Why does the backswing matter?

G

Golden Retriever

Hall of Fame
This is a question that I have been afraid to ask for a long time. Some pros do a big loopy big swing and some prefer a small one. However I just don't see the value of a big backswing, for me a backswing is just for getting your racquet into position to swing forward. I really don't see the speed of your backswing has any impact on the speed of your "forward swing" since they are in two totally opposite direction. Anyone here can explain this?
 
The function of the backswing is to put the proper muscles on stretch. Energy is stored in the muscles that can be released during the forward swing. If you make your backswing too slow, or have pauses in it, the elastic energy stored in the muscle is released before the actual foreward swing. That`s why you have a loop: with a straight backswing you`ll always have a pause.

They are not in the opposite direction, there is no turning point. It`s one flowing motion.
 
nickybol said:
The function of the backswing is to put the proper muscles on stretch. Energy is stored in the muscles that can be released during the forward swing. If you make your backswing too slow, or have pauses in it, the elastic energy stored in the muscle is released before the actual foreward swing. That`s why you have a loop: with a straight backswing you`ll always have a pause.

They are not in the opposite direction, there is no turning point. It`s one flowing motion.
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Ok, so a small backswing would work just as good as a big one as long as it has no pauses? But how come some pros still use a big backswing?
 
Big backswing = a larger traject to create more speed

Thus a smaller backswing would give you a smaller traject to create speed.
 
One of tennis's golden rules: What happens to your racquet before impact matters more than what happens after.
 
nickybol said:
Big backswing = a larger traject to create more speed

Thus a smaller backswing would give you a smaller traject to create speed.
Click to expand...

Not true. Big or small loop is a matter of style and timing. You don't need big traject to create speed. Tennis swing is multisegment, and precise timing in accelerating and breaking all the parts create speed.
 
^^ i agrees

backswing is partly preferences for what helps ur brain fire the right muscles, partly due to grip/style/ racket/ other factors, etc.
 
Mladen said:
Not true. Big or small loop is a matter of style and timing. You don't need big traject to create speed. Tennis swing is multisegment, and precise timing in accelerating and breaking all the parts create speed.
Click to expand...
True, it is a matter of style and timing, but you need a certain traject to create speed. A race car can`t go from zero to 100 in a second.
 
Golden Retriever said:
This is a question that I have been afraid to ask for a long time. Some pros do a big loopy big swing and some prefer a small one. However I just don't see the value of a big backswing, for me a backswing is just for getting your racquet into position to swing forward. I really don't see the speed of your backswing has any impact on the speed of your "forward swing" since they are in two totally opposite direction. Anyone here can explain this?
Click to expand...

Golden Retriever,

This is a great question you are asking.

Big swings can create all kinds of problems. The natural tendency of the racket is to swing around and across your body. It's more important to get a good contact point in front of the body and then drive and lift the ball forward with good body position. To get clean contact the tip of the racket must stay back through contact, so it is very dangerous to swing fast into the ball.

See how the pros get good leverage and drive not by swinging or whipping their rackets but by pushing and lifting forward, with the racket staying back through contact:

http://www.hi-techtennis.com/forehand/topspin.cfm

I don't agree with some things Oscar Wegner preaches, but his concept of "finding" the ball, rather than swinging at the ball, is a great one.

Also, think of the forehand more like a punch. You don't swing your arm fast into your target and then stop. Instead you get your body behind your hand and drive through on contact with your shoulder and body weight. Same thing for the forehand.
 
travlerajm said:
One of tennis's golden rules: What happens to your racquet before impact matters more than what happens after.
Click to expand...

Excellent information. :) It is great to have you on this site travlerajm, you give real good tips and suggestions. Still trying to figure out your nickname though.
 
travlerajm said:
One of tennis's golden rules: What happens to your racquet before impact matters more than what happens after.
Click to expand...

Great advice BUT I was NOT talking about the follow through which happens after the impact, I was talking about the backswing which happens BEFORE the impact.
 
Golden Retriever said:
Great advice BUT I was NOT talking about the follow through which happens after the impact, I was talking about the backswing which happens BEFORE the impact.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you should read his statement again.
 
One of tennis's golden rules: What happens to your racquet before impact matters more than what happens after.
Click to expand...
by travlerajm

Actually, the followthrough, which is after the impact of the ball and strings, matters a lot as well because without proper followthrough, there won't be any control and consistency in your groundies.

I believe that a long, loopy stroke is meant to generate great racket head speed and tremendous topspin from that low to high swing motion. If you're gonna go ahead and hit flat, it's pointless to have such a huge backswing. You take your racket back, and have to push it to about the ball level to hit it flat, which is really not a fluid motion. Big backswings means less time you have to prepare for the ball, which means it is easier to frame the shot more, especialyl at lower levels. Though, I prefer a big backswing due to my loopy groundstrokes (only on my forehand, my bh has a short compact low to high swing). Big backswings should be for baseliners.

Short, compact backswings are also extremely effective, especially when you are playing against a hard-hitter. You have more time to adjust with the ball as it comes towards you faster. Timing isn't as crucial because you don't take the racket back.You generate as much power, I believe because you're pushing the ball forward with the same force. They generate as much momentum as a bigger swing. This means you have to take the ball earlier though, which is a godo thing actually. You need a great deal of arm strength, though because you're not swinging with a loose are as you would with a loopy swing. Short swings are for hard, flat hitters that are looking to close in towards the net. Good for doubles where the points are quicker and don't give you much time to fully prepare and load on your strokes. Short strokes don't necesarily mean hitting flat either. If you prepare your racket at a level lower than the ball, you can brush up behind and over the ball to produce great topspin.
 
GhostLigre said:
Actually, the followthrough, which is after the impact of the ball and strings, matters a lot as well because without proper followthrough, there won't be any control and consistency in your groundies.
Click to expand...
If the strings aren`t touching the ball, it has no effect on the ball. A followthrough is just the result of your speed and swing path.
 
The followthrough is important. Okay, if it isn't important, then you're saying that you will generate the same amount of control and consistency in your groundies if you stop your swing right after you contact the ball. No. If you stop your swing with no followthrough, then your shots will go long, wide, short, and all kinds of directions.
 
GhostLigre said:
The followthrough is important. Okay, if it isn't important, then you're saying that you will generate the same amount of control and consistency in your groundies if you stop your swing right after you contact the ball. No. If you stop your swing with no followthrough, then your shots will go long, wide, short, and all kinds of directions.
Click to expand...

Yes, the followthrough is important and is a result of what you did before it. One of the purposes of the followthrough is so that you can penetrate a ball and stay in control of the racquet without sacraficing fluidity and extension. It is a natural byproduct of a good swing through the ball.
 
The backswing is the idiosyncratic part of the more important elements, which is giving yourself a solid foundation through footwork and turning your shoulders.
 
why do all the pros (it seems like) twist their racket around on the takeback? They make it so the face of the racket is facing behind them before they swing forward
 
If you have a SW or Western grip - which most pros do - and you turn your shoulders about 90 degrees - which most pros do - that's the direction the face points.
 
If you have a SW or Western grip - which most pros do - and you turn your shoulders about 90 degrees - which most pros do - that's the direction the face points.
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by limitup


True. If you have a semi or western grip on your forehand, watch yourslef take it back and it the face will naturally be parallel to the net.
 
It only applies if you do a very "textbook" shoulder turn and backswing though. For example, as Nadal completes his shoulder turn and backswing he pulls in his left elbow to the point where it's almost touching his body. This changes the angle of the racquet face to where it's pointing straight to the side. Then as he extends his arm the racquet face violently changes direction a couple times and whips forward with incredible acceleration. :)
 
Even Rafael Nadal has a large loopy swing; granted he hits late.

As said, it's really to prevent injuries. The pros do hit pretty hard and with a lot of spin. They're swinging their racquets pretty fast; not sure exactly how fast but say they're swinging it at 70 MPH *just as a guestimation*. 0-70 instantly is pretty damaging compared to gradually getting there and acceleration from 60-70 at that last second.
 
limitup said:
It only applies if you do a very "textbook" shoulder turn and backswing though. For example, as Nadal completes his shoulder turn and backswing he pulls in his left elbow to the point where it's almost touching his body. This changes the angle of the racquet face to where it's pointing straight to the side. Then as he extends his arm the racquet face violently changes direction a couple times and whips forward with incredible acceleration. :)
Click to expand...

Wow, impressive.
 
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