Wrist position

[Printer099]

I have had several pros tell me at the point of contact I need to TURN my wrist to get over the ball. I just went to a very intense clinic 20 hours where we observed slow motion of pros strokes and also learned that the wrist should stay laid back and fixed at the point of contact, and its a misconception to TURN OVER THE BALL. That is something we just see after the ball leaves the racquet on the follow through. I wanted to get anyone's opinion on the concempt of layign the wrist back and keeping it fixed at the point of contact as opposed to turning my wrist over the ball to try to general top spin. thanks

[fuzz nation]

It wouldn't occur to me to advise someone to actively roll or "break" their wrist through the hitting zone. That would most probably make for a very unpredictable angle on the racquet face at contact. Once the racquet is back in its "set position" with the wrist laid back as necessary, I don't think it demands much more attention. Not too firm for a topspin stroke, but not too loose for a slice.

As long as a player learns to accelerate the racquet through contact, that should typically promote a more constant wrist angle through the hitting area. When the swing decelerates before contact, that allows the racquet to begin passing the gripping hand early and effectively "turn over" with a topspin stroke. In this case, the changing angle of the racquet at contact makes for a much less consistent shot.

[Bagumbawalla]

Do not turn the racket over.

Basically, your racket is is in a vertical (or nearly vertical position at the point of striking the ball and stays that way. Contact with the ball lasts only miliseconds-- so all the preparation and path of the swing needs to be initiated well before the moment of contact.

Imagine your wrist sort of like a hinge (or one of those martial-arts sticks connected by a chain. As you begin the foreward motion of the ,the racket (due to inertia) lags back and "pulls" your wrist slightly back (like the nunchucks and chain) as the speed of the racket head increases the racket swings out into hitting position and your wrist straightens up until at the point of contactis is nearly, but not qiute, straight.

[LeeD]

Your "pros" are telling you to turn over because you absolutely do not on the followthru. Just a suggestion to force you to think about it.
Wrist is firm and lined up with racket at impact, turnover is after you hit the ball for a followthru that is replicated every time. Strong grips need a turnover to relax the arm after the forward swing.

[Printer099]

Ok so what you are saying is I need to work on being loser because most likey I am not turning over on the followthrough?

[LeeD]

Not really.
What I'm saying is with modern strong grips, like SW, W, and grips in between, you need the turnover on the followthru or you pull your elbow out of socket trying to STOP the natural turnover from happenning.
Golfer's know, you turn over your club just after or at the ball strike.
Same with batter's in baseball, the bat turns over, giving added underspin on the drive. You don't turn over to ADD underspin, but it's a result of turning over.

[Jake Speed]

Originally Posted by Printer099

I have had several pros tell me at the point of contact I need to TURN my wrist to get over the ball. I just went to a very intense clinic 20 hours where we observed slow motion of pros strokes and also learned that the wrist should stay laid back and fixed at the point of contact, and its a misconception to TURN OVER THE BALL. That is something we just see after the ball leaves the racquet on the follow through. I wanted to get anyone's opinion on the concempt of layign the wrist back and keeping it fixed at the point of contact as opposed to turning my wrist over the ball to try to general top spin. thanks

You cannot generate topspin by rolling the racquet over the ball. Unfortunately, this is belived in the service motion also. "Peel the ball." Or. "Tennis elbo anyone?"

Keep your wrist laid back and use your forarm for the "Windshield wiper motion."

I'm sure you'll get the results you're looking for by doing this.

JS

[mightyrick]

Originally Posted by Printer099

I have had several pros tell me at the point of contact I need to TURN my wrist to get over the ball. I just went to a very intense clinic 20 hours where we observed slow motion of pros strokes and also learned that the wrist should stay laid back and fixed at the point of contact, and its a misconception to TURN OVER THE BALL. That is something we just see after the ball leaves the racquet on the follow through. I wanted to get anyone's opinion on the concempt of layign the wrist back and keeping it fixed at the point of contact as opposed to turning my wrist over the ball to try to general top spin. thanks

You can thank Roger Federer for this confusion. He has such a godlike, alien, whippy forehand that people think he is turning his wrist over. Whereas in reality, he is turning his whole forearm over (pronating) through the shot. Due to his grip (eastern), it looks much less WW than someone like Andy Roddick. But the same concept still applies.

[MayDay]

"the wrist should stay laid back and fixed at the point of contact" - this is correct. Depending on the shot, once I choose a wrist angle (laid back, straight, forward, or anywhere in between) I keep my wrist firm (or more like trying to keep the same wrist angle) for most shots, including the serve. Do not focus on manipulating your wrist angle.
Additionally, I'm not sure if this is correctly described, but I try and keep the racket-hand-wrist-forearm angle the same. Meaning that if you're hitting a forehand and preps the racket 90 degrees from your forearm with wrist laid back, then I try and keep that same relationship throughout the swing as long as possible until after I hit the ball. I think the forearm as part of the racket that doesn't change in angle (relative to the racket) after the take back, so when you pronate throughout the forward swing, it makes the wind shield wiper action that brushes up on the ball - because you're maintaining the same racket-hand-wrist-forearm angle. During the pronation, bending your elbow (from straight or slightly bent) to “wrap” and bring up the racket around your opposite shoulder. If you “wrap” faster or with more force, you add a little more topspin.
As LeeD said, after you've hit the ball and start to relax / release, you naturally break that angle relationship.
If you break that angle relationship before you hit the ball, then you might be slapping the ball, which makes you lose directional control and consistency.
I use the same thought on most if not all of my strokes. Of course, this also assumes you are using your shoulder/body/core/legs to generate the power/coil action instead of only using your arms to hit the ball.