Controlling Power on Forehand

[UW_Husky88]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knows what are some common breakdowns that cause a flatter forehand (one handed forehand) to break down? Its becoming really frustrating because my forehand is either lights out and unstoppable, or it just completely disappears on me and I hit the back of the fence frequently. What's even weirder is that I use a similar swing style on my 2HBH (looped back-swing with racket head up, low to high finish) and yet my backhand is harder, more consistent and never lets me down while my forehand is weaker, less consistent and always lets me down despite the fact that its generally the better shot for most people.

So I'm wondering what are some common breakdowns that happen and typically cause a forehand from being a scorcher to being erratic and terrible.

 

[LeeD]

You don't have it down. Practice.
When shots get errant, shorten backswing, prep earlier, turn shoulders, hit softer, aim more conservatively, watch ball a little too.

 

[anchorage]

Well, if you're really hitting way out, then the racket face is almost certainly opening up - only takes a couple of degrees to send it soaring.

If I'm having racket face problems, the answer normally lies in lazy footwork, not quite getting behind the ball and using the hand to compensate for a slightly off swing path. Other than that, make sure your weight moves forward into the ball.

 

[UW_Husky88]

You don't have it down. Practice.
When shots get errant, shorten backswing, prep earlier, turn shoulders, hit softer, aim more conservatively, watch ball a little too.

Well yeah, I know I don't have it down, I'm just asking what are some common fixes. What's weird is that when I slow down my swing, I tend to spray (as in hit way out), much more than when I hit it harder . Same goes with shortening my backswing, so that's why I'm especially discombobulated.

I hit with eastern btw, so do you think I could benefit from a semi-western?

 

[Ajtat411]

Eastern, semi-western, western, it doesn't really matter. You just have to groove your strokes down to have a fairly square racket face at contact.

Swinging slower will help you get the ball over but in the long run you really want to create more topspin with your stroke not less. So I would say don't focus on hitting with power but don't totally slow down your swing too much. Don't stop the racket head at contact. I'm guessing that your racket slows down at contact and causes your racket face to open up and the ball goes long. Keep the swing through the ball and to slow down the racket toward the end of your follow thru (i.e. catching the racket or wrapping the racket around your back). Focus on keeping your eye on the ball until AFTER contact and then look up. Swing from low to high and try to brush up the ball yet hitting through it. Hit the ball more in front of you and see what happens.

Most importantly perfect practice, practice, practice.

 

[puck1230]

You generally need to be in better position to hit a backhand drive. I'm no doctor but I think you get a little more leeway on the forehand to generate power just based on the biomechanics of the stroke. The other side of that is there's more potential for error, especially if you're hitting flat. If you slow down your stroke and decrease any potential for topspin to have an effect on the ball, I can see the ball sailing long.

My humble recommendation is to move your feet a bit more and practice contacting the ball on your FH in a more consistent strike zone, whether it's on the rise or otherwise.

 

[ho]

What's weird is that when I slow down my swing, I tend to spray (as in hit way out), much more than when I hit it harder . Same goes with shortening my backswing, so that's why I'm especially discombobulated.

there is no quick fixes. read atp v/s wta near by, study it and spend years and years to practice.
on your question, quick answer:
1. hit hard: ball will be compressed longer on string bed, the longer it stay on string bed, the more control you got.
2. short backswing: you have tendency to hit with your body. hit with your body: ball with get more compression, same result as 1.

 

[UW_Husky88]

there is no quick fixes. read atp v/s wta near by, study it and spend years and years to practice.
on your question, quick answer:
1. hit hard: ball will be compressed longer on string bed, the longer it stay on string bed, the more control you got.
2. short backswing: you have tendency to hit with your body. hit with your body: ball with get more compression, same result as 1.

Wait, so are you saying hit harder and shorten backswing or don't hit hard and don't shorten backswing?

 

[GetBetterer]

Well, if you've learned it already. It's going to be very hard to change your form, even harder the older you are. I would recommend that you practice it, since it seems you know how to it it.

Have someone feed you various balls, and you'll get used to hitting them just as, or if not better than your backhand.

Also, if you want to change your technique, we would like to see a video, or frame by frame pictures.

 

[Kick_It]

A couple additions:

1) Margin for error:

a) Net clearance. Aim for clearing the net by at least a foot. Particularly useful if you're dumping shots into the net.

b) Add top spin to give you margin for error. Look at some of the windshield wiper videos. Most useful if you're hitting long.

2) Racquet head speed.

If you're doing a windshield wiper forehand - don't slow down the racquet head; in fact you want to speed it up throughout the stroke.

Good Luck! K_I

 

[fuzz nation]

My forehand goes ker-flooey when I either don't complete my backswing or I use too much arm to drive the racquet. If I get the racquet all the way back to where I need it so that it's already drifting forward (slightly) until I fire it through contact, my swing path is fine. The problem is when the racquet gets only 3/4 of the way back, my wrist breaks open as I swing forward and the head doesn't accelerate so well. It usually makes me mis-hit.

If I complete my backswing and focus on my legs to drive the stroke instead of my arm, I can get more consistency and more power when I need it. Too much activity in my arm or wrist can make for an unpredictable angle in my racquet face and I'll often scoop the ball long. The basic thought I tell myself is to "get off my back foot" to hit a good forehand.

There's one more subtle malady that sneaks into lots of forehands that can be tough to spot. Trying to drive a good stroke can force the hitter to open his/her chest and shoulders up to the sky a bit much, even if they're not trying to specifically pull the racquet up through the ball. Open the chest and shoulders slightly and the racquet face will follow.

Keep your chest and shoulders down (but don't hunch over) and use a full follow through so that you can control the ball. Accelerate through contact, even if you're not hitting at full speed.

 

[LeeD]

Who mentioned...."swing slower"?? Certainly not I.
And I didn't mention..."swing harder" either.
Prep earlier, turn shoulders, watch ball, shorten backswing, but why swing faster or slower?

 

[Ajtat411]

You did mention "hit softer" so I assumed "slower swing", . Well, that's how I would hit it softer. Not quite sure what you really meant by hitting softer.

Swinging harder works for me because it makes me follow through my stroke past the ball. Ideally you wouldn't need to swing faster if you had the proper mechanics, but most of us here are not 4.5 players yet.hehe I have a bad tendency to slow my racket head down a little before contact and I tend to pull the racket head which also causes a sudden deceleration. This usually happens when I'm too close to the strike zone and have to chicken wing my swings.

 

[charliefedererer]

You definitely need to get more topspin on the ball to keep it in.

Try using a bigger loop takeback http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/video-tennis-lessons/forehand/forehand-progressions/add-loop/ to initially drop your racquet head lower for the start of the forward swing, and finish with the racquet above shoulder height http://www.fuzzyyellowballs.com/vid...hand-progressions/contact-and-follow-through/.

Keep working on youe "low to high" swing and you'll be controlling your forehands like Roger with topspin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ImeQaAyFPc&feature=related

 

[alexoftennis1]

I have been experiencing problems like this as well. I think you might be "scooping" the ball or hitting slightly under the ball instead of meeting it directly on the back. I think a way to solve this is to attack the ball with the top of your racket frame. The closes your open racket face and also adds some topspin as well.

 

[Power Player]

There is so much focus on swinging the racquet when footwork is the most important thing to getting set up. At this point, always make sure I am moving my feet and turning my shoulders. What gives me the power is that I lean into the shot off my back foot. That is a good way to warm up. Just work on half power strokes, and when you get your weight leaning into the shot with a good shoulder turn you should crack the ball fairly hard without even trying.

The only way to get this down is to split step and be setup in time to rotate your torso and transfer your weight off that back foot.

 

[10nistennis]

Okay.

Problem: Inconsistent forehand, sometimes are blazing sometimes are hit out of the court


Remedies:

- Check your contact zone. If you are blasting it the back fence, chances are you are hitting it too late, or arming the crap out of it

- Keep your swing speed the same, but make sure you're arm is relaxed. You never want to MUSCLE the ball. Sometimes players who are struggling with forehand inconsistencies try to muscle it over the net. Do not do this.

- Make sure you are keeping the right technique. Sometimes lapses of concentration happen, and you have to re-assess how you are hitting the ball.

Are you rotating your body? Are you extending your arm out after contact?

Are you properly transfering your weight forward?

Is the angle of your racket head too open?

- Check your timing. You want to hit your forehand out in front of you.

- Never jump back or lean back during your forehand. This causes you to open up your body and other incorrect technical issues which causes sporadic balls.

- Check your footwork. Are you reaching for ball? Are you in bad position to hit the ball?








One reason a backhand is usually more consistent than a forehand is because in a backhand, there's less room for incorrect movement. It's usually just one stable movement.


For a forehand, there's many places to mess up.






Here's a good tip: Practice itself does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. If you are doing bad, do not continue mindlessly hitting balls in hopes of a miracle that will instantly cure your forehand.


If you are doing bad, take a break, and re-assess your forehand step by step.



Good luck.

 

[Mr_Shiver]

As a fellow eastern fh user the one that gets me the most is opening up my chest and shoulders like fuzz nation mentioned. I think the eastern grip is most vulnerable to this because the racquet face isn't as closed up to contact as sw or w grips. That is just my opinion though so i could be wrong. And if you want to learn how to effectively shorten your backswing watch some Agassi footage. Beautiful strokes that are uncluttered and efficient. I could watch that man hit all day.

 

[Dreamer]

I know. You should post a vid

 

[5263]

Hitting more across the ball will help control the height of your Fh. On the 2 handed Bh, you are naturally forced to hit more across the ball due to having 2 hands on the stick, which limits how much extension you can get. This may account as to why your Bh has less probs in this area. On the Fh it is easy to over extend down the line of shot, which can result in pushing the ball too long (then a host of compensations follow). Try to Swing up and find the ball, compressing the strings, then accel up and across to a good finish with the butt cap facing your target.