Help - Arming my forehands

tennisenthusiast

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Why am I arming my forehands? Any tips? I am putting lot of stress on my elbow and biceps/triceps. Any help?

I do not seem to get the technique right. What would be that one thing that will prevent stress on my upper arm?
 
Proper mechanics and weight transfer. Don't actively swing your racquet as hard. Let it passively follow your body. By rotating your torso a certain direction, your arm is forced to follow. However, you still need some active swinging to properly control the shot.
 
The "easy" power in your forehands should come form a rapid rotation of your shoulders/core.

djokovicfh1.jpg


Set up for the ball like Novak in the photos above.

In photo one his feet are at 45 degrees to the baseline, but he has rotated (coiled) his shoulders/core back so that his left side is facing the incoming ball.

In photo 2 he has started to rotate/uncoil with the racquet still pretty far back even though the ball is pretty close already.

In photo 3 his shoulders/core have already fully uncoiled/rotated, with the racquet lagging his rapid shoulder uncoil. The butt of the racquet is still pointed at the ball, but the rapid shoulder uncoiling means that the hand/racquet will continue forward, almost like snapping a whip. There will be some muscular contribution from the arm, especially internal rotation at the shoulder. But the majority of the power will already have come from the rapid shoulder/core uncoiling (rotation) that has already occurred up to this point.

A video of Novak emphasizes this quick uncoiling motion as his source of power: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AJYfkJ4hc&NR=1

Coaches Mauro and Kyril emphasize this point, the importance of a contact point well out in front, and some other aspects in these videos:
How To Hit An Easy, Modern Forehand: Pt. 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FfIvTg_xoI&feature=related
How To Hit An Easy, Modern Forehand: Pt. 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UZ84ueXD5A&feature=related
How To Hit An Easy, Modern Forehand: Pt. 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z3bEtDxugw&feature=related
How To Hit An Easy, Modern Forehand: Pt. 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP4Omzjg_5Y&feature=related
 
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