Your Strokes: "Modern" Club Play: The Windshield Wiper

[johnyandell]

Would love to get your thoughts on "Your Strokes: 'Modern' Club Play: The Windshield Wiper."

[stotty]

I think it is incredibly hard to get club players to do what Djokovic is doing in the clips. I have tried to use world-class examples in the teaching of club players but consistently failed every time. I'm not just talking about the wiper here.

That perfect unit turn and full shoulder rotation and outstretched left arm that Djokovic exhibits in the clips are so difficult to teach club players.

I tend to go for a toned down version of what pro's do when teaching adult students. I get them to err towards what players like Djokovic do without going the whole way...a little more rotation...a wider base...a little higher on the follow through, etc, etc.

A little bit more rotation and left arm stretch would serve Mike well. He looks a great athlete, and it's easy to see from the clips how much he would improve if he focused on improving these basic things. It would be great to see clips of his forehand again in a three months time if he were to go away and work on the recommended suggestions.

You have a knack of finding wonderful students, John. I bet Mike will be a different player in a few months.

[bman]

The catch 22 is that lower level players struggle when they stretch the left arm parallel to the net...I like to have them focus on just stretching the left arm in front of their body...at least it gets their left side out of the way in time and tends to allow them more extension.

[bottle]

I like what Chris Lewit writes and shows on this topic: Get the left shoulder under the chin and get it there right off as part of the unit turn. This is a revised view for me and I'm liking it and wish I'd adopted it sooner. I think this will be quite a spectacular change when combined with all the new information Brian just has provided us on arm positions out in the slot. Face it, if you suddenly stretch your non-hitting shoulder under your chin, and you didn't do that before, and you then combine this with these new results of 15 years' research, your arm and body are going to find themselves in a whole new relationship to one another-- could be the beginning of going to college all over again!

I'm also interested in what Doug Eng says about an upside-down-boot-shaped-loop rather than a "C." Should be easy enough to check out.

[nokomis]

Well, I think you can get lower level players stretching the off arm toward the side fence and I think its extremely important to do so. Having the arm stretching forward doesn't accomplish anything/much with the turn - yes, its better than letting it go on vacation and remaining limp at the side but not much better. We have to remember the purpose of the stretch is to get the shoulders turned - over rotating the hips.

Another comment is that hitting and staying on the back foot is going to limit the progress with the forehand especially if there is no shifting of the weight through the hit. Yes, you can find examples where the pros do this but NOT on a regular basis - there simply has to be a shifting of the weight for the shot to be effective. With most players who hit off the back foot, that foot ends up in front at the finish - not always but most of the time.

I like John's analysis and think its right on target. I know my players get a little tired of hearing me harp on things like the stretch of the arm toward the side fence, keeping the racquet head high and to the side of the playing hand along with weight transfer but its extremely important in developing a significant forehand. Yes, I work primarily with younger players but I do a lot of work with older/senior players and I think its as important, if not more important with them also. If you don't incorporate these elements your forehand your playing what I consider lazy tennis.

[nokomis]

I like what Chris Lewit writes and shows on this topic: Get the left shoulder under the chin and get it there right off as part of the unit turn. This is a revised view for me and I'm liking it and wish I'd adopted it sooner. I think this will be quite a spectacular change when combined with all the new information Brian just has provided us on arm positions out in the slot. Face it, if you suddenly stretch your non-hitting shoulder under your chin, and you didn't do that before, and you then combine this with these new results of 15 years' research, your arm and body are going to find themselves in a whole new relationship to one another-- could be the beginning of going to college all over again!

I'm also interested in what Doug Eng says about an upside-down-boot-shaped-loop rather than a "C." Should be easy enough to check out.

Bottle, I like your comments and assume your the same "bottle" who posted on the TW site over the years - Papa here.

I think your correct - changing one's basic stroke mechanics can be daunting for many - is not easy and poses a significant challenge for most. Those of us involved teaching/coaching see it daily at all levels. Unless the player is relatively young, or willing to undergo a rather significant process, I try to work with what they have with little improvements to lesson the frustration.

[tennislearningforlife]

This is interesting subject

I really think this is interesting topic.

Well, club players especially adult players already have their own swing.

After many years going to different park and i see so many older players who play great tennis, but I have not yet come cross players have great techniques. They just have great feel and mobility allow them to play great tennis without great technique.

Teaching wiperswing is very frustrating and dangerous to starter players.

However, there are so many great elements of having wiper swing.

1) it is easier to hit high ball

2) it is easier to hit flatter shot without changing swing (all you got to do is change the angle of wiper , wiper goes more forward )

3) it goes really well with open stance and it is easier to hit the ball harder with less time...

Hardest wiper swing to teach how soon you make wiper.
if they wiper too soon then they will defnitely have big problem.