Thanks, John! I am a very experienced 4.0 player and I have been revamping my forehand after doing video analysis and seeing some real issues with my forehand. Your channel has been really helping me. I can't believe it's taken me this long to find your channel because I have literally watched thousands of RUclips tennis videos. But your channel is now one of my favorites and it is helping a lot!
Performance Plus Tennis Hi John, appreciate the shout-out! Thanks for putting this outstanding video together and for clarifying some very important FH performance concepts that are too often neglected or mismanaged, misunderstood, or misinformed in tennis instruction. There are too many online instructional videos and on court lessons based on misinformed or outdated systems like Vic Baden’s linear approaches with a locked 🔒 wrist and Oscar Wegner’s “pulling across the body and finishing around the neck” that limit not only performance but fun hitting the ball and being creative. There are so many essential concepts presented in this video that players need to understand and develop to improve their FH including how to adjust the backswing, the standard semicircle (out and around) swing shape, and an inside out swing path. And the bonus is the fun of learning and applying these advanced concepts and adaptable variations (bend the ball like Nadal) once the basic fundamentals are in place.
So much clarity for so many different concepts which have not been as well explained previously. Coach can you please elaborate on how to get the perfect alignment of the butt of the racquet to point to the incoming ball? Thank you
Hi Meena, Thank you for your comments and question. I believe tension / poor mobility is the leading issue on the forehand movement for many rec players. Softening of the hand to feel the weight of the racquet head, combined with a well coordinated body and stroke will enable the lag movement to develop naturally. Let me know if you have more questions. Yes, John
Performance Plus Tennis : I guess i should rephrase my question. I see that while your racquet face is square when it meets the ball , it is perpendicular to the ball path before the forward swing. I am always late in getting my racquet in this “slot” when I start with the racquet face above my forearm. I seem to only achieve “ clean contact” when I take my racquet straight back. I would like to do it the modern way.. IO hope I explained that better?
@@meenaagarwala1552 Hi Meena, The "Modern way" produces more a more fluid swing and expands the versatility of the stroke. I'd really need to see your stroke to provide valuable feedback other than its seems you must be late in preparing your unit turn or judging the racquet drop in relation to the ball.
Another great video John..I truly appreciate your content and you explain with such an easement and versatility.. thank u 🙏🙏🙏.. waiting for the next one
Hi,, Thanks for your great question. The idea or intention of hitting the outside of the ball is good, because the result is the racquet accelerates slightly past the hand to contact. But in reality, I believe hitting the outside of the ball is a myth, as I have never seen a contact point where the strings are actually on the outside of the ball. Best, John
Great content, John, as always, thanks a lot. I am struggling so much of going always „out of the stroke“, meaning tipping more or less to the left side at point of contact, almost falling back with left side, with right shoulder getting higher than the left at contact. I hope you know what I mean. I miss completely this feeling on „going through the ball“. One reason might be a contact too late and getting jammed. This makes me crazy, but I‘m not able to suppress this bad habit. It would be fine if you can do a video concerning this issue, would help me a lot. Thanks and regards from Germany.
Jo Sch Try making contact with your hitting shoulder more in front of your non hitting shoulder. Watch how most of the time every pro player (and John himself) does this. Maybe John @Performance Plus Tennis 🎾 can indeed make a video on this key aspect of a professional quality forehand.
poida smith Thanks for your answer, that‘s without doubt the point. I think, this „tipping move“ prevents me from turning the right shoulder at all to contact. Am I right, that this shoulder movement must be straight FORWARD in direction to the ball, not AROUND to the left?
Jo Sch I suspect that you may be pulling across your body and being late at contact means your hitting shoulder is behind your opposite (left shoulder if you’re right handed). Get yourself video of your FH and play in slo motion and check. You may also be too close to the ball and your body will naturally tilt or lean left because it’s the only way you can make contact. Keep watching and study carefully what John is instructing in this video. If you can find a local coach or a friend that is an advanced player that understands what John is talking about that will be important to learning, it’s very difficult to do and learn this on your own! You need guidance and real time accurate feedback on court with a basket of balls to get the feel through lots of trial and error repetitions. Once you learn the semicircle elliptical swing pattern you will love hitting the amazing and fun shapes you can make the ball do! Important side note 📝 a very loose and relaxed arm and grip is vital to making the theory presented in this video come alive. That’s why you need lots of repetition with someone feeding you balls and giving you feedback. If you have inappropriate body tension it’s impossible to get the fluidity in the swing. Your hitting arm must become like a “wet noodle” feeling to whip the racket and make the out and around swing pattern.
Hi John, enjoy your videos, and your analysis of how to improve your tennis strokes. Over several years of playing tennis I have tinkered with my grips and have changed several times to gain consistency, and to avoid hitting myself with the racquet. WhenI use the eastern and continental, my strokes seem more mechanical. When I use the semi western they are more free flowing, but less control. But the main reason I end up moving away from semi-western is I have hit myself on the side of my head, near my temple and above my eye with the butt of the racquet during game play, more than I care to remember over the years. Watching your video, I like what you say about hitting out and around, as I know often times whenI I am rushed I hit out and across, and also may not take racquet back far enough, having a shallow swing axis through the stroke wondering if this is the cause of my problem. Just curious if you have any suggestions to help keeping the racquet away from my head during the forehand swing?
Hi James, Thanks for your comments and question. It sounds like you are hinging at the elbow too early after contact. I would focus on driving and out through the upper arm (shoulder) and establishing a strong extension toward your target and away from the body. Also be sure your swing is tempo is "slow-quick-slow" with the second slow occurring in the final case of the follow-thru. Good luck and let me know how it goes. Kindly, John
Thank you John. Your advice makes a lot of since. I will try to focus on not hinging elbow to soon. Maybe that is occurring because I also am late taking the racquet back in certain situations, and probably developed the bad habit of hinging at the elbow to make up for the lost time, which does not allow me to hit out and through like you suggest. Tempo is a problem also. In warmup I naturally have it, but once game starts I do not even focus it, which I need to since it completely disappears at critical junctures of my tennis game. Keep you posted on how it works out. Thanks again
Hi, GREAT question! Yes for the high ball on most occasions I will play around the ball. Sometimes I will hit across the ball (right to left for a righty) for an inside-out shot from the add court. This spin gets the ball the slide off the court. On serve returns, it all depends on how much time I have, More time = more aggressive. Less time = return with control, which for me is typically a flatter ball. I hope you find this helpful. Stay tuned! Kindly, John
For more information on the forehand check out our library of lessons here -> mailchi.mp/036dca9b98f4/fivekeys
This tennis channel is incredible.
Thanks so much, Nick! Really appreciate the kind words. Best, John
Thanks, John! I am a very experienced 4.0 player and I have been revamping my forehand after doing video analysis and seeing some real issues with my forehand. Your channel has been really helping me. I can't believe it's taken me this long to find your channel because I have literally watched thousands of RUclips tennis videos. But your channel is now one of my favorites and it is helping a lot!
I’m so pleased to hear you found my channel is helping you. Keep up the great practice and stay tuned for much more coming on the channel!
Performance Plus Tennis Hi John, appreciate the shout-out! Thanks for putting this outstanding video together and for clarifying some very important FH performance concepts that are too often neglected or mismanaged, misunderstood, or misinformed in tennis instruction.
There are too many online instructional videos and on court lessons based on misinformed or outdated systems like Vic Baden’s linear approaches with a locked 🔒 wrist and Oscar Wegner’s “pulling across the body and finishing around the neck” that limit not only performance but fun hitting the ball and being creative. There are so many essential concepts presented in this video that players need to understand and develop to improve their FH including how to adjust the backswing, the standard semicircle (out and around) swing shape, and an inside out swing path. And the bonus is the fun of learning and applying these advanced concepts and adaptable variations (bend the ball like Nadal) once the basic fundamentals are in place.
Hi Poida, Thank you so much for the feedback and for elaborating on the content. Your input is always spot-on! Kindly, John
Performance Plus Tennis My pleasure John! More to come! 💡
Great tips, John. I found the last one, on taking a very low ball with topspin especially useful. I haven't heard anyone else talk about that.
George Oberlander Thanks George! Glad the low ball content was new and helpful. Let me know if there topic you want me to cover. Thanks, John
Another commendable lesson John. Great job.
Thank you, Yes! Kindly, John
So much clarity for so many different concepts which have not been as well explained previously.
Coach can you please elaborate on how to get the perfect alignment of the butt of the racquet to point to the incoming ball? Thank you
Hi Meena, Thank you for your comments and question. I believe tension / poor mobility is the leading issue on the forehand movement for many rec players. Softening of the hand to feel the weight of the racquet head, combined with a well coordinated body and stroke will enable the lag movement to develop naturally. Let me know if you have more questions. Yes, John
Performance Plus Tennis : I guess i should rephrase my question. I see that while your racquet face is square when it meets the ball , it is perpendicular to the ball path before the forward swing. I am always late in getting my racquet in this “slot” when I start with the racquet face above my forearm. I seem to only achieve “ clean contact” when I take my racquet straight back. I would like to do it the modern way.. IO hope I explained that better?
@@meenaagarwala1552 Hi Meena, The "Modern way" produces more a more fluid swing and expands the versatility of the stroke. I'd really need to see your stroke to provide valuable feedback other than its seems you must be late in preparing your unit turn or judging the racquet drop in relation to the ball.
Very good lesson on the forehand .Thank you.
Thank you so much! Let me know if you have a topic you would like me to cover. Thanks, John
Thank you
You are so welcome! Thanks, John
Face sends, path bends, lots of similarities to Golf swing in that way
Thank you very much !
Supernovasia Thank you! Stay tuned for our weekly releases! Kindly, John
Supernovasia Well said! Thank you, John
Another great video John..I truly appreciate your content and you explain with such an easement and versatility.. thank u 🙏🙏🙏.. waiting for the next one
Thank you, Swetal! Stay tuned, as we have much more coming! Kindly, John
Joh should I hit on the outside of the ball to hit a topspin shot.
Hi,, Thanks for your great question. The idea or intention of hitting the outside of the ball is good, because the result is the racquet accelerates slightly past the hand to contact. But in reality, I believe hitting the outside of the ball is a myth, as I have never seen a contact point where the strings are actually on the outside of the ball. Best, John
Thanks John love your tips.
John do yo breath out contact. Love your tips John.
Great tip with low balls. Do you have a simular tip to return a low ball with one-handed backhand
Anne Worsøe Hi Anne, Thanks for your comment and question. I will address this in future video. Kindly, John
Great - thank you
Anne Worsøe Hi Anne, Thanks for your comment. Is there anything specific you would like to see a video on? Kindly, John
Great explanation on how to have a perfect forehand 👌👍🙏 really impressive 👌👍
Thank you so much! Kindly, John
@@PerformancePlusTennis if you have anything on our channel that you think we should tweek that would be great
Great content, John, as always, thanks a lot.
I am struggling so much of going always „out of the stroke“, meaning tipping more or less to the left side at point of contact, almost falling back with left side, with right shoulder getting higher than the left at contact. I hope you know what I mean. I miss completely this feeling on „going through the ball“. One reason might be a contact too late and getting jammed. This makes me crazy, but I‘m not able to suppress this bad habit.
It would be fine if you can do a video concerning this issue, would help me a lot. Thanks and regards from Germany.
Jo Sch Try making contact with your hitting shoulder more in front of your non hitting shoulder. Watch how most of the time every pro player (and John himself) does this. Maybe John @Performance Plus Tennis 🎾 can indeed make a video on this key aspect of a professional quality forehand.
poida smith Thanks for your answer, that‘s without doubt the point. I think, this „tipping move“ prevents me from turning the right shoulder at all to contact. Am I right, that this shoulder movement must be straight FORWARD in direction to the ball, not AROUND to the left?
Jo Sch I suspect that you may be pulling across your body and being late at contact means your hitting shoulder is behind your opposite (left shoulder if you’re right handed). Get yourself video of your FH and play in slo motion and check. You may also be too close to the ball and your body will naturally tilt or lean left because it’s the only way you can make contact. Keep watching and study carefully what John is instructing in this video. If you can find a local coach or a friend that is an advanced player that understands what John is talking about that will be important to learning, it’s very difficult to do and learn this on your own! You need guidance and real time accurate feedback on court with a basket of balls to get the feel through lots of trial and error repetitions. Once you learn the semicircle elliptical swing pattern you will love hitting the amazing and fun shapes you can make the ball do! Important side note 📝 a very loose and relaxed arm and grip is vital to making the theory presented in this video come alive. That’s why you need lots of repetition with someone feeding you balls and giving you feedback. If you have inappropriate body tension it’s impossible to get the fluidity in the swing. Your hitting arm must become like a “wet noodle” feeling to whip the racket and make the out and around swing pattern.
poida smith you must have seen me playing! Perfect analysis of my swing and what I feel during the swing👍
@@josch5736 LOL, I know the feeling all too well. Hopefully you will develop the swing quickly and have fun doing it. 👍🎾
Hi John, enjoy your videos, and your analysis of how to improve your tennis strokes. Over several years of playing tennis I have tinkered with my grips and have changed several times to gain consistency, and to avoid hitting myself with the racquet. WhenI use the eastern and continental, my strokes seem more mechanical. When I use the semi western they are more free flowing, but less control. But the main reason I end up moving away from semi-western is I have hit myself on the side of my head, near my temple and above my eye with the butt of the racquet during game play, more than I care to remember over the years. Watching your video, I like what you say about hitting out and around, as I know often times whenI I am rushed I hit out and across, and also may not take racquet back far enough, having a shallow swing axis through the stroke wondering if this is the cause of my problem. Just curious if you have any suggestions to help keeping the racquet away from my head during the forehand swing?
Hi James, Thanks for your comments and question. It sounds like you are hinging at the elbow too early after contact. I would focus on driving and out through the upper arm (shoulder) and establishing a strong extension toward your target and away from the body. Also be sure your swing is tempo is "slow-quick-slow" with the second slow occurring in the final case of the follow-thru. Good luck and let me know how it goes. Kindly, John
Thank you John. Your advice makes a lot of since. I will try to focus on not hinging elbow to soon. Maybe that is occurring because I also am late taking the racquet back in certain situations, and probably developed the bad habit of hinging at the elbow to make up for the lost time, which does not allow me to hit out and through like you suggest. Tempo is a problem also. In warmup I naturally have it, but once game starts I do not even focus it, which I need to since it completely disappears at critical junctures of my tennis game. Keep you posted on how it works out. Thanks again
@@jamescullen8122 Thanks James! Kindly, John
Do you still hit out and around for high balls and for return of serve?
Hi, GREAT question! Yes for the high ball on most occasions I will play around the ball. Sometimes I will hit across the ball (right to left for a righty) for an inside-out shot from the add court. This spin gets the ball the slide off the court. On serve returns, it all depends on how much time I have, More time = more aggressive. Less time = return with control, which for me is typically a flatter ball. I hope you find this helpful. Stay tuned! Kindly, John
Here's a great image of the semi circle swing pattern 🎾
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That is a perfect example of the modern forehand swing! "Out and around". Thank you!
It looks like he has pretty much disected the Nadal forehand.
Thanks, John