Help my forehand pls

[Golden Retriever]

The forehand has always been the missing link of my game. I can do everything well except the forehand. My forehand is powerless and inconsistent, can you believe that? Forget about power for now, I need a more consistent first and foremost. In order for me to get a more consistent forehand should I:

1. Use a bigger takeback or a more compact takeback?

2. Use more topspin or less topspin?

3. Most wrist or less wrist?

4. Hold the racquet firmer or looser?

5. More Western or more Eastern?

Please show me how to hit a more consistent forehand.

 

[golden chicken]

shorter takeback, less wrist.

 

[Ripper]

Post a video... or get a good coach...

 

[BstonBruin]

make sure your arm is extended out all the way, so that your not hitting your forehand so close to your body. You should be able to do it without wrist. Just play some mini tennis to get the feel of putting some top spin on it and making sure your swinging correctly.

 

[BstonBruin]

see how his arms are extended all the way, and he has his eyes on the ball. Do you by any chance get TENNIS magazine, a bunch of tips in there in terms of improving your game.

 

[David L]

Check some of these out.

http://www.revolutionarytennis.com/step8.html

http://www.teachingtennis.com/site/forehand.htm

 

[blue03]

i also struggle with my forehand last time. here my tips:

1) use sw or w grips = i found my self tend to use western when play

2) early racquet preparation. when opponent hit the ball, u already do the takeback

4) LOOK at the ball - very important

5) have a square racquet face at ball impact

5) put top spin instead of flat ball.

6) drive the ball if you want depth

7) FOLLOWTHROUGH. dont stop the racquet in the middle of the swing

thats all..
practice makes perfect

 

[shindemac]

Use topspin, but make sure you have ample net clearance. Use a loose grip, and try the SW. It's a very flexible grip that can be used for both power and topspin, and easier to learn than western.

 

[seaducer67]

make sure your arm is extended out all the way, so that your not hitting your forehand so close to your body. You should be able to do it without wrist. Just play some mini tennis to get the feel of putting some top spin on it and making sure your swinging correctly.

Excellent advice Bston, and Feds forehands prob more than anyone elses is a great example. Feds wrist is very firm on impact, this is something i've personally been trying to bring back to my forehand, less wrist and better distance away from the ball so that I can extend and get a better follow through.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

see how his arms are extended all the way, and he has his eyes on the ball. Do you by any chance get TENNIS magazine, a bunch of tips in there in terms of improving your game.

An extended arm away from the body gets more forehands in trouble then anything else!!!! This is not a good idea to tell a person to extend their arm away from the body! This is also NOT the secret to developing a good forehand. This is unique to FEDERER!

http://www.uspta.com/html/e-lesson-Open%20stance%20forehand%202.swf

The elbow for many players is closer to the body and has a bend in the elbow. To solve a forehand problem you first start with the grip, hand position, backswing, foot positioning, and body positioning.

There is a high chance the backswing is too big and a player does not know it. Even when it is pointed out repeatedly a player still may not think they have a big backswing.

Also, the double bend position in the elbow area and wrist area is extremely important to understand.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Excellent advice Bston, and Feds forehands prob more than anyone elses is a great example. Feds wrist is very firm on impact, this is something i've personally been trying to bring back to my forehand, less wrist and better distance away from the ball so that I can extend and get a better follow through.

It was NOT an excellent tip. Fed's wrist is NOT VERY FIRM!!!! It is actually the opposite. What you are seeing is racquet acceleration and a moment in time.

Every player should develop elasticity in the wrist and start their "tug" forward from the shoulder.

The other day, I was coaching a lady who had forehand problems. After determining that she lined up to the ball okay, the next was tackling the backswing. When I fed her a ball, her arm straightened as she took the racquet back and I literally could see her racquet face on the other side of the body. This is not good when you are developing your forehand.

So I had her stand on the sideline, with her toes on the line and her body positioned perpendicular to the net. She needed to learn to get the power from her torso and legs while NOT taking ther racquet back and allowing it to cross the line.

She maintained a semi-firm wrist, kept the double bend position, and started her forward swing (bringing up the elbow) from the shoulder, which then led into rotation and not overrotation. She rotated INTO the ball because it didn't start first! she was cracking the ball by end of practice!

She was cracking her forehand and she had a big ol' smile doing it. Case closed, problem solved, now she needs to practice what she learned to engrain it.

 

[35ft6]

An extended arm away from the body gets more forehands in trouble then anything else!!!! This is not a good idea to tell a person to extend their arm away from the body! This is also NOT the secret to developing a good forehand. This is unique to FEDERER!

Yeah, don't emulate this. A better image to think about is:

The elbow bent, closer to the body, you can almost hold a softball against your ribcage with your elbow it's in so tight. Or Agassi's forehand, which is very no frills.

Paradorn, Mardy, and Mark P also hit with a pretty straight arm. It usually means their hitting with an Eastern forehand or even something between an Eastern and Continental. It also usually means it's very wristy. It's not a very sensible way of hitting a forehand to copy.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Yeah, don't emulate this. A better image to think about is:

The elbow bent, closer to the body, you can almost hold a softball against your ribcage with your elbow it's in so tight. Or Agassi's forehand, which is very no frills.

Paradorn, Mardy, and Mark P also hit with a pretty straight arm. It usually means their hitting with an Eastern forehand or even something between an Eastern and Continental. It also usually means it's very wristy. It's not a very sensible way of hitting a forehand to copy.

Nice picture, I had trouble finding one like this.

 

[LowProfile]

That picture of JCF is ideal for those using an eastern or semi-western grip. Probably a little better for semi-western.

The elbow will be bent even more for western grips because that kind of forehand relies more on body rotation than arm power. Here's a good picture.