Techniques to Remember With a Forehand Shot
There is
a lot more to a forehand then just picking up a racquet and hitting a tennis
ball. You have to think about your swing, foundation and how you step into it.
Many people think it’s easy to master a forehand shot, for some it can be, depending
on if you can get the technique down right away, but for others it takes time.
Personally, it’s still taking me time to master a certain technique, which is hitting
the ball low to high (I will explain that in a little bit). So like I said for
some this might be an easy thing to master, but for others like me this isn’t as
simple as it seems. I found that the hardest part is remembering how you get
the technique down, like how your arm is supposed positioned, your foot work
and just how you hit the ball with that technique. However, after a while it
becomes easier to remember with practice.
The
first thing you need to remember with a great stroke is your stance. In order
to have a strong hit you need to have an excellent foundation. In the book, The
Top 100 Best Things That You Can Do to Greatly Improve Your Tennis Game, Ace
McCloud says, “The most important element of creating a forehand stroke you can
rely on is ensuring that you are playing the shot from a solid base. This means
establishing the correct stance that gives you the best foundation to enable
you to play your forehand shots with confidence and power” (McCloud 17). It’s important
to have a reliable base because then you start off strong and will still be
able to move to your next position/ shot needed to be successful. If you didn’t
have a reliable base, then it will be harder to follow through with your next
shot. When I learned the strong stance people use in tennis, it helped my shots
be more successful and a lot easier. Since, before I just stood there waiting
on a shot and then when the ball came to me I didn’t have the correct foot work
to follow through with the shot making it either too powerful of a swing, which
means it goes out or not powerful enough, which is when I hit the net.
Basically, your starting stance is very important in tennis if you want to have
a powerful and accurate shot with your forehand or just any shot you use.
Ace
McCloud also discusses what is a solid base you have when you play tennis. In
the book it says, “Feet should be positioned shoulder-width apart. Do not plant
your feet squarely down on the court, but keep them relaxed so you can bounce
on the balls of your feet. Your knees should be a little bent so that you can feel
the flex in the muscles at the front of your highs, calf muscles and lower back”
(McCloud 17). With this stance you shouldn’t have your feet flat on the ground,
your heels shouldn’t be touching the ground, so you can be ready to move
because if they are on the ground that means that you aren’t ready to move and can’t
maneuver to a new position. As well as it makes it harder for you to move to a
shot or just be ready for it. In the picture to the side you will notice that
my feet are flat on the ground, which means I am not prepared yet for any shot coming
at me. With my feet like this I will not be able to move or shift my body as
quickly to a new shot as I would be with my heels in the air. Also my knees are
slightly bent so I can be ready for any low balls shot towards my area. Having
this stance can make your game play more effective than without starting with
this foundation.
A technique
I find difficult for me to perfect is the low to high aspect of a forehand.
This is when you hit the ball coming from a low angle and carrying it up with
your racquet to a higher angle. Sounds a lot easier than when you actually do
it. For most people when they hit a ball they automatically want to hit the
ball with the racquet strings facing to the sides and having the racquet be
vertical. However, with this shot you need it slightly at angle in order for it
to be a more effective shot. Also so it can barely go over the net making it difficult
for your opponent to return the ball back to you. During the game I find it
hard to remember this when the ball is coming straight at me because it’s so
sudden and it’s hard to think of what to do rather than just hitting the ball.
With this technique the position of your arm and racquet is very important, as
well as the timing of the hit, so like I said there’s a lot to think about in
those very few seconds when your opponent hits the ball in your direction.
One
thing that is easier to remember when playing tennis and also benefits your
tennis game greatly is how you position your body when you hit the ball. When a
ball comes at you, your body should be parallel to the net. This means that
your body is sideways and your foot should be pointed towards the net while the
other is facing straight off the court. This allows you to have more power when
you follow through with your hit. Since, you give enough power off of your
front leg to release your swing on the ball. Also, this allows you to move
around the ball and not have an awkward hand position and tight swing space,
like you would if you stood facing the net when the ball comes at you. With
this movement of your body it also allows arm extension, which I will discuss
in the following paragraph. I suggest using this technique because it is a
small movement that helps your game profoundly. As well as it’s much easier to
remember and doesn’t take very long to understand how to do.
It is
also very important to have an outstretched arm when hitting the ball because then
you have more room to swing, which can give you a more power hit on your return
to your opponent. If your arm is cramped close to your body, then that doesn’t leave
you enough room to swing on the ball. This was something that I struggled with
in the beginning because when you run to go get the ball your arm becomes closer
to you and all I could think about was hitting the ball rather than the
position and extension of my arm. After some practice, I began to have a
natural reaction of having my arm extended when I hit the ball. Another thing
that is important in tennis is timing. This is obvious, but is also another
thing hard to master because everyone hits the ball at different speeds, so learning
your opponents timing of when they hit a ball will always be new. You just
always have to consider how you will apply how they play to your game as well. With
all of these techniques and steps on perfecting your forehand shot will take
time, so don’t get frustrated when you can’t get it down right away. I hope
these steps are very helpful when you are learning a more effective forehand
shot in tennis.
Question: What do you struggle the most with on your
forehand shot and how will you apply these steps in order to make your forehand
shot more effective?
McCloud, Ace. The Top 100 Best Things That You Can Do to
Greatly Improve Your Tennis Game. San Bernardino: n.p., 2016. Print.
Hi Hannah!
ReplyDeleteI loved how you included pictures of positions a player should avoid, often people try to explain how to correctly position themselves on the court. I find that showing what not to do is better for one to register in their mind when on the court to remind themselves how to correctly move into the ball.
The technique from moving your racket from low to high when approaching a ball is definitely a complicated movement I have seen and experienced myself. When I first started playing tennis, this movement was hard because often many people believe that the transition is very drastic from low to high but it's more about exerting the strength from your arms as well to make the ball go just above the net.
Something I have done before when approaching a ball is to give myself room to assure I'll hit the ball over the net. When playing a match, I don't often think about how I follow through my forehand shots with the racket facing straight to the net; which makes my ball flat and easier for my opponent to hit back to me. When practicing I would suggest having your partner feed weaker balls yet low to help get the technique from getting the racket from low to high and to slowly remind yourself of giving time and backing up to practice following through the forehand shot with a slightly curved racket face to allow the ball to spin making it harder for your opponent to hit back.
I love reading this post because I can tell you have a passion for tennis. During tennis season last spring, I saw many flaws that some players could have fixed if they had known these simple rules of timing and positioning their body. I myself had some struggle when introduced to other techniques since so much information was put in my head.
To answer your question, I often struggle with timing when hitting the tennis ball. In matches I underestimate how fast the ball goes and how much power my opponents put in that I need to be quick on my feet to cover the whole court when I play singles. Something I read from your post that I feel would help me would be extending out my arm and giving myself room to have more power when returning a ball. I will definitely try this when I play tennis!
A question I have for you would be how to hit a perfect backhand shot. Whenever I play I am constantly upset with how my backhand returns are weak or high and take too much air time. Would the same techniques apply?
You're doing great with explaining everything. This is super helpful!
-Allison :)
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteThere are some aspects that apply with the backhand that are similar as with the forehand, like the beginning stance. The ready stance should always be used in order to prepare yourself for any shot, whether it is backhand or forehand. The grip can also be similar to the forehand. If you want to take that approach with your backhand shot.
With the backhand you should use two hands for more control on the racquet and the swing. Also I understand that most people tend to have their hands far apart or kind of close together on the racquet with this shot; However, with this shot it is much easier to have control when you have your hands each interlocked or on top of each other, so they are working as “one”. When your hands aren’t together and are spread apart they tend to go against each other, which can cause a loss of control. So, when they are together they will hit from the same direction, rather than going against each other and will be able to have more force with it as well. Once, I found out this technique I saw great improvement with my backhand.
Thank you so much for the advice on my forehand shot. I really do appreciate the feedback you have given me.
I hope this can help you with your backhand!
I am also glad that you like my blog, it gives me great reinsurance that I'm on track and doing a good job. :)