Loose arm

[Lance L]

My groundstrokes are OK, sometimes better than OK, but one thing I've noticed is that quite often my follow through is quite short, actually kind of truncated. When I shadow swing it seems fine, but while hitting the follow through goes away. I learned tennis in the '80s when a normal stroke was racquet pointing to the fence and ending with racquet towards the net, and I'm trying to full swing where I can generate some topspin.

The only way I can get a follow through that feels right is to have my arm sooooooo loose that it feels like a wet noodle. I can hit the ball well but it feels so odd. Like my arm is doing no work at all and it is just my legs.

My question: Is this how it is supposed to feel? Like a pillow stuffed scarecrow arm with a hand on the end? Or is there some way to get a nice smooth and full follow through that I'm missing? Maybe this is the normal loose arm feel and I'm just so used to tension in my arm that anything else feels odd.

 

[torpantennis]

Definitely like that. Basically the whole swing is driven by legs/core and the shoulder just redirects the force into the racquet, the arm is as loose as possible and almost 100% passive.

I like to think it like throwing the arm and the racquet into the ball in front.

 

[Royce]

I'm sure you're exaggerating a bit, but yes that's how it should feel. You need to have a relaxed loose arm. Not quite a noodle, but not tight either.

 

[watungga]

I know how you feel about the changes just to be modern. But come at crunch time, you'll get back to the way you where. Those are the only thing you trusted I'm sure.

 

[dominikk1985]

to loose is not good either. it should be loose but you still need to grip tight enough to have some control over the racket and not have it flop all over the place.

I would say if 10 was as hard as possible and 1 the racket falling out of the hand when moving, your grip strength should be like 3-4 or so so that the wrist can lay back but you still have some racket control.

 

[Lance L]

Thanks guys. Yes, I'm probably exaggerating the looseness, but it is more that that is how it feels, and it feels plenty odd so far. I think it is the challenge of very active and strong legs, and then loose core and arm at the same time. I'm going to keep at it and see if I can retrain my muscle memory.

 

[Lance L]

I know how you feel about the changes just to be modern. But come at crunch time, you'll get back to the way you where. Those are the only thing you trusted I'm sure.

Its not just about being modern, I find that this type of stroke can generate more topspin/total energy in the stroke, it is plain old more effective.

 

[Power Player]

An early and full timed shoulder turn can really help you uncoil into the shot without feeling like your arm is just loose and you have no control.

The arm is not 100% passive, but it is following the lead of your body uncoiling, so you can still control the shot.