female player technique analysis - help please

benlance

New User
Hi everyone,

I am helping out an aspiring female tennis player. A video showing her technique can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU1-36rXbfY

We would love some analysis, comment, feedback to assist in improving her game. To give a brief overview; the forehand is the strength but a bit inconsistent, backhand needs work but is fairly sound, and the serve is extremely good. She is a short player - only 164cm - and very inexperienced so her game needs tightening up in general.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 

dozu

Banned
fh looks pretty darn good - when does it get inconsistent?

bh - can't be sure, but is there a little bit of flipping going on?
 
I saw two big problems with your FH

1) Rotate your weight onto your left leg. In about half your forhand shots you would lift you left leg up and keep the weight on your right leg. Your not being pushed back on these FH's so you should be rotating your weight from your right foot to your left when hitting a FH

2) Your setting up for your FH to early. Your getting your feet into position and planting them into the ground way before the ball gets their which in essance is making you reach for balls and hitting akward shots. Instead, trying taking little baby steps untill the ball comes in on your forhand instand of standing and waiting.

* Pros take an average of 11 steps before each shot because they take so many baby steps to get in perfect position *

-Steven
 

dozu

Banned
^^^

this is what happens when you ask for advice on the internet... you run into people who have no idea what they are talking about
 
^^^

this is what happens when you ask for advice on the internet... you run into people who have no idea what they are talking about

instead of saying im wrong you should correct what I apperently didnt explain correctly?

Your saying her weight should stay on her right leg for her forhand shots? hmmmmm

Your saying she should set up as early as she does instead of taking small adjusting steps? hmmmmm

feel free to have a well constructed debate with me, im up for some disscusion on this.

However I was taught this by my local tennis pro's and I have also seen this done by every expirenced tennis player so I believe im right in this situation.

-Steven
 

eriktennis

New User
Needs Footwork

Her footwork wasn't too great.

Forehand looks good, maybe can turn the hand more and finish with space.

Backhand could finish higher and open the finger on the bottom hand after you hit (its what nadal does)

Slice, finish much high and keep the head at contact

check out this forehand footwork video, its a pattern Federer does all the time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gVb8o0HGyE[/youtube]
 

Dreamer

Professional
The biggest issue is she snaps her kinetic chain too early. She likes to cut off her kinetic chain and transfer the force to a big swing with arm. The next level is to learn to expand her kinetic chain to have the rotation of the core to lend more to the acceleration of the arm, she'll be able to transfer more force from the body. Right now her forehand uses a lot of the legs and arm. I would like to see more use of the core. It will give her a more consistent stroke and power.

The same can be said of the backhand as well. She needs to learn a new way to accelerate the arm from first the legs then to upper body THEN to the arm. Right now it's only from the very low extremities of the hamstrings. She should incorporate her hips and torso.

Edit: that being said she's very good raw material to work with. I am really interested in her progression ^^

Also I notice a breaking of the wrist during the slice. Instead you want to keep it more fixed during contact. And I would ignore the posts above me LOL sorry guys ^^
 
Last edited:

benlance

New User
Great feedback @dreamer, what we are working on with FH following all the advice is to setup with hips and shoulders side on, let weight come up off right foot, and allow shoulder to rotate around further after stroke and swing straighter through ball with arm. Anything further to focus on specifically?
Regarding kinetic chain on backhand, my observation of the safin/nalbandian model backhand is the body stays stable during stroke allowing arms to swing around body and through ball while hips turn through stroke in a controlled manner (hers turn violently which breaks kinetic chain forcing arms to get left behind with force coming only from snap of hips/shoulders). That type of stroke is different from the classic wta backhand which is more like a FH in that power comes from the body. What's ur view on the difference between these BHs?
 

Dreamer

Professional
Let's look at Sharapova, one of the best backhands in WTA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIQ_BurHchY&feature=related

The differences are in bend in arm and use of linear momentum. Use of linear momentum usually means a flatter ball. A more stable body that receives the ball and uses more of a coil can impart more spin. straighter arm is indicative of more upper body as part of the kinetic chain, otherwise it would not be stable.

Of course Nalbandian and Marat are very capable of hitting flat shots too. Do I think their strokes are "better?" Not necessarily in Sharapova's perspective. Sharapova doesn't have the physique of Marat and Nalbandian. More importantly what she does works.

It will be interesting to see how the techniques evolve in the WTA. I reserve opinion because how they play the game is different and their physiques are different.

Stosur and Henin employ forehands you would expect to find in ATP. Maybe we will see a shift, but I'm not so sure. Henin actually differs with extensive power from the legs you won't see in male and I think stosur has a very strong upper body you won't find in most women.

In any case there are different ways to hit a forehand/backhand. There is no true and correct way. I think players should stay away from rigid ideas of form and find what best works for you.

In truth I gave your player tips on how to hit a forehand more similar to stosur than any other female because that's what it looks like it will lead up to.
 

Dreamer

Professional
And as far as focusing on technique for her forehand I don't really like to focus on what happens at finish. That should happen naturally as a result of. I think it's more helpful to focus on what happens during the stroke.

She should focus on connecting her upper body with the arm. Right now there's a disconnect and she arms it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4j7LDZlZag
She could practice body awareness and feel more use of pecs/abs/shoulders vs arm. She wants the arm to swing with the shoulder, not break away from it.

Edit: Ignore the commentating analysis of the wrist snap. They don't know what they're talking about.
 
Last edited:

benlance

New User
Thanks @Dreamer you know your stuff. Definitely the upper body is out of sync with the arm on FHs in the video but I think the shot has potential because of the pace generated by the swing.

BH overview really interesting - I'm not sure at her height my player can hit the BH like sharapova - I think moving through the ball like that requires height and long limbs. I know it sounds strange then to use safin as a model but I think a heavy BH from a stable body may be more attainable but definitely she needs to get swing in sync with legs and hips like on FH. What are your thoughts on that?
 

Dreamer

Professional
An important thing to note is that once she connects her arm to upper body her potential for racquet head speed actually increases ^^

Rafas racquet head speed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojzfPud_mvo#t=4m10s

The difference may be difficult for many to see, but Rafa's arm doesn't break from the shoulder until after contact.

slow motion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inQvbT8uEGk

So if she corrects this, the swing is actually more consistent and potential for pace greater ^^
 

Dreamer

Professional
Any suggestions for drills/coaching techniques to correct this and get arm in sync with upper body?

Unfortunately I'm not creative enough to have formed a drill or technique for teaching this.

A way to teach it is understanding the difference and be able to visually demonstrate it. It would also be equally important to visually identify what needs correction.

Get her into a rally and slowly coax her to change the stroke by verbal instruction and more visual demonstration of specific parts of the stroke.

I'm afraid I am limited on my instruction. I prefer visual cues and imitation. I don't have many tricks or clever tidbits. However it's not impossible for you to explore and investigate these differences yourself. Learn them and then be able to teach them. I know it's not an easy way. Sorry ^^
 

MrFonzi

New User
Any suggestions for drills/coaching techniques to correct this and get arm in sync with upper body?

A drill I use a lot is to get the student to stand on the baseline with their feet pointing forward, about shoulder width apart. I feed them forehands and they aren't allowed to move their feet at all. Before I give feedback or tell them the point of the drill I observe a few shots to see if they naturally come to the conclusion that by using more hip/shoulder rotation they can get more power. For a righty make sure the student looks over their left shoulder before contact and finishes the stroke by looking over their right shoulder.

This drill does not matter whether your player is hitting with a straight arm or double bend, over the shoulder or windshield wiper, western or semi western. It simply focuses on a complete unit turn and subsequent release of energy through contact.

Make sense?
 
Top