Mbzfinal

New User
Hi Everyone,
I'm 29 years' old back to tennis after 14 years. Currently 4.0 - 4.5, playing with prokennex Black Ace 300.
Following a bad tennis elbow (Right arm) and an elbow surgery on the right arm also due to ulnar nerve compression, i'have started analysing everything that i was doing wrong through personal courses with a personnal trainer and it appears that my main issue was related to 2 key points:
1- Bad balance/ Stability. Either always going back or not transfering the weight from right feet to the left one resulting on less power and unbalance
2- According to my personal trainer, i'm using only my arm on the forehand or sometimes using the Arm with the shoulder and hips in the same time, resulting on pain in each forehand, less power and also lose of stability. This is the key point that i would like to enhance through this post.

I've learned to use the non hitting arm (Left one), coil de body, bend my knees before my strokes but as soon as i'm going to hit the balls, it's like i'm not able to do all this kinetic chain from legs --> hips --> Shoulder --> then arm. it's like i do have lot of information and i can't just follow everything before hitting the ball. The more i learn these kind of information, the more i'm playing bad as lot of information start going through my mind
I've seen many videos and i do understand what should be done (Looking at Alcaraz or Djokovic as an example), but when i try to copy them (trying to send my shoulders first so that the arm just follows), i do lose all the control as i dont even know when my raquet will be at a certain point of time.
Also, as i'm a big top spin player, i'm not even able to imagine how a big top spin forehand can be done using the shoulder and hips as the image on my mind is mainly through a big swing from Low to high through the arm.

So, following all this, i'm asking you for help and advice, or perhaps tips and videos that you can share with me that can make me learn the fundamentals so that i can be used to use my hips and shoulder first and that the arm will only follow. i'm really struggling with that and i know that this is exactly what aggravates my tennis elbow.
My personal trainer do give me some tips but perhaps it just not the best ones and i'm not able to assimilate them and apply them.

here is a video of my forehand

Thank you everyone for your help and time.
 
Last edited:

Dragy

Legend
Hello! You need to see yourself on video, otherwise following tips from internet videos is useless.
If you want constructive feedback from other people, they need to see you, or you get just same words you already now but cannot apply for your benefit.

So record your hitting and consider posting on here, that's where the road starts.
 

badmice2

Professional
If you understand the weight transfer of a medicine ball toss, then you should work on the same transfer on your ground strokes. You’ll realize that your hands/arm/shoulders doesn’t do anything else but move/deliver the ball in a straight line.

The only thing that will get in your way is your eagerness to hit the ball instead of getting into position for the weight transfer.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
Hello! You need to see yourself on video, otherwise following tips from internet videos is useless.
If you want constructive feedback from other people, they need to see you, or you get just same words you already now but cannot apply for your benefit.

So record your hitting and consider posting on here, that's where the road starts.
Hello, i do have videos that i can show you but i dont know how to do it ? COul you please let me know the best way to upload a videos in this website without having to add it on Youtube ? Thank you

Here’s my advice. Don’t try to do that. It is wrong.
COuld you please explain me why ? I'm not sure to perfectly understand the reason behind.

You say you are a big topspin player, does that mean you are using poly?
Since my surgery, i'm playing with Hybrid (Babolat Natural Gut main) and Head Lynx Yelow 1.25 cross with 48 LBS. What's your point exatcly? I'm also saying i'm a big topspin player based on my view, i know that i do not go push on the ball or go through the ball but i tend to do like a quick C from right to left.

If you understand the weight transfer of a medicine ball toss, then you should work on the same transfer on your ground strokes. You’ll realize that your hands/arm/shoulders doesn’t do anything else but move/deliver the ball in a straight line.

The only thing that will get in your way is your eagerness to hit the ball instead of getting into position for the weight transfer.
Apologies, but i do not understand exactly what you are referring to. I did try to train with a Basket Ball (My personal trainer didn't have any medicine ball) et i tried to strike some balls with it by keeping balance. But As soon as i try to hit with my racket it's completely different.
I really struggle on this and i just wonder if some of you can have the best words and advice as i'm not able to correctly imagine the stroke.

Thank you all for your help.
 

badmice2

Professional
Hello, i do have videos that i can show you but i dont know how to do it ? COul you please let me know the best way to upload a videos in this website without having to add it on Youtube ? Thank you


COuld you please explain me why ? I'm not sure to perfectly understand the reason behind.


Since my surgery, i'm playing with Hybrid (Babolat Natural Gut main) and Head Lynx Yelow 1.25 cross with 48 LBS. What's your point exatcly? I'm also saying i'm a big topspin player based on my view, i know that i do not go push on the ball or go through the ball but i tend to do like a quick C from right to left.


Apologies, but i do not understand exactly what you are referring to. I did try to train with a Basket Ball (My personal trainer didn't have any medicine ball) et i tried to strike some balls with it by keeping balance. But As soon as i try to hit with my racket it's completely different.
I really struggle on this and i just wonder if some of you can have the best words and advice as i'm not able to correctly imagine the stroke.

Thank you all for your help.

Here you go. Notice when she fires the ball the “leading hand” goes straight (right hand for forehand, left hand for backhand) and extends forward for as long as possible. The leading hand is simply guiding the ball towards the target of the delivery. Power comes from her core, not just the hips.

With that concept, picture when your racket makes contact with the ball, and how the strings are square to the ball all the way through the linear direction…

The question becomes…how to you lead your hand and forearm to deliver your racket/strings to stay linear.
 

Mbzfinal

New User

Here you go. Notice when she fires the ball the “leading hand” goes straight (right hand for forehand, left hand for backhand) and extends forward for as long as possible. The leading hand is simply guiding the ball towards the target of the delivery. Power comes from her core, not just the hips.

With that concept, picture when your racket makes contact with the ball, and how the strings are square to the ball all the way through the linear direction…

The question becomes…how to you lead your hand and forearm to deliver your racket/strings to stay linear.
Just to clarify my issue, here's a videos of a person that do have the same issue as me but does have a more advanced level.
- Starting from minute 6, they are showing a comparison between the guy learning and pro players where hips and shoulders are coming first and leading then the arm. The only thing is that i'm not able to learn it on my own.

Also, for the example you showed me with the medicine ball, i do understand the point and i'm able to stay linear with the ball. But the forehand stroke is not that similar as you are not connecting both hand. iWith the medicine ball i'm doing it good and as soon as i start doing top spins with real raquet, it's like i lose all the linear action and i start only "shaving" the ball without giving anymore power.
As soon as i try to think push (go thorugh the ball) and not only "shaving it" from low to high, i lose all the control and i start doing long errors.

Thank you for your help.
 

badmice2

Professional
Just to clarify my issue, here's a videos of a person that do have the same issue as me but does have a more advanced level.
- Starting from minute 6, they are showing a comparison between the guy learning and pro players where hips and shoulders are coming first and leading then the arm. The only thing is that i'm not able to learn it on my own.

Also, for the example you showed me with the medicine ball, i do understand the point and i'm able to stay linear with the ball. But the forehand stroke is not that similar as you are not connecting both hand. iWith the medicine ball i'm doing it good and as soon as i start doing top spins with real raquet, it's like i lose all the linear action and i start only "shaving" the ball without giving anymore power.
As soon as i try to think push (go thorugh the ball) and not only "shaving it" from low to high, i lose all the control and i start doing long errors.

Thank you for your help.
that's potentially an easy fix. If there's a video of you hitting it might help a little quicker.

This is the same issue I've seen with a few juniors i work with. In short you're elbow position with your forehand prep is likely a bit closer/tucked to your body. Since that elbow is somewhat pinched, you're now delivering your forehand through your elbow.

Making sure your racket drops might be the key to the fix. The tendency could be that you're a bit focus on getting your racket through your waist/hip and therefore you're doing what you need to stay in that position. Letting your racket drop and allowing your elbow to release with you hands will work. Another thing would be to let your hand/racket release going forward rather than staying through your hips.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
that's potentially an easy fix. If there's a video of you hitting it might help a little quicker.

This is the same issue I've seen with a few juniors i work with. In short you're elbow position with your forehand prep is likely a bit closer/tucked to your body. Since that elbow is somewhat pinched, you're now delivering your forehand through your elbow.

Making sure your racket drops might be the key to the fix. The tendency could be that you're a bit focus on getting your racket through your waist/hip and therefore you're doing what you need to stay in that position. Letting your racket drop and allowing your elbow to release with you hands will work. Another thing would be to let your hand/racket release going forward rather than staying through your hips.
Thank you !
I will try to upload a videos on Youtube and then share with you the link so that you can see exactly how i'm doing my stroke.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
that's potentially an easy fix. If there's a video of you hitting it might help a little quicker.

This is the same issue I've seen with a few juniors i work with. In short you're elbow position with your forehand prep is likely a bit closer/tucked to your body. Since that elbow is somewhat pinched, you're now delivering your forehand through your elbow.

Making sure your racket drops might be the key to the fix. The tendency could be that you're a bit focus on getting your racket through your waist/hip and therefore you're doing what you need to stay in that position. Letting your racket drop and allowing your elbow to release with you hands will work. Another thing would be to let your hand/racket release going forward rather than staying through your hips.
Hello! You need to see yourself on video, otherwise following tips from internet videos is useless.
If you want constructive feedback from other people, they need to see you, or you get just same words you already now but cannot apply for your benefit.

So record your hitting and consider posting on here, that's where the road starts.

Here is the lin’ to my videos. Apologies im not good with this videos creation soi dont know how the quality went from perfect on my iphone to this bad on youtube.

Perhaps you will not see it as i did lower the speed of the video. However, what i'm feeling is that there is no power on my strokes, and additionally i'm getting hurt at each forehand. Also lot of time my forehand goes directly to the net.

thank you. For your time and advice
 

Dragy

Legend
Here is the lin’ to my videos. Apologies im not good with this videos creation soi dont know how the quality went from perfect on my iphone to this bad on youtube.

Perhaps you will not see it as i did lower the speed of the video. However, what i'm feeling is that there is no power on my strokes, and additionally i'm getting hurt at each forehand. Also lot of time my forehand goes directly to the net.

thank you. For your time and advice
I cannot tell for sure, but it seems to me you hit in the lower part of the stringbed (closer to the floor) a lot. Which’s makes it extra harsh compared to clean hitting. Look if it feels better and goes with more power if you attack the ball with the leading edge more.

You also do activate your arm too early, you may rotate your shoulder farther forward before “activating” your racquet. Try to do some fade-type shots, where you rotate your torso while leaving arm lagging all the way till contact, with fully laid back wrist, like this (as a drill, not forever):

downloadpicturepreview.pp
 

Mbzfinal

New User
I cannot tell for sure, but it seems to me you hit in the lower part of the stringbed (closer to the floor) a lot. Which’s makes it extra harsh compared to clean hitting. Look if it feels better and goes with more power if you attack the ball with the leading edge more.

You also do activate your arm too early, you may rotate your shoulder farther forward before “activating” your racquet. Try to do some fade-type shots, where you rotate your torso while leaving arm lagging all the way till contact, with fully laid back wrist, like this (as a drill, not forever):
Hello Dragy, this is exactly what i'm referring to in this thread. I know that i'm mainly using my arm early and instead i need to learn how to go from HIps shoulder and then Arm that will just follow. but i'm really struggling on this as i've tried many training and as soon as i start playing point, the normal habit come back and i start losing everying.
If you have any videos that you can share with me or drills that i need to repeat at home or during the training so that i muscle my memory and make it become a habit.

Thank you very much
 

badmice2

Professional
Here is the lin’ to my videos. Apologies im not good with this videos creation soi dont know how the quality went from perfect on my iphone to this bad on youtube.

Perhaps you will not see it as i did lower the speed of the video. However, what i'm feeling is that there is no power on my strokes, and additionally i'm getting hurt at each forehand. Also lot of time my forehand goes directly to the net.

thank you. For your time and advice
This is good. As I suspect a lot of action delivered through your elbow.

Coming across that you’re forcing your top spin a bit too much. Notice your entire arm doesn’t get fully extended? your elbow becomes the hinge that manages most of the force that comes into you and have to “muscle” for the redirect. :26, which exaggerated, it’s the extend where your delivery really falls apart.

Your best forehand? Surprisingly is your ball feed! You deliver your racket all the way straight in-line beyond the through ball. That ball feed action is actually how you should deliver your forehand. Top spin comes from rolling the ball low to high. Your hands steer to your left only because you can’t go forward any longer and naturally it has to go somewhere. Delivering forward does more good than you think.

As a test, put a ball on the ground with your racket facing down, roll the ball forward from this position and eventually bring your string bed facing forward. This sounds absolutely silly but is the basis of good top spin. Bringing that structure to knee/hip height is where you want to initiate your stroke.

This is a good video to think about the stroke:

 
Last edited:
Since my surgery, i'm playing with Hybrid (Babolat Natural Gut main) and Head Lynx Yelow 1.25 cross with 48 LBS. What's your point exatcly? I'm also saying i'm a big topspin player based on my view, i know that i do not go push on the ball or go through the ball but i tend to do like a quick C from right to left.
Poly is known to cause some people tennis elbow.
 

badmice2

Professional
Poly is known to cause some people tennis elbow.
(Poly + bad technique)(time) = elbow issues

I had elbow surgery a year and a half ago. It’s been a long time coming for me given how long I’ve played tennis (20+ years) compounded with poly + heavy racket. I had put of surgery for 5 years and finally cave in when one day my hand long pink/ring finger area went numb and didn’t come back. Long story short had the same ulnar decompression surgery to remove scar tissue along the ulnar canal and took out some bone spurs.
 

Dragy

Legend
Hello Dragy, this is exactly what i'm referring to in this thread. I know that i'm mainly using my arm early and instead i need to learn how to go from HIps shoulder and then Arm that will just follow. but i'm really struggling on this as i've tried many training and as soon as i start playing point, the normal habit come back and i start losing everying.
If you have any videos that you can share with me or drills that i need to repeat at home or during the training so that i muscle my memory and make it become a habit.

Thank you very much
The solution might be to slow down. Uncoil longer, start uncoiling earlier, while keeping everything else relaxed, just clean contact, that’s it. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to hit all across the court when you have that full uncoil, even if not very rapidly accelerated, and clean contact.
 

badmice2

Professional
The solution might be to slow down. Uncoil longer, start uncoiling earlier, while keeping everything else relaxed, just clean contact, that’s it. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to hit all across the court when you have that full uncoil, even if not very rapidly accelerated, and clean contact.
Only thing to piggy back to that will be you need time. Therefore make sure you can get to your position as soon as possible (I know harder said than done).
 

Mbzfinal

New User
This is good. As I suspect a lot of action delivered through your elbow.

Coming across that you’re forcing your top spin a bit too much. Notice your entire arm doesn’t get fully extended? your elbow becomes the hinge that manages most of the force that comes into you and have to “muscle” for the redirect. :26, which exaggerated, it’s the extend where your delivery really falls apart.

Your best forehand? Surprisingly is your ball feed! You deliver your racket all the way straight in-line beyond the through ball. That ball feed action is actually how you should deliver your forehand. Top spin comes from rolling the ball low to high. Your hands steer to your left only because you can’t go forward any longer and naturally it has to go somewhere. Delivering forward does more good than you think.

As a test, put a ball on the ground with your racket facing down, roll the ball forward from this position and eventually bring your string bed facing forward. This sounds absolutely silly but is the basis of good top spin. Bringing that structure to knee/hip height is where you want to initiate your stroke.

This is a good video to think about the stroke:

HEllo Badmice. Thank you for the advice.
i do perfecetly understand what you are referring to So in your opinion what should i do to avoid the fact that my elbow is the one receiving and delivering all the force. This is probably the reason why i do still have the tennis elbow.
As regards my ball feed, the issue is that a normal forehand there is the "Western grip or semi western grip" and the fact that i need to have the ball at a specific place in front of me in order to hit it well while during the ball feed i do not change anything in the grip, or my placement. I keep just everything relaxed which i'm not able to do with my normal stroke.
I will check your video and will try to learn it that way.

(Poly + bad technique)(time) = elbow issues

I had elbow surgery a year and a half ago. It’s been a long time coming for me given how long I’ve played tennis (20+ years) compounded with poly + heavy racket. I had put of surgery for 5 years and finally cave in when one day my hand long pink/ring finger area went numb and didn’t come back. Long story short had the same ulnar decompression surgery to remove scar tissue along the ulnar canal and took out some bone spurs.
I hope you're doing good now and that you could start playing tennis again. What i just learned is that this is mainly related to bad technique. The strings and raquets will just aggrevate it but with a good technique it's tolerable.

The solution might be to slow down. Uncoil longer, start uncoiling earlier, while keeping everything else relaxed, just clean contact, that’s it. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to hit all across the court when you have that full uncoil, even if not very rapidly accelerated, and clean contact.
Thank you Dragy. It seems to be easy to say haha but when i start playing, lot of things come to my mind and i'm not able to just be relax a uncoil as you are saying.
I need here just to have like 3 or 4 Steps to start applying in order to change my habit. Something that i can give to my trainer so that we can do it with ball feeding and shadow swinging for example.

Only thing to piggy back to that will be you need time. Therefore make sure you can get to your position as soon as possible (I know harder said than done).
Yes i think also i'm pretty late on each ball. or perhaps its like i just try to reach the ball and not set-up to have a nice touch on the ball.
 

Dragy

Legend
Thank you Dragy. It seems to be easy to say haha but when i start playing, lot of things come to my mind and i'm not able to just be relax a uncoil as you are saying.
I need here just to have like 3 or 4 Steps to start applying in order to change my habit. Something that i can give to my trainer so that we can do it with ball feeding and shadow swinging for example.
That’s why you don’t need to play but to train. Set up controlled drilling where you are focused on single item.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
That’s why you don’t need to play but to train. Set up controlled drilling where you are focused on single item.
I'm only doing training but i'm training many things at the same time (Balance, Stability, keeping the eye on the ball, taking the ball early on the rise, taking the ball in front, transfer balance from Right to left). I will ask my trainer to do 1 by 1.
Out of all these, what would be the main thing to focus on when you look at my forehand ?
 

ppma

Professional
Here is the lin’ to my videos. Apologies im not good with this videos creation soi dont know how the quality went from perfect on my iphone to this bad on youtube.

Perhaps you will not see it as i did lower the speed of the video. However, what i'm feeling is that there is no power on my strokes, and additionally i'm getting hurt at each forehand. Also lot of time my forehand goes directly to the net.

thank you. For your time and advice
You're hitting late thus hitting along the stage you're still accelerating, thus racquet head speed is not maximized, thus your perceived lack of power. Embrace hitting more up front. This is part of the reason your hitting side half of the body stays back.
 
Last edited:

Dragy

Legend
I'm only doing training but i'm training many things at the same time (Balance, Stability, keeping the eye on the ball, taking the ball early on the rise, taking the ball in front, transfer balance from Right to left). I will ask my trainer to do 1 by 1.
Out of all these, what would be the main thing to focus on when you look at my forehand ?
It may be not that important what to focus on. Try first whatever is aimed directly at your comfort, fluidity, easy power and no pain. Everything else after.

You also shouldn’t go with one same focus for whole session. 7-10 min of one drill, 2-3 drills focused on one theme, then go next. But repeat your main focus every session.
 

mcs1970

Hall of Fame
Hello Dragy, this is exactly what i'm referring to in this thread. I know that i'm mainly using my arm early and instead i need to learn how to go from HIps shoulder and then Arm that will just follow. but i'm really struggling on this as i've tried many training and as soon as i start playing point, the normal habit come back and i start losing everying.
If you have any videos that you can share with me or drills that i need to repeat at home or during the training so that i muscle my memory and make it become a habit.

Thank you very much
Just to clarify my issue, here's a videos of a person that do have the same issue as me but does have a more advanced level.
- Starting from minute 6, they are showing a comparison between the guy learning and pro players where hips and shoulders are coming first and leading then the arm. The only thing is that i'm not able to learn it on my own.

Also, for the example you showed me with the medicine ball, i do understand the point and i'm able to stay linear with the ball. But the forehand stroke is not that similar as you are not connecting both hand. iWith the medicine ball i'm doing it good and as soon as i start doing top spins with real raquet, it's like i lose all the linear action and i start only "shaving" the ball without giving anymore power.
As soon as i try to think push (go thorugh the ball) and not only "shaving it" from low to high, i lose all the control and i start doing long errors.

Thank you for your help.

Losing control is ok if you are doing the correct thing. One of the videos I saw had a good point. The coach talked about how everyone talks about generating your own power but not enough about generating your own control.

If you feel you are doing the correct things, you feel the weight transfer is correct then keep doing it and learn control

One other thing with an open stance fh or any fh is that there is still a forward drive component. You might be focusing too much on the circular motion and finish but forgetting the forward drive component.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
Losing control is ok if you are doing the correct thing. One of the videos I saw had a good point. The coach talked about how everyone talks about generating your own power but not enough about generating your own control.

If you feel you are doing the correct things, you feel the weight transfer is correct then keep doing it and learn control

One other thing with an open stance fh or any fh is that there is still a forward drive component. You might be focusing too much on the circular motion and finish but forgetting the forward drive component.
Thank you ! I will try focusing more on just going forward after each stroke and also taking the ball in front.
This will be my main focus the upcoming days.
Any additional advice or tips will be welcome.
Thank you
 

badmice2

Professional
Thank you ! I will try focusing more on just going forward after each stroke and also taking the ball in front.
This will be my main focus the upcoming days.
Any additional advice or tips will be welcome.
Thank you
Piggybacking on this, taking your racket to meet it forward, and continue forward after connecting with the ball, where you can. You will quickly find whether you have space and time to deliver your racket through the ball pending your footwork/location where you strike. Try and feel the delivery as much as possible for now before you focus on locating your ball on court.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
Piggybacking on this, taking your racket to meet it forward, and continue forward after connecting with the ball, where you can. You will quickly find whether you have space and time to deliver your racket through the ball pending your footwork/location where you strike. Try and feel the delivery as much as possible for now before you focus on locating your ball on court.
Hello Badmice.
Apologies but this is not completely clear for me. What do you mean by Piggybacking ? And also "Deliver your racket through the ball pending your footwork/location where your strike". What do you mean exactly here ?
Thank you
 

fecund345

Rookie
My observations:

Loosen your grip by hitting the ball with 2 fingers, index and middle, and the thumb holding the racket at the butt with the ring and pinkie off the racket. Do this for a while until your brain can emulate the loosness with your regular grip

After you get racket back step toward the ball with front foot after the bounce.

Lead with relaxed hand, keep back foot in place going up on your toe, after the hit allow the front foot to come forward.

Loose grip , stepping into the hit whipping the hand through first, and delaying the back foot will create a fearhand that will be feared by many.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
My observations:

Loosen your grip by hitting the ball with 2 fingers, index and middle, and the thumb holding the racket at the butt with the ring and pinkie off the racket. Do this for a while until your brain can emulate the loosness with your regular grip

After you get racket back step toward the ball with front foot after the bounce.

Lead with relaxed hand, keep back foot in place going up on your toe, after the hit allow the front foot to come forward.

Loose grip , stepping into the hit whipping the hand through first, and delaying the back foot will create a fearhand that will be feared by many.
Hello !
Many thanks for these clear tips. I think that you saw something i was not aware of and now i understand it.
1- I was not preparing well before the ball bounce. I was waiting for the bounce to start my take back while normally the take back should be already prepared so that i can just move forward to the ball.
2- In every ball i'm not moving foreward or i'm not transfering the weight from a feet to the other. So i need to more train my open and close stance. It seems like i'm either going back ward at each forehand, or i'm moving both my feet with the stroke and NOT as you explained, as i should wait to hit the ball and then follow up with the back foot to the front.

When you say i should "Step toward the ball with front foot after the bounce", my weight should be on this front foot. So to clarify it, it should be 1- Take racket take back, -->2- wait for ball bounce, 3--> Step forward with front foot and hit the ball, 4--> wait to finish the stroke to follow with the back leg. I'm i right ?

When you say "Keep back foot in place going up on your toe, after the hit allow the front foot to come forward". But itn this case the front foot is already forward no? It's the backfoot that should come forward after the hit no?

Thank you again.
 

ppma

Professional
Hello !
Many thanks for these clear tips. I think that you saw something i was not aware of and now i understand it.
1- I was not preparing well before the ball bounce. I was waiting for the bounce to start my take back while normally the take back should be already prepared so that i can just move forward to the ball.
2- In every ball i'm not moving foreward or i'm not transfering the weight from a feet to the other. So i need to more train my open and close stance. It seems like i'm either going back ward at each forehand, or i'm moving both my feet with the stroke and NOT as you explained, as i should wait to hit the ball and then follow up with the back foot to the front.

When you say i should "Step toward the ball with front foot after the bounce", my weight should be on this front foot. So to clarify it, it should be 1- Take racket take back, -->2- wait for ball bounce, 3--> Step forward with front foot and hit the ball, 4--> wait to finish the stroke to follow with the back leg. I'm i right ?

When you say "Keep back foot in place going up on your toe, after the hit allow the front foot to come forward". But itn this case the front foot is already forward no? It's the backfoot that should come forward after the hit no?

Thank you again.
All that sums ip in that you are allowing the ball to catch you. Most of that will come in place if you assume that your ideal hitting spot is more up front.
 

Mbzfinal

New User
All that sums ip in that you are allowing the ball to catch you. Most of that will come in place if you assume that your ideal hitting spot is more up front.
you're absolutely right ! i need to step up to the ball and not wait the ball to come to me. Need to work a little steps before each ball.
Any nice videos on footwork to advice ?
 

ppma

Professional
you're absolutely right ! i need to step up to the ball and not wait the ball to come to me. Need to work a little steps before each ball.
Any nice videos on footwork to advice ?
The first thing you need to know is where you should hit the ball. That's around the position where the wrist is neutral, arm almost straight, waisth height. Of course this changes depending on the in-game situation, but it's a good place to start: common easy groundstrokes.

Then i'd go to almost static to full-pace balls. First, find someone who feeds you balls with little forward velocity until you find the spot, here fast and accurate footwork should not be of major concern. Then increase the pace to produce a rythm based kinetic chain and tune the footwork.
 

badmice2

Professional
Hello !
Many thanks for these clear tips. I think that you saw something i was not aware of and now i understand it.
1- I was not preparing well before the ball bounce. I was waiting for the bounce to start my take back while normally the take back should be already prepared so that i can just move forward to the ball.
2- In every ball i'm not moving foreward or i'm not transfering the weight from a feet to the other. So i need to more train my open and close stance. It seems like i'm either going back ward at each forehand, or i'm moving both my feet with the stroke and NOT as you explained, as i should wait to hit the ball and then follow up with the back foot to the front.

When you say i should "Step toward the ball with front foot after the bounce", my weight should be on this front foot. So to clarify it, it should be 1- Take racket take back, -->2- wait for ball bounce, 3--> Step forward with front foot and hit the ball, 4--> wait to finish the stroke to follow with the back leg. I'm i right ?

When you say "Keep back foot in place going up on your toe, after the hit allow the front foot to come forward". But itn this case the front foot is already forward no? It's the backfoot that should come forward after the hit no?

Thank you again.
 
Top