This is true, however you couldn't reverse it right? "What happens before contact is determined by what happens after contact" is an obvious contradiction. So anything that happens after the strings make contact is irrelevant to what the ball will do.Fact: what happens after contact is determined by what happens before contact.
J
I think you need a good start and middle in order to have a good finish. For example, if you have a huge take back on your FH, you are probably going to have timing issues no matter how consistently you finish. I've think a good prep and start is as important as a good finish. I've seen lower intermediate players that open the face on the take back and that pretty much kills any chance of hitting a good topspin FH.
This is true, however you couldn't reverse it right? "What happens before contact is determined by what happens after contact" is an obvious contradiction. So anything that happens after the strings make contact is irrelevant to what the ball will do.
I understand that for some people focusing on what the racquet does after contact helps them with something like their swing path. This seems more like a heuristic than a logical argument though. Sure it works mentally, but you could do whatever you wanted with the racquet after contact and still hit the ball fine. It wouldn't be natural or helpful, but you could make a goofy looking followthrough and still hit the ball well...presumably.
So the reality is that if the turn is correct, and the timing of the turn is correct, and the finish is correct--meaning the extension of the forward swing, then everything else almost always takes care of itself.
Congratz you have reached your next milestone of Tennis understanding, I was in your shoes months ago and also believed in the same thing.
however to save you time I recommend you focus more on before and after contact instead only on finish.
Let me give you some support here and show you that you are likely more correct than you realize.Yes but tell someone to swing freely. He/she won't get it. But tell someone to always think about finishing your racket wrapping around. That will make them think - how do i get to that? You can't get that position without rotating your core and swinging loosely. That's the idea.
You can't or you don't? I honestly think trying to fix a follow through is trying to put a band aid on any problems that are occurring pre-contact. Like the reason you miss a shot is not because the racquet didn't finish in the right place, although that might be indicative of a problem occurring earlier. Why wouldn't you just go to the source of the problem?You can't make any adjustments mid swing, so you control where you start and look at where you finish.
J
You can't or you don't? I honestly think trying to fix a follow through is trying to put a band aid on any problems that are occurring pre-contact. Like the reason you miss a shot is not because the racquet didn't finish in the right place, although that might be indicative of a problem occurring earlier. Why wouldn't you just go to the source of the problem?
The torture of the dependent intermediary factors. Without them this section of the board would collapse.
John, do you agree with this video? It speaks speaks of 4 key phases:
(1) Slot position. See first dot in Pic 1 below.
(2) Contact point. See second dot.
(3) Lift up several inches after contact point. See third dot. Racquet tip should still be facing rightwards after contact.
(4) After lift up, "release" into finish. Racquet tip should still be facing skywards.
According to video, many rec players will skip phase #3 and fail to sufficiently lift up after contact. In other words, they will actively "swing into the finish" (incorrect) instead of properly "releasing" into the finish.
Agreed. It is all about the Finnish.
Some outstanding examples...
First of all he is leaning.
Secondly he is lifting his hand.
Additionally he has no separation.
If he ever hit like this in real life his shot would be slow and he would perpetually be shanking the ball off the bottom of his frame.
Not sure why he is demoing like that. He held a world ranking so he knows how to hit.
It works for me. Whenever my coach reminds me to point my elbow forward on the forehand, it automatically becomes more consistent and deep. If I could only do that more often on the 2HBH.After all these years of learning tennis, I've come to the conclusion that if you focus on your finish, your shots automatically become consistent.
People go on and on about 'pat the dog', 'drop on edge, 'watch the ball' blah blah. They are important but not the most important things to get a consistent shot.
Just watch Djokovic here. Look at his racket on every shot no matter where he is - all shots finish with his racket literally behind his back.
When I just focus on this, my shots become super consistent. I hit all sorts - cross, dtl with power and consistency. The trouble is maintaining it throughout the match. As soon as you tense up, the finish is affected. You should let go on every shot I've realised. The right shoulder should point at the direction of the ball at the finish.
I wonder if the same principle could be applied to the serve?
Yea, you realized the contradiction and decided to try something different that is commendable because a lot of other rec players are usually too afraid to throw away most of what they are told and try something different.That's all I have done over the years @pencilcheck but I reached a frustrating plateau. I kept thinking why do I suck despite watching the ball, pat-the dog, head still etc. etc? That's when I started focussing on the finish. I realised I was stopping the racket (rotation) or something was not in sync. When you focus on the finish no matter where you are - baseline, midway, stretched ... you take a full swing at the ball with the finish, the ball stays in with power and consistency.
If it's all about the Finnish, then why only 1 player (male or female) ranked in the top 200? Weak sauce!!Agreed. It is all about the Finnish.
Some outstanding examples...
Your tennis chauvinism is showing. Tennis is not the world. Nordic countries have more Olympic medals per capita then any other area. And of all countries, Finland is number one in this regard. Hardly what one would call "weak sauce'.If it's all about the Finnish, then why only 1 player (male or female) ranked in the top 200? Weak sauce!!
you are correct!After all these years of learning tennis, I've come to the conclusion that if you focus on your finish, your shots automatically become consistent.
People go on and on about 'pat the dog', 'drop on edge, 'watch the ball' blah blah. They are important but not the most important things to get a consistent shot.
Just watch Djokovic here. Look at his racket on every shot no matter where he is - all shots finish with his racket literally behind his back.
When I just focus on this, my shots become super consistent. I hit all sorts - cross, dtl with power and consistency. The trouble is maintaining it throughout the match. As soon as you tense up, the finish is affected. You should let go on every shot I've realised. The right shoulder should point at the direction of the ball at the finish.
I wonder if the same principle could be applied to the serve?
I doubt Nadim got a fair treatment by people only seeing a few pictures of him.
This is the video.
Does my FH at 1:50 count?Can anyone in this thread post a video of someone hitting a bad shot with a good finish?
J
To be fair, I think he has a good point that most people focuses on finish wasn't finishing the stroke, therefore the shot just go spraying and out of control.First of all he is leaning.
Secondly he is lifting his hand.
Additionally he has no separation.
If he ever hit like this in real life his shot would be slow and he would perpetually be shanking the ball off the bottom of his frame.
J
He is clearly on the right track here as he points out where the "finish" of the stroke begins as you put your intended work into the contact.....then he goes on to break out the last part of the finish as the 'release' to the 'finish point'. The shape of that release should be generated by how the racket is "worked" thru the contact.His emphasizes on the hit through on contact is definitely very useful and should be studied and practiced further.