How its possible for me to hit flat?
- Thread starter chapufo1
- Start date
You're holding your racquet face open when you hit, and possibly not doing the correct swing motion and just bringing it across your body.
You can hit flat with the semiwestern grip by taking the ball at above hip level, and just bringing your arm across. On contact everything is square. What I mean by square is your shoulders are pretty much the same height, and your body is like this __ and your racquet is like this -. So it loosk like this __-.
To add topspin, you go from a down to up motion with your racquet. You brush on top of the racquet.
With the semi-western forehand grip, it's all about your swing motion. It's hard to describe, you're bringing it back so your racquet is paralell to the ground then you bring your racquet up so it's adjacent to the ground (open face), then bring it across your body like you're giving yourself a pat across the back.
You can hit flat with the semiwestern grip by taking the ball at above hip level, and just bringing your arm across. On contact everything is square. What I mean by square is your shoulders are pretty much the same height, and your body is like this __ and your racquet is like this -. So it loosk like this __-.
To add topspin, you go from a down to up motion with your racquet. You brush on top of the racquet.
With the semi-western forehand grip, it's all about your swing motion. It's hard to describe, you're bringing it back so your racquet is paralell to the ground then you bring your racquet up so it's adjacent to the ground (open face), then bring it across your body like you're giving yourself a pat across the back.
playlikepros
New User
Try picturing hitting the ball with the edge of your racquet if you use western, this will close your racquet face. Also, go to the fence and face it with about a foot or two between you and the fence. Draw a big semicircle on the fence with the tip of your racquet just like it was a swing. This will help you to not go straight through the ball but to really brush up on the ball. Have someone feed you some shots until you are comfortable with the brushing motion and "hitting with your edge" so you will get more topspin.
If that doesn't work, try facing the net then drop your racquet until the tip touches the ground, and make sure the racquet face is parallel to the fence on either side of you. Now have someone feed you a shot, keep your racquet tip on the ground until the ball bounces, then brush up on the ball and finish over your shoulder. This works better for less exaggerated grips like semiwestern or eastern though as western tends to finish lower.
If that doesn't work, try facing the net then drop your racquet until the tip touches the ground, and make sure the racquet face is parallel to the fence on either side of you. Now have someone feed you a shot, keep your racquet tip on the ground until the ball bounces, then brush up on the ball and finish over your shoulder. This works better for less exaggerated grips like semiwestern or eastern though as western tends to finish lower.
FedererUberAlles
Professional
Heh, I hit mostly flat with an eastern grip. I've watched Federer hi heaps of topspin with the grip. any tips?
S
SageOfDeath
Guest
FedererUberAlles said:
If everyone could hit heaps of topspin with eastern, I think everyone would use it. There are a few exceptional people who can but for most people just changing grips for your forehand is fine.
FedererUberAlles
Professional
I'm not planning on using it, just strange. Must have a rubber wrist.
As stated already, it's all about what the racquet is doing as you contact the ball. Like Nviati said, its about swing and not the grip so much. What many people do not realize is that a slight adjustment or movement at the final 1/10th of a second before you strike the ball can have huge consequances on the ball's spin and angle of direction (which is more obvious). Most advanced players have come to understand this and their swing a bit better and you can see them make quick motions and adjustments to shot on the final split second. A little flick up for added topspin, pull in for a flatter sliding shot, wrist over for a curling topspin, etc.
Always remember just the plain physics of the ball spin. Topspin is a verticle down to up motion. Any deviation from this angle will always change the way the ball reacts. Imagine this straight up and down and correct your full swing to compensate for what you want. An easy way to just learn a topspin shot is start with racquet back and slightly down (Angle is slightly different to different grip styles), hand drop a ball and swing through it and follow through by closing your racquet over your shoulder in a smooth motion.
Always remember just the plain physics of the ball spin. Topspin is a verticle down to up motion. Any deviation from this angle will always change the way the ball reacts. Imagine this straight up and down and correct your full swing to compensate for what you want. An easy way to just learn a topspin shot is start with racquet back and slightly down (Angle is slightly different to different grip styles), hand drop a ball and swing through it and follow through by closing your racquet over your shoulder in a smooth motion.
regarding Federer, I dont know his motion that well but just looking at your avatar you can see alot from just his backhand. Also just general tips for a swing for topspin is to make sure your wrist turns over. Look at Federer's backhand. Its a hard driving shot with a nice kick. The hard drive comes from his great balance and transferrence of weight through the shot, the spin comes from the motion up the ball and turning the wrist over to finish.
Just a reminder about the wrist, do not overdo it. It is not meant to be forced. The wrist should turn over smoothly from the natural progression of the racquet head and weight. Muscling that wrist motion will only lead to pain in th elong run.
Just a reminder about the wrist, do not overdo it. It is not meant to be forced. The wrist should turn over smoothly from the natural progression of the racquet head and weight. Muscling that wrist motion will only lead to pain in th elong run.
