13 yr old Daughter’s Forehand

[don_budge]

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...Front.mp4&new=


The book is William Tilden. The model is Richard Gonzales with the Don Budge backhand. The coach is Harry Hopman. Roger Federer is the Living Proof.

The video at top is what I consider a perfect forehand. Strings to the wall...step to the wall. See how as Roger turns his strings are facing the wall opposite him? The racquet head slightly tilted towards his opponents side of the court. This is the ideal position from where to start the forward motion. Stepping to the ball and turning the hips first.

Take a close look at this video frame by frame. It's pretty darn simple actually and the two handed drill will be a big help in getting this backswing into position to go towards the ball. I always think that to "get into position" is the key to a good stroke. It's a good beginning at least.

In frame #21 (use the right arrow key to take it one frame at a time) the ball is hitting the ground as Roger gets into perfect position to go forwards. The racquet is in precisely the position that I wrote about. Strings to the wall and racquet head tilted slightly in the direction of his opponent end of the court. Look at the front foot. He is stepping towards the ball and it is air born.

Three frames forwards...foot is squarely on the ground and he is perfectly balanced. Butt back...head forwards. In the very next frame he has rotated his hips approximately 45 degrees in one frame. Imagine how much power is being transferred to that front foot that will eventually make its way to the racquet head through the kinetic chain. The universal sequence in sports called "perfect timing". This is what you call getting the left side of the body engaged. In the next two frames see what kind of rotation he has made and what effortless power he is able to generate. All because he was in position and had created just enough time to step towards the ball to engage the chain of events.

Use that two handed forehand drill to get that racquet with "the strings to the wall" and the feet in position. It takes some practice but it is a natural motion. The body will do what it is supposed to do if you give it half a chance. Strings to the wall and step to the wall. With the left hand on the racquet must of this positioning will naturally occur then it will be a matter of training the left hand to do what Roger does with it with a proper grip on the racquet.

The path of his racquet hand never gets completely behind him. If anything it lines up with the rear hip and this lining up allows him to get all of his weight into the shot.

[don_budge]

Take it easy at first as this move seems to put some added stress on the shoulder. Do some strength training with this in mind. Don't over do this at first. It's a new move using new parts of the body.

[stotty]

My bad: https://vimeo.com/359647953

Also, got a video of my son's serve today: https://vimeo.com/360027564

Thanks. I can't add anything that don_budge hasn't already mentioned regarding your daughter's forehand. She's too square with her feet and doesn't engage her left side all that much. She's also a player who might benefit from catching the racket with her left hand on the top of the followthrough, like the Williams sisters do. I say this because Abbie's arm left arm looks a little low and awkward as it retracts and clears out of the way.

Your son's serve shows real promise. He has plenty of pop and racket speed, which is half the battle. A side view would give us a more rounded look at the serve. I am curious about his swing path and how that would look from the side view.

[arturohernandez]

Your son's serve shows real promise. He has plenty of pop and racket speed, which is half the battle. A side view would give us a more rounded look at the serve. I am curious about his swing path and how that would look from the side view.

I really like the serve as well. The fluidity makes it very easy on the eyes. It must be deceptive because it doesn't seem like he is doing much. The receiver must feel like the ball is on them in an instant.

[postpre]

I really like the serve as well. The fluidity makes it very easy on the eyes. It must be deceptive because it doesn't seem like he is doing much. The receiver must feel like the ball is on them in an instant.

Thanks! He's 14, turns 15 next month. He just recently started experimenting with the pinpoint (which the video shows). With his former platform stance I didn't feel he was getting in the court well enough, and he was bowing his hip just a bit too much. With his preferred ball toss (more Delpo style, and not the circular/J toss), I feel that the pinpoint really allows him to go after the ball.

[arturohernandez]

Thanks! He's 14, turns 15 next month. He just recently started experimenting with the pinpoint (which the video shows). With his former platform stance I didn't feel he was getting in the court well enough, and he was bowing his hip just a bit too much. With his preferred ball toss (more Delpo style, and not the circular/J toss), I feel that the pinpoint really allows him to go after the ball.

The difference between boys and girls especially with the serve is just jaw dropping.

About the stance. I used a pinpoint when I started at 16. Then a coach switched me to platform in my late 20's. It took forever to get the feel of a good platform. Ultimately, it is whatever works for him.

But I do feel that pinpoint stances can break down under pressure.

Two questions:

1) You could also have him experiment with what I call the Federer warm up stance.

I am just curious how that feels for him.

If you watch the video, you can see that Fed moves his front foot on the very first warmup serve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6dNCMhhhDU

He might hate it. My daughter used to move her front foot when serving but she got called on a lot of foot faults and eventually stopped on her own.

There are so many textbooks on serving but when it is that fluid and nice why question it.

2) Can he still hit a legitimate kick or topspin serve with this stance? I always felt that I tended to hit flat or slice with a pinpoint better than I could hit a kick. My platform lent itself to hitting with topspin much more easily.

[doctorhl]

The first couple hits, she’s doing a corrective drill, with her off hand holding her hitting elbow. Like many on the WTA she tends to pre set forearm supination/external shoulder rotation before the initiation of the forward swing. It’s been very difficult for her to change this, so I’m hoping this drill can help. She hits with eastern, and tends to get crazy separation of the shoulders from the hip (loves the open stance). Her swing reminds me of Soderling, with her rotation. Any thoughts for improvement? She is a good junior. 5 star recruit, but fell a bit the last 6 months with injury and a few tough losses.

https://vimeo.com/359311354?utm_sour...campaign=28749

Her forehand and backhand are at the point where this simple thought might help. Ask her to duplicate the EXACT same stroke path and perceived ball speed, but with an intent to reduce any vibration in the wrist, elbow and shoulder. Subconsciously she may use and time the hips better, which will allow her to shorten the backswing since she can’t “muscle” the ball in “relax” mode. She may find that her actual ball speed does not reduce in the “relax” mode(verify with speed gun). Many juniors equate all ”hard hit balls” with increased arm tension.

Her backhand, even more so, needs some “hip” help. Again, footwork and hips adjust subconsciously if in “ relax” mode. We are talking minute changes that could only be verified if EMG electrodes were attached everywhere and a speed gun used. We all “see” it in Federer. She should be able to feel it. However, like baseball and golf, there are successful “strikers” and successful “hitters”. So the developing player should be allowed to experiment with both.

[doctorhl]

Thanks! He's 14, turns 15 next month. He just recently started experimenting with the pinpoint (which the video shows). With his former platform stance I didn't feel he was getting in the court well enough, and he was bowing his hip just a bit too much. With his preferred ball toss (more Delpo style, and not the circular/J toss), I feel that the pinpoint really allows him to go after the ball.

Gorgeous serve. Without additional view angles, it is hard to comment. It seems like knee extension may not be timed perfectly with racket drop. Try the same “relax”mode concept I suggested for your daughter. You cannot muscle the ball in relax mode” and the knee extension/ racket drop timing will self adjust to produce more racket head speed( even though he may not oerceive a change in speed if his “feel” equates speed with arm tension.

[jeffreycounts]

To me, the overwhelming issue is the lack of the windshield wiper motion, which causes her to really lose connection with the ball without proper topspin. The tell tale sign is this instance of the stroke, where her strings are facing the side fence not the front fence. You can hear the lack of pop on the ball as well which comes from this coming across the ball rather than the pushing/rolling motion of the wiper (from shoulder/forearm rotation)

[postpre]

To me, the overwhelming issue is the lack of the windshield wiper motion, which causes her to really lose connection with the ball without proper topspin. The tell tale sign is this instance of the stroke, where her strings are facing the side fence not the front fence. You can hear the lack of pop on the ball as well which comes from this coming across the ball rather than the pushing/rolling motion of the wiper (from shoulder/forearm rotation)

Great observation. I've noticed it too over the years. She hits pretty flat, eastern grip. But, a bit like Agassi here?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXWks8yvRJQ

[don_budge]

To me, the overwhelming issue is the lack of the windshield wiper motion, which causes her to really lose connection with the ball without proper topspin. The tell tale sign is this instance of the stroke, where her strings are facing the side fence not the front fence. You can hear the lack of pop on the ball as well which comes from this coming across the ball rather than the pushing/rolling motion of the wiper (from shoulder/forearm rotation)

Good point...the lack of "windshield wiper" action. What is "wiper" action a result of? Answer...ROTATION and then the ceasing of rotation. Wiper indicates racquet head speed which a result of all of the kinetic chain. It isn't solely wiper...wiper is merely the end of the story. Or rather the product of the process.

Look at the girl's finish...the racquet head actually goes more than 360 degrees from start to finish. It's more like 390+. So how much of that motion is necessary motion? How much is commotion...unnecessary. These are spoon fed feeds...what happens when you factor in movement?

It is the foundation of the stroke that it must be built upon. This starts with stance...it ends with follow through. Interesting comment...jeffreycounts.

Back to Roger Federer:

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...Front.mp4&new=

On frame #28 Roger has basically finished his stroke. His momentum of the rotation will carry him a bit more around but this is merely that...it isn't part of the stroke. His stroke is essentially finished with the tip of his racquet pointing at the fence behind him. So the racquet head has basically gone around 270 degrees. Pure motion. No wasted commotion.

Roger's foundation prohibits him from over rotating. He doesn't have any time to waste. He conserves. How many degrees does Agassi's racquet head travel?