3.0-3.5forehand warm up(1min video)

[tyu1314]

This video is filmed approximately 5mins after i start hitting.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXxjSBnTUa0&list=PLkuSMoyteYMxTaQdvurkNIpBa06a42Af0 Sorry the video is so short, I forgot to charge the battery,and it went dead after like4mins.
Whole video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH45pbXZcNw&list=PLkuSMoyteYMxTaQdvurkNIpBa06a42Af0&index=3 (We hit like 2mins short court before i set up the camera)
what i think i have to improve:
1. foot work, looks very lazy in the video, but it was 30+ degree.
2. maybe i should keep my non hitting arm up more, because i drop it too fast
3.more weight transfer forward.
4. hit in the front, i think i am a bit late on some of the shots, the guy i am hitting with is like 1 level above me.So my rhythm is a bit off.

[UPDATE] video of match play:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFV7qe06yUs
more hitting:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCdkuNLUTKs&feature=youtu.be
I mostly care about the forehand mechanics, but any advice are welcome!! Thank you.

 

[mightyrick]

That's a 3.5 forehand. And it looks pretty good to me. I like how loopy you hit with topspin. That is going to win you a lot of matches. Many people hate hitting against loopy topspin. Very difficult to attack. You just have to keep the ball deep... otherwise those turn into sitters.

The two things I noticed were:

1) You do not prepare early enough and it causes your hitting stance to not be consistent. Sometimes you hit purely open-stance. Sometimes neutral. Sometimes closed. I'm not sure what stance you prefer to hit with, but pick one and then strive to prepare early and get into that stance. I like your footwork, actually. But keep in mind that you need to use your footwork to get in your stance... not just to get to where the ball is going to be.

2) Your non-hitting arm is erratic. It doesn't know what to do and it causes your swing to be inconsistent. Many people (myself included) favor reaching across the body with the non-hitting arm prior to contact. It will help you keep balanced and load up energy to hit the ball.

It looks good to me, man. You just need to be more consistent in your mechanics. Every time... same stance... same action with the non-hitting arm. Great foundation to build from.

 

[gameboy]

WTF is a 3.5 forehand???

I have played a ton of matches in 3.5 and have yet to see one. The style and pace varies greatly.

 

[mightyrick]

WTF is a 3.5 forehand???

I have played a ton of matches in 3.5 and have yet to see one. The style and pace varies greatly.

It isn't a style or pace of forehand.

A 3.5 forehand is any style of forehand that would be able to be competitive and actually win some matches at NTRP 3.5... but will not allow you to win matches at 4.0.

And you are correct... there are many styles of forehand at all skill levels.

 

[tyu1314]

That's a 3.5 forehand. And it looks pretty good to me. I like how loopy you hit with topspin. That is going to win you a lot of matches. Many people hate hitting against loopy topspin. Very difficult to attack. You just have to keep the ball deep... otherwise those turn into sitters.

The two things I noticed were:

1) You do not prepare early enough and it causes your hitting stance to not be consistent. Sometimes you hit purely open-stance. Sometimes neutral. Sometimes closed. I'm not sure what stance you prefer to hit with, but pick one and then strive to prepare early and get into that stance. I like your footwork, actually. But keep in mind that you need to use your footwork to get in your stance... not just to get to where the ball is going to be.

2) Your non-hitting arm is erratic. It doesn't know what to do and it causes your swing to be inconsistent. Many people (myself included) favor reaching across the body with the non-hitting arm prior to contact. It will help you keep balanced and load up energy to hit the ball.

It looks good to me, man. You just need to be more consistent in your mechanics. Every time... same stance... same action with the non-hitting arm. Great foundation to build from.

Thanks for the comments, i will keep in mind of what you say about the footwork. I hit mostly open stance forehand, but my footwork and reaction was a bit slow in the video because i just started warm up.

I feel like i am not turning the right way? I think my right shoulder lead the swing instead of the left shoulder.

 

[gameboy]

It isn't a style or pace of forehand.

A 3.5 forehand is any style of forehand that would be able to be competitive and actually win some matches at NTRP 3.5... but will not allow you to win matches at 4.0.

And you are correct... there are many styles of forehand at all skill levels.

I don't understand how you can gauge that from a guy having a light hitting session with a random dude...

 

[GuyClinch]

Yeah..I'd rate that higher then 3.0 too. I think you need a stronger shoulder turn and really get that off arm to be parellel to baseline.

 

[Fintft]

Also the wrist looks a tad too rigid.

 

[tyu1314]

shouldnt the wrist be firm? Can you elaborate that a little more, and how should i change it?

 

[mightyrick]

I don't understand how you can gauge that from a guy having a light hitting session with a random dude...

Because I've played enough players at 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 to know what kind of forehand strokes can be competitive at 3.5.

Don't over-think it. It really isn't that hard.

 

[gameboy]

I have played a lot of people in those rating ranges and I have found stroke form, especially during practice is a very poor indicator for their true level.

You can have the prettiest stroke around, but I have seen guys with all world strokes quickly fall apart under match conditions and make UE's every other shot.

I have also seen guys with atrocious technique, beat really good players due to the superior quickness, conditioning, and consistency.

There are many, many different factors that contribute to your rating. How good your strokes looks in practice means very very little.

 

[mightyrick]

There are many, many different factors that contribute to your rating. How good your strokes looks in practice means very very little.

No there aren't many many factors. NTRP rating is based on who you beat and who beats you. That's it.

All I am communicating is that looking at that video, I believe that OP would win some matches at NTRP 3.5.

 

[Dimcorner]

mightyrick is right. NTRP (computer rated at least) is ONLY dependent on your record.
You could be Sampras under a protective custody and if he plays 3.5 and has a 50% record cuz he takes it easy and doesn't want to blow his cover then he stays at 3.5.

That said the dude's strokes seem to be more in par with 3.5 than a 3.0 in my area.

 

[tyu1314]

Any problem with the swing path, follow through, finish..etc???

 

[Dimcorner]

I think your arm is fine. I would work on footwork more. Also things change a little once you are in pressure situations playing points as opposed to rallying. You should video a few actual game points and see how your swing holds up.

 

[tyu1314]

I will post a video of matchplay when i go back to school(last week of january).

 

[Solat]

That's a 3.5 forehand. And it looks pretty good to me. I like how loopy you hit with topspin. That is going to win you a lot of matches. Many people hate hitting against loopy topspin. Very difficult to attack. You just have to keep the ball deep... otherwise those turn into sitters.

The two things I noticed were:

1) You do not prepare early enough and it causes your hitting stance to not be consistent. Sometimes you hit purely open-stance. Sometimes neutral. Sometimes closed. I'm not sure what stance you prefer to hit with, but pick one and then strive to prepare early and get into that stance. I like your footwork, actually. But keep in mind that you need to use your footwork to get in your stance... not just to get to where the ball is going to be.

2) Your non-hitting arm is erratic. It doesn't know what to do and it causes your swing to be inconsistent. Many people (myself included) favor reaching across the body with the non-hitting arm prior to contact. It will help you keep balanced and load up energy to hit the ball.

It looks good to me, man. You just need to be more consistent in your mechanics. Every time... same stance... same action with the non-hitting arm. Great foundation to build from.

agreed, well said

the next evolution of your forehand will include a distinct point of acceleration which occurred on a few of them in the video but not as consistent as you need to move onward.

no issues with the right arm mechanics and body rotation

 

[gameboy]

No there aren't many many factors. NTRP rating is based on who you beat and who beats you. That's it.

All I am communicating is that looking at that video, I believe that OP would win some matches at NTRP 3.5.

Yes, rating only depends on your win loss record.

However how you win or lose a match is based on many different factors. How your forehand looks matters very little on predicting whether or not you can beat legit 3.5 players.

 

[GuyClinch]

However how you win or lose a match is based on many different factors. How your forehand looks matters very little on predicting whether or not you can beat legit 3.5 players.

You are one of those guys who likes to argue, eh? It looks like a forehand that attached to an equivalent level of remaining game would be good enough to beat 3.5 players. <g>

If you were to watch Federer hitting some forehands - and didn't know he was Federer hopefully you would say no those forehands look like 6.0 forehands (at least). <g>

FWIW most guys with good looking strokes don't fall apart.

 

[tyu1314]

Any good forehand video you guys recommend?

 

[TomT]

FWIW most guys with good looking strokes don't fall apart.

That's been my experience so far also. However, especially at lower rec levels (say, borderline 4.0 and below), other factors often outweigh stroking skill so that, especially at lower rec levels, apparently less skillful strokers often beat apparently more skillful strokers.

As the level of tennis increases, the variance in stroking skill seems (in my limited experience) to decrease, and the variances in stroking style become (generally) more subtle. Eg., at the pro level everybody's stroke mechanics are very solid, and there are many common characteristics evident in the stroke mechanics of all world class players. Even us low level rec players try, with greatly varying degrees of success, to emulate what we take to be the essential stroking characteristics of all really good players.

From the OP's vid, I think he would be very competitive at NTRP 3.5 to 4.0 level. But of course, the proof is in the pudding, so it will be interesting to see how tyu1314 performs under match conditions.

 

[tyu1314]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFV7qe06yUs
forehand in match.

 

[tyu1314]

Just updated with a video of match play.

 

[tyu1314]

more hitting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCdkuNLUTKs&feature=youtu.be
currently try to change a few things:
1.non hitting arm across the body
2.hold the racquet with non hitting arm long to ensure a good unit turn
3. let the racquet to be more outside of the body like the atp forehand.

 

[psv255]

It's pretty good hitting, and just echoing some posters saying earlier, you'd be successful at the 3.0/3.5 level with your shots - if that's the level you play at. From looking at the match video, the guy you're hitting with isn't a level above you; in the match play it looks like he and you are quite even skill wise, and if he wins it's more tactics-based.
Give him something short and low to the backhand and bring him up to net. I watched a good 4 minutes and even when he was up at net, he hit it off the ground - chances are he isn't very comfortable there.
Regarding the FH, it looks like you're getting clean contact and can control to which third of the court you want to hit it. The cues you listed are good - perhaps one of the knowledgeable and experienced coaches and posters can chime in here to help you consolidate three cues in one, since they all contribute to the formation of a 'loop' in the backswing, which sets the rhythm for the shot.
PS-if you want to go for a hit sometime shoot me an email