The Truth About "Lag and Snap"

[curiosity]

My favorite shot of Roger Federer's forehand...look at the tip of the racquet at 41 clicks of the right arrow key from the beginning of the video. Peekaboo. This is what I am referring to...not the ready position. Alexander Zverev has a less pronounced "pointing tip" in the videos that John provided in the Interactive Forum of Zverev's forehand in this months issue.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...tanceFront.mov

Got it. Someone saying he "points it" threw me. That tilt concept has been around for a while, hasn't it? It adds distance over which to gain momentum when the racquet is put back in lag. Put another way, it adds distance over which the hand can accelerate forward before the racquet hits the wall in lag.(?)

[stotty]

I've been experimenting with the tip pointing forward the last couple of days - no luck. I have a continental grip and find it doesn't lend itself well to the technique.

[don_budge]

I've been experimenting with the tip pointing forward the last couple of days - no luck. I have a continental grip and find it doesn't lend itself well to the technique.

Why don't you experiment with your grip as well? I found that this movement in my backswing was encouraging a "stronger" grip. It "felt" as if my hand needed to rotate a bit on the racquet.

[don_budge]

The Truth About Lag and Snap...(Lag and Stroke)

Observe this Roger Federer forehand and specifically around 43 or 44 clips into the clip. The right shoulder, arm and hand appear to be pushing down as he initiates his forward swing...creating the "lag" in the wrist.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...tanceFront.mov

Now shift gears into your golf brain. Take note of what this golf professional is discussing in the initiating the downswing. I believe that this is the "pat the dog" movement that what's his name (Rick Macci) has coined into the tennis lexicon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB1velb0EqU

Particularly interested in John Yandell's impression here. Brian Gordon's would be very interesting as well. tennis_chiro? Anyone else?

How about it 10splayer...come to think of it your opinion may be the most interesting of all.

[johnyandell]

DB,
Yeah that whole golf analogy thing...I don't understand golf--don't even play. But cross sport analogies I think are usually not that productive. Look at the size of the ball and where it is, stationary between the feet. Look at the length weight and size of the head on a golf club. My opinion is that it's hard enough to figure out tennis on it's own terms.

[10splayer]

The Truth About Lag and Snap...(Lag and Stroke)

Observe this Roger Federer forehand and specifically around 43 or 44 clips into the clip. The right shoulder, arm and hand appear to be pushing down as he initiates his forward swing...creating the "lag" in the wrist.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...tanceFront.mov

Now shift gears into your golf brain. Take note of what this golf professional is discussing in the initiating the downswing. I believe that this is the "pat the dog" movement that what's his name (Rick Macci) has coined into the tennis lexicon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB1velb0EqU

Particularly interested in John Yandell's impression here. Brian Gordon's would be very interesting as well. tennis_chiro? Anyone else?

How about it 10splayer...come to think of it your opinion may be the most interesting of all.

I don't think there's any doubt there is a similarity between golf and tennis when it come's to the concept of "lag". It's one of the keys to achieving "speed". The question as to how to achieve "it" is a whole different issue.

[jdcremin]

My favorite shot of Roger Federer's forehand...look at the tip of the racquet at 41 clicks of the right arrow key from the beginning of the video. Peekaboo. This is what I am referring to...not the ready position. Alexander Zverev has a less pronounced "pointing tip" in the videos that John provided in the Interactive Forum of Zverev's forehand in this months issue.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...tanceFront.mov

Some rambling follows:

Now click 7-8 clicks forward and look at the racket/arm position - it's the exact same. He already knows he's going to whip the racket head up and over the ball - he's almost saying, "I'm going to wind up here and I'm starting here". How does he whip the racket head up and over the ball like that? By not thinking about it, not reading about it, not debating the role of the wrist - he just does it and so can anybody else (it's along the same lines as snatching a fly out of the air, how much is relaxation, how much wrist,? bla, bla, bla - just do it, attack the ball, rip the felt off the ball, peel the orange, be aggressive). It's definitely not stiff and it's definitely not all lose. If I was a coach (and when I retire I'm going to try it out) I would tell my students to actually pretend that they CAN shred the felt off the ball (good topspinners actually do), I want felt sheered off from just below the equator all the way to the top. Then I would let them figure out the most efficient way to do that - a strong, fast, violent movement (along the same mental pattern as catching a fly or snapping a towel). And I wouldn't hinder them by telling them that their wrist must not move.

[don_budge]

Some rambling follows:

Now click 7-8 clicks forward and look at the racket/arm position - it's the exact same. He already knows he's going to whip the racket head up and over the ball - he's almost saying, "I'm going to wind up here and I'm starting here". How does he whip the racket head up and over the ball like that? By not thinking about it, not reading about it, not debating the role of the wrist - he just does it and so can anybody else (it's along the same lines as snatching a fly out of the air, how much is relaxation, how much wrist,? bla, bla, bla - just do it, attack the ball, rip the felt off the ball, peel the orange, be aggressive). It's definitely not stiff and it's definitely not all lose. If I was a coach (and when I retire I'm going to try it out) I would tell my students to actually pretend that they CAN shred the felt off the ball (good topspinners actually do), I want felt sheered off from just below the equator all the way to the top. Then I would let them figure out the most efficient way to do that - a strong, fast, violent movement (along the same mental pattern as catching a fly or snapping a towel). And I wouldn't hinder them by telling them that their wrist must not move.

It has been an interesting teaching experience for me. Once you get the student to turn with the racquet in position with the tip leaning towards the opponents side of the court you just tell them to step and swing. What happens next is a pretty natural motion. Shredding the felt off of the ball? Why not? It's worth a try. Its aggressive and that is what you want in the end of the forehand stroke...aggressiveness.

[arturohernandez]

Some rambling follows:

Now click 7-8 clicks forward and look at the racket/arm position - it's the exact same. He already knows he's going to whip the racket head up and over the ball - he's almost saying, "I'm going to wind up here and I'm starting here". How does he whip the racket head up and over the ball like that? By not thinking about it, not reading about it, not debating the role of the wrist - he just does it and so can anybody else (it's along the same lines as snatching a fly out of the air, how much is relaxation, how much wrist,? bla, bla, bla - just do it, attack the ball, rip the felt off the ball, peel the orange, be aggressive). It's definitely not stiff and it's definitely not all lose. If I was a coach (and when I retire I'm going to try it out) I would tell my students to actually pretend that they CAN shred the felt off the ball (good topspinners actually do), I want felt sheered off from just below the equator all the way to the top. Then I would let them figure out the most efficient way to do that - a strong, fast, violent movement (along the same mental pattern as catching a fly or snapping a towel). And I wouldn't hinder them by telling them that their wrist must not move.

Interesting discussion. But I always go back to the stroke in many different conditions.

Watch Federer when he returns serve

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/roger_federer_09/rf_fh_return/rf_1st_serve_deuce/rf_1st_serve_deuce.html?RFFHRet1stSDeuceFront.mov

What you see is almost none of the wrist or lag in that shot. John has noted that it looks almost like a classic stroke.

This is probably what Federer learned when he was young and then he built over this little by little over time.

So I think ripping the ball is a solution. But also learning to hit short court where we have total relaxation and use our legs and transfer that into the arm and wrist to create a nice loose stroke.

The key is to rip the ball but also to be able to caress the ball.

If a player can learn to do both those things then progress is coming.

Of course, then he or she has to do it on the move.

That is where the rubber meets the court.

Full out running and then a nicely timed rip of the ball with all the minor adjustments needed to create the spin, height and location we would like.

Tennis is a tough game!