Jeff Counts

[2209]

hi, just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed and learned from the article by Jeff from hi-techtennis.com combining your site with his I have really got to another level of hitting a tennis ball.

Its funny that although you have discussed it all in your monthly letters, it really hit home to me after reading Jeff's article about the secret of using the double bend wrist and pushing and lifting the ball. I have never hit a ball so well with so little effort. 2 weeks into my practice with the ball machine I am starting to make it a normal shot.

It does feel very awkward at first but soon the clean hit and the sound the ball makes with the strings is differnt. So thanks again for your great tips and keep up the good work.

regards from sunny London, Charles

[jeffreycounts]

hi, just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed and learned from the article by Jeff from hi-techtennis.com combining your site with his I have really got to another level of hitting a tennis ball.

Its funny that although you have discussed it all in your monthly letters, it really hit home to me after reading Jeff's article about the secret of using the double bend wrist and pushing and lifting the ball. I have never hit a ball so well with so little effort. 2 weeks into my practice with the ball machine I am starting to make it a normal shot.

It does feel very awkward at first but soon the clean hit and the sound the ball makes with the strings is differnt. So thanks again for your great tips and keep up the good work.

regards from sunny London, Charles

Charles,

Thanks for the feedback and congrats on improving your forehand! Yes, the double bend feels awkward at first, and this is one reason, I think, people don't naturally fall into it. It's much more "natural" to whip the elbow and wrist at the ball, and this is what most people do, but once you can get some structure into the shot, it's amazing what happens.

Your comment about the "different sound" the ball makes in the strings is the hallmark of an improved forehand. When the ball is properly absorbing into the strings with the double bend supporting it, the spring and compression is maximized and the sound of contact is very different. If you ever watch the pros live, you can clearly hear this difference in the contact. This is why, for example, pros say things like "I was hitting cleanly today". It's all about the quality of contact.

I'm glad my article could remind about the "double bend" which John first described when the hi-speed videos came out. It's a great description of this integral forehand structure.

Keep us posted on your forehand improvement!

Jeff