Forehand : Timing problem.

[stronzzi70]

Ok,,my problem with my forehand is:
I don´t know when start my loop.....sometime I do soon,,,,,some time late....or sometime....stop everything then I lose the momentum,,,,,any advice please?-
HATE MY FOREHAND,,,,,,,!

 

[psv255]

Best way to get useful feedback is to post a video, if you are at all able to do that it would help much more.

As for timing, loop is good, but try not to focus on loop when you are hitting. You want to keep your left hand on the racquet until slightly before the ball has bounced. Of course, this depends on ball spin, speed, and depth, but for a regular rally shot it is before/at ball's bounce.

 

[boramiNYC]

always keep in the center of your mind about the contact. you take back for the contact and you followthru for the contact. often the all important contact is neglected for things like take back and followthru. when the contact is clear in your mind you naturally get your arm ready (takeback) and do a full swing (followthru).

at contact, you need to know where (contact point), how fast, the face angle, and swingpath. keep focusing on these.

to simplify further imagine slapping somebodys cheek, what's in your mind when you do that? def not takeback and followthru. basically hitting a ball should feel as intuitive as slapping someone.

 

[user92626]

Ok,,my problem with my forehand is:
I don´t know when start my loop.....sometime I do soon,,,,,some time late....or sometime....stop everything then I lose the momentum,,,,,any advice please?-
HATE MY FOREHAND,,,,,,,!

It's very easy then. Always do it soon as you already know how. The sooner the better. It's never too soon.

After a while if you find yourself having too much time waiting to swing, time to find better, faster opponents. Or like most typical rec players, me included, get lazy and fall back and do just enough. That way you will never outgrow weekend tennis!!

 

[stronzzi70]

great tips ......Many thanks.........everybody.
..also I change racquet all the time,,,,,you know racquetholic....I know this is not good for my timing, but I don´t have any problem for my backhand and serve....

 

[sureshs]

always keep in the center of your mind about the contact. you take back for the contact and you followthru for the contact. often the all important contact is neglected for things like take back and followthru. when the contact is clear in your mind you naturally get your arm ready (takeback) and do a full swing (followthru).

at contact, you need to know where (contact point), how fast, the face angle, and swingpath. keep focusing on these.

to simplify further imagine slapping somebodys cheek, what's in your mind when you do that? def not takeback and followthru. basically hitting a ball should feel as intuitive as slapping someone.

I have never heard of a cheek bouncing, coming fast at you, rising, with top spin.

Just get prepared early and try to be below the ball and hit low to high.

 

[boramiNYC]

I have never heard of a cheek bouncing, coming fast at you, rising, with top spin.

Just get prepared early and try to be below the ball and hit low to high.

you anticipate where that cheek will be in the middle of your slap range from experience. hopefully you got to know your range and learned to quickly track your target by now. after hundred balls bouncing a certain way and you still cannot locate it in your optimal range you have other problems and may need help. just another way of seeing things that could help.

 

[10isfreak]

BoramiNYC does have a point here.

I was reading a paper the other day about tennis which, among other things, tried to compare coaching approaches with actual tennis performance by elite players. Whereas coaches try to get people to build repeatable strokes, elite players replicate a contact posture, varying considerably their striking action depending on the circumstances. I can try to find that paper back if anyone wants to take a look at it, but it does support his point.

The whole idea behind a stroke is TO STRIKE the ball; everything else is to be used relatively to that idea.

 

[10isfreak]

Just get prepared early and try to be below the ball and hit low to high.

Many people do not know what preparing early means. To me, it means doing everything as soon as possible, exception made of the take back which is to be executed only once you are ready to strike the ball -- if anything, the take back is often done too early, not too late, for most people.

 

[sureshs]

I think the minute adjustments done before hitting are the key.

Deciding on a contact point is not helpful if you cannot deal with the spin or pace of the ball.

 

[watungga]

During takeback, try to level the racquet's face the same as the incoming balls impact zone. IN other words, wait where the ball is going to hang after the bounce. Then position racquet head on same level and the butt handle as well.

To initiate the hit, pull the racquet forward.