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July 1997 Article Latest Leading Edge Tennis Article
The Tennis Server
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Weapons of Today: This Month - The Forehand
Keys to a powerful forehand: stance, legs, trunk speed, loops and segmented arm work, grips and strength.
StanceOne of the necessary keys to hitting today's forehand is to use an "open or semi-open stance." In the past, most forehands were hit from a "closed stance." A person hitting a "closed stance" forehand would position the body so that the torso and legs are sideways to the net. The "semi-open stance" forehand (for a right-handed player) has the player's lower body and torso facing the net. This position allows the player to coil the upper body for power while still keeping the eyes on the court. If a player used a "closed stance" and attempted to wind up the trunk for power, there would be no way for him to see the opponent's position on the court.
LegsThe legs of today's players are full of raw power and expressiveness. Tennis players today combine off-court training routines to strengthen their leg power. The use of the legs has dramatically increased when hitting the ball. In the past, legs helped players set up behind oncoming shots, but today they are being used to hurl the body towards the ball. The legs must be "loaded or bent" and then quickly extended so that they can create explosive energy. Once the legs uncoil from the loaded position, the speed that is created must be transferred to next body segment, that being the hip and trunk. It should be noted that, if a player bends too low, potential energy may be lost. Use experimentation to find what is best for your needs. Furthermore, try to make sure that, when the legs are loaded, they are not held in a bent position for a long period of time, or energy may be expended in a static position. Remember to drop and shoot up and forward when using the legs.
Hips and TrunkWhen a player is in the semi-open or open stance, it allows the player to coil the upper body clockwise (for a right-handed player) for potential energy when hitting the ball. The coiling, properly called pre-stretching, allows the abdominal wall muscles to be maximized. A good analogy is to take two pencils and hold them together. Now take a rubberband and tie it around both pencils so that it binds them together. Turn one of the pencils clockwise continuously until the rubberband can no longer coil. Let go of the pencils and watch what happens = energy. Professional trainers nickname the abdominal wall the "core." Without a strong core, today's tennis players would not be able to create the intense racquet speeds that produce devastating shots. Monica Seles and Anke Huber are two professionals that use the trunk to it's maximum.
Loops and Segmented Arm WorkThe preparation of the racquet is vital to adding more power when hitting today's big forehands. In the past, many players used straight back or slightly elevated preparations. This type of take back did not use or store potential energy, rather it forced a player to create racquet speed from a non-moving racquet. Today, players use many types of racquet preparation to store potential energy and then, when it is called for, release the power. Agassi and Pierce use various loops, that is they bring the racquet back in a circle and then propel it forward, almost finishing the loop. Becker uses a highly elevated racquet take back to allow the racquet to drop and move forward explosively. Pete Sampras uses a segmented forehand take back, which means he pulls his elbow high and backwards from the oncoming ball creating an additional "hinge" from which power is generated.GripsIn the past, "Eastern" forehand grips allowed the player to drive through a ball quite easily and effectively. Today's players use more semi-western and western grips where the hand is positioned beside or underneath the handle. This type of grip allows the wrist segment to be used when hitting the groundstroke. Where players in the past did not use too much wrist, today's players use it to the max. In fact, if you watch top players such as Seles, Brugera, Sampras, Agassi, or Hingis, you will see them delaying until the last split second to uncoil or snap the wrist forward, hurling the racquet towards the ball.
Kinetic ChainBiomechanics of the body, simply explained, means how the body parts work/move in relation to one another. A good kinetic chain, or usage of muscles from big muscle groups to small ones, allows a player to pass created energy from one body part to the next. A body part can only start moving when another body part slows down to transfer it's energy, like a bull whip or plastic link snake. To clarify, when a player uses the legs and creates energy, that energy is then passed on to the hips, which are thrown forward. The trunk then turns counter-clockwise, which brings about the movement of the arm segments and, finally, the wrist. Remember, once energy is transferred the joint passing the energy has to slow down in order for the next segment to use the speed.
StrengthToday's professional tennis players are all well-conditioned athletes. They are finely tuned machines. The stronger a player is the more powerful the body is when muscles are contracted. Strength does not mean that a player can hit a one hundred mile an hour forehand. It does, however, allow a player with a good kinetic chain to speed up body segments. With the speed of today's game, many times a player cannot use all the body parts, especially on the run. This means, in many cases, that the segments being used need to create as much speed as possible.
Final thoughtsI suggest that you try some of these power tips for your students or for yourself. It should pay off! I would strongly suggest that you have a friend or coach watch you hit some forehands using these tips. Having another person's perspective could help you detect and correct linkage problems.Best Regards, Reggie
The Tennis Server is pleased to announce that Dennis Van der Meer, president and founder of the United States Professional Tennis Registry, has asked Reggie to be a presenter at the year end U.S.P.T.R.'s International Tennis Symposium in Hilton Head, South Carolina, September 25-28. He will be speaking on junior development using material from his "Kids' Book of Tennis...over 150 tennis games..." Reggie hopes he will see you there!
This column is copyright 1997 by Reggie Vasquez Jr., all rights reserved. Reggie Vasquez Jr. is one of Canada's leading tennis coaches for juniors. He is actively involved with Tennis Canada's grassroots player development. A frequent and enthusiastic speaker at tennis conferences, he is certified by the U.S.P.T.A., Tennis Canada and the U.S.P.T.R.. For almost 7 years he was a head coach for the Canadian Davis cup Captain's Academy at the Canada's National Tennis Center. He has been a Tennis Canada - National Youth Tennis Center Leader for over 8 years and is presently a head coach of an Elite Tennis Academy. He has experience working with juniors from the absolute beginner to the international caliber tennis player. Reggie is also a published author on junior tennis. His personal web site has additional information on his book, the Kids' Book of Tennis. The Kids' Book of Tennis can be ordered directly at a discount using this link to the Amazon.com online bookstore. Questions and comments about these columns can be directed to Reggie by electronic mail at reggie@tennisserver.com. |
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Today's players are hitting forehands with great power and precision from
every position on the court. They can hit winners from 10 feet behind the
baseline or while on the run. In this month's article, I will suggest some
ideas on how to add some power to your forehand.
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