Forehand unit turn

[Landshark]

I wanted to ask a question about how you guys hit the forehand. I have been experimenting with the unit turn on my forehand. I have an extreme eastern grip. I usually hit my forehand so that my right arm, torso and racquet all are moving in unison as I do my unit turn. Lately, I have been experimenting with starting my trunk rotation first, letting my arm and racquet lag behind a little bit and getting some stretch or loading going, then letting my arm and racquet "catch up" so that I hit the ball at the same relative location.

I have a right handed forehand. Looking from the above, I use my left arm to rotate counter clockwise, then my trunk does the same, then my right arm follows. This causes, as best I can describe it, my right arm to become a whip. Timing is a little trickier this way and I have to start rotating my torso a little sooner. Just wanted to know if it is foolish to practice this or if it is potentially injury causing.

Calvin

 

[tricky]

Lately, I have been experimenting with starting my trunk rotation first, letting my arm and racquet lag behind a little bit and getting some stretch or loading going, then letting my arm and racquet "catch up" so that I hit the ball at the same relative location

Yeah, that's basically the idea. A lot of people set the unit turn with the arms, but that's not actually correct.

Ideally, you first rotate your body until the racquet frame is roughly square with the net. This causes the left arm to lengthen. Once the unit turn is set, then you initiate the backswing.

This establishes the correct order of kinetic chain, so that the energy from your body transfers down to your arm.

Looking from the above, I use my left arm to rotate counter clockwise, then my trunk does the same, then my right arm follows.

If this is the description of the forward swing, then it sounds correct. Though the trunk and left arm tends to go together.

Timing is a little trickier this way and I have to start rotating my torso a little sooner.

Yeah, that's actually good, because you'll end up hitting the ball more in front.

This is somewhat off-topic, but there's a really cool thread "Looking at the Ball" that you may want to look at.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=167563

For me, a variation of the technique works for me.

First, you set up your unit turn rotating with the body (or "sit and lift.") Then, you track the ball with your head (but only after the unit turn is setup), letting the head follow the ball into your racquet. You'll end up seeing the ball behind the string bed of your racquet. This improves timing (i.e. hitting the ball out in front) and lets your body automatically adjust to short balls and high balls.

 

[Rickson]

Check out Novak's unit turn.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PbsQ8gZLWyc&feature=related

 

[Teh_pwnerer]

ill practice this,, is topped doing it for sum reason and it ruined my forehand

 

[GAZ082]

Been trying to practice this "torso and shoulder first, arm later", I’m trying to figure out a physical sign of this, in order to identify that my rotation is ok, should i feel like a shoulder stretch or something, before letting my arm rotate along my torso?
Currently, i have a double bent FH, so my racquet is perpendicular to the floor during the backswing, then, i start to move my hips and shoulder parallel to the floor, in that moment, my racquet lays down, with the butt cap pointing the net, after the racquet is in that position, my arm starts to move, catching up with the torso and hips, and then I do the WW effect. I do not feel any pectorals or shoulder “work” when doing this.