open stance forehand with eastern grip. Should hips remain closed?

[spacediver]

Took my first tennis lesson yesterday with an experienced coach (he's one of the people who writes for tennisplayer), and am more confused than ever.

I wanted to work on my open stance footwork for my forehand (I use an eastern grip), and was told that I should rotate my hips and shoulders, plant on my outside foot (right foot), bend knees, and reduce my backswing.

So far so good.

But this is where it gets weird...

I was then told that I should not open up my hips at all. They should remain closed. So while my shoulders open up to face square to the net, the line between my left and right hip should remain as perpendicular as possible to the net.

I remember him saying something about how because I use a conservative eastern grip that there is less torque involved in the shot generation and that I therefore shouldn't involve my hips.

Now it's possible that he was coaching me in a transition or progressive style, and that if I were to take more lessons he'd teach me when and how I should open my hips, but I got the impression that this is how I should aim to hit all my forehands.

And these aren't on the run forehands - these are when you run to the position, and plant and shoot.

It feels very unnatural to open up my shoulders and leave the hips closed. I feel that I should be opening up my hips first, then my shoulders.

I've looked for videos online to see whether anyone keeps the hips closed, but the only examples I can find is when people are hitting forehands on the dead run...

 

[papa]

Yeah, I think you probably missed something here. I always have the player start the hips first because the shoulders are sure to follow. If however, your hitting from a neutral position, its hard to do much with the hips because they get more locked in.

 

[Winky]

Ummm... it's physically strange to have your shoulders parallel to the net while your hips are perpendicular to it unless you're an Egyptian hieroglyphic.

With the Eastern grip you're going to be hitting the ball farther back rather than out in front of you, so maybe that's what he's trying to get you to do? If you use an open stance with an Eastern grip you're going to be hitting very high shots.

Since with an Eastern grip you're going to be fanning the ball less and hitting straight through to the net more, maybe he's trying to get you to do that. Dunno.

 

[spacediver]

If he was trying to get me to fix something else by fooling my body somehow, I wish he would have told me that. I would be totally cool with that.

He did say that one of my major problems was swinging across too much and hitting the ball too early. Perhaps this exercise in keeping the hips locked is merely a learning tool, but I got the distinct impression that this was a model to work towards!

 

[Winky]

Well, if you don't like what your coach is doing, find another one. I would be especially wary of any coach who has some revolutionary new technique.

 

[spacediver]

Thing is, he's a well respected and highly experienced man, and an accomplished player. I'd sure there is something of value I can learn from him. Next time I see him I'll ask him to clarify in person.

 

[bhupaes]

I have a different view on this. I wouldn't clutter up the player's mind with hip and shoulder movements. It looks like your coach has you getting into a semi-open stance. As you said, so far so good. IMO, the next step is to hit the ball while pushing off with your right leg. In other words, focus on the ball, and start the forward swing by pushing off your right leg. The hips and shoulders will take care of themselves, and you'll end the stroke with your weight on your left leg.

Try it, and if it doesn't work, you can always go back to the scheduled programming.

 

[Majik]

What I'm finding is that you have to have more of a closed stance with an easter grip. Notice that as you bring your arm around in the follow through the hand rotates until the back of your hand almost touches your opposite ear. So if the hand rotates as you swing, then it makes a difference where your shoulders are pointing when you hit the ball.

Ask him if he can show you a slow motion of someone actually hitting the ball that way.