How to add power to overhead?

Hi guys,
I really need some help here. I have a very bad overhead technique, cannot seems to be able to get it right.
My current overhead is pretty lame, no power, most of the time no problem for my opponet to return. Whenever i try to add power, will usually miss the sweetspot (80% of time), sending ball long or into net. Sometimes missing the sweetspot also reduce power significantly thus becoming an easy return for my opponent.

Here are some questions in my mind..
1) what is the best grip for overhead? it's something like a hammer continental, pure continental or a bit eastern forehand.
2) is an overhead motion much similar to a service motion, pronation, wrist snap etc. applies?
3) if the ball is slightly behind (on the point of contact), do i need to change the overhead motion/grip, for instance give more slice?
4) how to add power to overhead?

thanks and regards,
thamch

[Anonymous]

1) use the same grip you use for serving
2) YEs it is similar
3) same way you would hit a ball behind you on a serve, if it is really far back you may need to jump backwards and up (called the siccors motion)
4) make sure you are hitting the ball infront of you and above you, you should hit these while in the air, have a loose grip and hit through the ball
Have fun

[ucd_ace]

My advice on hitting an overhead...

Use a continental grip (you want to try to hit it flat because spin will take more pace off of the ball).

Move your feet taking small steps up until the point where you start to swing making sure you are in the right position to hit the ball.

Make sure you get your body and shoulders turned sideways as early as you can.

Get your racquet back in the "back scratch" position. Unlike the serve you just want to start from that point; if you try to drop the racquet down and bring it back up you will just have that much more that you have to time and it's not going to produce any better results.

Use your non-dominant hand to point towards the ball (this helps to keep the head up).

Shift your weight to your back leg once you're in position to hit the ball. Then shift your weight to your front leg to get your weight into the shot. Like every shot in tennis, the power comes from the transfer of weight into the ball.

You want to hit the ball when it is in the same ideal position as to when you try to hit a flat serve... out in front of you and at the point where your arm will be fully extended. When you make contact with the ball you want to snap your wrist like you do on a serve.

You want to keep both feet on the ground through the stroke. A lot of players have trouble because they bring their backfoot through. Similar to the not taking the racquet down and up that you do during your serve, moving your backfoot will gives you another variable that makes it more difficult to time the shot and it doesn't help you anyway.

So... turn, racquet back, point at the ball, weight back, transfer weight into the shot, snap your wrist, follow through... hope this helps.

[Tomek]

change balls
(haha, please don't blame me for this. You have got good replies above)

[Robert Jones]

If you have time its pretty much like a flat serve. Just have the stick in the cocked position. Pointing at the ball really helps get you into the proper posion. Then just do your service motion.

Take a quick look at where you are on the court and distance from the net way before you are going to hit the ball. That way you have an idea of how much room you have for error. Get to the ball as early as possible, have to anticipate where you need to be in order to have good form.

Sometimes you just don't have time and then maybe go for less pace and better placement.

Watch out for deadly backspin, it will suck your ball into the net. On thoses you have to hit hard to overcome the spin or aim more above the net than you normally do.

I find many people with good overheads get sucked into the ole back spin lob trick, it sucks the ball right into the net and they don't seem to know why.

[kevhen]

Get behind and then step into the ball. It should help with consistency and add a little bit of power as you step into your swing.