Forehand Technical issues

[Breammaster]

I am having some issues with the consistency of my forehand technique which i think is causing a lot of the balls i hit to go long or into the net. i use a semi western forehand grip and was told by my coach to take the racket head back so that it is not open. So i find i usually take the racket back so the head is basically completely closed(Strings face ground) and my wrist is laid back. Then when i come to the forward swing i try to keep my wrist firm and laid back and keeping the racket head in the same orientation it was on the back swing. I find this really tiring on my wrist so that sometimes i cant keep the wrist firm and laid back and i end up hitting the ball long or into the net. I am fine with my follow through cause i always try to end with my elbow at the chin and my racket head behind my left shoulder. My forearm also rotates counter clockwise(is this protonation?) at the follow through. I guess the specific questions i have are this:

1)how closed should my racket head be on the backswing with a semi western grip?

2)Do i need to keep my wrist firm throughout the back swing and forward swing?

3)how laid back should the wrist be during the stroke(How many degrees back from the hand being straight)? I think 45 degrees is the maximum my wrist will lay back

4)Do i need to keep the angle of the racket face the same as it was on the back swing during my entire forward swing?

5)When should i protonate my forearm?

6)Are tchnical books worth reading on technique or is it better t just stick with coaching alone?

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I am having some issues with the consistency of my forehand technique which i think is causing a lot of the balls i hit to go long or into the net. i use a semi western forehand grip and was told by my coach to take the racket head back so that it is not open. So i find i usually take the racket back so the head is basically completely closed(Strings face ground) and my wrist is laid back.

That is fine, many people do it this way including me.

Then when i come to the forward swing i try to keep my wrist firm and laid back and keeping the racket head in the same orientation it was on the back swing. I find this really tiring on my wrist so that sometimes i cant keep the wrist firm and laid back and i end up hitting the ball long or into the net.

Actually, you should relax more when the racquet comes forward. The laid back wrist will happen by the forces of your swing. You should swing somewhat from the shoulder so that the swing stays consistent and the arm can remain relatively relaxed. It is sort of controlled relaxation. This will give your arm and wrist some spring in it for improved power.

If you send the ball long, it probably means you turned the racquet face just before impact or your wrist did something. It could be other things like hitting off your back foot, positioning, etc...

Hitting the ball into the net is simply not getting the racquet lower then the ball and hitting it as you are going up. This is a timing, judgement thing. It could be other things like popping up as you hit on top of the ball, etc...

 

[quicken]

1)how closed should my racket head be on the backswing with a semi western grip?

2)Do i need to keep my wrist firm throughout the back swing and forward swing?

3)how laid back should the wrist be during the stroke(How many degrees back from the hand being straight)? I think 45 degrees is the maximum my wrist will lay back

4)Do i need to keep the angle of the racket face the same as it was on the back swing during my entire forward swing?

5)When should i protonate my forearm?

6)Are tchnical books worth reading on technique or is it better t just stick with coaching alone?

1. I let the bed of my strings see the floor.
2. I loosen it up so I can use the pronation
3. no idea.
4. No, if I were to hit the ball I would be playing baseball. I turn my racquet to meet the ball squarely.
5. During the acceleration.
6. Get pro player's help.

 

[Breammaster]

Actually, you should relax more when the racquet comes forward. The laid back wrist will happen by the forces of your swing. You should swing somewhat from the shoulder so that the swing stays consistent and the arm can remain relatively relaxed. It is sort of controlled relaxation. This will give your arm and wrist some spring in it for improved power.

If i relax my arm shuold i still be making a conscious effort to keep the wrist firm or will that just tense up the arm on the forward swing?

 

[Breammaster]

thanks for all the tips by the way

 

[Bungalo Bill]

If i relax my arm shuold i still be making a conscious effort to keep the wrist firm or will that just tense up the arm on the forward swing?

The wrist nor your arm should tense up. There is going to be some slight tension as the arm trys to stay in a relatively fixed position.

Your wrist on the takeback should be naturally relaxed. YOu should not try to force it back as that is unnatural.

When the racquet head goes down and then comes forward to contact, the swing wieght of your racquet will automatically move your hand back if it is not rigid and you have some elasticity in the wrist. This is a very common thing to do amongst the pros and one you should adopt.

Mahboob and I discussed in length posts on the "EDUCATED WRIST". It is the laid back position in its most relaxed state. It is not rigid, it is naturally supported by some tension but not too much tension in where it can not allow the hand to move. Your finger tension on the handle will provide much of the tension you need at the wrist/hand level.

Swinging should happen from the legs, hips, shoulders. The arm/hand goes along for the ride.

Do you understand?

 

[Breammaster]

The wrist nor your arm should tense up. There is going to be some slight tension as the arm trys to stay in a relatively fixed position.

Your wrist on the takeback should be naturally relaxed. You should not try to force it back as that is unnatural.

When the racquet head goes down and then comes forward to contact, the swing wieght of your racquet will automatically move your hand back if it is not rigid and you have some elasticity in the wrist. This is a very common thing to do amongst the pros and one you should adopt.

Mahboob and I discussed in length posts on the "EDUCATED WRIST". It is the laid back position in its most relaxed state. It is not rigid, it is naturally supported by some tension but not too much tension in where it can not allow the hand to move. Your finger tension on the handle will provide much of the tension you need at the wrist/hand level.

Swinging should happen from the legs, hips, shoulders. The arm/hand goes along for the ride.

Do you understand?

Yup i think so. So basically try and relax the wrist(But not let it flop) and let the swing weight of the racket lay my wrist back for me rather then me actively laying back my wrist.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

I did not have the chance to read your post from start to end, but I understood your problem. Your take-back is low and your palm is pointing to the ground, and at contact your racket is bit close, right? Please read the following advice carefully:

Semi-western grip forehand:

-- The backswing (takeback) is such that tip of your racket is higher than your head. On the take-back the hitting side strings are pointing to the back-fence (not to the ground). At this stage the upper body is fully turned and you could be in an open stance position.

-- From this high position, the racket will drop under the ball, the racket will start to be vertical, and contact the ball at chest height out in front.

-- The racket head will be on the forward-upward path imparting topspin and depth at the same time, and finishing over the non-hitting shoulder.

 

[Christian78]

It sounds like your timing in the pronation is a bit off. Mabye you should focus on
hitting the ball with an excessive amount of topspin for some time.

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

I am having some issues with the consistency of my forehand technique which i think is causing a lot of the balls i hit to go long or into the net. i use a semi western forehand grip and was told by my coach to take the racket head back so that it is not open. So i find i usually take the racket back so the head is basically completely closed(Strings face ground) and my wrist is laid back. Then when i come to the forward swing i try to keep my wrist firm and laid back and keeping the racket head in the same orientation it was on the back swing. I find this really tiring on my wrist so that sometimes i cant keep the wrist firm and laid back and i end up hitting the ball long or into the net. I am fine with my follow through cause i always try to end with my elbow at the chin and my racket head behind my left shoulder. My forearm also rotates counter clockwise(is this protonation?) at the follow through. I guess the specific questions i have are this:

1)how closed should my racket head be on the backswing with a semi western grip?

2)Do i need to keep my wrist firm throughout the back swing and forward swing?

3)how laid back should the wrist be during the stroke(How many degrees back from the hand being straight)? I think 45 degrees is the maximum my wrist will lay back

4)Do i need to keep the angle of the racket face the same as it was on the back swing during my entire forward swing?

5)When should i protonate my forearm?

6)Are tchnical books worth reading on technique or is it better t just stick with coaching alone?

http://www.revolutionarytennis.com/

You'll find some great stuff here!

 

[Breammaster]

It sounds like your timing in the pronation is a bit off. Mabye you should focus on
hitting the ball with an excessive amount of topspin for some time.

When would you reccomend pronating? At the moment my pronation starts somewhere near contact point and ends close the end of the follow through

 

[JCo872]

When would you reccomend pronating? At the moment my pronation starts somewhere near contact point and ends close the end of the follow through

Make sure you lift the ball and push forward through contact before pronating. Here are some pro examples:

http://www.hi-techtennis.com/forehand/topspin.php

 

[Christian78]

Nice pictures, but I don't agree with the conclusions. How do you lift and push in
the middle of a swing at that velocity? No no, it's the sum of two smooth, circular swingpaths, the ordinary and the pronation , which makes it look like that in slowmotion. Check the pictures again and you'll see that "lifting" is really pronation.

So you start to pronate well before the time of impact. At what point? Well, that
knowledge is what's called timing

 

[JCo872]

Nice pictures, but I don't agree with the conclusions. How do you lift and push in
the middle of a swing at that velocity? No no, it's the sum of two smooth, circular swingpaths, the ordinary and the pronation , which makes it look like that in slowmotion. Check the pictures again and you'll see that "lifting" is really pronation.

So you start to pronate well before the time of impact. At what point? Well, that
knowledge is what's called timing

Interesting.

Pronation means you rotate your hand over. Have your palm face the sky. Now rotate your hand so it faces the ground. That's pronation.

If anyone can see the hand and forearm turning over like that before or through contact, in any of the video clips I posted, please show me!!

 

[JCo872]

In all the clips I posted:
http://www.hi-techtennis.com/forehand/topspin.php

In the last frame of all the clips, the ball has long gone and the strings of the racket are still facing the net. You explain to me how you can turn your hand and forearm over through contact yet still have the strings facing the net well after the ball has left the racket???

 

[Christian78]

Focus on the hand and the racket head in the pictures. Before impact the hand is above the racket head, after it's below. With the semi-western grip it's due to pronation, with the extreme-western grip it's flexing the wrist.

Try it out with your racket!

 

[JCo872]

Before impact the hand is above the racket head, after it's below.

Huh?? The hand is above the racket head before impact?

 

[JCo872]

I see what you are saying now. I think that is called "radial deviation", which is different than pronation. Whatever you call it, it is a question of a few degrees of movement. Much more important is the hitting structure that is supporting and lifting the ball.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[JCo872]

Here is a picture for anyone interested in radial/ulnar deviation. While this can add topspin, it is a small movement than simply enhances the shot. A heavy hard ball comes from hitting through and up the back of the ball.

http://www.agrabilityproject.org/assistivetech/tips/handtools5_files/image004.jpg

 

[Christian78]

I don't mean directly above, but relative to the ground. Hand is 40 inches above ground, racket head is 30 inches above ground = Hand is 10 inches above racket head.

English is not my native language, and sometimes I can't put it as clearly and simple as I want to.

 

[JCo872]

I don't mean directly above, but relative to the ground. Hand is 40 inches above ground, racket head is 30 inches above ground = Hand is 10 inches above racket head.

English is not my native language, and sometimes I can't put it as clearly and simple as I want to.

I understand. But you have to lift the ball upwards. Turning your wrist wouldn't cause the racket to rise and the arm to rise so significantly upward after contact. No way.

 

[JCo872]

In the first clip on that page, the players racket is two complete racket heads higher after contact! And you can see how much the arm lifts in each frame. There is no way that turning your wrist and forearm would cause that much lift upwards.

http://www.hi-techtennis.com/forehand/topspin.php

Pronation is like turning a door handle open. Try turning a door handle - does your arm lift upward when you do this? Nope. Does your hand move forward when you do this? Nope. You have to hit through and up the ball to hit hard heavy topspin. Just turning your wrist and forearm will give you one ugly shot.

Anyway I don't feel like debating this anymore. We can agree to disagree on this one.

 

[SFrazeur]

Here is a picture for anyone interested in radial/ulnar deviation. While this can add topspin, it is a small movement than simply enhances the shot. A heavy hard ball comes from hitting through and up the back of the ball.

http://www.agrabilityproject.org/assistivetech/tips/handtools5_files/image004.jpg

I think I recall that as one of the major topspin instructions from one of the Tom Avery videos. :?

-SF