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.