A New Teaching System: Forehand: The Backswing

[johnyandell]

Would love to discuss my article on "A New Teaching System: Forehand: The Backswing"!

[captnemo]

This is the best one so far in the forehand series. It is not dogmatic. Who is the new guy with the straight arm forehand?

[ralph]

Grip and back swing

The kind of grip one uses seems to affect the look and shape of the backswing. Is it possible the more extreme the grip the more the face is turned down during the backswing.

[johnyandell]

Good question. And that is one of the things I am researching for the next article.

[nickw]

Great summary of the backswing John, I love the compact forehand backswing, and the Federer model is the best in my book too. I like that you stressed the importance of not trying to copy a model exactly. I have one junior I'm teaching, who's starting to point that racket tip forwards more, despite my teaching the simpler method, but I'm not going to rush in to change it back, lets see how it develops for him. Forehand backswings are like snowflakes, no two are the same!

Interested to hear opinions on the following: To what extent (if any), does using a bigger, less efficient swing, increase the risk of injury either short-term, or long-term?

Obviously, everyone's body is different, and injury risk will also be determined by their fitness and strengthening programme, but taking all of that out of the picture, does it stand to reason that to make the same power on a forehand with a less efficient swing, will put more stress on the body, and increase the risk of injury?

[drsous70]

Thansk

Would love to discuss my article on "A New Teaching System: Forehand: The Backswing"!

I really enjoyed this clip. I have been watching and comparing players swings and noticed that there are many variations. The question is which are the fundamentals on which you will not negotiate as you may lose power, accuracy or consistency and which parts are just style and you as a coach leave the player to develop. Took me hours to compare the top 10 so to have it all in a short clip is awesome.

[mlogarzo]

Great video and loving the technical analysis on the forehand, particularly the backswing.

I coach a WTA 450 ranked player who is out with injury at the moment and the exact thing we are working on is this kind of backswing. Keeping the racquet on the outside to the right and aiming to generate a lot more racquet head speed.

[bottle]

Great video and loving the technical analysis on the forehand, particularly the backswing.

I coach a WTA 450 ranked player who is out with injury at the moment and the exact thing we are working on is this kind of backswing. Keeping the racquet on the outside to the right and aiming to generate a lot more racquet head speed.

I really like these videos and think the chair is a great device since what the arm is doing rather than the body becomes the main focus.

Since I myself have had both long arm shots like this but also double bend shots and have been working on a new orchestration of three forehands, I'm inclined to imitate Agassi's contraction and keying of his arm. His arm starts out as in these videos but then squeezes into the double-bend and points hand forward from the elbow.

I probably wouldn't say anything if I weren't working on this challenge right now and want to put long-armedness on another shot, my sweeping McEnrueful, sad that it isn't a John McEnroe forehand.

[johnyandell]

Dr and Mlo,

Thanks. I think this understanding of the advantages of the compact swing is one of the major technical coaching break throughs in many years!

[stroke]

Dr and Mlo,

Thanks. I think this understanding of the advantages of the compact swing is one of the major technical coaching break throughs in many years!

Love your article here and so agree about the compact swing. Agassi probably was the first with this compact type 3 forehand, maybe Aaron Krickstein also. Federer is going to be the prototype for some time to come. To me, these econmical compact swings are clearly the future. Tomic, Mannarino, and up and coming player Chung all have these very compact forehands and seem to have a lot more time and a lot less effort than most on their forehands.

[johnyandell]

Stroke,

Yep Agassi was right there. I am pleased with myself that before I even met Brian I picked his backswing as the model--also before Federer was the boss.