another old guy taking the FH plunge, trying to adopt some ATP-style technique elements

[wallymann]

my OG FH swing is built on an eastern grip -- perhaps a modified eastern grip -- with alot of "arm-centricity" a-la mcenroe.

abandoning 40 years of muscle memory, starting the adventure to adopt some ATP FH elements this week.

no way i can see changing my grip to anything more extreme. so it's not a full on change...thinking i'll end up somewhat federer inspired. getting that loose wrist and whippy stroke is such a foreign feeling.

anyway...first 2 hitting sessions with the ball-tosser this week...its taking alot of reps just to get into enough of a groove before i manage half of a bucket over the net! my OG FH swing hit flat, getting any decent topspin took alot of work and forearm abuse...and so far its really nice to basically get gobs of "free" topspin!

 

[ballmachineguy]

nm

 

[optic yellow]

my OG FH swing is built on an eastern grip -- perhaps a modified eastern grip -- with alot of "arm-centricity" a-la mcenroe.

abandoning 40 years of muscle memory, starting the adventure to adopt some ATP FH elements this week.

no way i can see changing my grip to anything more extreme. so it's not a full on change...thinking i'll end up somewhat federer inspired. getting that loose wrist and whippy stroke is such a foreign feeling.

anyway...first 2 hitting sessions with the ball-tosser this week...its taking alot of reps just to get into enough of a groove before i manage half of a bucket over the net! my OG FH swing hit flat, getting any decent topspin took alot of work and forearm abuse...and so far its really nice to basically get gobs of "free" topspin!

strong Eastern bridges both styles fine, you don't need to go past that

 

[tendency]

my OG FH swing is built on an eastern grip -- perhaps a modified eastern grip -- with alot of "arm-centricity" a-la mcenroe.

abandoning 40 years of muscle memory, starting the adventure to adopt some ATP FH elements this week.

no way i can see changing my grip to anything more extreme. so it's not a full on change...thinking i'll end up somewhat federer inspired. getting that loose wrist and whippy stroke is such a foreign feeling.

anyway...first 2 hitting sessions with the ball-tosser this week...its taking alot of reps just to get into enough of a groove before i manage half of a bucket over the net! my OG FH swing hit flat, getting any decent topspin took alot of work and forearm abuse...and so far its really nice to basically get gobs of "free" topspin!

Word of warning: in my experience the more modern style of FH is much harder on the elbow than the old school 70s/80s. Considering how long you've been playing, however, perhaps your elbow is nice and beefy

 

[wallymann]

Word of warning: in my experience the more modern style of FH is much harder on the elbow than the old school 70s/80s. Considering how long you've been playing, however, perhaps your elbow is nice and beefy

funny...so far my elbow/forearm seems less taxed than before...i feel like the fed "straight arm" contact point is taking alot of the stress away...if i have a break in the elbow a-la djoko the elbow is less happy.

 

[sureshs]

strong Eastern bridges both styles fine, you don't need to go past that

He needs a SW.

I saw one of those recent free Venus Williams lesson videos and she said everyone should use a SW.

 

[user92626]

funny...so far my elbow/forearm seems less taxed than before...i feel like the fed "straight arm" contact point is taking alot of the stress away...if i have a break in the elbow a-la djoko the elbow is less happy.

Done correctly the modern style hitting employs more torso muscles than classic stroke which basically take a swing at the ball in conti grip and mostly arm.

So modern is safer, supposedly less injury prone.

 

[LOBALOT]

I would be careful. When I came back to tennis after 30 years of not playing a pro tried to take my 70s old school forehand and switch me over. At that time I hit the ball hard and flat.

I ended up fracturing my wrist in 3 places and tore my TFCC doing that. I found it is not the elbow as much the wrist as with the more extreme grip you must take the ball early and being used to taking the ball later if you don't with a more extreme grip your wrist is going to take the brunt of it.

 

[wallymann]

Done correctly the modern style hitting employs more torso muscles than classic stroke which basically take a swing at the ball in conti grip and mostly arm.

So modern is safer, supposedly less injury prone.

this is what i'm finding...all of my major movers -- core, back, legs, glutes...are more sore the next day than i recall with the OG FH. (not in a bad way, just different...more stuff is engaged now)

in terms of effort and impact, now i dont seem to have to "hit as hard" to generate comparable pace as before -- i already tore up my forearm trying to muscle my OG FH during my initial comeback earlier this year, so this is a welcome relief.

 

[user92626]

this is what i'm finding...all of my major movers -- core, back, legs, glutes...are more sore the next day than i recall with the OG FH.

in terms of effort and impact, now i dont seem to have to "hit as hard" to generate comparable pace as before -- i already tore up my forearm trying to muscle my OG FH during my initial comeback earlier this year, so this is a welcome relief.

Exactly!

I've had tennis elbow and other pains during my og FH period, but not during the modern FH time.

"sore" seems like a good thing, especially if it spreads to more muscles like in your case. It's just our muscles being used well, just before the point of injury. So, I think you're on the right track.