Forehand Take-Back/Preparation????

[ksixone95]

Hey all,

You guys really helped me out in the backhand thread, so I thought I'd ask another question. How do you prepare for your forehand and is there a "right" way to do this, or is it all personal preference?

Let me explain a little. When I watch the pros on TV and the Internet, most of them seem to start lifting their racquet up on their forehand side and then make an almost complete circle as they bring the racquet down and through the ball.

On the other hand, I have tried this strategy many times and it makes my forehand slightly erratic and harder to control.

What I usually do is just turn my body and move my racquet back in a horizontal arc (a lot like you would turn and prepare for a backhand), and this enables me to really impart a lot of topspin on the ball and hit harder, penetrating shots. The ball stays in a lot more of the time too.

So is how I do it okay? Does it really not matter whether I make a complete circle in the air with my racquet as I prepare? How do you guys prepare for a forehand????

As always, thanks a bunch. You guys have helped me more with my game than books ever could.

Sid

 

[LeeD]

We are not all pros, it stands to reason we can't just outright copy the pro player techniques directly and exactly.
There is no "correct" way to prepare for a forehand. True, most current top pros loop their backswings with two handed prep, but lots also turn and takeback with one hand and some even flat.
Use what works for you to give you time, swingspeed, solid connection, and good effect.
Some people need straight, one handed takebacks. They can have good forehands.
Other people need two handed loopy takebacks. They can have good forehands.
What works FOR YOU is what you should employ, and only thru practice and experience can you make a good decision as to what technique to employ.

 

[Blake0]

I don't really understand whats going on with your backswing..but it doesn't really matter how you take your racket back, as long as it works.

Most pros use loops in their backswing to gain momentum to hit harder. Another thing most pros do is keep their backswing fairly short (it doesn't go back behind their body). Another thing pros do is shorten up their backswing when they don't have much time, and make it longer when they have more time. These are a couple things you can learn from pros backswings.

As long as you reach your hitting arm position in your backswing, i'd say anything works..just make sure you're backswing isn't effecting your timing in a bad way...

 

[PaulC]

The "loop" can be viewed as a reverse "C" motion (side view from yourself), whereas a "J" motion is used by many older generation players even Navatilova, and may be closer to what you're trying to use.

However, in trading heavy or topspin ground stokes, the J action can shank a lot or have difficulties roll-over the ball for *attacking* with your own power or topspin.

Flatter or "guiding" shots are better with a "J" backswing.

 

[revolutionary technique]

NO, agassi did not have a loop in his forehand or backhand. This allows for more simplistic strokes and simplistic stroke have a lesser room for error as you discovered during your experimentation. Simple stroke helps you prepare quicker there for causing other good things to happen. For example if you prepare quicker you can take the ball on the rise.

 

[ericwong]

Everyone has a different forehand stroke but one thing is common to all - footwork and setup. Everything comes down to nothing if you are not quick enough to get into position and setup your forehand to drive through the ball. In my opinion, most players I see pause for a moment before they strike. They paused because they are waiting for the correct height of the bounce. How much spin you want to impart depends on your racquet acceleration and linear movement. Of course, this is too technical to discuss but easily understood if the player practice it often at the courts.

 

[GuyClinch]

Actually Agassi had a half-loop on his forehand. Its incorrect to claim he had a straight takeback. A straight takeback might come back at the waist level or even lower. Agassi's was up near his shoulders.

The key really is to turn the shoulders as soon as you see which side the ball is going to and then complete the take back closer to when the ball arrives. (So you don't run with the racquet all the way back that looks awkward).

I think OP is right - a longer bigger loop is much harder to time especially on a high paced ball. There is a an absolute downside to a bigger loop. Pros suffer from this downside as well. This is why you hear commentators talk about so and so 'big swings." This is a bit of a misnomer IMHO. Almost always its actually just a loopier swing.. The actual hitting position to contact length isn't always bigger.

However a little loop at least is thought to have better power potential. That being said for a big guy like me - I wish I had a straighter take back because I lack alot more in the timing department then with regards to power. I find its hard to break the lessen the loop take back department.. Once I get the racket back low into a hitting position (dropped below the ball - and well back) I find I have tons of power..

Dave Smith talks alot about this in his book - Tennis Mastery. You will see straight takebacks alot on the two handed backhand. So don't let people tell you can't get power with it.. You can.

Pete