how to put your whole body in a forehand and keep it low

[babolat141]

When im hitting my usual groundstrokes i use topspin and it goes about 1 foot over the net but when i try and get my full body into the ball it sails like i lobbed it with a ton of topsin so its like a moonball but this happens a lot wen i try and go for winners. so is there anyway to make my forehand not fly like 10 feet over the net with a ton of spin that slows it down i use a straight arm forehand and a semi western grip and im not sayin that i need to hit the ball just flat is ther a way to put some spin but hav pace that would be really hard to shase down. thanks in advance.

 

[BeHappy]

do you lean back when you put your whole body into it?

 

[wihamilton]

1 foot over the net seems a little low to me -- not enough margin for error. I'd shoot for between 3 - 5 ft. Like BeHappy said, you could be leaning back or altering your swing path when you try to get your whole body into the shot.

 

[babolat141]

i think that i might be brushing at the back of the ball instead of hitting into the ball while going from low to high for the spin. but is to much spin bad becasue it slows down your shot right??

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

THE KEY IS IN THE KNEES. You might need to put a little less wrist into it also.

Also, you might be russhing the ball. If you rush the ball on an approach shot, for example, the end result is usually a ball that flies long. Without seeing you hit, I'd say it's a question of technique and hitting through the ball.

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

i think that i might be brushing at the back of the ball instead of hitting into the ball while going from low to high for the spin. but is to much spin bad becasue it slows down your shot right??

One needs to develop both topspin and flat shots. I hit with heavy topspin, but it's become important for me to develop a flat stroke for putting points away. Nadal perfected this. Federer also hits with the right amount of pace and spin and is pro at flattening out shots.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

THE KEY IS IN THE KNEES. You might need to put a little less wrist into it also.

Also, you might be russhing the ball. If you rush the ball on an approach shot, for example, the end result is usually a ball that flies long. Without seeing you hit, I'd say it's a question of technique and hitting through the ball.

Now we are getting somewhere.

The areas of concern given the information above can be different things in isolation or a combination of things.

Certainly, leaning backward off the back foot can contribute to hitting under the ball or opening the racquet face and hitting the ball long.

However, what I like about your approach is you are getting to the WHY of things. Keep going, there is more to this then meets the eye.

Some areas to consider are:

1. Use of the non-dominant arm and how it contributes to balance, weight transfer and acceleration

2. Overrotation: Can really play havoc with the brain maintaining where the racquet is in relation to the contact area and the angle of the racquet at impact. Lots of things can happen including an unconscious adjustment in the wrist to compensate for a lack of balance.

3. How one stabalizes themselves in their setup for the hit and if their setup is on time. If it is not on time and the ball is closer to them, this might cause them to send their weight slightly backward. An obvious answer to this is physical conditioning, footwork, footspeed, etc...

4. Thinking that power equals more force. When in tennis, power often is a combination of clean contact and good timing.

5. Not understanding the relationship between power and placement. Power is an accent to your ability to be consistent, hit with depth and place the ball.

6. Drooping the racquet head too much and "golfing" the ball.

 

[wihamilton]

i think that i might be brushing at the back of the ball instead of hitting into the ball while going from low to high for the spin. but is to much spin bad becasue it slows down your shot right??

Brushing the ball definitely gives you more spin but it's not going to cause you to hit 10 feet over the net (assuming your strings are facing the net at contact). Opening your string face @ contact will do that. There is certainly a balance between spin and power you need to find. However, hitting with a lot of spin allows you to hit harder because, chances are, that spin will pull the ball into the court.

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

Now we are getting somewhere.

The areas of concern given the information above can be different things in isolation or a combination of things.

Certainly, leaning backward off the back foot can contribute to hitting under the ball or opening the racquet face and hitting the ball long.

However, what I like about your approach is you are getting to the WHY of things. Keep going, there is more to this then meets the eye.

Some areas to consider are:

1. Use of the non-dominant arm and how it contributes to balance, weight transfer and acceleration

2. Overrotation: Can really play havoc with the brain maintaining where the racquet is in relation to the contact area and the angle of the racquet at impact. Lots of things can happen including an unconscious adjustment in the wrist to compensate for a lack of balance.

3. How one stabalizes themselves in their setup for the hit and if their setup is on time. If it is not on time and the ball is closer to them, this might cause them to send their weight slightly backward. An obvious answer to this is physical conditioning, footwork, footspeed, etc...

4. Thinking that power equals more force. When in tennis, power often is a combination of clean contact and good timing.

5. Not understanding the relationship between power and placement. Power is an accent to your ability to be consistent, hit with depth and place the ball.

6. Drooping the racquet head too much and "golfing" the ball.

Well written!

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Well written!

LOL, actually I was trying to get you to offer more information on your analysis above. I was just trying to provide avenues of discussion.

I thought it was very insightful that you didnt give the normal answer like "you are hitting off your back foot" which is a reasonable answer in and of itself.

I wanted to learn more about how you came up with your advice. What have you seen, etc...

 

[babolat141]

ok well wen u say overrotaition do u mean like hitting the ball late or early and wen i hit the ball should i be off the ground naturally or am i supposed to jump

p.s. do you know any videos on youtube that could help

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

LOL, actually I was trying to get you to offer more information on your analysis above. I was just trying to provide avenues of discussion.

I thought it was very insightful that you didnt give the normal answer like "you are hitting off your back foot" which is a reasonable answer in and of itself.

I wanted to learn more about how you came up with your advice. What have you seen, etc...

I actually hit with a good amount of topspin myself and remember dealing with this issue at some point in my playing. I remember the way I actually dealt with it was having to readjust my grip. This was the biggest thing for me, I mean it offered 80% better results. After that, it was situtational. Depending on the ball, I would have to adjust either footwork and or wrist/arm kinetics along with timing and footwork (KNEES, KNEES, KNEES), and thaen memorize these situations for next time. This is especially important for "topspiners." I can usually pinpoint almost 80% of all faults in a game to either footwork (including knees) and timing. This is how I came up with the diagnosis I gave on my earlier post.
I found that on approach shots, I was rushing the ball, as many do when learning to hit approach shots. I realized it was about timing and placement (footwork). I think footwork and posture (knees, etc.) are overlooked by intermediate players who struggle to raise thier games but can't seem to look beyond simple answers to improve. A lot of times it's the subleties that can make the biggest difference, things beyond the "don't hit off of your back foot.." advice.

 

[babolat141]

are ther any good videos on how to put your whole body in a shot ????

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I can usually pinpoint almost 80% of all faults in a game to either footwork (including knees) and timing. This is how I came up with the diagnosis I gave on my earlier post.

Yes, one of the problems with moving and then standing straight up when you hit is trying to stay balanced through the whole shot without falling over. Thus the body executes compensating adjustments usually in the fine motor area which is very subtle and goes largely undiagnosed into the "why" someone is falling backwards.

I found that on approach shots, I was rushing the ball, as many do when learning to hit approach shots. I realized it was about timing and placement (footwork).

Exactly right. Approach shots or short balls are often plagued at the club level with huge swings. It is very deceiving to see the pros hit these hard balls and think that we can just roll out of bed and hit them too. We may get one or two but we also miss a lot more. It is the one and two that we make that have us going to the well one too many times.

As you indicated, the key to power especially on the approach shot or short ball is not force or swinging harder, it is all about timing (including footwork). Making clean contact means you hit the ball right in that sweet spot of the racquet and with good timing/weight transfer the ball zooms by the opponent for a winner.

When hitting an approach shot or a short ball, timing, clean contact and placement are the most important things to practice and memorize.

I think footwork and posture (knees, etc.) are overlooked by intermediate players who struggle to raise thier games but can't seem to look beyond simple answers to improve. A lot of times it's the subleties that can make the biggest difference, things beyond the "don't hit off of your back foot.." advice.

Yup, on the footwork, you are preaching to the choir.

Good job on the insight

 

[shwetty[tennis]balls]

Yes, one of the problems with moving and then standing straight up when you hit is trying to stay balanced through the whole shot without falling over. Thus the body executes compensating adjustments usually in the fine motor area which is very subtle and goes largely undiagnosed into the "why" someone is falling backwards.



Exactly right. Approach shots or short balls are often plagued at the club level with huge swings. It is very deceiving to see the pros hit these hard balls and think that we can just roll out of bed and hit them too. We may get one or two but we also miss a lot more. It is the one and two that we make that have us going to the well one too many times.

As you indicated, the key to power especially on the approach shot or short ball is not force or swinging harder, it is all about timing (including footwork). Making clean contact means you hit the ball right in that sweet spot of the racquet and with good timing/weight transfer the ball zooms by the opponent for a winner.

When hitting an approach shot or a short ball, timing, clean contact and placement are the most important things to practice and memorize.




Yup, on the footwork, you are preaching to the choir.

Good job on the insight

Thanks-----

 

[babolat141]

um is ther any videos on how to put all of your weight in a shot tht any of u all know of

 

[BullDogTennis]

I have a full western grip I believe and when I flatten out I usually slide my hand to a little bit more semi western(like a short ball I have time to) and make sure I get my racket back lean forward and uncoil myself into the ball(its all in the hips and legs and abs) and I dont swing AS low to high