Simple Tennis Forehand Tips For Hitting The Ball More Cleanly
Oct 25
The following are simple tennis forehand tips that will help you hit the ball more cleanly and therefore have better control of it.
These tips don’t go deep into the forehand technique but rather focus on what happens at the moment of contact and how you can generate power and topspin.
How To Add Power To The Forehand
If you look at a modern tennis forehand stroke, it will look very complex. It’s hard to see the key parts that generate power and create a topspin forehand shot.
It’s true that an advanced forehand is a mixture of complex elements, but it can still be broken down into simple elements.
The two main engines that create power for the forehand shot in tennis are the rotation and extension of the arm.
Note how the hips moved when Federer began rotating into the ball. (Image credit: fuzzyyellowballs.com)
In other words, the first part of the forward swing on the forehand is done with the body (hips and shoulders) rotating by about 90 degrees, and the second part is done by moving the arm forward through the contact zone toward the target.
From the point of contact onwards the hips don’t move much, rather it’s the arm that extends forward. (Image credit: fuzzyyellowballs.com)
Since the forehand stroke also includes the preparation for the forehand, the movement, the use of a certain type of stance, and eventually the release into the follow-through, you may not see clearly the parts where the body rotates and the arm goes forward, but perhaps with this idea, you’ll be able to recognize them in video clips of tennis players.
How To Add Topspin To The Forehand
In order to impart topspin for a tennis forehand, the racquet must move upwards.
But since we hold the racquet in the dominant arm, we tend to use only the arm – meaning the shoulder joint. (It’s also the strongest, and we like to use it for more power.)
The beginning of the upward racquet head movement needs to start with the legs.
Note how much the right leg extended (Image credit: fuzzyyellowballs.com)
You can isolate the movement of the legs by moving up and down without using any other body parts to move the racquet so that you can clearly see how much upward movement you can create simply with the legs.
There are three joints in your arm, and you can use all three to move the racquet upwards.
The first one is the shoulder, which is usually the main joint most club players use.
Isolate the movement from your shoulder to see how much you can move the racquet up.
It’s a good idea to try these forehand drills near the net or even standing near the back fence so you can see how much the racquet moves upwards in relation to the background.
The next joint is the elbow, from which you can move the forearm up and down.
You’ll see that if you naturally move the forearm upwards, it will soon start to turn inward – toward the other side of the body – but that will happen after the point of contact.
So, at the point of contact, the racquet can still move upwards.
Then you can also use the wrist. It will likewise start turning the racquet inward, but that again happens after the point of contact.
Note the change in the position of the upper arm, forearm and wrist (Image credit: fuzzyyellowballs.com)
Now, combine the legs, upper arm, forearm, and wrist to create a lot of upward movement of the racquet head, and you’ll see how these forces help you impart topspin on your forehand.
Your goal is to make a smooth connection of all four parts, and that is done through a lot of repetition.
Try hitting the net cord while looking to combine all movements into one smooth, upwards racquet movement.
Then also add the elements that create forward force – namely, the rotation and movement of the arm forward.
The final sequence is comprised of rotation and simultaneous movement of the arm forward and upwards.
I’ve shown some drills before on how to feel the correct racquet path on a groundstroke, and these forehand tips add a little bit of information on how to combine all body parts to help in the generation of power and topspin.
Eventually, add the most comfortable preparation for the stroke and the most comfortable follow-through, and you’ll find yourself hitting a forehand with good control and with little effort needed.
How To Stop Thinking About Forehand Technique And Start Playing Tennis
When you’re looking for ways to improve your forehand in tennis, you’ll find lots of technical instruction in books, DVDs, and online websites.
The danger is to keep thinking about body parts and how to move them.
Eventually just focus on what you want to do with the strings to the ball and have no awareness of your body parts. (Image credit: fuzzyyellowballs.com)
It’s dangerous because, when you think about body parts, your attention is split between the incoming ball and your body – and therefore, you’re not tracking the ball well.
Hence, you’re often late on the shot and not positioned properly – so you make a lot of mistakes.
The end goal is not to think about movement of your body parts, but eventually imagine ONLY what you want to do with the strings to the ball.
The above tips help you identify body parts that generate power and topspin, but eventually you just need to imagine the racquet path through the ball.
You simply watch the ball all the time, have your full attention on the ball, and imagine how you want to hit it with the strings and in which trajectory you want to send it.
That’s how you’ll also allow the above tips to become unconscious and automatic.
Let me know if these simple tips help you see the forehand stroke more clearly and help you hit it more cleanly and with less effort!
Great tips Tomaz! As you know, I have focused a lot on body parts in trying to learn technique only to become frustrated. So the use of images and trajectories is a welcomed change from my old style of learning.
In the past I would focus on the back of the ball which made me hit a flatter shot. Lately, I have been focusing on just coming under the ball before contact. What I notice is that I end up focusing on a point just below and behind the ball. This has an interesting effect because my ball has more topspin and I never miss the ball. I always come under the ball. I am curious if you have tried this as a technique to teach topspin (focusing on a point below the ball).
Hi Arturo,
Good tip – I have tried it a few times before and it worked good. Thanks for bringing it up!
Eventually you can just imagine that you want to make the ball rotate without any extra focusing on where to look at it. That will free your mind even more…
Hi Tomaz,
I always look forward to your tips. They are very useful and
easy to follow. I learned a lot from you. You are a top notch
coach.
Very sincerely,
Steve
Great Tip. I always look forward for your tips.
thanks
Sastry Challa
Hi
Excellent! You are the best.
dear Tomasz thank you for these suggestions which makes me a better player , today i tried to roll the ball in the way you explain and it was very great , “compress and rolling ” right ? I have always noticed that in this way the non dominant arm is naturally inclined toward the ball coming and this should be a good thing right ?
Hi Maurizo, yes, the left arm will point more towards the ball because with the idea of compressing you will firm up in your body more and the left arm will stay up. That way you’ll be able to use your body better when hitting.
What a great explanation: everything simple and through the basics: no shortening stretch cycle, loading leg explosion, kinetic chain, radial deviation, just simple and effective!
It really helps me to get down to the basics. In simple words.
One thing I find difficult is to extend through the hit. Especially if I want to hit in front, because the racket is then already in front so I can’t add power, while extending. Other times the ball is to close to my body, and I’ll get crancked up.
I know that I have to find a solution in footwork and positioning, but if you have a feel/visualising tip or drill on this, I will be very pleased (btw have read/seen all of your videos, also on tennismindgame, great work!)
Hi Tomaz,
very good coaching tips. Very simple,precise and easy to understand. I watch it many times and never get tired watching it.
Thanks,
Yeoh
Thanks, Yeoh. Will work on more video tips in the future…
Outstanding articles Tomaz, i have been involved with tennis for more years than i would like to admit. i am not exactly clear on the ability to compress” against the ball and also holding the racket soft enough to let the racket move forward as you make contact. i hope this makes sense to you. I always remembered my first coach saying that tennis is a “contact” sport,ball-on-racket and that is what really matters. so glad that you stress this fact. keep up the great work.
Hi Dennis,
In this drill for feel you won’t be really compressing the ball – because as you have noted we hit the ball very gently. It’s just an exercise to enhance your feel for the ball and this will through practice transfer into your shots.
So even when you’ll hit a faster ball with top spin and imagine “compressing it”, you’ll know how to do it with less effort and more feel.
Hi Tomaz! have a nice day! thank u so much for your tip.
best regard
bach duong
This may be the 10th+ time I read this article and still find it usefull in helping my game improve!
.
Especially the balance between separating movements and then find a way to rhythmically time these parts into one fluid motion…
And then on court when not thinking to much, but If I don’t try to think about it, my old bad habits are back
Therefore, especially during matches or playing-for-points, am a tad to late on my timing or mispositioned cauze i think to much about technique, where I want to hit the ball and “punish my opponent
It’s not all that bad… when shadowswinging, drop feed and during practice I can hit a higher percentage of correct fluid powerfull strokes.
But still: is there have any tip how to transform from selfcorrecting on court and in the end (during matches) can get focussed on visualizing and the ball?
Hi Robert,
Yes, it takes time to overwrite the old habits. I would suggest that you play a lot down the middle with the partner just imagining the direction, height and spin.
This needs to become more automatic so you can eventually play tennis – which is simply playing consistent tennis and giving your opponent the chance to miss and of course outplaying him.
Also, there is no need to think where you will play. The idea where to play will arise instinctively and you should follow it. Just play whatever first comes to mind.
Learn to go with your instincts and you’ll see that in the long term they are more reliable than “slow” conscious mind.