Arm forces on the forward swing of ATP forehand

So I've been shadow swinging and improving my strokes by leaps during the last two weeks or so. Today I took a video of me shadow swinging forehands, and it was obvious that my form is 100% ATP. Elbow is up and away from the body and racquet is pointing upwards/sideways/forwards at around a 45 degree angle on take back, and from there I just let go of the racquet, rotate the hips and the shoulders and the racquet goes lagging on its own like with pros. :)

But there are some hitches on the form from there on. I clearly pull the racquet aggressively across the body, and my elbow is tucked into the body quite early on in the forward swing. Is this active pulling across a necessary part of an ATP FH, or maybe something I should get rid of? Then what are the other forces I should actively generate with my hitting arm/shoulder after that initial torso movement/rotation which puts the racquet into the lagging power position?

The video, like my feelings prove it: ATP forehand is generated almost solely from the torso, or so it feels. But there must be some arm forces also involved, even though I don't feel and understand of doing them? What are those forces?
 

Gazelle

G.O.A.T.
ATP style for the win! WTA strokes are so ugly.

I'm not sure I get what you're trying to say, but my guess is you're confused about how much you should concentrate on your body movements and how much on your arm.

I think the main part of a swing, is the preparation, which you (according to your description) have down quite well. Make sure you initiate with shoulder rotation and two hands on racket though, you don't want to focus too hard on "racket pointing blablabala", which of course is correct, but only a consequence of what i said, not something to really mechanically make happen.

After that I would just think "hit the ball". Don't overthink what your separate body parts are doing. Both arm/torso play a role, but you'll be better off to treat them as one unit, not two different things. So just hit the ball, with good preparation and of course contact point you'll be fine.

In before someone wants to see a vid of your strokes. I guess we're talking feel here, not looks, so I doubt a vid would be of much use.
 
^Yes, feel is the thing because I cannot see a live video of myself while hitting balls on court. :)

I agree, I don't actively think of where the racquet is pointing on take back. You just find the correct position through trial and error, and the video proved that it's pointing up and forwards with me. BUT, what I am actively thinking is pulling the elbow up and away from the body on take back and it works wonders!
 

Gazelle

G.O.A.T.
^Yes, feel is the thing because I cannot see a live video of myself while hitting balls on court. :)

I agree, I don't actively think of where the racquet is pointing on take back. You just find the correct position through trial and error, and the video proved that it's pointing up and forwards with me. BUT, what I am actively thinking is pulling the elbow up and away from the body on take back and it works wonders!

I guess that's where we differ then. But of course, several different style work and I'm not that good to say mine is better :)
 

Gazelle

G.O.A.T.
Actually, I read this article on Nadal's new post-2012 forehand, and that high elbow immediately clicked with me!

http://www.tennisunleashed.net/rafael-nadal-the-master-of-change-part-2/

Interesting. Article makes correlation between racket tilting forward and elbow away from body. A year ago i mechanically worked hard on that racket tilting forward (now i do it subconsciously though) so maybe we actually do/did the same thing, but I focused more on the racket, you more on the elbow. I would advice you though when you get it down, to trust your muscle memory and not think much about the elbow anymore. Your forehand might become more smooth and natural.
 
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