Lifting off the ground on the forehand

Raul_SJ

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
I asked Coach Jim McClennan about lifting off the ground on a forehand, which I assumed was done in order to generate more power.

But he told me that pros lift off on the forehand not to generate power, but to be in better position for the next shot.

I'm not really sure what he means by that... Does that make sense?
 
From my understanding, when you lift of the ground its because they are either:
a) trying to hit a high ball
b) really uncoiling their body by pushing of the ground
 
Yep, the lift is due to ground reaction force, being in a better position for the next ball is not something I have ever heard attributed to GRF, although that could be a happy by product?
 
Ash_Smith said:
Yep, the lift is due to ground reaction force, being in a better position for the next ball is not something I have ever heard attributed to GRF, although that could be a happy by product?
Click to expand...

He told me that my form on the forehand is good.

I then told him that I am interested in learning to lift off the ground (to add more power), but he was not not at all enthusiastic about teaching me that.

I haven't had a follow-up lesson and haven't been able to discuss it further with him, but is there some reason coaches would discourage and be averse to lifting off? Perhaps "old school" coaches do not believe in this?
 
^^^ maybe he feels that the additional focus of re-working/increasing the use of your kinetic chain could throw off your timing?
 
I think jumping when hitting should be something that the player learns by himself. I dont think you should teach it. Just tell the player to go out bend their legs and explode upwards to the ball, if they leave the ground so be it.
 
Ash_Smith said:
^^^ maybe he feels that the additional focus of re-working/increasing the use of your kinetic chain could throw off your timing?
Click to expand...

Perhaps.

Although he was quite definitive in stating that lifting off does not generate more power.

So if that is his belief (perhaps mistaken?), I am inclined to think that even if my kinetic chain could easily be reworked, there would not be much point
for him to rework it since he does not believe lifting off will generate more power in the first place.

It might be better to seek out a coach that shares my belief that the primary purpose of lifting off is to generate more power -- not for better recovery.
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately, your coach is correct on this. Lifting off the ground doesn't provide you enough of a power boost. It is meant mainly to use as a recovery into split steps. If you watch the pros, you can see they have minimal lifts on their groundstrokes. Just enough to make them face the net. Thus, eliminating the recovery steps needed to face the net and go directly into split steps. This is probably what your coach meant.

Another reason your coach isn't going to teach you this is if you do it wrong you actually make your strokes weaker and/or less accurate, and they consume more energy. The higher you lift the more energy consume even if done right.
The real reason I suspect is injuries. You are injury prone when you lift on groundstrokes especially if you do it wrong.
When your skill levels are ready you will lift unintentionally. If you are lifting intentionally you're not lifting but jumping. There is a difference.
 
I've heard some coaches that advocate using a lifting motion and others that advocate staying down through the shot.

If you watch pros in slow motion, they seem to lift.

However, high level players I've seen in person (5.0 or so) seem to stay down and balanced. In my personal experience, I find that lifting up through the shot leads a lot more errors and no more power.
 
Depends how much energy you have to expend, doesn't it?
Old guys don't lift as they hit.
Younger guys usually do, if they are trying to hit their best shots.
 
Raul_SJ said:
He told me that my form on the forehand is good.

I then told him that I am interested in learning to lift off the ground (to add more power), but he was not not at all enthusiastic about teaching me that.

I haven't had a follow-up lesson and haven't been able to discuss it further with him, but is there some reason coaches would discourage and be averse to lifting off? Perhaps "old school" coaches do not believe in this?
Click to expand...

I don't think it's something that a coach would teach, or that you would learn.
It's just something that you do naturally when hitting a huge forehand. It is the result of that uncoiling of the kinetic chain.

You think you hit with more power when you lift off the ground, but in fact its the opposite: You lift off the ground when you hit with more power. It's the result of pushing harder from your legs.

A consequence of that is that you get a lot more body rotation when you're in the air. Whether you end up in a better position or not, I think that's questionable. It might actually be slightly more difficult to recover to the ready position afterwards.
 
He is technically correct. Lifting does not generate power. It is a byproduct of powerful leg action that generates power.
 
I think the issue is your understandig about the concept why the pros lift off the ground on some strokes.
They dont lift off the ground to generate force, they lift off the ground because they generated so much force that they are lifted off the ground. Its that simple, generate more force with your legs and core rotation and you will leave the ground.
Sometimes the pros jump to take a high ball, but thats totally another situation.
 
lifting off the ground will generate more racquet head speed but only when it's accompanied by counter rotating footwork in the air.

but trying to learn jumping fh without getting very very good without it is exactly like trying to run when you can't even walk well and keep falling down. once you get good enough the next step will present itself and come almost naturally. no need to think too far ahead.
 
I find that when I'm a little wrong footed but am otherwise in position to make a good shot, getting slightly airborn helps me finish with my feet where I normally like them. It does feel like I get more power though. And it's something I started doing without planning ahead of time.
 
I'm probably too old to jump to hit groundies, but it happens more often when I have to run to get to the ball.
Except, open stanced forehands, it seems my backfoot doesn't leave the ground.
1hbh topspin, seldom. Slice 1hbh, almost never.
 
I am of the get low and lift with the legs school. I don't think you should consciously think jump into the ball, but if you load weight into the legs and lift as you rotate into contact; sometimes both feet will be off the ground as you transfer weight forward. It just happens.

You will see some shots by pros with minimal lifting usually when they don't have much time or are on the run.

Li Na with load and lift but she doesn't leave the ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkMpeYTY7gs

Wozniack with load and lift on 1st several FHs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WW0m3ConPs

Rafa with load and lift: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ7fWm1gPtY

I don't think any of them are "jumping" but they are lifting.
 
LeeD said:
Depends how much energy you have to expend, doesn't it?
Old guys don't lift as they hit.
Younger guys usually do, if they are trying to hit their best shots.
Click to expand...

I am in my mid 50s and I load and lift on most groundstrokes. I certainly feel like an old guy. I think it is a skill that most players can incorporate. I know several guys in their 50s and 60s and they load and lift.
 
Raul_SJ said:
Perhaps.

Although he was quite definitive in stating that lifting off does not generate more power.

So if that is his belief (perhaps mistaken?), I am inclined to think that even if my kinetic chain could easily be reworked, there would not be much point
for him to rework it since he does not believe lifting off will generate more power in the first place.

It might be better to seek out a coach that shares my belief that the primary purpose of lifting off is to generate more power -- not for better recovery.
Click to expand...

Local coach here pokes fun at the lift. imo, I don't *lift* as much the issue as weight movement. Added power will come from planting foot and weight shifting forward. Goal should be to move forward rather than lifting while falling backward. If you move weight forward and lift, great! My take.
 
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