What Style is Your Tennis Forehand Technique?
There are various tennis forehand technique styles. The modern tennis forehand is needed for today’s game. The high take back allows the use of gravity to build momentum in the swing. The rotation of the swing from right to left (for right-handers) is initiated by the left hip. When done correctly, the “heavy ball” is produced, which can make things difficult for your opponent. Believe it or not, the classical style can still be incorporated into your game. So all those years of hitting with the old traditional form are not wasted. When the ball is coming fast like when returning a serve, a straight, short take back and linear follow through is most effective. There’s no time to start high and get a full body rotation. So can you execute both styles? Many of the strokes we discuss have several variations. You need to adapt to the situation with the best stroke option. I have to remind my young players that it’s not just one style fits all. In other words, sometimes you have to get “creative” with your technique to dig out a low ball or to chase down a ball that has gone over your head when at the net. We do drills that force the player to scrape the ball back any way possible. He has to get in a certain number of balls going full speed just to win one point. This can be grueling. The point is, sometime you don’t have time to load up and take a linear, then rotational swing. So if you find yourself hacking away at the ball just to eek it over the net, it’s not all bad. You may lose the point with a weak shot but at least you’re fighting.
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