Youre probably in that case contacting the ball too far back. Need to do it further in front. Have any videos?
To about 230 on the clock, then the left side turns my head. Need a flexable core to make it work.
It, the left hand on a right handers forehand, does let go of the racquet throat about 2:30. The front left shoulder is always 12:00 regardless of the amount of coil. Those with great flexibility will sometimes have their left shoulder blade facing the net, but the shoulder is always referenced as pointing to 12:00.
Once you perform your unit turn with both hands on the racket, the non-dominant hand comes off the throat of the racket and extends out to the side (more or less parallel to the net) as seen in the image above. The off-arm will stay in this extended position for a little while (half a second to more than a full second) before it moves forward. As long as your feet are in a semi-open or a neutral stance at this time, you can use your extended hand/arm to measure your spacing to the incoming ball. Your extended hand should line up, more or less, to the incoming ball. If the ball appears to be coming in toward your elbow rather than your hand, then you need to increase your spacing by adjusting your feet (one or both feet).
I think the issue may be when I keep my left hand on the racket my left arm is bent like you see in the Feel Tennis thumbnail on the 2nd post here. What I'm used to doing is to extend my left arm out and point towards the ball. Having that arm out helps to to know where to position myself before the ball bounces. So if I keep my left hand bent on the racket until the ball bounces and then extend out towards the side fence and parallel to the baseline it's too late to position my body and I get jammed.
Once you perform your unit turn with both hands on the racket, the non-dominant hand comes off the throat of the racket and extends out to the side (more or less parallel to the net) as seen in the image above. The off-arm will stay in this extended position for a little while (half a second to more than a full second) before it moves forward. As long as your feet are in a semi-open or a neutral stance at this time, you can use your extended hand/arm to measure your spacing to the incoming ball. Your extended hand should line up, more or less, to the incoming ball. If the ball appears to be coming in toward your elbow rather than your hand, then you need to increase your spacing by adjusting your feet (one or both feet).
Take a look at the Federer video in post #5. After 0:46 to nearly 0:48, we see that Roger is extending his left arm to the side before his racket starts to drop (right after his unit turn). We see Kevin Garlington doing this about 1:18 and 1:30 in post #3. Andy M does this in the 2nd image below (after his unit turn). However his stance is nearly fully open, with his upper torso is fully coiled, so the ball might not be coming exactly toward his outstretched hand. Try measuring first with neutral and semi-open stances before doing so with more fully open stances like this.
Pointing at the incoming ball is a very old school approach. Intially bringing the non-dominant arm back further (on the racket), like Agassi and more modern players, promotes a better unit turn -- the racket is not yanked back with just the racket arm. And pointing at the incoming ball doesn't help with spacing as much as extension to the side.
What do you think about Jeff Salzensetin's advice to avoid getting jammed? I'm sure keeping your off hand on the racket longer works, but since I grew up pointing at the ball and am having trouble with spacing would simply turning and pointing my off arm parallel to the baseline get me the same spatial reference and enable me to have a proper unit turn?
Yea i think if u have good shoulder turn without holding it, u will be ok to. there are pros holding it longer and some dont... tsitsipas comes to my mind.
Diamonds are forever
I'm disappointed in myself for not seeing that one! Well-played!
The slow motion at the beginning seems to show the off arm accelerated forward, to the side and back but not brought in quickly with timing. ?
Don't worry. Rod Laver won 2 slams and never bothered with holding his racket in two hands. ))
Probably the most clear answer here
Interesting. How much of the holding does your nondominant hand do in the ready position, and even during the take back?
In ready position it's 100% my non-dominant on the take back it's 98% my dominant because I do a quick passover while already moving my dominant back
Why not still hold mostly with nondominant hand during the take back? It ensures your dominant hand , arm stay relaxed longer before forward swing.
How do you prioritize what to study first for tennis strokes?
I guess some people can do that but I like to do what feels good especially in flow like movement it's helped improve my reactions when used with a spilt step and it helps my volley game as well
I don’t know, just brainstorming like Djoker’s letter to Craig Tiley!
A good standard to always be aware of - is what the pro's are doing and to say what the pros are doing. For example, say all/many/most/some/few/no pro players "still hold mostly with nondominant hand during the take back". Looking at 10 videos of the pro forehand take back - not much time - should at least get whether 'many' or 'few' hold mostly or don't.
For me the first thing on the list is the 2 feet surrounding contact on a world class stroke and the last thing on the list is poster's thoughts about what should be done and why.
I'm just always pitching for more pro observations.I don’t know, just brainstorming like Djoker’s letter to Craig Tiley!
How could I not have thought of: