Reviewing
Friends'
tennis forehands
June 2021
https://youtu.be/0Wv9_Yr-2HI
Swing Anatomy
Split Step + Unit Turn- Backswing
- Forward swing (start)
- Point of Contact (middle)
- Follow-through (end)
Swing Anatomy
1. Backswing
- Feet (stance)
- Shoulders
- Left hand
- Loop path
2. Forward swing (start)
- Feet (step)
- Racquet "lag"
- Racquet height
3. Point of Contact (middle)
- Racquet height
- Grip (fingers)
- Swipe for spin
4. Follow-through (end)
- Shoulders
- Left hand
- Racquet height
- Racquet face direction
- Feet (back foot)
Backswing
Aspect | Do | Don't |
---|---|---|
Feet | "Closed" stance |
|
Shoulders | Look over left shoulder | |
Left Hand | Aim at ball | Limp |
Racquet Path | Loopy | "Reverse" swing |
Forward Swing (start)
Aspect | Do | Don't |
---|---|---|
Feet | Step towards target | |
Racquet Alignment | "Lag" behind arm | Keep aligned with arm |
Racquet Height | Go low before going up |
Point of Contact (Middle)
Aspect | Do | Don't |
---|---|---|
Racquet height | Waist / Hip | Knees |
Grip | Semi-Western | Eastern |
Racquet Path | Swipe for spin | Straight forwards |
Follow-Through (end)
Aspect | Do | Don't |
---|---|---|
Shoulders | Look over right shoulder | Stop twisting upper-body early |
Left Hand | Catch racquet at the end | Limp / Catch early |
Racquet Height | Above your left shoulder | Too low |
Racquet Face | Aim to your left | Aim downwards |
Feet | Lift heel of back foot | Pivot into rotation |
In other words...
Beginning
- "Closed" stance with body facing perpendicular to net
- Left hand aims at incoming ball
- Racquet goes back in "loopy" path
Middle
- Racquet "lags" behind arm
- Racquet "swipes" up on the ball
- Racquet makes contact at waist height
"footwork!"
"low to high"
"shoulder to shoulder"
End
- Left hand "catches" racquet
- Racquet ends above shoulder
- Right shoulder is now in front
- Right foot's heel lifts off; toes drag as needed
Albert (Critique)
- Backswing is too high
- Go with torso height
- (unit turn?)
- Point of contact is too low
- Go with waist height
- Bend knees lower as needed
- Follow-through rotation short
- Rotate a bit further
Jeff
- "Modern" men's tennis forehand
- Not used by pro women (except a few)
- More compact motion
- (especially the backswing)
- Open stance
- Whip-like approach
- (high elbow, loose wrist, etc)
- Pros: ~2010 (?)
- Me: 2014/2015
(after 10+ years of "normal" FH)
What
How
When
(vs Albert)
BUT WHY THO?
-
Compact backswing (aka takeback)
requires less time to set up forward swing -
Open stance
requires less time to set up feet -
Whip-like mechanics
generate more power without sacrificing spin
More advanced tennis has
more spin + more power
= faster pace + more depth
= less time to react
( less time to swing after bounce )
What's the Catch?
"Open" stance means...
- less natural balance
- maybe more stress on knees
"Whip-like" swing means...
- less margin for error
- need precise timing
- more stress if botched
Supposedly it requires more strength.
I'm not Hercules, but I do have more fast-twitch muscle and a high strength-to-weight ratio (especially upper-body).
(and why don't pro women use it?)
Critique
- Non-dominant hand during unit turn
- Doesn't need to stay on racquet
- Elbow during unit turn
- Maybe shouldn't cross body line
- Elbow during POC
- Should be straighter?
- Feet during follow-through
- Can actually lift/rotate as needed
- ...more?
deck
By rebootjeff
deck
- 191