wrist in shots

[robheath]

John
After some of the backhand article and watching players hit both forehands and backhands, it seems that there is wrist activity prior to the point of contact but not at contact obviously. My question is 2.
1.As a coach, how much time do you suggest spending on trying to teach players to use more wrists/hand prior to contact or do you let it happen by itself?

2. Do you have any tips/drills that enhance the use of the wrists?

thanks
robheath

[johnyandell]

Rob,

My answer for #1 negates the need to answer #2. I think that the wrist action in all the shots is a consequence not a cause. It's basically passive. Read the Roddick serve article or the Myth of the Wrist series and there is a lot of detail on this.

Now some people confuse "wrist" with hand rotation. That's the windshield wiper on the forehand, or pronation on the serve. There is a separate article on it in the forehand series, and also a discussion of it in the Federer forehand articles.

John