Bringing it down rather than back is the main tip here. Vic Braden said number one problem with rec tennis strokes is that they can’t drop the racket below the contact point.Never ever ever ever ever ever bring that racket tip back before you start your swing. That’s bad advice.
I can never make it through any of these videos. Struggled to get almost halfway through. No wonder no one can learn anything. There’s not even such a thing as the “slot” position. I wonder how people that become tour pros learn the fh if no one knows how to even teach it?
I got it that the guy suggests to point strings down before swinging at the ball rather than open the stringbed towards the ball too early.Bringing it down rather than back is the main tip here. Vic Braden said number one problem with rec tennis strokes is that they can’t drop the racket below the contact point.
agreed, not a fan of how it was described.I got it that the guy suggests to point strings down before swinging at the ball rather than open the stringbed towards the ball too early.
Anyway, I didn’t find what he tried to commute to be much congruent.
It’s also a danger of developing known hitch when racquet dangles down and then gets accelerated from full stop… although I’m pretty sure it’s not what he meant. Because his “hold it there” is while torso started uncoiling, so it’s only arm held from going forward too much, more passively dragged through the slot - which is good form.
You’d have to try to not have the string somewhat facing the ground. One more “tip” to keep someone from having a smooth stroke. See OP’s forehand.agreed, not a fan of how it was described.
he should have just stuck with “point strings downward before forward swing”
but the other stuff he mentioned about holding in the slot, when taken out of context (ie for fast, on the rise, type shot i will do this), will def lead to a hitch, which by itself is not terrible for the avg rec player, but does eliminate developing a stroke that has a smooth loop swing
Without watching the video, who cares about so many details, besides the OP?You’d have to try to not have the string somewhat facing the ground. One more “tip” to keep someone from having a smooth stroke. See OP’s forehand.
I can never make it through any of these videos. Struggled to get almost halfway through. No wonder no one can learn anything. There’s not even such a thing as the “slot” position. I wonder how people that become tour pros learn the fh if no one knows how to even teach it?
Trophy position is not close to slot on FH…The slot is very much there. It's not as pronounced as the serve (aka trophy position) but there. One has to discover it which is the hard part.
Trophy position is not close to slot on FH…
I don’t agree. Slot is buttcap forward, where it’s aligned to pull. It corresponds to the start of drop on serve, when racquet head drops behind.Not close but the idea is there...in the same ball park.
Again don’t agree. Most pro players drop to enter the slot. First pic is where drop starts, second pic is where slot is achieved:If you want me to be precise, it's
1. Rotate back to slot racquet in power position (in serve it would be the trophy position)
2. Drop
3. Rotate forward
The drop occurs in between rotating backward and rotating forwards when the racquet is completely free with only gravity acting on it hence 'drop'.
Slot occurs just before the drop. Proper slot is very important to achieve a proper drop.
I don’t agree. Slot is buttcap forward, where it’s aligned to pull. It corresponds to the start of drop on serve, when racquet head drops behind.
The difference is on serve you don’t want racquet head to pass over before leg drive. On FH the plane is not the same, the action is different (way less importance of shoulder stretch into ESR), which allows to swivel into slot earlier or later through the motion, with no big difference.
At what point during the video did he say to bring the racquet tip back before you start the swing?Never ever ever ever ever ever bring that racket tip back before you start your swing. That’s bad advice.
Again don’t agree. Most pro players drop to enter the slot. First pic is where drop starts, second pic is where slot is achieved:
There’s no logic in calling the left pic “slot”. If you want to call it power position, I at least get where you are coming from.To me Djokovic is slotting to power position in the left pic.
Between left and right pics positions he sets his hand onto desired level and path to accelerate, simultaneously swiveling his racquet into buttcap-forward orientation. Right pic is start of major acceleration, racquet is going to lag as he uncoils rapidly.In the right pic Djokovic is going through his forward swing, that position is part of that process and he is completely unaware of being in that racquet position.
Brian Gordon talks about the "dynamic slot" in the Fh stroke here"I can never make it through any of these videos. Struggled to get almost halfway through. No wonder no one can learn anything. There’s not even such a thing as the “slot” position. I wonder how people that become tour pros learn the fh if no one knows how to even teach it?
Pros develop their strokes in spite of whatever they've been told, due to talent.I can never make it through any of these videos. Struggled to get almost halfway through. No wonder no one can learn anything. There’s not even such a thing as the “slot” position. I wonder how people that become tour pros learn the fh if no one knows how to even teach it?
That’s not his main point though. Drop the racket below the ball before forward swing is the idea. If there’s not enough drop what’s the use of pointing the strings down?he should have just stuck with “point strings downward before forward swing”
No, it’s a mishit which barely cleared the net to land short… There are a lot of much better forehands in your pointplay video!That’s not his main point though. Drop the racket below the ball before forward swing is the idea. If there’s not enough drop what’s the use of pointing the strings down?
This I believe is the the most correct forehand I’ve ever hit.
It was a very clean brushing contact.No, it’s a mishit which barely cleared the net to land short… There are a lot of much better forehands in your pointplay video!
NoThe slot is very much there. It's not as pronounced as the serve (aka trophy position) but there. One has to discover it which is the hard part.
That video is the best demonstration of what the coach talks about. And it’s not a coincidence he hits the best top spin forehand ever.Having a hitch on their FH would be a huge improvement for most people posting here.
Watch Nadal here. Looks to me he "drops first then swings"
It’s also not a coincidence that Nadal is even doing what the poster you responded to said Rafa is doing. You get easily confused by straight arm forehands.That video is the best demonstration of what the coach talks about. And it’s not a coincidence he hits the best top spin forehand ever.
Bent arm forehand, drops it all the way down before swinging forward.It’s also not a coincidence that Nadal is even doing what the poster you responded to said Rafa is doing. You get easily confused by straight arm forehands.
Very valid point. It’s amazing how some people can still pull it off even with more extreme: strings pointing backfence almost.I think facing the strings down is a great way to make your FH more inconsistent. It's a much more challenging way to hit clean forehands unless you are able to practice daily and log lots of hours on it.
That’s not his main point though. Drop the racket below the ball before forward swing is the idea. If there’s not enough drop what’s the use of pointing the strings down?
This I believe is the the most correct forehand I’ve ever hit.
Not amazing. Hold your hand knuckles down above a table top, say, a foot above the table. Slap the table with your palm. See how many times your hand doesn’t hit flat. It will be zero. Same difficulty as squaring up strings.Very valid point. It’s amazing how some people can still pull it off even with more extreme: strings pointing backfence almost.
See @zill forehand again. Btw he’s even a better example than Nadal for drop first then swing.
What in the h-e-double hockey sticks do you think you are seeing?Bent arm forehand, drops it all the way down before swinging forward.
I can’t. My arm doesn’t turn that much!Hold your hand knuckles down above a table top, say, a foot above the table.
There’s no logic in calling the left pic “slot”. If you want to call it power position, I at least get where you are coming from.
The way you interpret this makes your individual stroke: you don’t reach the Djokovic left pic position at all, you do as you say: put it back down, then pull from there.
Most pro players’ swings are different from what you do. Just a statement, not discussing here if you are wrong.
Correct my slot (power position) is very different to most. Djokovic's is more common. His swing on the whole is more orthodox.
Between left and right pics positions he sets his hand onto desired level and path to accelerate, simultaneously swiveling his racquet into buttcap-forward orientation. Right pic is start of major acceleration, racquet is going to lag as he uncoils rapidly.
About his awareness of the racquet, he may be completely unaware of what exactly happens with it but for how it strikes the ball (angle, trajectory). That doesn’t deny the fact that with his technique racquet and arm follow exact path to create intended swing shape.
Brian Gordon talks about the "dynamic slot" in the Fh stroke here"
There are 3 ways to do this.
1. What ballmachineguy advocates ( I think)
2. As explained by the coach in the first video.
3. The way we don’t wanna do it!
That’s not his main point though. Drop the racket below the ball before forward swing is the idea. If there’s not enough drop what’s the use of pointing the strings down?
This I believe is the the most correct forehand I’ve ever hit.
There are 3 ways to do this.
1. What ballmachineguy advocates ( I think)
2. As explained by the coach in the first video.
3. The way we don’t wanna do it!
No. Not what I am saying. You didn’t even have the racquet in a proper take back position. Where you have it is already dropped, in my book.There are 3 ways to do this.
1. What ballmachineguy advocates ( I think)
2. As explained by the coach in the first video.
3. The way we don’t wanna do it!
My mistake. No one really knows what you’re saying. It’s still a secret!No. Not what I am saying. You didn’t even have the racquet in a proper take back position. Where you have it is already dropped, in my book.
The fh could not be more simple. Just keep listening to any idiot that can post a video on YouTube. It’s worked for you so far!
Sorry, it doesn’t work in match play. In the heat of the moment, everything all over the place, it’s impossible to drop it nicely and swing forward like that. Has to be much more simple to work consistently when it counts.Definitely the best forehands I have seen from you, light at the end of the tunnel in terms of basic FH technique.
Cmon man, this is not very clean:It was a very clean brushing contact.