straight at the lobbed ball, but pointing with the elbow might work even better. I will try that too. It might be easier and more fluid to do it that way.

[Grimjack]

Elbow, huh?

Hmmm. I'll have to file that one away. OH has always been a trouble spot for me. More because of lazy footwork than anything, but every little tip helps.

Will report back. :thumbup:

[jayserinos99]

I forget, but also it may help if you don't go for mach 1 power on your overhead. A nice full swing is fine as long as you place it away from them. This helped me a lot as it shortened up my overhead swing and gave me more control.

[lendl lives]

bungalo,

give fish a call!!!
ps does the shoulder pointing thing work on the serve? i'll have to wait and see since i'm out with a rib injury.

[polakosaur]

for footwork you want to be on your toes taking little adjustment before the hit

[joebedford]

What makes the overhead so difficult, IMHO, is that you are hitting an accelerating ball. If I swing a little bit earlier than I think I should, I'm usually right on.

[steve s]

I have fixed my power problem by rotating my wrist to the left(am
right handed). This seems to let my wrist snap as my arm comes
forward. Hit most oversheads to the add court.

Still a work in progress but getting better.

Tips here give me more things to try