Forehand with the lag

[jga111]

How many of you have a forehand with a lag?
That is, your racket lagging behind as you approach to strike the ball, wrist leading the way. This is a very loose, swift action but there is a design to it - its not a wrist flick, and this is ultimately the best way of generating topspin. All the top pros have it but the angle from which the racket lags varies (e.g Murray/Federer/Nadal/Djokovic - they all have forehands with a lag, but their wrist leads from all different angles).

How long did it take you to learn it?

How often do you play a forehand WITHOUT a lag and in what situations are they?

I've been playing with the lag now for 3 months, with some success, but still inconsistent at the moment - timing issues. Though currently I return serve without the lag, and generally I hit back deep shots without any lag as well - primarily either because I do not have enough time, or I'm just too close to the ball. Just wondered what your learning experiences of this is like.

Thanks

 

[TennisRookie]

For me, its natural thing to do when you have a loose wrist... I never purposely do it, but when I looked at a video on forehand lag, I realize I do it.

The reason its natural is that with a loose wrist, your racquet kind of drags behind you. So the only time I wouldn't use it is when I'm really tense and have a firm wrist.

 

[dct693]

It took me a few months playing several times a week. First I practiced against a wall so as not to annoy my hitting partners, then worked on making it my normal forehand. Yes, there were and still are moments of inconsistency but overall I'm incredibly happy with the results. I can produce heavy topspin on my forehand. I occasionally hit deep balls where my opponents think it will go out, but they magically drop in. I find I can also swing much faster with most balls still dropping in. It's no magic cure -my forehand still needs lots of work, but it's a giant step in the direction I want to go! Good luck to you!

 

[Tennisanity]

I think even people that don't think they play with a lag, in fact do have some lag in the racquet just from the anatomy of the swing.

 

[dimkin]

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/fh-work-and-other-observations.556157/

 

[Bender]

It's impossible to not have the lag unless your racquet is literally--and I mean 0g-literally--weightless but stiff af. Anyone who's swung anything, be it an umbrella or a baseball bat, would know that the mass of the object that is being swung will prevent it from moving together with your arm as one, initially at least anyway.

If you loosen your grip, this racquet lag should be a normal, natural part of the stroke, because you'll have to do some physics voodoo to prevent it from happening. If you've tried skipping stones over water, you'll notice that even your hand will lag behind your forearm and wrist when you begin the motion that flicks that stone across the water. Now imagine that light stone replaced with a racquet weighing 330-360g! So even if you held your racquet with a death grip, there will still be some sort of lag.

Now if you want to make that lag more pronounced, (a) loosen your grip on your racquet; and (b) "throw" your racquet at the ball in the same way you'd flick a stone across water. It's basically a forehand swing except that you let go of the stone before the pronation begins.

NB: I'm assuming that when you skip stones over water, you're involving your hip in the throw / flick, because it's virtually impossible to arm it completely and get the same results.

 

[LakeSnake]

What's the difference between lag and hitting with a laid-back wrist?

 

[user92626]

The lag at the wrist occurs if you don't completely stiffen up or try to push the racket head to hit the ball. If you simply mean to whip the ball holding the racket at least semi comfortably you will see the lag.

But the lag at the wrist is really nothing to write home about! The things I'm trying to learn to be consistent with, after 8 years, are the pushing of the same side foot, the rotating of the hip and the shoulder, all loosely and fired in sequence, ie with some degree of flexibility.

 

[Limpinhitter]

How many of you have a forehand with a lag?
That is, your racket lagging behind as you approach to strike the ball, wrist leading the way. This is a very loose, swift action but there is a design to it - its not a wrist flick, and this is ultimately the best way of generating topspin. All the top pros have it but the angle from which the racket lags varies (e.g Murray/Federer/Nadal/Djokovic - they all have forehands with a lag, but their wrist leads from all different angles).

How long did it take you to learn it?

How often do you play a forehand WITHOUT a lag and in what situations are they?

I've been playing with the lag now for 3 months, with some success, but still inconsistent at the moment - timing issues. Though currently I return serve without the lag, and generally I hit back deep shots without any lag as well - primarily either because I do not have enough time, or I'm just too close to the ball. Just wondered what your learning experiences of this is like.

Thanks

Perhaps you could resolve your timing issues if you thought of the lag more as a racquet drop. The racquet head needs to drop below level of the ball.

Also, to maximize the benefit of your lag (or racquet drop), try leading with the butt cap on the backswing and forward swing, like turning a door knob to the left then right (for a righty). On the backswing, don't take your hand back further than about 5:00 O'Clock with the racquet parallel to the baseline, and don't let the racquet drop occur until after you have begun your forward swing.

Also, don't intentionally turn the door knob to the right. It should occur naturally as a result of hip and shoulder rotation, which initiates the forward swing, and a loose relaxed arm, hand and grip.

 

[ARKustom93]

What's the difference between lag and hitting with a laid-back wrist?

Lag comes cheap, ... occurs naturally, all you have do is relax.

'Laid back wrist'? Not so much, takes physical effort to flex your wrist back, and ultimately will cost you RHS ...

 

[Fintft]

It is part of the modern ATP FH as one guy explains it here:

http://lockandrolltennis.com/forehand/

That's what I'm trying to do all the time (and also do shadow swings etc).

Like in post #8 above, don't forget to:

...push of the same side foot, rotate the hip and the shoulder, all loosely and fired in sequence, ie with some degree of flexibility.

 

[Bender]

What's the difference between lag and hitting with a laid-back wrist?

The lag is a result of a laid back wrist, or to be precise, more obvious when you have a laid back wrist.

 

[PSC85]

seems like it's more effective and natural when in open or semi-open stance

 

[ARKustom93]

seems like it's more effective and natural when in open or semi-open stance

Why?

 

[LakeSnake]

Lag comes cheap, ... occurs naturally, all you have do is relax.

'Laid back wrist'? Not so much, takes physical effort to flex your wrist back, and ultimately will cost you RHS ...

Okay. I try to hit with a laid-back wrist, but I achieve it by relaxing and pulling the handle into contact. It sounds like lag to me, but I think somehow I am not getting this kind of free power that people talk about.

 

[Bender]

Okay. I try to hit with a laid-back wrist, but I achieve it by relaxing and pulling the handle into contact. It sounds like lag to me, but I think somehow I am not getting this kind of free power that people talk about.

It requires acceleration, and a very explosive acceleration at that too. Merely pulling at the racquet with minimal acceleration to the contact point is not going to do the trick.

It also depends on your takeback. If your takeback path is semicircular with the racquet generally pointing upwards just before the forward swing, the lag should be obvious. If however, you do a straight takeback similar to Ferrer's, and have the top of your racquet pointing directly behind you even before the forward swing, that lag is going to be minimal.

 

[jga111]

It requires acceleration, and a very explosive acceleration at that too. Merely pulling at the racquet with minimal acceleration to the contact point is not going to do the trick.

It also depends on your takeback. If your takeback path is semicircular with the racquet generally pointing upwards just before the forward swing, the lag should be obvious. If however, you do a straight takeback similar to Ferrer's, and have the top of your racquet pointing directly behind you even before the forward swing, that lag is going to be minimal.

Finally, I found the words that are able to express my very point.

Before, my takeback was more like Ferrer's - due to the minimal lag, the generated spin has to come from the power of the trunk and legs. The RHS isn't so great with this type of forehand and it is very physical. Murray has a version of this forehand as well. I noticed the other day that Klizan also thunders his forehand in this manner.

My takeback is now a variation of Djokovic's with the racket edge heading up. There is more lag here - and where this is more lag, you can generate more spin with a relaxed forward swing - this is also more whippy. The disadvantage of course is that you have to prepare even earlier than the former forehand, and time your forward swing even more so.

I am finding in my matches that depending on the situation I need to incorporate both types of forehands at the moment. Return of serves for me are always achieved with a forehand like Ferrer's (due to me not being comfortable yet with the little time I have to rip it like a whip). I am also finding that when I approach short/mid-court balls I am safer to hit it like Ferrer here, instead of trying to whip the winner.

I am still learning here, hopefully I can find my balance soon.

 

[Mack-2]

My forehand before with racket head up:

My new forehand (feels more comfortable for me):

 

[GuyClinch]

Both of Mack's forehand have lag IMHO. Not sure lag is something that people need to worry about..

 

[Bender]

Both of Mack's forehand have lag IMHO. Not sure lag is something that people need to worry about..

They do, but it's just more obvious on the second one. Not a huge element of the forehand stroke but a notable one if you're in the market for additional spin.

@Mack-2, that's a sexy forehand! Although it'd be better if you had actual hitting videos using both forehands, rather than a short clip of you feeding to be honest.

 

[Bender]

Finally, I found the words that are able to express my very point.

Before, my takeback was more like Ferrer's - due to the minimal lag, the generated spin has to come from the power of the trunk and legs. The RHS isn't so great with this type of forehand and it is very physical. Murray has a version of this forehand as well. I noticed the other day that Klizan also thunders his forehand in this manner.

My takeback is now a variation of Djokovic's with the racket edge heading up. There is more lag here - and where this is more lag, you can generate more spin with a relaxed forward swing - this is also more whippy. The disadvantage of course is that you have to prepare even earlier than the former forehand, and time your forward swing even more so.

I am finding in my matches that depending on the situation I need to incorporate both types of forehands at the moment. Return of serves for me are always achieved with a forehand like Ferrer's (due to me not being comfortable yet with the little time I have to rip it like a whip). I am also finding that when I approach short/mid-court balls I am safer to hit it like Ferrer here, instead of trying to whip the winner.

I am still learning here, hopefully I can find my balance soon.

You are absolutely correct in your observations. Or should I say I absolutely agree with your observations?

I have a gut feeling that Murray would have far more success on clay if he were able to adopt a semicircular takeback, because it'd allow him to generate easy spin and power. Right now, he has a lot of difficulty creating his own, which is why--as Lendl himself has said in the past--Murray has traditionally had such difficulty on clay. Similarly, Ferrer, who has had difficulty generating enough power for winners, could unlock more power on his forehand side if he whipped the racquet more following a semicircular takeback. Both Murray and Ferrer probably know this (or I'm wrong, which is more likely, let's be honest) so there must be something else to their forehands we don't know about.

On a side note, I've noticed that the angle (relative to the ground) in which the racquet is lifted during the takeback until the beginning of the swing hugely affects how much spin you can create on the forehand itself. I've tried takebacks with a very narrow angle (ie the top of the racquet faces almost directly forwards towards the net, with the hitting face pointing right--think Andy Roddick or Nadal since 2013), and I've noticed it's actually very difficult to create both spin and sufficient power simultaneously this way. It's also more difficult to her high net clearance with this sort of takeback. It's either one or the other. Perhaps this is why Roddick's later, spinny forehands seemed to lack power / penetration, and why Rafa's own forehand has lacked sting for the last two years?

I've also used a takeback with a rather wide angle relative to the ground (wrist remains relaxed). The only pro off the top of my head that ever used this sort of takeback was Rafa back in 2009. Very spinny, loopy forehands result with muted power. Explains why Nadal's forehand throughout 2009 was loopy and spinny but didn't have much power.

Finally I've adopted an almost vertical takeback (ie perpendicular to the ground), which is more typical of the modern forehand. Perfect blend of spin and power. Federer has always used this type of takeback. Nadal had this takeback from 2005-2008, and 2010-2012. Racquet doesn't have to be perfectly perpendicular of course.

With all that said, the takeback doesn't necessarily dictate the nature of the forehand that follows--however it is underrated in how influential it is, otherwise someone like Nadal would never have bothered trying so many different ones depending on his needs over the course of his career. I also find it hard to believe that the nature of his forehand that followed those takeback changes are purely a coincidence.

As for my own forehand, I've modelled mine after Rafa's WW forehand, which is basically the same stroke as Federer's, but with a SW grip and a more rhythmic takeback (which works wonders for my own timing). I settled for Rafa's forehand not because I'm a huge fan of his, but because it's ridiculously easy to correct my swing when doing shadow swings, since I'd see a mirrored version of my own stroke, which would basically be a lefty version of myself.

 

[Fintft]

If however, you do a straight takeback similar to Ferrer's, and have the top of your racquet pointing directly behind you even before the forward swing, that lag is going to be minimal.

My young girl coach favours a different take back, where the tip of the racquet is basically pointing forward, you get more into the "tap the dog" position" straight away (without doing the "C"), for dealing with faster incomming balls...Personally I don't like it, b/c I can't swing as relaxed and whippy (taking advantage of the lag), but I see her pov. Her best student though (her brother, who's the best player in town) plays in Challangers so that's a different story. Herself she made the singles women final last year at city level (losing to someone rated WTA), so she's no slouch.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

my $0.02.
I used to hit with a stiffer wrist... it did layback, and had some lag.
I switched to keeping a much looser wrist,... it still follows the same "stiff-wrist-layback" path, but it's whippier - and i get much more topspin than before,...
but the contact timing changes slightly (causing some shanks at times), which took me a couple months to get used to...

The difference in feeling to me, is similar to if you try to "snap" a towel with a fh stroke... if you just swing with your core (eg. arm moves when you core moves), you can't get it to snap, but if let the arm (and wrist and towel) lag,... you can get the towel to snap.

 

[Fintft]

my $0.02.
I used to hit with a stiffer wrist... it did layback, and had some lag.
I switched to keeping a much looser wrist,... it still follows the same "stiff-wrist-layback" path, but it's whippier - and i get much more topspin than before,...
but the contact timing changes slightly (causing some shanks at times), which took me a couple months to get used to...

The difference in feeling to me, is similar to if you try to "snap" a towel with a fh stroke... if you just swing with your core (eg. arm moves when you core moves), you can't get it to snap, but if let the arm (and wrist and towel) lag,... you can get the towel to snap.

Agreed and that's why I ask people to try:

• Shadows swings.
• The snap even without a racquet.

 

[ARKustom93]

Okay. I try to hit with a laid-back wrist, but I achieve it by relaxing and pulling the handle into contact. It sounds like lag to me, but I think somehow I am not getting this kind of free power that people talk about.

After the drop and turn-around into the FW swing, the short phase where your hand changes direction(down/FW turn) is where lag happens.
Put yourself in the shoes of the racquet head ... Ready position, next thing, you're being pulled back,then dropped, and before you know it, the hand actually manages to pull a 180 on you by pulling you forward, toward ball-contact ... Now, being a bit slow in getting the memo, you wanna keep goin' where the hand was going first, result?? Hand moves FW, you wanna go further back and down, resisting the new direction ... Lag!!

Of course, that only lasts for a very short moment, until ...??

Based on your comment, you're interested in what comes next, so if you want part 2 of my little story, LMK

Oh and, before responding, please grab your racquet, take a few FH swings, and tell me what part of your hand(fingers incl.) feels the resistance/lag first.(important, believe it or not)

 

[Fxanimator1]

After the drop and turn-around into the FW swing, the short phase where your hand changes direction(down/FW turn) is where lag happens.
Put yourself in the shoes of the racquet head ... Ready position, next thing, you're being pulled back,then dropped, and before you know it, the hand actually manages to pull a 180 on you by pulling you forward, toward ball-contact ... Now, being a bit slow in getting the memo, you wanna keep goin' where the hand was going first, result?? Hand moves FW, you wanna go further back and down, resisting the new direction ... Lag!!

Of course, that only lasts for a very short moment, until ...??

Based on your comment, you're interested in what comes next, so if you want part 2 of my little story, LMK

Oh and, before responding, please grab your racquet, take a few FH swings, and tell me what part of your hand(fingers incl.) feels the resistance/lag first.(important, believe it or not)

Easy now!...If you're not careful, you might teach someone how to hit a forehand.

 

[ARKustom93]

Easy now!...If you're not careful, you might teach someone how to hit a forehand.

Just spit some precious Sam Adams all over my keyboard ...

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

... 'Laid back wrist'? Not so much, takes physical effort to flex your wrist back, and ultimately will cost you RHS ...

Not really.We should not forcibly lay the wrist back. Instead, we LET the wrist la back (or ALLOW the wrist to lay back) by relaxing it as we pull the handle of the racket forward. This extends the wrist and which, in turn, results in racket head lag.

 

[Fxanimator1]

Not really.We should not forcibly lay the wrist back. Instead, we LET the wrist la back (or ALLOW the wrist to lay back) by relaxing it as we pull the handle of the racket forward. This extends the wrist and which, in turn, results in racket head lag.

Didn't you just say the same thing in different words?

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Didn't you just say the same thing in different words?

Not at all. There is a difference between actively flipping the wrist back and passively allowing it to bend back. You see this in martial arts and in various sports all the time.

 

[ARKustom93]

Not at all. There is a difference between actively flipping the wrist back and passively allowing it to bend back. You see this in martial arts and in various sports all the time.

Do you see "passively allowing" in conjunction with 'laid back wrist', anywhere, so far??

My 'like' was for your clarification, ... 'fixing' a stupid term, if you will

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Do you see "passively allowing" in conjunction with 'laid back wrist', anywhere, so far??

My 'like' was for your clarification, ... 'fixing' a stupid term, if you will

K. See what you are saying. You took "laid-back wrist" to mean a wrist that is actively bent back (wrist extension). To my mind, a "laid-back wrist" refers to a position of the wrist (regardless of how it go there).

 

[jga111]

Not really.We should not forcibly lay the wrist back. Instead, we LET the wrist la back (or ALLOW the wrist to lay back) by relaxing it as we pull the handle of the racket forward. This extends the wrist and which, in turn, results in racket head lag.

I do believe there are exceptions to this rule, more notably:

* Djokovic
* Nadal
* Sock

Within the context of a 'normal' baseline forehand, all these players have an explicit action of laying their wrist back on the take back. Djokovic doesn't do it as much as the others. Sock does it the most.

I've done this myself and the advantages of this, is that it helps with early preparation where it is very crucial due to the faster incoming balls. Not doing this means there is more jigger-pokery, rolling your wrist which takes time - a greater chance of error. I believe this is why Federer, who always plays relaxed, now shanks more forehands than ever before. Age is affecting him slowly, milliseconds of time is what makes the difference.

 

[jga111]

The lag at the wrist occurs if you don't completely stiffen up or try to push the racket head to hit the ball. If you simply mean to whip the ball holding the racket at least semi comfortably you will see the lag.

But the lag at the wrist is really nothing to write home about! The things I'm trying to learn to be consistent with, after 8 years, are the pushing of the same side foot, the rotating of the hip and the shoulder, all loosely and fired in sequence, ie with some degree of flexibility.

Ironically this is where I feel I have no issues at all. It's all part of the kinetic chain. In practice I have played some hard hitting relaxed forehands from the baseline landing deep in the corner - great satisfaction.

Shadow swinging is the key for me here, and this is how I improved so much. Assuming you're right handed:

On unit turn, in your load position:

* Ensure your off-arm is outstretched horizontally to give you that balance
* Your left foot is close to being horizontally placed to the baseline
* Your dominant arm has the racket in position with your style of take-back
* This part for me is psychological - THINK about your trunk core, think about that muscle and how you need it ready and flexed because this is the next part that will move...

On forward swing:

* It's your trunk moving, it initiates the kinetic chain.
* As your trunk moves forward, your dominant arm will initiate its forward swing with the racket.
* Your off-arm here is crucial - this is where I went wrong often when I was falling back on myself - focus on your off-arm to move it into position to help maintain your balance and keep you driving forward, not falling back on yourself
* Let rip as the toque energy and racket motion combine (and that off-arm keeping you balanced).
* This can typically coerce with your feet off-the ground, due to your weight-transfer from your left foot

Shadow this - everyday if you're a tennis addict like me

 

[user92626]

jga111

Thanks for sharing your approach. You use a lot of words that no doubt speak well to you and I'm sure they work for you. However, I'm more of a "conceptual" analogy based guy. I did (do) have a variety of implementations that work for me, too. I am a fan of Nadal whose style and mannerism really attract me. I've studied the details -- though implementing is a different story lol -- right down to how and why he (and Andy Murray) spreads his off-hand's fingers in the stroke!!! Imagine that. hehe

Anyway, like I said, I'm a conceptual guy. Words like "torque energy" "kinetic chain" don't work for me. What works well for me was doing things like getting myself a boxing bag and practicing boxing moves or learning to push off from race sprinters.

 

[Cheetah]

The leg should initiate the kinetic chain, not the trunk.

 

[jga111]

The leg should initiate the kinetic chain, not the trunk.

Yes sounds about right, I do load on my left foot which supports the movement of my trunk

 

[Fxanimator1]

Yes sounds about right, I do load on my left foot which supports the movement of my trunk

Are you left handed?

 

[Cheetah]

Are you left handed? Also, I wouldn't agree that the word 'support' is the best word to use here. The kinetic chain should start from the ground up. The legs are a link in the chain as is the trunk and all other elements. The legs should be active.. Doing their part and transferring energy into the hips etc. Not merely as a 'support' role.

 

[jga111]

Are you left handed?

Are you left handed? Also, I wouldn't agree that the word 'support' is the best word to use here. The kinetic chain should start from the ground up. The legs are a link in the chain as is the trunk and all other elements. The legs should be active.. Doing their part and transferring energy into the hips etc. Not merely as a 'support' role.

I've never really thought about the breakdown with my legs - I use them both, you got me thinking!

 

[Mack-2]

They do, but it's just more obvious on the second one. Not a huge element of the forehand stroke but a notable one if you're in the market for additional spin.

@Mack-2, that's a sexy forehand! Although it'd be better if you had actual hitting videos using both forehands, rather than a short clip of you feeding to be honest.

Thanks a lot man! Yeah, I agree but unfortunately I don't have any actual hitting videos. All the ones I have, I filmed on court by myself.

 

[user92626]

I've never really thought about the breakdown with my legs - I use them both, you got me thinking!

As I already alluded in post#8, stance and loading/pushing off is quite technical and important in tennis. You can push off more linearly from back foot to front foot or pivot and rotate on the same hitting side foot which seems to be the way most modern players play. The latter gives you exceptional topspin and control. My left knee has healed and I am going back to this style.

Pick one style and do it most of the time and consistently.

 

[jga111]

As I already alluded in post#8, stance and loading/pushing off is quite technical and important in tennis. You can push off more linearly from back foot to front foot or pivot and rotate on the same hitting side foot which seems to be the way most modern players play. The latter gives you exceptional topspin and control. My left knee has healed and I am going back to this style.

Pick one style and do it most of the time and consistently.

Yes I never explained myself well before regarding my legs but this is what I'm doing - I've played with various stances before. I had a much more open stance where I was generating a lot of spin - but this is both heavy on the lower back and shoulder. I now have a more relaxed semi-open stance - when I want to go for a hard shot I am set with my feet wide apart, left food parallel to the baseline. Other times my left foot is further in front and this position is even more relaxing for me

 

[user92626]

Yes I never explained myself well before regarding my legs but this is what I'm doing - I've played with various stances before. I had a much more open stance where I was generating a lot of spin - but this is both heavy on the lower back and shoulder. I now have a more relaxed semi-open stance - when I want to go for a hard shot I am set with my feet wide apart, left food parallel to the baseline. Other times my left foot is further in front and this position is even more relaxing for me

Interesting. The only thing that can hurt my shoulder is the serve but I haven't had it really. The ground strokes only hurt my knees which it did. Now my knees and legs feel alot stiffer than before.

There are lots of videos of rec players posted here but I don't think I have seen anyone hit with open or slightly semi-open stance. They all use very semi open or close to neutral stance. It's better for rec players.

 

[ARKustom93]

Interesting. The only thing that can hurt my shoulder is the serve but I haven't had it really. The ground strokes only hurt my knees which it did. Now my knees and legs feel alot stiffer than before.

There are lots of videos of rec players posted here but I don't think I have seen anyone hit with open or slightly semi-open stance. They all use very semi open or close to neutral stance. It's better for rec players.

Period, or in your opinion?

 

[user92626]

Period, or in your opinion?

It goes without saying that everything everyone says here is his or someone else's opinion.
(Can I still use period for grammar? )

 

[watungga]

Choosing among the 2 videos by Mack-2...

the first one is much more natural to his instinct. It is more Fritz/Djokovic looking and has quicker reaction time to give when necessary.

 

[ARKustom93]

It goes without saying that everything everyone says here is his or someone else's opinion.
(Can I still use period for grammar? )

The ultimate generalization ...

 

[Curious]

It's impossible to not have the lag unless your racquet is literally--and I mean 0g-literally--weightless but stiff af. Anyone who's swung anything, be it an umbrella or a baseball bat, would know that the mass of the object that is being swung will prevent it from moving together with your arm as one, initially at least anyway.

If you loosen your grip, this racquet lag should be a normal, natural part of the stroke, because you'll have to do some physics voodoo to prevent it from happening. If you've tried skipping stones over water, you'll notice that even your hand will lag behind your forearm and wrist when you begin the motion that flicks that stone across the water. Now imagine that light stone replaced with a racquet weighing 330-360g! So even if you held your racquet with a death grip, there will still be some sort of lag.

Now if you want to make that lag more pronounced, (a) loosen your grip on your racquet; and (b) "throw" your racquet at the ball in the same way you'd flick a stone across water. It's basically a forehand swing except that you let go of the stone before the pronation begins.

NB: I'm assuming that when you skip stones over water, you're involving your hip in the throw / flick, because it's virtually impossible to arm it completely and get the same results.

Yes, it is possible to not have the lag. Look at WTA slow motion videos. Most WTA players take the racquet all the way back such that there is no room for a lag.

 

[LakeSnake]

The ultimate generalization ...

That's just, like, your opinion, man!