[VIDEO] Forehand

WhoseHouse · May 8, 2012

In this short video you see me hitting a few forehands. Starting at 00:18, I have a lot of time for preparation and you can see how I sort of pause and then follow through with the shot in two motions as opposed to one smooth motion.

I think I have always hit my forehand this way and I was wondering if this is something that needs to be changed.

Thank you in advance for your time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP1HOsdVgFU&

LeeD · May 8, 2012

Nice hitting...
Very short quick motion, a little wristy, but fine because you obviously have hit a few balls.
The hesistation is fine, meaning you're early and waiting on the ball. A more continous motion might be theoritically cleaner, but being early is a very good thing in any stroke.
You're obviously a groundstroker with the Spanish tradition, which is your choice.

connico · May 8, 2012

Hows your wrist feel after extended use? A shot from the from would be easier to analysis. But it looks like your "creating" pronation by flicking the wrist around, which is bad for fatigue and normally consistency.

But from the few shots we saw, I don't think you have an issue with consistency

wings56 · May 8, 2012

i think this can be successful. you would likely find more people being successful with a more traditionally continuous motion, but everyone is different. if you find the pause causing you to be late when the ball comes quickly or for passing shots then i would try to change it. otherwise, if it aint broke dont fix it.

dlesser13 · May 8, 2012

You have an uncanny resemblance to geewilikersbatman....

WhoseHouse · May 8, 2012

dlesser13 said:
You have an uncanny resemblance to geewilikersbatman....

Hmmmm...never heard of him! :wink:

1HBH Rocks · May 9, 2012

WhoseHouse said:
In this short video you see me hitting a few forehands. Starting at 00:18, I have a lot of time for preparation and you can see how I sort of pause and then follow through with the shot in two motions as opposed to one smooth motion.

I think I have always hit my forehand this way and I was wondering if this is something that needs to be changed.

Thank you in advance for your time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP1HOsdVgFU&

Indeed, the continuous action is easier to synchronize and tends to yield more power. I wouldn't be ready to bet my hand on this take, but sometimes people wait while their legs or any other body part sets up -- and fixing the timing on these tend to allow them hit with a single gesture -- and that might or might not be your case... it could also be because you take it back too early for some reason; maybe if your partner was hitting deeper, we'd see a different stroke and it would be alright. I wouldn't touch it unless you have issues with timing, which should come especially when pushed around and pressured. If it doesn't happen, don't do anything with it. It looks like you're hitting a nice consistent forehand there, so keep working.

5263 · May 9, 2012

connico said:
But from the few shots we saw, I don't think you have an issue with consistency

I bet he does!
I bet that is one of the first things to break down in big matches and on big points. That Fh takes to much feel and timing to execute and won't hold up
under pressure IMO.
He has a flick to the ball at one point that is fine when in a relaxed rally, but
won't be consistent at the tough moments.

djarvik · May 9, 2012

I agree with 5263. The incoming balls lack depth, would be nice to see a longer clip with opponent hitting a few deep shots in a raw. The last shot that went into the net on the clip is indicative of the "problem".

Limpinhitter · May 9, 2012

WhoseHouse said:
In this short video you see me hitting a few forehands. Starting at 00:18, I have a lot of time for preparation and you can see how I sort of pause and then follow through with the shot in two motions as opposed to one smooth motion.

I think I have always hit my forehand this way and I was wondering if this is something that needs to be changed.

Thank you in advance for your time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP1HOsdVgFU&

Some good things happening. But, I think you should keep your elbow in and forward throughout your backswing and forward swing. That's where you want it at contact, and there's no reason to complicate your swing by adding unecessary variables with that flying elbow in your backswing.

This is why:

5263 said:
I bet he does [have an issue with consistency]!
I bet that is one of the first things to break down in big matches and on big points. That Fh takes to much feel and timing to execute and won't hold up
under pressure IMO.
He has a flick to the ball at one point that is fine when in a relaxed rally, but
won't be consistent at the tough moments.

connico · May 9, 2012

We don't know if his using his wrist. That's why I am asking him if his wrist feels sore; otherwise its going to be his forearm.

He could be very technically proficient with generating a lot of racquet head speed (RHS) on a compact motion.

If you slow it step by step down on youtube, you can see that he actually does extend back behind him, it just is very fast.

I don't this we can say much about his extension at contact, and we are unable to determine if its "true pronation" his producing

5263 · May 9, 2012

connico said:
We don't know if his using his wrist. That's why I am asking him if his wrist feels sore; otherwise its going to be his forearm.

He could be very technically proficient with generating a lot of racquet head speed (RHS) on a compact motion.

I didn't mention wrist, so
I don't like the flick where ever it comes from.

chico9166 · May 9, 2012

5263 said:
I didn't mention wrist, so
I don't like the flick where ever it comes from.

Understood, and agree that it is a late, abrupt, "turnaround" in the swing, that could cause problems.

WhoseHouse · May 9, 2012

connico said:
We don't know if his using his wrist. That's why I am asking him if his wrist feels sore; otherwise its going to be his forearm.

He could be very technically proficient with generating a lot of racquet head speed (RHS) on a compact motion.

If you slow it step by step down on youtube, you can see that he actually does extend back behind him, it just is very fast.

I don't this we can say much about his extension at contact, and we are unable to determine if its "true pronation" his producing

I can't quite remember if I was purposely using wrist back then but I don't ever remember any signs of my wrist being sore... for as long as I had played.

LeeD · May 9, 2012

You hit like you belong in 4.5.
You probably play at the 4.0 levels...even with other 4.0's.
If your forehand is weaker than your other strokes, you better work on it.
If your other strokes are struggling to keep up with your forehand, work on those.

WildVolley · May 9, 2012

Interesting. I'm seeing more of these Djokovic style forehands lately. By that I mean the hitting face points at the back fence at the end of the back-swing. Are you holding almost a full-western grip?

It looks fiddly to me, but then so does Djokovic's and he hits it well enough. I'd like to see your forehand from the side and in slow motion.

Other than that, you still have a nice athletic looking stroke.

WhoseHouse · May 9, 2012

WildVolley said:
Interesting. I'm seeing more of these Djokovic style forehands lately. By that I mean the hitting face points at the back fence at the end of the back-swing. Are you holding almost a full-western grip?

It looks fiddly to me, but then so does Djokovic's and he hits it well enough. I'd like to see your forehand from the side and in slow motion.

Other than that, you still have a nice athletic looking stroke.

At this time, yes I played with a western.

Cheetah · May 9, 2012

This forehand is not going to hold up to pressure.
It would be good if you could film it from a side view.

connico · May 9, 2012

Cheetah said:
This forehand is not going to hold up to pressure.
It would be good if you could film it from a side view.

The comments about pressure are unrealistic; how do you know his forehand isnt going to hold under a pressure? There isnt strong evidence that the forehand is inconsistent; it "could" be due to its form and the motion. But we don't know

Cheetah · May 9, 2012

connico said:
The comments about pressure are unrealistic; how do you know his forehand isnt going to hold under a pressure? There isnt strong evidence that the forehand is inconsistent; it "could" be due to its form and the motion. But we don't know

double post

Cheetah · May 9, 2012

no. they are realistic.
i know from extensive experience w/ tennis. his forehand is likely to break down under pressure. i stand by my original statement. you are welcome to disagree.

WhoseHouse · May 9, 2012

Cheetah said:
no. they are realistic.
i know from extensive experience w/ tennis. his forehand is likely to break down under pressure.
i stand by my original statement. you are welcome to disagree.

I don't want to argue with you, but my backhand was the shot that used to breakdown under pressure, not my forehand.

Cheetah · May 10, 2012

WhoseHouse said:
I don't want to argue with you, but my backhand was the shot that used to breakdown under pressure, not my forehand.

i'm not arguing either. no prob.

do you play in tournaments?

i'd be willing to bet if more ppl chime in here they will tell you the same thing.

no, i'm not a pro on the tour but i can tell you that it's almost guaranteed that that wrist/twist movement you do will break down under pressure.

just do a search on this site or google for reasons swings 'break down'.

WhoseHouse · May 10, 2012

Cheetah said:
i'm not arguing either. no prob.

do you play in tournaments?

i'd be willing to bet if more ppl chime in here they will tell you the same thing.

no, i'm not a pro on the tour but i can tell you that it's almost guaranteed that that wrist/twist movement you do will break down under pressure.

just do a search on this site or google for reasons swings 'break down'.

Yes, I played in several tournaments throughout the four years I played in high school and not once did my forehand break down. It was always my backhand. I just wanted to know peoples opinion on whether or not it would be worth learning a continuous swing or keep on doing what I have always been doing because after all, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

WhoseHouse · May 10, 2012

P.S - we can let this thread die now, thanks.

[VIDEO] Forehand

New User

Bionic Poster

Rookie

Hall of Fame

Rookie

New User

Semi-Pro

G.O.A.T.

Rookie

G.O.A.T.

Rookie

G.O.A.T.

chico9166

Guest

New User

Bionic Poster

Legend

New User

Hall of Fame

Rookie

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

New User

Hall of Fame

New User

New User

Similar threads