The Opposite Arm:
Groundstrokes

Scott Murphy

As a teaching pro, I'm always intrigued by what new students do with the opposite or non-racket arm during their strokes. For many players who haven't acquired it naturally, or been given good information, the role of the non-racket arm is sadly neglected. Players don't make a conscious decision to misuse the opposite arm, but after all, it's not swinging the racket so what difference does it make? Well, watch the better tennis players and you'll start to understand that the difference can be huge in terms of stroke mechanics, balance, timing, and control.

Correct usage of the non racket arm is a major factor in developing flowing, powerful groundstrokes. Using it incorrectly creates counterproductive forces that prevent confident stroke production. Incorrect movement of the non-racket arm will not necessarily preclude making a shot, but the quality of the shot will often be compromised.

I can't tell you how many times I've had students marvel at the difference they felt when shown the proper use of their opposite arm. Are you aware of what your non-racket arm does during your strokes? Certainly a pro can tell you, but it's a great idea to watch yourself on video so your mind's eye has a clearer image of what it will take to make a positive change. Once you've done that, see how you match up with the thoughts in this article. In Part 1 this month, I'll discuss the role of the non-racket arm in relation to the groundstrokes. In Part 2 we'll look at the serve, the return, the volleys, and the overhead.

Turn and Release

Let's start with the stroke that I would say has the biggest variety of incorrect non-racket arm usage: the forehand. (Note: all descriptions are for right-handers). This is in part because there is much more opposite arm movement on the forehand than the backhand. Another factor is the variety of potential swing patterns and finish variations. But no matter what the grip style or the particular swing, the arms and hands of today's top player work cooperatively.

In the ready position, the non racket hand cradles the throat of the racket to take pressure off of the hitting arm and assist in a grip change if one is called for. During the backswing or "coiling" stage, the no- racket hand remains on the throat of the racket as both arms begin moving to the side. The hand releases at approximately the point where the left arm is parallel to the net, pointing directly at the side.

For some players the left hand can also stay on slightly beyond that. If the swing is well timed, at virtually the moment the non racket hand departs, the left arm fully extends parallel to the net. It then releases back across the body. Simultaneously, the hitting arm completes the backswing and then the forward swing.

I've always likened this to a "pace car and race car" situation. The left arm is the pace car, and the hitting arm is the race car. The left arm starts the right arm on its way and then says, "Follow me!" It's important to note the route and the shape of the non-racket. Typically, the angle of the arm will drop somewhat at the start of the forward swing. It will then start forward and across the body, tracing the arc that the racket hand will follow.

As the opposite arm moves, the elbow will start to bend inwards toward the torso, eventually reaching a right angle, or something close. Now the whole opposite arm will start to rise. In the classic finish, the upper arm will move upwards until it is about parallel to the shoulder. At the same time the forearm will rotate upwards until it is pointing more or less straight up and down.

This position is what allows players to "catch" the racket with the left hand, a tried and true teaching maxim to help players develop followthrough. You don't see too many top players do this in matches, although it's more common to see it in the warm-ups. But if you watch a player like Agassi in actual point play, on many balls his opposite arm and hand are in actually in the catching position or very close to it. It's not the catching itself that matters. It's the position of the opposite arm in relation to the swing and the movement of the racket.

This "catching" position correlates with more classical over the shoulder finishes. But we know that in the modern game, there are a myriad of other forehand finishes. The position of the opposite arm will vary with the finish of the racket itself. Depending on a player's grip and/or the kind of shot he's hitting, the non racket hand can finish up around the shoulder, down below the hip, or somewhere in between.

The interesting point is that in all cases the opposite hand and arm trace the path of the racket. Also, the opposite arm always stays below the level of racket, even on the more extreme across the body finishes. As with the over the shoulder finish, the elbow bends and tucks inward, but the arm rises proportionately to the height of the racket arm during followthrough.

Instead of pointing straight up as with the over the shoulder finish, on these lower finishes, the forearm points partially upward, or points forward,. It all depends on the height of the racket. Again it's the "pace car and race car" concept. The opposite hand will trace an arc that is similar to the path of the oncoming racket.

Having said all that, if you have difficulties with the opposite arm motion, the place to start is with the simplest finish. Learning the "catch" alone can sometimes solve all a students opposite arm problems. The catch gives you the feeling of how the arms work together and their related paths across the body. Once you have a better feel for the path of the opposite arm in relation to the racket, you may find you can develop the other finishes with the arms perfectly in sync.

Problems

So what are some of the wrong ways to use the non-racket arm on the forehand? In my experience, players have a tendency to either drop the non racket arm, move it to the left of the body, or, even leave the left arm across the body too long. With the left arm hanging at the side the likelihood is that there will be an insufficient coil and therefore a swing produced primarily from the right arm and not the right side. The stroke won't flow and results in what I call the "fly swatter" forehand.

If the arm moves to the left of the body you see and example of Newton's third law of motion. For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction. As the racket tries to come forward, the left arm scissors across the body creating a block on the forward swing.

Another problem can occur from leaving the left arm across the body too long. The left arm can actually get in your way. The path of the forward swing will be blocked and you'll be forced to "arm" the shot. This is where the knowing the arc or path of the opposite arm in the forward swing comes in.

A lesser problem occurs when players point the left arm straight ahead at the ball as it approaches. This is commonly taught, but it's not what the good players really do. It's not disastrous like the other errors can be, but it restricts the coil compared to when the left hand stays on the racket and extends across the body. The straight ahead point can also act like a magnet to draw the incoming ball too close to the body.

As to the timing of the release of the non-racket arm, practice the entire process of coiling and uncoiling, first with shadow swings. There's a definite feel and rhythm in swinging this way that becomes infectious. Remember that the timing of the forward swing should be such that the plane of the shoulders faces the target at contact or is a little closed depending on the grip.

If the non-racket arm releases too early you'll rotate too soon and the racket will drag too far behind the shoulders. From shadow swings progress to hitting slow moving balls and then to balls at normal speeds, all the while putting the emphasis on the flow of the new model.

4 common finishes with poor opposite arm position.

One of the biggest problems I see from players day in and day out is that they get too close to the ball thereby cramping their hitting zone. With that in mind, I have my students model a loaded open or square stance at the point where the non-racket arm is fully extended. I'll then either toss them a ball to catch while the arm stays in that position, or have them drop and hit a ball from that spot to demonstrate the best lateral distance for establishing the forehand hitting zone. The non racket arm therefore, over time, also becomes an effective measuring device.

In some cases, even if the opposite arm starts well it can go astray as the forward swing develops, interfering with the flow of the stroke. Variations of this include throwing the arm up, angling it down, holding the forearm downward in the followthrough, and holding it against the midsection. As we discussed above, one of the tried and true methods to correct these habits is to have players catch their finishes; that is, placing the throat of the racket in the non racket hand. Just practice the stroke slowly while paying attention to what that arm is doing on the way to catching the finish.

Backhands

Although there is less movement and complexity, the opposite arm is also a critical component in the hitting of the both one and two handed backhand groundstrokes. 0.

On the one-handed backhand, topspin or slice, like the forehand, the non-racket hand is high on the throat and assists in whatever grip change is necessary as it helps draw the racket back. Then, whether your swing pattern is straight back, looped, or sliced, the non racket hand stays on the racket until the start of the forward swing snaps it out of your grasp. As the racket arm moves in the direction of the target, the non racket arm moves simultaneously in the opposite direction.

The non racket arm and shoulder should not rotate around with the start of the forward swing. By working as a counter balance they provide more power for the hitting shoulder to pull and drive the stroke in a direct line to the target. In other words, you want the plane of the shoulders as sideways as possible to the target at contact. It's important to note that if you're hitting a topspin backhand, the non-racket hand releases then moves backward and downward to around waist level.

On a slice backhand the opposite arm moves back more along the plane of the forward swing, finishing only a little lower than the racket hand. These finishes help create balance relative to the different shots. If you look at the animations, you can see that the arm goes backwards on both, but also the different lines and finishing positions.

Two-Handed Backhand

In the case of the two-handed backhand the second arm is better referred to as the non-dominant arm because it stays on the racket throughout. The two-handed backhand has always been, in my mind, more or less a forehand on the backhand side. The arm configurations at contact of bent/bent, bent/straight and straight/straight don't change the fact that the dominant arm needs the freedom to drive through the shot and extend at the finish as on a forehand.

The biggest problem I see with two-handers is that for a variety of reasons they leave the elbow of the non-dominant arm stuck on the corresponding hip. This has an immediate effect on the length of the swing and, in fact, forces either blocked or circuitous swing paths. Just imagine trying to hit a forehand with your elbow pinned to your hip. Not good!

The extent to which the non-dominant elbow releases and extends will vary based on the shot that's called for. From the back of the court the height of the non-dominant elbow ranges from mid chest to shoulder height because this allows for the greater length of swing that's called for from that distance. The non-dominant elbow position will be less high the closer to the net a player gets because there's not as much court to work with.

The two main culprits for the non dominant elbow on the hip are ball crowding and late timing of the forward swing. In either case it's a given that the non dominant elbow will be pinned to the hip. To avoid being to close to the ball on the two handed backhand I have my students err on the side of being too far away because it's natural, in general, to want to be right where the ball is when you hit it.

Using the outside foot as a measuring stick in the open stance reduces crowding.

I've found that very often when a habitual ball crowder feels like he's going to be too far away he is, in fact, right where he should be. In any case, it's better to work at having to close a gap than to continually have no gap at all. I also like to have players use their outside foot as a measuring stick. If the intent is to hit from a loaded open or open stance, the ball should be struck to the outside of that foot (left foot for a right hander). If they start with that premise and wind up stepping in, as long as they don't close the stance too much there should still be sufficient room. If you use a closed stance be sure to leave plenty of room to absorb the room taken up by the cross step.

Many players are late on the two-hander for the simple fact that they can get away with it because they are so much stronger with both hands. I plan to do an entire article about the critical role of timing and how to develop it, but let me just say for now that the ball should be contacted in front of your center of gravity.

When you step into the backhand, practice using the imaginary line parallel to that step as a guideline for contact with the ball. In a loaded open stance, the line created by the front foot also represents a well timed contact. Once you establish the right hitting zone and consistently good timing, both arms will flow through the two handed backhand.

So that's it for the groundstrokes. In Part 2 I'll talk about the non-racket arm in conjunction with the serve, overhead, return of serve and volley.