Stop talking nonsense about being relaxed when hitting the ball !!!
- Thread starter grzewas
- Start date
golden chicken
Hall of Fame
In Kung Fu we say the word relax, but we don't mean turn off all muscles and fall on the floor. We mean only use the muscles necessary for the intended movement, and not use the muscles that oppose the movement.
For example, if we want to extend our arm at the elbow, we train to relax the bicep muscle and fire the triceps muscle. Some people will clench up and activate both the bicep and triceps. This feels powerful, but it is not. It's like trying to drive your car with one foot on the brakes and one foot on the gas. The engine will make more noise but you won't go as fast.
For example, if we want to extend our arm at the elbow, we train to relax the bicep muscle and fire the triceps muscle. Some people will clench up and activate both the bicep and triceps. This feels powerful, but it is not. It's like trying to drive your car with one foot on the brakes and one foot on the gas. The engine will make more noise but you won't go as fast.
Relaxed doesn't playing half arsed and not trying. It simply means not being tense and not trying to force things. You generate far more power with good timing and a well executed shot, than you do by trying to muscle the ball.
I have been surprised ho much power, even off ball with very little pace, I have managed to generate when I have hit in a relaxed and loose way.
I have been surprised ho much power, even off ball with very little pace, I have managed to generate when I have hit in a relaxed and loose way.
It is the great prophet of the double handed forehand come among us, to tell us we have all been doing it wrong all these years.
When he double bagels Rodger Federer we will all bow down before grzewas and the tennis establishment was be overturned.
FatHead250
Professional
Just because you possess an extremely inefficient and terrible style of playing tennis, you don't need to justify it to yourself by posting these videos to suit your flawed first-hand tennis playing expeience, because nom you don't actually need to be unrelaxed
Tennis is not baseball. Tennis is not about power. It is more about control. I understand that you recommend to throw a racket at the ball. Post here video so that we could see how it works.
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Maybe you could post here video when you are playing a real match so we could see how relaxed you are and what control you have. We could learn a lot from you.
Show us how you do it.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
Funny GD but my sons coach who was a former top 150 player in the world encourages my son to keep his hitting arm relaxed. Am I to disregard his experience and listen to your tucked in elbow pusher forehand shots which by your own admission are good for recs and veterans - and I say that with the greatest respect as I am a rec vet.
What do you mean by "relaxed" ? He shouldnt hold the racket ? His biceps should be relaxed ?
sredna42
Hall of Fame
And therein lies the issue. It is just your interpretation of the term relaxed. By the sounds of it, you're interpreting it to mean something like flaccid.
So I understand that "relaxed" means to tighten the grip just before the contact and some time after because nobody can relax muscles after several milliseconds. I begin to like this concept of relaxation. It means that so called relaxation happens before the stroke and when the ball already has no contact with the strings.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
r
adjective
Relaxed means relaxed. If you're struggling with its definition then see below.
adjective
- free from tension and anxiety.
"we were having a great time and feeling very relaxed"- (of a muscle or other body part) not tense.
"make sure that your jaw is relaxed"
- (of a muscle or other body part) not tense.
Now I understand everything. When you all say "relaxed" you mean that the grip should be tightened before the stroke but we should relax our jaws. Thanks. That is new for me. I would never even suspect that relaxation of jaws is so important in modern tennis.
Dragy
Legend
Some issue I see with this Intuitive Tennis guy is that his intuition lets him down too frequently...
No, seriously, will the racquet twist on off-center hits? Absolutely. Will racquet twist cause major isuues to the shot? Not that much. Ball is gone in 3-4ms, racquet twist hasn't developed to any significant degree yet.
In the meantime, off-center hits close to the frame will be bad. No matter how tight you grip the racquet.
Forearm muscle tightening is another blah-blah unproved statement:
Almost every single sport played at a high level has 1 common factor - relaxation. But to activate the right muscles whilst relaxed is what separates those who play at a high level, whether its football, tennis, swimming, running, baseball, boxing, golf you are at your best when youre relaxed.
Thats why pros often make things look easy, because they are so loose.
Thats why pros often make things look easy, because they are so loose.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
You got me, the dictionary isn't written for tennis professors, but in context its right. Incidentally, you are always very relaxed when publishing your theories. Try it on your two handers.
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You can see each muscle of Federer forearm working hard just before the stroke. Some relaxation we can see when the head of the racket is in front of left shoulder. Not earlier.Some issue I see with this Intuitive Tennis guy is that his intuition lets him down too frequently...
No, seriously, will the racquet twist on off-center hits? Absolutely. Will racquet twist cause major isuues to the shot? Not that much. Ball is gone in 3-4ms, racquet twist hasn't developed to any significant degree yet.
In the meantime, off-center hits close to the frame will be bad. No matter how tight you grip the racquet.
Forearm muscle tightening is another blah-blah unproved statement:
Dragy
Legend
Look, I made a photo for you: here my arm is straight with no tightness. Do the muscles being visible proove anything to you?
Here we can see "relaxed" forearm of Federer. I should admit that I havent known the meaning of the word "relaxed".Look, I made a photo for you: here my arm is straight with no tightness. Do the muscles being visible proove anything to you?
ATP: Roger Federer: Forehand problems due to hand injury | World Sport News
In an interview with the Schweizer Tages-Anzeiger, Roger Federer admitted to an injury on his striking hand, which apparently affected his forehand. The eyes in Basel are naturally on the defending champion and record champ: Roger Federer sets off on Tuesday to win his home tournament for the...
worldsportnews.org
Dragy
Legend
That "Black hole" metaphor is great. Exactly what happens - tensing up, one puts muscle effort to fight arm and racquet inertia before it going into contact and crushing the ball. More percieved "power" in the swing, much less power in the shot.
Dragy
Legend
You seem to haven't known. I just went to my mirror to test. Now I'm even more confidentHere we can see "relaxed" forearm of Federer. I should admit that I havent known the meaning of the word "relaxed".
ATP: Roger Federer: Forehand problems due to hand injury | World Sport News
In an interview with the Schweizer Tages-Anzeiger, Roger Federer admitted to an injury on his striking hand, which apparently affected his forehand. The eyes in Basel are naturally on the defending champion and record champ: Roger Federer sets off on Tuesday to win his home tournament for the...
If I add some grip to not let the racquet fly away, my forearm will be even more humpy. All still far away from any kind of tight gripping, like in doing weight lifting.
Fedinkum
Legend
I don’t know...I am not a fan of the way he describes it. Perhaps “firm wrist but loose grip“ is another way to describe it if you are really bothered by the word “relaxing”. I have even heard of “holding the grip like you would hold a chicken”. Your arm muscles need to be as loose as possible and not fight the incoming ball.
At the end of the day, is really what imagery works for you but I think we all understand the concept of “Relaxing”.
Here we can see "relaxed" forearm of Federer. I should admit that I havent known the meaning of the word "relaxed".
ATP: Roger Federer: Forehand problems due to hand injury | World Sport News
In an interview with the Schweizer Tages-Anzeiger, Roger Federer admitted to an injury on his striking hand, which apparently affected his forehand. The eyes in Basel are naturally on the defending champion and record champ: Roger Federer sets off on Tuesday to win his home tournament for the...
Federer's arm muscles are reacting to the forces felt from the impact and propelling the racquet. It doesn't mean he's actively firing his arm muscles. On the contrary keeping the arm loose maximizes RHS. If you spin a monkey drum, the limp string still get taut because of the centrifugal forces experienced, not because there is active input from the strings.
That guy who made the video in the OP is completely clueless. One of his videos even says the kinetic chain goes from the top to the ground. Clueless.
Nope, no idea what you're on about.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
Nobody does.
What in your opinion do tightened muscles of Federer forearm we can see at this picture ? We see that these muscles work very hard. How can you tighten your forearm muscles to such a state and continue talking about looseness.
If you say "relax" do you mean to tighten the grip and relax the jaws ?
Do you agree that if you spin a monkey drum, the strings will straighten out and become taut? Are there any active muscles in the string firing? Yet they become taut, how?
Muscles of Federer forearm are not stretched but tightly contracted.Do you agree that if you spin a monkey drum, the strings will straighten out and become taut? Are there any active muscles in the string firing? Yet they become taut, how?
user92626
G.O.A.T.
I'm going to play tennis in 40 minutes and I'll try not to clench my jaws. Thanks for advice.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
When you get to a certain age you do start to repeat yourself. Try to stay relaxed when you play - have a good hit!
Ok I teach thumb pinky ring finger tighten up other two
Stay soft same on serve
So I shouldnt use my muscles ?
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
You have taught us that your technique does not require muscles.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
An open mind would help - as well as a relaxed arm.
What advantage does a tense muscle bring you.
When one side is stretched, other gets contracted.
3loudboys
G.O.A.T.
OP's posts are designed for tense muscles and goading reaction.
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