Forehand Extension Questions

[ralph]

The presentation on forehand extension I find very interesting from the teaching standpoint. It suggests that encouraging a player to get one's hand to head height, at the side of the body, and a distance away from the body will promote greater extension. It seems that there is a missing element concerning how the hand gets there. Also, on the website Hi-Tech Tennis, the method promoted there for extension is to pull the butt to contact and then push and lift until extended and then go into the wrap. This Hi-Tech method suggests considerable linear movement of the racquet head through the hitting zone which John's analysis does not seem to include. Also, in the book The Science of Tennis (I hope I have the name right.), one part that I remember stated that the longer one can keep the butt and tip of the racquet moving together through the hitting zone, the greater the chance of hitting a clean shot. Again, John's piece does not suggest this kind of linear movement through the contact area. I guess I need further clarification.

Ralph

[johnyandell]

Linear is a relative term. There is no such thing as a straight swing path. The swing is alwyas on an arc or curve. If the arc is flatter, or closer to a straight line, that tends to lead to great extension. If the hand and racket move back sharply and quickly to the left you get less extension. In this case the curve in the swing is sharper.

You can think about how to do this in a lot of ways. I am suggesting one. This is by creating an image of the finish position. If the racket starts forward from the right position and makes the right finish position the path of the swing will normally take care of itself. I've found this approach very effective as I think it is difficult to consciously manipuate the path around the contact. But it's not the only approach.

BTW on these questions for me, I prefer them in my section--I miss stuff sometimes because I may not follow every post (ok I can't...) on a given day.