Yes, as an ex golfer, a quiet head and not lifting/looking where it’s going makes for much cleaner, consistent and powerful contact. People don’t realize how heavy the head is, and where it goes pulls other parts of the body.
During matches I think about my footwork, the self-talk phrase I use that’s been super helpful is “don’t be aggressive with your swing, be aggressive with your feet”
sounds great! i will keep that in mind. in the last match i missed some easy forehands, and i have com to the conclusion that the reason was not always the stroke, but mostly my poor footwork. good foodwork, keeping the head still will have a good impact on my forehand next time, i am sure.
Defs this. I sometimes notice when matches get tight the footwork gets tight. Adjust properly with the feet and the swing feels more fluid when you adjust properly
"focus on execution versus outcome.... when things get a little bit tight, a little nervous it is easy to put so much weight on the outcome of the point or the match, but focusing on keeping the head still it has allowed me to execute so much better without thinking about IF it is going to go in or out, I can live with the mistake as long as I feel I have executed the right way." That right there, is WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD!!!!! That kind of insight is why this is my favorite tennis channel on RUclips!!!!!
It's funny that almost all the tips you mentioned here is what I had to implement for my one handed backhand to be able to hang with some of my friends. Dominant eye, head still, footwork, and simplifying the swing a bit to focus more on making good contact.
This is one of my favorite forehand videos! I love that you spoke about the “feeling of it”, that helped me more than technical talk. Really helpful for me, thanks!
Yes! Such good tips. They all kind of come down to the idea of doing less. Less crazy backswing, less head movement, less unnecessary loading.. that is what I struggle most with on my forehand. Forehand has sooo much more dynamic choice than 2h backhand and I have to keep trying to do less to make it a more consistent stroke. The other thing I am trying to improve is choosing a more consistent contact point. Because with that 1 handed movement I can lean a bit here, lean over there, stretch for it easier than with 2h backhand, I often have very varied contact points which I choose out of laziness or to 'have fun' with it. If you're super talented this results in some chaotic ball trajectories that put opponent on their toes trying to find your flow, but if you're not consistent a lot of unforced errors too. I'm in the latter category at the moment!
Gotta say I tried this in my last session and it for sure allowed me to be more aggressive with my forehand. I normally have some trouble shooting long and spraying because my racket face opens up. Once I focused on compacting my stroke I found my self being a bit more aggressive and improved timing. I think the dominant eye thing helps but footwork, intensity, and prep for the shot is more important. Thank you Karue for this video. This has helped alot. Keep the good content coming. ALSO KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE!!!! WE NEED MORE WINS!!!!
Karue, I have been following your channel for quite some time, as well as your play during the college days, and you have come such a long way. I am excited to see how much you are improving even while being already at a very high level and you are inspiring me to get back into tennis. Keep it up, amazing video as always.
Really nice that you talked about those 3 things. 4 years ago, I found that fluidity and backswing was very crucial, so i shortened it for a more compact swing. I hit balls way earlier and allowed me to setup more winners, volleys, etc. I was more of a wall back then, since I was more doubles player. I knew my footwork and where to go but it limited my movement since i had a partner to back me up. Fast forward to present day, worked a lot on the singles pov. Adjusted my footwork so that I'm doing split steps left and right from the baseline to hopefully open the court more to setup and finish the rallies. It really helped my forehand wing and became a powerhouse but I loss a bit on the backhand, since I'm left eye dominant. Trying to recover to my prime backhand now with my adjusted footwork.
Best video of yours I've watched, and I've been watching since your channel just started. This type of thinking really resonates with the way I think about my strokes and footwork, and it's rare to see coaches/videos express it in a coherent manner. Even though this is about the forehand, the stroke/footwork sections both apply perfectly to my backhand, and even at 36, I'm constantly looking for adjustments like these to apply to my backhand.
You have the best Tennis Content on RUclips! really simple adjustments but make a huge change. I have seen other videos where you turn your head a lot when you hit. You hit really good forehands so I never thought much of it. I find I am able to hit better when I keep my head still and focused on the all contact. It is the hardest habit to instill but worth it. I really liked what the first adjustment. i have found I do that by accident and my forehands turn out really good, but usually happens when i’m rushed and can’t take a big take back or load into my legs. Funny enough all 3 habits I do naturally when I hit a forehand on the run. When i’m stretched out wide. Because my legs are moving to the right, and not into the court, my shoulders need to rotate quicker, my eyes stay focused on the ball, and my take back is more to my side than back behind me. I will definitely try to incroporate these habbits, I can clearly see how much smoother and mechanically simply your forhand looks!
yes for some people, including myself, it is easier to do all that when the ball is moving away from them. It is harder when you need to create the space. Requires discipline with all the adjustment steps
3! As a newer player I have found keeping my eye on the contact has made contact point and balls way more consistent! You're right there are a lot of times where I just trust the swing without really looking, but results in more mistakes and inconsistencies that way. Fantastic video overall though as all 3 really applies to me and I can relate to all the mistake you've mentioned. Especially loading too early and mishitting from it!
Great tips. I’m working on focussing on the seams of the ball - or the logo print. Read it in the Inner Game of Tennis and it’s a great way of tricking my brain into keeping my head still.
#3. The changes are awesome and everyone could probably use them. I am definitely going to focus on 2 & 3 and see how it feels. Thanks again for sharing and I did notice in the UTR events that your FH seemed more like a weapon than it has in the past. That must be a great feeling!!!!
I noticed since watching you play Ryan, your set up is much faster and your footwork has improved, you are much quicker, and I also noticed you are much faster. What is your time in the 40 yard dash. When I was in high school I ran the 40 yard dash 5.2, 5.5, 5.1 was my fastest speed. I also did punt and kickoff returns and we ran special drills to increase speed and quickness. Do you ever work on just speed and quickness? I also wanted to thank you for the advice on sliding to hit the backhand, I usually hit an open stance on the backhand, but I went back to the fundamentals and it’s helped. Thanks again Coach and good luck with your tournaments. May GOD bless you and protect you from injuries, and may you play perfect tennis, and enjoy the game. I truly appreciate your hard work on the tennis courts and your dedication to this channel.
@mytennisHQ Karue ever since you released this video, I have been trying to keep my head still. For me what works best is trying my hardest to try to see the ball at contact by looking through the strings. Although it's impossible to actually see the ball but this concept allows me to keep my head more still and as a result my forehand has never been so consistent!!!!! Thank you so much.
Wow! first time watching you, you have an awesome forehand man, thanks! Very fluid, compact, yet away from the body, and able to handle all different shots coming at you, very cool! You have just the forehand that I have decided is perfect for me!
Good stuff. All 3 are key items to hitting cleaner and more accurate. Sometimes I have students say “step” when their last foot hits the ground before contact(right ft open stance vs left foot closed/neutral) say “hit” when making contact. Increases awareness of the timing between the load and strike so not too early and waiting for balls or too late and rushed. Your still head is definitely allowing steady swing path extending a clean hitting zone. One tip is to see both the non hitting hand (peripherally) and incoming ball in same frame…just like in the go pro first person footage. The hand flashes thru then the racquet gets up to where the hand was.
I watched this video few times, I must say that it relate to my forehand as well. Aplying these adjustments to my forehand as well is game changer for me. Thank you very much!
Adjustment #1 is one I actually just self-realized for myself very recently that I am planning to focus on. Same as you, my 2HBH developed as my more natural, solid shot. I was thinking about parts I could mirror about it to my FH and I realized the major factor that my elbow sometimes gets into my body causing less power, depth, or the racquet opening up/ball flying out. Then I think it similarly coincides that my BH footwork is just more natural/fluid. Going to work with that bit you got from Marcos as well. Loading made powerful shots sometimes, but never consistently when you have to adjust to different balls all the time. Bad habits die hard but they can defs be improved upon with intention. Awesome content as always, Karue.
Hi guy, thank you for the tips ! the recommendation to increase space between the body and the elbow, its the most tip you could give !!! this help me do improve a lote my forehand !!! Thansk from Brazil !
Karue, I love how you break technique into simple terms. These are excellent basics but are difficult to achieve when you've got bad habits like me. Also, you've got to have some of the smoothest strokes out there. I'd put you side by side Korda and Fed in that category.
Totally agreed, one of the best things to do to improve is to focus on the ball since naturally you want to watch the target but that's not how hand-eye coordination works. This has done wonders for me too - improved my timing, my focus (!), and in tight match situations you can always fall back to it (I keep saying to myself to focus on the ball, helps to ease the mind a bit). Thanks for the vid!
Parabéns Karue! I believe I have the same problems and will actively work on them. Appreciate your time in putting these videos together. Abraços do Brasil!
Same exact problem here, opening up too soon. But unlike "the coach" you mentioned, who suggests to stay more open on the forehand with this dom eye setup. you focus on letting go of the target watch and keep the head in place. I like this method better. easier change to make vs going more open stance.
Amazing advice! The short takeback (I think you already mentioned it on another video) has helped me a lot! I've still been struggling with my forehand, though, and I've seen myself hitting too open. Will definitely try all these!
Hi as a coach and a player i preach and apply one key fundamental ie let your upper body be your spacing and timing guide. All else will follow. A la dimitrov or fed or monsfils. Sometimes you may end up with weird foot position at point of impact but still balanced. That is because our upper body and lower body rotates in different vertical plane.
well done with the head still. "the coach" who made the masterclass about the dominant eye is smoking good stuff, and now that you , the dominant right eyed keep your head behind your impact on your fh and feel so much better i'm sure you think the same. Way to call his bluff, the whole watching the target is complete nonsense, especially at your level. I really don't know how he can talk so persuasively and confidently saying that stuff. #2 is really good, made me realize that i hit my best forehand while in movement too, and that every time i "load" and break my movement i start shanking. Great tip! as for #1, you mentioned throwing the racquet back and forth... you should've put more emphasis on that... really tough getting power without throwing the racquet head backwards. Overall, great video!
I've been waiting for over a year now to see if you would change your forehand to this technique. There was one time when you were thinking of developing a Del Potro style of forehand. I like this forehand better. Great job! This video is top class excellent!
keeping ur head still is something i saw on federer since i started learning tennis a few years ago( probably thats why i have a one handed backhand:)) and now i can't even use the left hand if i want to hit a 2 handed:D)...anyway keeping ur head still and watching the contact fees like it gives u more consistency in forehands like even if u miss , it's by a small margin most of the time...as soon as i panic and forget about keeping my head still, the forehand is all over the place and pretty inconsistent......probably thats one of the things winston struggles with on the forehand side when he needs to play aggressive shots, head is moving to see where the ball lands and he misses the shot...u could call it the curriosity in tennis:))) Great videos, learned a lot, watched all of them......hope u will keep sharing to us going forward ..and maybe one day u could make on for the one handed backhand:D
I've been going through a similar evolution in my FH. For me, the dynamic footwork has been a game changer. Being able to move and hit at the same time is a big leap forward. I first was of the mindset that the purpose of footwork was to get you to the right spot and then you stay still to execute your shot. But once I figured out the feeling of putting my entire weight into my swing using my legs, I had an a-ha moment where you can move towards the ball and end with the weight transfer as you swing.
I just saw your practice match with Felix.Your forehand is looking like Nalbandian's forehand. Compact swing to control the point standing closer to the baseline.
You have the best channel. What I find hard in doing adjustments is not getting back to old habit under pressure. What I’m trying to adjust on my forehand is : 1- be more loose as I have the habit of not letting go the hand under pressure 2- ha ing my weight on the left foot and going forward instead in having the weight on the right foot and moving backward while hitting forehands 🤦♂️
So I'm an impatient person. My initial forehand swings is more similar to Nadal's but it hasn't been consistent in forever. I watched your video a couple of weeks back. But today, I tried making my swing more compact, like #1. This forces me to be more patient, I can still do a huge backswing because I know I am fast enough even when I'm compact, and it helped with my game today. Just wanna say I'm glad that I watched this and remembered the specific change you made.
Forehand is fire bro, I took some good tips away from this, like you my backhand has always been my weapon, but now i'm looking to weaponize my forehand late in my career. The head moving is what kills me, most times I'm looking too early. I also see the ball perfectly on my one hand backhand, and never mishit it, all my mishits come from my forehand side. Awesome info!
Excellent video. This is a good video and all 3 tips are great. I've used them in the past but this is a good refresher and I will work on all 3 of these over the next few weeks. By the way, there's a lot of BS in RUclips tennis coaches but this guy is one of the better ones and you would be well served to model your game based on these videos. Yes, there are many other good coaches on RUclips too but beware, because there are some stinkers out there.
Keeping your head still is always a good thing. A bigger part is that players need to deaden down that anxiety to see the outcome of their shot. If you are any good, you should have a great feel for the outcome of your swing even before you contact that ball. Every time you seek to check the outcome of your shot, you are insidiously undermining your own confidence and trust in your own swing, so don't do it. Then ditto all the technical details on why you should keep your head still. Biomechanically you hit harder if you keep your head still because you don't over rotate and tend to create maximum racquet head acceleration in the contact zone. When you move your head, you shift the point of maximum racquet acceleration well past the optimal contact point. Damn it. This was supposed to be a 10 word post. 🤦🏻♂ P.S. My 2 cents would be to have Karue activate his left side of his body a lot more on his forehand. There is a lot of free power sitting there under utilised. 🤷🏻♂
I really like your explanation at the last minute or 2 that the adjustment you made is simple and no magic. Keeping your eyes at the ball not the target that should be easy. Making your swing compact and fluid that should be not too difficult. Your adjustment of footwork, well, it involves a lot of running and positioning within a second or 2. I think its the difficult part esp for people aged 50+. Anyway, thanks for the tips. I subscribed to your channel and downloaded this video. Its really valuable.
great video. The relaxation is just right, is just like Novak's relaxation, not too much, not too little. The sound of the ball is like a crack, and the path of the ball, I know your forehand is awesome. Everyone, loves tennis, should watch this guy.
Number 3...., kiss'n the biceps longer, stills the head through contact preventing head separation aiding your unit turn & increasing ploughthrough leading to more explosive forehand.
i already have a compact shot but i like what he's saying here. i feel like i load too much as well, so when i misjudge the ball i tend to have to reach for the ball since im planted to the ground. will try this the next time i play and also the stationery head.
My coach just fixed my forehand this week. Same issue. More compact swing. , loose wrist, and higher finish over my shoulder rather than hitting my shoulder.
I’m right eye dominant and i don’t even bother watching the contact. Last fixation is about a foot or two in front of where i actually hit it. Works great.
Great breakdown of before and after.. Definitely more Fed-like/ ATP forehand. That is never a bad thing... 😏 I've been working on #1 and #3 for quite awhile and they are game changers. I look forward to concentrating more on #2. Makes a lot of sense. Awesome Video!
It's very encouraging to a club player like myself to see that a top pro will fine tune his game. While I expected that to occur, your example actually shows us PROOF. It seems you have made slight adjustments to "economize" your forehand. The modern ATP pro must be able to handle balls at high velocity all over the court - do you think that is the underlying motivation to make these changes? Your videos are great - you seem like a genuinely down to earth person even in light of your skills.
This is the the information I needed right now. I’m starting to lose to players I usually beat and my forehand has started breaking down. Getting stuck from loading too early is EXACTLY what I’m experiencing. Thanks for this video. I wish I could like it twice.
Appreciate the video! You're forehand video has sparked a thought in my own game, and I'm looking forward to getting to the court today to hit some forehands!
Excellent tips bro, I feel like going to the court to hit. Definetely working along with Marcos Girón has given you another perspective on the details because he is such a talented player which we all can learn from. Best regards bro. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the tips! I think I’ll focus on # 2 because I sometimes feel disconnected because I’m loading too soon. I never thought about it until you mentioned it :)
the other thing to mention...for mere mortals (not you)...but when you pull your head up early on fh...left shoulder moves and your contact point shifts a little bit...but enough to often affect the fh
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Did you guess right?? No cheating 😂
yes! 😁
where's Giron?? Is he injured- I haven't seen him play any clay tournaments??
Yes, as an ex golfer, a quiet head and not lifting/looking where it’s going makes for much cleaner, consistent and powerful contact. People don’t realize how heavy the head is, and where it goes pulls other parts of the body.
Yes I did as I wear high index glasses, which when i move my head causes me to misshit more.
Not sure if I guessed right, as I just stopped the video to comment and I am going to say I am NEARLY certain it is #3....
During matches I think about my footwork, the self-talk phrase I use that’s been super helpful is “don’t be aggressive with your swing, be aggressive with your feet”
Great thought
sounds great! i will keep that in mind. in the last match i missed some easy forehands, and i have com to the conclusion that the reason was not always the stroke, but mostly my poor footwork. good foodwork, keeping the head still will have a good impact on my forehand next time, i am sure.
Defs this. I sometimes notice when matches get tight the footwork gets tight. Adjust properly with the feet and the swing feels more fluid when you adjust properly
I think your comment just made my figure out why I lose my strokes as soon as I start to play for points..
Fuaa you just blew my mind dawg
"focus on execution versus outcome.... when things get a little bit tight, a little nervous it is easy to put so much weight on the outcome of the point or the match, but focusing on keeping the head still it has allowed me to execute so much better without thinking about IF it is going to go in or out, I can live with the mistake as long as I feel I have executed the right way." That right there, is WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD!!!!! That kind of insight is why this is my favorite tennis channel on RUclips!!!!!
10 years ago you would have to pay top dollar to go to an academy to learn this stuff. You cut the BS out and keep it real. Ily man 🤜🤛
the bs is you and I engaging here so he gets paid. Qualified bs
@@formulaicsounds whats wrong with him getting paid???
@@formulaicsounds He deserves to get paid, and it's not even out of our pockets so why tf do you care?
@@formulaicsoundsSo pls skip it , what else !
It's funny that almost all the tips you mentioned here is what I had to implement for my one handed backhand to be able to hang with some of my friends. Dominant eye, head still, footwork, and simplifying the swing a bit to focus more on making good contact.
love it! Keep it simple
Best tennis channel hands down. One of the best yt channels as well. No stupid 3 minute intro or such nonesense. Keep it up man.
Hi Karue, If you are making progress, there is no excuse for us our recreational players not to be striving for improvement.
This is one of my favorite forehand videos! I love that you spoke about the “feeling of it”, that helped me more than technical talk. Really helpful for me, thanks!
your new forehand technique reminds me of Fabio Fognini, probabaly currently the most compact forehand top ATP player
Great observation, Fognini has maybe the most compact bang for the buck forehand out there. Fed also.
I am in love with this forehand. Your weight transfer is so perfect and pure, perfect balance, perfect footwork, smooth. Nice vids. Sub'd!
Now your forehand really looks better!
Thank you!!
#3 is what I have to constantly remind myself. On serves and on my forehand. I have a horrible habit of taking my eyes off the ball.
Your most helpful insights (to me) so far, and among the best I've heard anywhere. Nice that you & Giron can exchange ideas without egos in the way.
Yes! Such good tips. They all kind of come down to the idea of doing less. Less crazy backswing, less head movement, less unnecessary loading.. that is what I struggle most with on my forehand. Forehand has sooo much more dynamic choice than 2h backhand and I have to keep trying to do less to make it a more consistent stroke. The other thing I am trying to improve is choosing a more consistent contact point. Because with that 1 handed movement I can lean a bit here, lean over there, stretch for it easier than with 2h backhand, I often have very varied contact points which I choose out of laziness or to 'have fun' with it. If you're super talented this results in some chaotic ball trajectories that put opponent on their toes trying to find your flow, but if you're not consistent a lot of unforced errors too. I'm in the latter category at the moment!
I like your description of fluidity with the feet and swing. Thank you for posting
This is amazing! I can see these improvements being helpful to me too. Love the classic look of the forehand.
Such a good video. I watched it now several times. Al these adjustments are related to my forehand to. It so helpful. Thank you!
This lesson changed my game. Tks alot m8! Cheers from Aracaju/SE BR
Gotta say I tried this in my last session and it for sure allowed me to be more aggressive with my forehand. I normally have some trouble shooting long and spraying because my racket face opens up. Once I focused on compacting my stroke I found my self being a bit more aggressive and improved timing. I think the dominant eye thing helps but footwork, intensity, and prep for the shot is more important. Thank you Karue for this video. This has helped alot. Keep the good content coming. ALSO KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE!!!! WE NEED MORE WINS!!!!
Karue, I have been following your channel for quite some time, as well as your play during the college days, and you have come such a long way. I am excited to see how much you are improving even while being already at a very high level and you are inspiring me to get back into tennis. Keep it up, amazing video as always.
Really nice that you talked about those 3 things. 4 years ago, I found that fluidity and backswing was very crucial, so i shortened it for a more compact swing. I hit balls way earlier and allowed me to setup more winners, volleys, etc. I was more of a wall back then, since I was more doubles player. I knew my footwork and where to go but it limited my movement since i had a partner to back me up. Fast forward to present day, worked a lot on the singles pov. Adjusted my footwork so that I'm doing split steps left and right from the baseline to hopefully open the court more to setup and finish the rallies. It really helped my forehand wing and became a powerhouse but I loss a bit on the backhand, since I'm left eye dominant. Trying to recover to my prime backhand now with my adjusted footwork.
9:21 - looking through the ball - excellent point that rarely is taught
You are a beast, Karue! Keep up the quality work and content, we the fans are loving it!
Thanks!
Ivan for the win
I’m going to say #3. I love that you are always looking to improve, even though you have beautiful strokes already.
Best video of yours I've watched, and I've been watching since your channel just started. This type of thinking really resonates with the way I think about my strokes and footwork, and it's rare to see coaches/videos express it in a coherent manner.
Even though this is about the forehand, the stroke/footwork sections both apply perfectly to my backhand, and even at 36, I'm constantly looking for adjustments like these to apply to my backhand.
You have the best Tennis Content on RUclips! really simple adjustments but make a huge change. I have seen other videos where you turn your head a lot when you hit. You hit really good forehands so I never thought much of it. I find I am able to hit better when I keep my head still and focused on the all contact. It is the hardest habit to instill but worth it. I really liked what the first adjustment. i have found I do that by accident and my forehands turn out really good, but usually happens when i’m rushed and can’t take a big take back or load into my legs. Funny enough all 3 habits I do naturally when I hit a forehand on the run. When i’m stretched out wide. Because my legs are moving to the right, and not into the court, my shoulders need to rotate quicker, my eyes stay focused on the ball, and my take back is more to my side than back behind me. I will definitely try to incroporate these habbits, I can clearly see how much smoother and mechanically simply your forhand looks!
yes for some people, including myself, it is easier to do all that when the ball is moving away from them. It is harder when you need to create the space. Requires discipline with all the adjustment steps
3! As a newer player I have found keeping my eye on the contact has made contact point and balls way more consistent! You're right there are a lot of times where I just trust the swing without really looking, but results in more mistakes and inconsistencies that way. Fantastic video overall though as all 3 really applies to me and I can relate to all the mistake you've mentioned. Especially loading too early and mishitting from it!
Best videos on youtube that improves my forehand. Thanks Karue 👍🏽
Great tips. I’m working on focussing on the seams of the ball - or the logo print. Read it in the Inner Game of Tennis and it’s a great way of tricking my brain into keeping my head still.
#3. The changes are awesome and everyone could probably use them. I am definitely going to focus on 2 & 3 and see how it feels. Thanks again for sharing and I did notice in the UTR events that your FH seemed more like a weapon than it has in the past. That must be a great feeling!!!!
I noticed since watching you play Ryan, your set up is much faster and your footwork has improved, you are much quicker, and I also noticed you are much faster. What is your time in the 40 yard dash. When I was in high school I ran the 40 yard dash 5.2, 5.5, 5.1 was my fastest speed. I also did punt and kickoff returns and we ran special drills to increase speed and quickness. Do you ever work on just speed and quickness? I also wanted to thank you for the advice on sliding to hit the backhand, I usually hit an open stance on the backhand, but I went back to the fundamentals and it’s helped. Thanks again Coach and good luck with your tournaments. May GOD bless you and protect you from injuries, and may you play perfect tennis, and enjoy the game. I truly appreciate your hard work on the tennis courts and your dedication to this channel.
Man I love this video. It has really helped me a lot with my forehand and has helped me be more consistent with my shots. Thanks a lot man.
Awesome Guide ! Thanks a lot. Especially the head lock !
By far my favorite tennis coach on RUclips. This video should be a great help 🙏🏾👍🏾
@mytennisHQ Karue ever since you released this video, I have been trying to keep my head still. For me what works best is trying my hardest to try to see the ball at contact by looking through the strings. Although it's impossible to actually see the ball but this concept allows me to keep my head more still and as a result my forehand has never been so consistent!!!!! Thank you so much.
Similar exploration within myself. #3 is most important for me. I have more control and consistent pace with keeping the noggin still. Good video
Spot on with the “adjustments” emphasis!!
I love the swing.. hope i can do this in court..very well explained
Wow! first time watching you, you have an awesome forehand man, thanks! Very fluid, compact, yet away from the body, and able to handle all different shots coming at you, very cool! You have just the forehand that I have decided is perfect for me!
Good stuff. All 3 are key items to hitting cleaner and more accurate. Sometimes I have students say “step” when their last foot hits the ground before contact(right ft open stance vs left foot closed/neutral) say “hit” when making contact. Increases awareness of the timing between the load and strike so not too early and waiting for balls or too late and rushed. Your still head is definitely allowing steady swing path extending a clean hitting zone. One tip is to see both the non hitting hand (peripherally) and incoming ball in same frame…just like in the go pro first person footage. The hand flashes thru then the racquet gets up to where the hand was.
Love this , every little thing matters makes a huge difference ❤️
I watched this video few times, I must say that it relate to my forehand as well. Aplying these adjustments to my forehand as well is game changer for me. Thank you very much!
Adjustment #1 is one I actually just self-realized for myself very recently that I am planning to focus on. Same as you, my 2HBH developed as my more natural, solid shot. I was thinking about parts I could mirror about it to my FH and I realized the major factor that my elbow sometimes gets into my body causing less power, depth, or the racquet opening up/ball flying out. Then I think it similarly coincides that my BH footwork is just more natural/fluid. Going to work with that bit you got from Marcos as well. Loading made powerful shots sometimes, but never consistently when you have to adjust to different balls all the time. Bad habits die hard but they can defs be improved upon with intention. Awesome content as always, Karue.
Thanks. The first tip helped a lot to make my forehand a working tool💪
Very good, clean and solid strikes. took your advice here and it made my forehand cleaner, more accurate with more pace. tip top !
Hi guy, thank you for the tips ! the recommendation to increase space between the body and the elbow, its the most tip you could give !!! this help me do improve a lote my forehand !!! Thansk from Brazil !
Karue, I love how you break technique into simple terms. These are excellent basics but are difficult to achieve when you've got bad habits like me. Also, you've got to have some of the smoothest strokes out there. I'd put you side by side Korda and Fed in that category.
Totally agreed, one of the best things to do to improve is to focus on the ball since naturally you want to watch the target but that's not how hand-eye coordination works. This has done wonders for me too - improved my timing, my focus (!), and in tight match situations you can always fall back to it (I keep saying to myself to focus on the ball, helps to ease the mind a bit). Thanks for the vid!
Great videos Karue - always love to watch nd try to take away from your streams.
Regards from Singapore.
Parabéns Karue! I believe I have the same problems and will actively work on them. Appreciate your time in putting these videos together. Abraços do Brasil!
Nice tips, great content as always, Greetings from Madrid!
Awesome content.. your forehand sir has that pop unlike the brushy ones from before.
these are great tweaks! i need to try them all but probably also focus on the last.
Same exact problem here, opening up too soon. But unlike "the coach" you mentioned, who suggests to stay more open on the forehand with this dom eye setup. you focus on letting go of the target watch and keep the head in place. I like this method better. easier change to make vs going more open stance.
yes I don’t love the idea of staying more open. In my own experience staying more closed has helped me a lot. To each their own
Amazing advice! The short takeback (I think you already mentioned it on another video) has helped me a lot! I've still been struggling with my forehand, though, and I've seen myself hitting too open. Will definitely try all these!
Yep. Doesn’t have to be super compact but it definitely simplifies things
#3 is one I’m always trying to remember too. Makes a huge difference. Though I find in doubles, I have to get my head up a lot quicker than in singles
Great breakdown of the fundamentals. Thank you
Hi as a coach and a player i preach and apply one key fundamental ie let your upper body be your spacing and timing guide. All else will follow. A la dimitrov or fed or monsfils. Sometimes you may end up with weird foot position at point of impact but still balanced. That is because our upper body and lower body rotates in different vertical plane.
well done with the head still. "the coach" who made the masterclass about the dominant eye is smoking good stuff, and now that you , the dominant right eyed keep your head behind your impact on your fh and feel so much better i'm sure you think the same. Way to call his bluff, the whole watching the target is complete nonsense, especially at your level. I really don't know how he can talk so persuasively and confidently saying that stuff. #2 is really good, made me realize that i hit my best forehand while in movement too, and that every time i "load" and break my movement i start shanking. Great tip! as for #1, you mentioned throwing the racquet back and forth... you should've put more emphasis on that... really tough getting power without throwing the racquet head backwards. Overall, great video!
Clean backhand bc you’re right eye dominant. I’m the opposite but you helped me improve my backhand anyway. Thanks.
Great vid! Anyone know what grip Karue uses for his forehand?
I've been waiting for over a year now to see if you would change your forehand to this technique. There was one time when you were thinking of developing a Del Potro style of forehand. I like this forehand better. Great job!
This video is top class excellent!
I also open up to quickly and now i finally understand why. Thanks!
keeping ur head still is something i saw on federer since i started learning tennis a few years ago( probably thats why i have a one handed backhand:)) and now i can't even use the left hand if i want to hit a 2 handed:D)...anyway keeping ur head still and watching the contact fees like it gives u more consistency in forehands like even if u miss , it's by a small margin most of the time...as soon as i panic and forget about keeping my head still, the forehand is all over the place and pretty inconsistent......probably thats one of the things winston struggles with on the forehand side when he needs to play aggressive shots, head is moving to see where the ball lands and he misses the shot...u could call it the curriosity in tennis:)))
Great videos, learned a lot, watched all of them......hope u will keep sharing to us going forward ..and maybe one day u could make on for the one handed backhand:D
I've been going through a similar evolution in my FH. For me, the dynamic footwork has been a game changer. Being able to move and hit at the same time is a big leap forward. I first was of the mindset that the purpose of footwork was to get you to the right spot and then you stay still to execute your shot. But once I figured out the feeling of putting my entire weight into my swing using my legs, I had an a-ha moment where you can move towards the ball and end with the weight transfer as you swing.
Great comment 👏
Your forehand impoved alot since your video when you were hitting with Osaka!
I just saw your practice match with Felix.Your forehand is looking like Nalbandian's forehand. Compact swing to control the point standing closer to the baseline.
You have the best channel.
What I find hard in doing adjustments is not getting back to old habit under pressure.
What I’m trying to adjust on my forehand is :
1- be more loose as I have the habit of not letting go the hand under pressure
2- ha ing my weight on the left foot and going forward instead in having the weight on the right foot and moving backward while hitting forehands 🤦♂️
I love these. 3 is tops for me. It's a constant reminder I have to give myself when I step on the court or when my contact starts to get dirty.
So I'm an impatient person. My initial forehand swings is more similar to Nadal's but it hasn't been consistent in forever. I watched your video a couple of weeks back. But today, I tried making my swing more compact, like #1. This forces me to be more patient, I can still do a huge backswing because I know I am fast enough even when I'm compact, and it helped with my game today. Just wanna say I'm glad that I watched this and remembered the specific change you made.
Forehand is fire bro, I took some good tips away from this, like you my backhand has always been my weapon, but now i'm looking to weaponize my forehand late in my career. The head moving is what kills me, most times I'm looking too early. I also see the ball perfectly on my one hand backhand, and never mishit it, all my mishits come from my forehand side. Awesome info!
Excellent video. This is a good video and all 3 tips are great. I've used them in the past but this is a good refresher and I will work on all 3 of these over the next few weeks. By the way, there's a lot of BS in RUclips tennis coaches but this guy is one of the better ones and you would be well served to model your game based on these videos. Yes, there are many other good coaches on RUclips too but beware, because there are some stinkers out there.
Keeping your head still is always a good thing.
A bigger part is that players need to deaden down that anxiety to see the outcome of their shot.
If you are any good, you should have a great feel for the outcome of your swing even before you contact that ball.
Every time you seek to check the outcome of your shot, you are insidiously undermining your own confidence and trust in your own swing, so don't do it.
Then ditto all the technical details on why you should keep your head still.
Biomechanically you hit harder if you keep your head still because you don't over rotate and tend to create maximum racquet head acceleration in the contact zone. When you move your head, you shift the point of maximum racquet acceleration well past the optimal contact point.
Damn it. This was supposed to be a 10 word post. 🤦🏻♂
P.S.
My 2 cents would be to have Karue activate his left side of his body a lot more on his forehand. There is a lot of free power sitting there under utilised. 🤷🏻♂
Thank you, coach. I’ll give it a try.
I really like your explanation at the last minute or 2 that the adjustment you made is simple and no magic. Keeping your eyes at the ball not the target that should be easy. Making your swing compact and fluid that should be not too difficult. Your adjustment of footwork, well, it involves a lot of running and positioning within a second or 2. I think its the difficult part esp for people aged 50+.
Anyway, thanks for the tips. I subscribed to your channel and downloaded this video. Its really valuable.
great video. The relaxation is just right, is just like Novak's relaxation, not too much, not too little. The sound of the ball is like a crack, and the path of the ball, I know your forehand is awesome. Everyone, loves tennis, should watch this guy.
Number 3...., kiss'n the biceps longer, stills the head through contact preventing head separation aiding your unit turn & increasing ploughthrough leading to more explosive forehand.
i already have a compact shot but i like what he's saying here. i feel like i load too much as well, so when i misjudge the ball i tend to have to reach for the ball since im planted to the ground. will try this the next time i play and also the stationery head.
My coach just fixed my forehand this week. Same issue. More compact swing.
, loose wrist, and higher finish over my shoulder rather than hitting my shoulder.
Great video and beautiful execution.
I’m right eye dominant and i don’t even bother watching the contact. Last fixation is about a foot or two in front of where i actually hit it. Works great.
Hello Karue...with your compact backswing are you making a bigger shoulder turn now?...you're the best coach period!!...thanks
Excellent lesson thank you
Is there any tip to do shorter takeback Karue? Thanks for great video about the hitting mindset. It's really helpful.
Great breakdown of before and after.. Definitely more Fed-like/ ATP forehand. That is never a bad thing... 😏 I've been working on #1 and #3 for quite awhile and they are game changers. I look forward to concentrating more on #2. Makes a lot of sense.
Awesome Video!
thank you!
You belong on the ATP tour, king!
I also thought number 3 because it is the least natural, more counter intuitive. Great video. 🇧🇷
It's very encouraging to a club player like myself to see that a top pro will fine tune his game. While I expected that to occur, your example actually shows us PROOF. It seems you have made slight adjustments to "economize" your forehand. The modern ATP pro must be able to handle balls at high velocity all over the court - do you think that is the underlying motivation to make these changes? Your videos are great - you seem like a genuinely down to earth person even in light of your skills.
#3 is definitely my problem as well. Thanks for sharing your process and development. I’m ready to crush balls now. 👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽
Thanks a ton! Surely make a difference in my forehand!
This is the the information I needed right now. I’m starting to lose to players I usually beat and my forehand has started breaking down. Getting stuck from loading too early is EXACTLY what I’m experiencing. Thanks for this video. I wish I could like it twice.
Appreciate the video! You're forehand video has sparked a thought in my own game, and I'm looking forward to getting to the court today to hit some forehands!
I hope you can make this same exact video for the backhand side
Love how you break it down so that the average tennis bro can relate to it.... even though you're on a different planet!
nice tips as always! Parabens pelo trabalho!
Excellent tips bro, I feel like going to the court to hit. Definetely working along with Marcos Girón has given you another perspective on the details because he is such a talented player which we all can learn from. Best regards bro. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the tips! I think I’ll focus on # 2 because I sometimes feel disconnected because I’m loading too soon. I never thought about it until you mentioned it :)
let me know how it goes
OMG #3 is soooo helpful for me. Thank you
the other thing to mention...for mere mortals (not you)...but when you pull your head up early on fh...left shoulder moves and your contact point shifts a little bit...but enough to often affect the fh