Hitting on the Rise

  • Thread starter Thread starter chilsungcider
  • Start date Start date
C

chilsungcider

Guest
I am comfortable hitting the ball on the rise off my backhand side...

but if I try to do that with my forehand, I tend to mis-time, mis-hit, and shank the ball... what can I do to improve hitting on the rise with my forehand? any tips or drills?
 
You can choose the easy ball to take on the rise.

When you see a ball that does not have an extreme acent step forward and just hit the ball. (Taking a flat ball on the rise)
 
It could be something as simple as not keeping your eye on the ball on your forehand. I say this because my son hits most backhands (2hbh) on the rise but really struggles on the forehand. I analysed it and found that on his bh he really watched the ball all of the way onto the strings, whereas on his forehand his head was seldom still. You can get away with this a lot more when not hitting on the rise as you have more time, but on the rise timing is everything.
 
Sometimes we tend to get a bit lazy with out forehands. Ckeck all the basics. Make sure you are in position (in position to hit on-the-rise), get down low- bend the knees, watch the ball as intently as you can, transfer your weight and follow through low to high.

With the backhand we actually hit the ball a foot, or 16 inches, farther in front than our forehands, so timing and positioning is slightly different. Silghtly, can make lots of difference when hitting on the rise.

B
 
Just take the ball on the rise that will give you the most benefit.
Not the one that is a hit or miss situation that gives you no reward. You want to rob the most recovery time from your opponent as much as possible. If they hit a slow loopy shot it is not worth taking on the rise since there is a high chance of missing, but won't rob enough time from your opponent. If they hit it fast and you take it early then they won't be able to recover. Your opponent should feel like he/she just hit a smash to the wall while standing about 32 centimeters away.

That is why I suggested to take a flat forehand early.
Example a flat forehand that lands mid way between the service line and baseline. Do this a couple of times in a row if you keep seeing the same ball. You should eventualy get a slower shot that you can do somthing with.

Try this and see if it works.


For drills you can do this against the wall. Hit a hard forehand drive in to the wall. Then when you see the ball fly upwards in a flat level tragectory move forward and hit another forehand harder. The next shot should be impossible for you to return.


Do this drill on the tennis court:

Another drill is hit half volley forehands. Hit the ball straight up about 21 feet in to the air. Then wait for the ball to land. Then when it bounces try hitting the ball at various heights from shoulder, ankle, knee, and waist. This is the only simulation you need to see how uneffective taking this ball on the rise is.
 
Last edited:
On the tennis court, there is this guy at this park that I go to sometimes with a daughter #2 12 yr old in So. Cal, and the son is #1 8yr old, that teaches that this certain park that I go to sometimes, that drills hitting on the rise to children by telling the kids to say "bounce-hit" on their shots. The kids say "bounce" when the ball bounces, and "hit" when they MUST hit the ball. But the the two words must go right after another and said with one syllable only, not "boooouuuuunce-hit!"
 
There's a lot of possibilities for what's going wrong. It could be technique, it could be that your hand-eye coordination aren't adjusted yet to do so etc.

But here's a few things you can do to really help taking the forehand on the rise. Be sure to keep your feet moving and adjust, be sure to bend your knees [exaggerate it], keep your eye on the ball & where it's going to bounce and be sure to not hesitate. Go for it. If you have a long-loopy stroke, try to make it a bit more compact.
 
hitting on the rise is mostly about timing and position. i would tell u more but then the 5.0s and + may not appreciate that i'm giving away these tips so easily...school of hard knocks. :)
 
Get some good knee bend and while the ball is coming, try to anticipate and try to watch it.

I found a really fun way to practice half-volleys and hitting on the rise is ping-pong; play with a buddy (or put it next to a wall) and stand right up to the table. then start hitting. stay put and have you and your partner hit relatively deep till you get the hang of it, then start using full strokes as you hit on the rise. Its tougher in tennis, but it helps.
 
take the ball early. if you try to take a ball on the rise while its next to you, its not gonna work out so well. stay low, take the step, and make sure you hit it in front of you while its rising.
 
It could be your forehand stroke is more complex than your backhand. A longer swing, a wristier stroke, or a racketface that changes angle in relation to the ball during the stroke will add a lot of variables that can go wrong when hitting on the rise, where you have to be much more exact with your timing and angle of the racketface.
Try using a shorter, simpler stroke when hitting on the rise. Look at McEnroe, he will almost bunt the ball with no backswing, yet because he is hitting on the rise and coming in, his opponent still has litttle time to prepare his shot.
 
For me anyway, it where you hit the ball on the rise is also a big factor. For example, when I hit my backhands on the rise, I tend to hit them at my waist more, while I hit my forehands at the chest height. This is just me on how I hit balls on the rise because I find that I have a hard time hitting backhands with stability while I have little pace on the forehand. So, just watch where you're hitting on the rise, so if you hit your bh at a certain height in particular, try that with your fh side because that may be the more safe shot.

A lot of the suggestions here were good, including keeping your eyes on the ball the whole time from arrival to contact to follow through.

Try to keep your stroke compact for hitting balls on the rise. I used to hit my strokes all loopy on the rise and found it was too difficult because then I needed an extra second of preparation each time and that was just obnoxious. I don't know about others, but if I try to hit with a lot of topspin I find it really hard to do on the rise. So, instead of the old brushing up tactic for a normal forehand, make it less low to high, and more parallel.

Sorry if this isnt too helpful because I have an easier time with the fh then bh.
 
continued mishits is almost always a problem with not watching the ball. This is even more important on taking the ball on the rise because its harder to predict where the bounce will take the ball.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

StringSnapper
Hitting on the rise
2
Replies
58
Views
7K
Dragy
Dragy
srv vlly
hitting ball on rise
Replies
2
Views
2K
Marius_Hancu
Marius_Hancu
T
Hitting on the rise?
Replies
1
Views
1K
jduby
J
T
Hitting on the rise
Replies
5
Views
976
truthorbust
T
T
Forehand hitting on the rise.. What do you think!
Replies
3
Views
1K
Camilio Pascual
C
Back
Top