Developing an ATP Style Forehand: Pull, Flip, and Roll!

[johnyandell]

Let's hear your thoughts on Rick Macci's article "Developing an ATP Style Forehand: Pull, Flip, and Roll!"

[stotty]

Great stuff

Let's hear your thoughts on Rick Macci's article "Developing an ATP Style Forehand: Pull, Flip, and Roll!"

Good stuff again.

I've been using Rick's coaching methods from last month's issue constantly, and with great success. The breakthrough, for me, in making the ATP easy to teach is having kids start from the outside backswing position...at least initially. This has been the key coaching tool in getting success with my students. It goes much further than the slot drill in the Sam Stosur's Forehand article...and other similar methods, in that it triggers the counter-rotations as well. The trouble with the slot drill is it's only good for reducing the backswing. It doesn't help initiate counter-rotations.

Having kids start from the outside position and "pull" the racket head through is a considerable coaching breakthrough. It works...and it's easy...for coach and student.

These ATP videos by Rick are a revelation for coaches. I love to read articles and threads on the forum but when it comes to the nitty gritty, you cannot beat being "shown" how it's done.

[johnyandell]

Agreed! I've studied the backswings for years--seen all the variations and pondered the options...still wasn't sure what the hell was the best way to go for a lot of players...this solves the whole thing.

I asked Brian Gordon how he figured this all out recently--and let's remember he is the one who inspired Rick.

His answer was something like "15 years of torture and pain." So worth it Brian!!

[mcgaw]

Macci the Magnificant

Probably the best instructional video on the forehand made to date. As a junior growing up in the small cities of the Midwest in the fifties, we didn't have access to elite coaches as we do now on line with tennisplayer.com. Thank you for your development of players with average means and access to elite coaches.
Dick

[GeoffWilliams]

I've always had some trouble with my forehand. Ripped a few off deuce side return today cross court, by keeping it short, in front, snapping back to the side. You can step right in open and rip it if you keep it to the right side/front.

[bottle]

I had an upbeat experience similar to that of Geoff the first time someone came in on me.

It wasn't so much where I aimed but rather the combination of pace and plunging spin that put the ball on my opponent's ankle.

"Wow," I said to myself. "This shot's really going to be good as soon as I fully figure it out."

This second video by Mr. Macci seems to take me a long way in that direction.

And no, I didn't have everything perfectly understood after the first video, started well but then came to think the arm would go back some more before it patted the dog.

And I detected other misunderstandings about WRIST in the communications of two tennis writers whom I respect and will consider always to be knowledgeable. (No, not the knowledgeable Rip nor the knowledgeable Steve.)

The moral of this story is that no matter how wonderfully and clearly and unguardedly something is explained, intelligent people still are going to go off on other tracks.

But I think the cup now is only an inch or two from the lip.

And I have no plan to abandon the rest of my game, in which most grip changes are going to take big knuckle only from one pointy ridge to the next.

[aethyr]

Great video. I've tried to experiment with it. I have a few questions. As you begin to pull forward, how firm should you keep your wrist? Or perhaps at point do you firm up the wrist? I pretty much had to keep it firm throughout, otherwise it was too uncontrolled. If I kept it loose at the start of the pull, I got better speed, sure, but no control whatsoever. But maybe I'm missing something?

[johnyandell]

I'd say firm enough to keep a bird in your hand without crushing it. Lack of control is probably related to the racket path and where the swing is headed.

[aethyr]

If you hold it so softly, how do you control the tremendous acceleration that results from the pull?

[tennis_chiro]

Snug but not tight

If you hold it so softly, how do you control the tremendous acceleration that results from the pull?

The trick is to feel the weight of the racket head. You do start the forward motion with a pull, but pull the head of the racket as opposed to pulling your hand. I know that is a little nebulous, but it is a little tricky. Hold the racket snug, but not tight. The movement of the head from outside to inside will stretch your muscles even though you feel yourself pulling the racket head and give you the power boost of the SSC and the "flip". Don't let the butt of the racket handle come off of the heel of your hand.

don

[howardb]

Superb article

This video has certainly been helpful. Made things clearer and simpler in a confusing area. Having come to tennis as an 'older' player this approach is just terrific. Tried it already this week and what a diff in power since before I was inept on the backswing. ActuallyI was not good on the whole stroke. So I am excited about the whole video. Making me stay on right side of body, etc. !
Thx much to Rick.

[aethyr]

The trick is to feel the weight of the racket head. You do start the forward motion with a pull, but pull the head of the racket as opposed to pulling your hand. I know that is a little nebulous, but it is a little tricky. Hold the racket snug, but not tight. The movement of the head from outside to inside will stretch your muscles even though you feel yourself pulling the racket head and give you the power boost of the SSC and the "flip". Don't let the butt of the racket handle come off of the heel of your hand.

don

Ok, there's two concepts here - how hard to grip the racket and how firm the wrist should be. My question is how its possible to keep the wrist loose when you have a long weighted stick in your hand that you are suddenly whipping forward. The racket head whips around, but not facing the correct angle and direction because my wrist is loose...unless I control it with a firm wrist. Note, by firm wrist, I don't mean straight wrist. My wrist is pulled back almost the entire time. But I do feel like I still need to control the other axis of motion of the racket head during the pull.

I just want to make sure I'm absolutely doing every correct. I can generate power, I always could, but I want to make sure I'm generating power correctly and efficiently to increase my consistency. I don't want to retool my forehand incorrectly!

[konrad]

I must say the forehand lesson by mr Macci was so spot on that my forehand improved from one day to another.

[don_budge]

Calling on worldsbestcoach...

There is one opinion on this subject that I would dearly love to hear from....none other than worldsbestcoach. I know that you guys pooh-pooh'd him into submission...but I always found his comments to be rather thoughtful and insightful, not to mention provocative. I am curious if he would call this approach to a forehand to be a "backward emphasis" of which he was rather critical if I understood him correctly.

[RickMacci]

Remember there is a difference when you tap the dog(wrist cocked) and pet a
dog(you don't want that unless it is a real dog! The key to the flip is the
sequencing of the movements and the racquet head is above the wrist(tap the dog) when you pull. Also, remember the pull makes the racquet head flip.
Don't flip it to make it pull! good luck. rick macci