Heavy topspin at the lower levels is BRUTAL. Amazing how many points can be won just by hitting heavy topspin near the baseline a couple times in a row.
No doubt! When the goal of the game is to take time form the opponent while giving ourselves additional time, heavy topspin does quite the job. Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
@@AcingTennis lol. I was surprised, very anti climatic because he was hitting good forehands most of the time. you are right, topspin is very disruptive
7:20 The Dennis Van Der Meer drop feed drill of standing 6 feet from the net and hitting into the service box is good...The next progression might be to drop feed standing just one foot from the net and **aim for the baseline**. Will practically be forced to hit with topspin drop feeding that close to the net!
Thanks Scott and Nate. This shot is vital to have in your arsenal. Hitting heavy deep balls are great for pushing opponents back! My doubles partner and I set up cones and practice drills hitting heavy deep balls into the court.
I play with tension, especially when I’m playing matches. I understand the need to loosen up but I revert back to playing tight over and over again. Your drills seem really helpful, especially the one at the net just trying to hit the ball inside the service line. I’ve gotta start somewhere!
Very helpful guys, thanks for this! I do think though on any RUclips videos I've watched that not enough/any emphasis is put on pushing off with the leg. That entails getting to your spot, having your balance and being able to drop your body a bit first. Most just talk about dropping the racket and keeping loose, but really it all starts with the big muscles (as do all sports movements), and the rest just follow along. I think that is why I am here today, I can hit my forehand hard (I'm a 4.5) but I find it often is too flat and I can't control it. But by watching your form I see the leg pushoff. Just wanted to add my 2 cents!
one way I understand spin is though the bamboo chopper. If I want to spin a bamboo chopper, I will neet to snap it from its stick but instead of pushing its wings. The point is the more nearer I can reach the spining axis, the greater spin I may produce. Same story for tennis, to create greater spin, I need to reach the core of the tennis instead of rubbing it from its surface. So before brushing up, I will need to strike hard and deform the ball. When the ball is realatively flat, I get nearest to its core and only by that moment, the brush-up would work the best to create spin.
Thanks for this video. I just went over this yesterday and looking for ways to improve. One player said always aim to go the height of the racquet higher after you get the 4'-6' height. Great stuff, thank you!
What a great video guys...and thanks for the gift at the end! I always thought that you guys were already giving us many gifts (your video instructions) but now this is another level. BTW, loving the video format and production quality, you've totally stepped it up! Cheers!
Yes hitting heavy top spin is not easy ,but keep in mind many top pros are using XL xtra long racquets to help generate heavy top. Racquets that are longer than the standard 27 inch length are considered XL models,Nadal,Del Potro,Schwartzman, Serena all use XL racquets. And now a very easy modification to ANY RACQUET can add half an inch making any racquet a XL version of itself. By simply removing the factory butt cap on bottom if your standard racquet and installing the XTP Xtended Tennis Product butt cap you can easily add half an inch, for extra Tourqe and spin. Normally top customizers charge 125.00 for this but you can install the XTP yourself or have your local tennis shop do it for much much less. Thx.j
Great video guys, I think that episode will help a lot of people out . I played Div I a long time ago and just getting back into playing again after kids. Currently having issues with my forehand so this definately made me think of the swing plane a bit more than maybe I was as I never really thought that much about it. Great content from guys who know what there talking about, cheers :)
Thanks for the support S Walker! Glad to hear you’re back in the game and our video helped with the swing path of your forehand! Keep us posted on it's progress. Cheers 🍻
Thanks for this, a very clear and useful explanation. If we were talking percentages, hat would you say is the usual/optimal power reduction you’d apply to heavy forehands compared to a full-paced flat forehand? I often find my heavy forehands ‘loop’ a little too much at the elevations you demonstrated here. I’d like to know whether to push for more power, or perhaps focus on the spin a little more. The low racket head you demo’s could be the key. Looking forward to trying it.
Great question. Believe it or not, when using heavy topspin you want to accelerate even more than when trying to flatten the ball out. This is especially true for western grips becaus they require so much racket head speed in order to be effective.
Great,super great : Like the drills and the slowing down at the end of the shot. The big "bonus" doing the heavy ball is make it easier to creat angels ? Bedst from Denmark.
Thanks Olaf, glad you enjoyed it! The weight of the heavy ball makes timing difficult and often pushes the opposing player back. And Yes it definitely spreads the angles of shots as well!
Hi thank so much for your video. In another you say to use "kiss on biceps", today i play very well but my ball always is flat. I will try technique of kiss biceps. Thanks so much.
At 8:12 how could you differentiate between Scott just hitting lighter vs actually adding topspin? I have that type of exercise in my warm up but when it comes to match play I find myself going more flat. @PlayYourCourt
Hi Jonathan, thanks for the question. The trajectory in which the ball travels where it is high and then pulls down well inside the parameters set within the court define the amount of topspin imparted on the ball. This is a byproduct of racquet head speed and a vertical ascent to the ball. If Scott was just swinging slower (which he is compared to a normal swing from the baseline) the ball wouldn't be on the same trajectory. Hope this help, thanks for watching!
Great video, as usual. I would love to see how to modify this swing for high balls!!!!! I get into a Heavy ball vs. Heavy ball rally. Swings at head level-how do you find a slot position there???? My form breaks down at that point.
Hi, thanks for the kind words. On the high forehand you want to drive the ball focusing on contact at the apex or slightly on the rise. Ultimately it just about keeping the racquet head below the wrist. Try focusing on keeping the grip loose and swing slightly up to meet a high ball in order to produce attacking spin. This would make great content so we'll plan something on it in the future. In the interim check out the link below, as it may help explain things clearer. Thanks for watching! ruclips.net/video/VjXH5tDoZLs/видео.html
Hi Scott, very informative. After the contact with the ball, do we bent the wrist to give the extra whip? I am so confused coaches teaching different things. For example, morutuglo and my son’s coach they teach the kids to whip with the wrist. But another experienced coach, says no wrist bending (whipping) involved whatsoever, it is the contact, and then follow through. Just like what you are showing in the video here. My question is when do we use the whip forehand, if we actually do. I went through slow mo of many of the top players like Alcaraz and Federer, they do not do the whip. Can you please explain?? I am bit confused, specially I pay a lot for my son’s lessons. Tia
There's multiple follow throughs on the forehand that are dependent upon shot selection. In general a high follow through will assist with topspin assuming the swing path his still low to high. Try to keep the the follow through at the shoulder and up even moving all the way over the head on some shots. Hope this helps!
Low to high swing path for topspin makes sense! Especially for rec players... There also appears to be an advanced technique used by Federer whereby he hits topspin with an essentially linear swing path, i.e. his swing path for topspin shots is not much steeper than his flat shots. Maybe we can see a video on that.
Great suggestion! The amount of topspin a player produces is often dependent upon their grip preference and the vertical ascent to the ball. Federer due to his Eastern grip will play more linear than say a Nadal who playes with a semi-western and prefers to drop the racket well under the ball. All comes down to playing style! Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
Checkout Wilson.com. It was from last season so I'm afraid it may be out of stock. For big time savings on all things Wilson checkout our deals and discounts section at www.playyourcourt.com
Thank you for this awesome video! And thank you a lot for the link! I was going to ask you guys how can I work on accelerating faster up the ball and how can I make it more “heavy” and not as much spinny. Thank you guys for ur time and keep up all the great work!
This is a great question to do this I'd say footwork and getting the ball on the rise would be very beneficial! We are also tennis players and would love to welcome you to our channel and videos as well 🙏🎾
A complete shoulder rotation, and every shot , imagine your hitting through 5 tennis balls in a line ( for heaviness and control). Try and finish your stroke with your elbow pointing towards your opponent.
What about string tension, how much does it affect the spin? I use a poly tour pro ( string tension 55lb) on a yonex ezone 100. The balls fly off court even with the softest hit.
Pushers hate heavy topspin. I find a pusher loves nothing more than a hard flat shot they can deflect. A combination of a deep heavy ball with a short skidding slice up the middle drives a pusher and grinder nuts. Makes me smile just thinking about it lol.
@@Playyourcourt the simple mechanical breakdown of how the shots are done make learning and adapting my own way so much easier! Keep up the great work 💪
Hi Sanjay, it really comes down to the personal style of the player. As long as contact is being kept out in front both techniques are perfectly fine. ie: Federer = straight arm, Djokovic = bent arm. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
Great video, but the one thing most coaches forget to talk about when teaching how to hit heavy topspin to 3.0 to 4.0 players is racquet face control. The whole low to high, racquet lag thing is great and correct, but must also include that the angle of the racquet face at contact must be maintained as vertical. It is not tilted top-forward to create topspin (this is often mis-described as "hitting over the top of the ball"), and definitely not tilted up, bottom-forward (that would create launch), but rather it must be maintained relatively vertical, because the ball's direction when it leaves the racquet is more influenced by the direction the strings are facing when they strike the ball than by the path of the swing. The low to high creates the desired topspin, but the racquet face at contact must be maintained relatively vertical to create the proper direction of shot. This is often misunderstood by recreational players on the lower end of the player rating scale and something that will speed up the process of learning to hit topspin when understood and applied correctly.
Great insights James, thanks for sharing. Ironically we actually debated going more in depth on the direction of the racquet face at contact but with the video surpassing 8+ minutes we elected to talk about it in another video on producing topspin cued in production. Looking back I think you're right it would have been appropriate here. Always appreciate the feedback sir. Thanks for watching.
@@Playyourcourt You guys do great job on your videos. They are always both entertaining and informative. You are good coaches and teachers. I should've known you guys already get the often overlooked importance of racquet face angle control and how important it is in playing tennis. This is something that is very under-taught by tennis coaches and something that would create great improvement in most recreational tennis players' performance on court. Thanks for all you do.
You are correct, but also will be surprised that starting with an open face racquet(have to be an advance player)and hitting bellow the ball creates a lot more RPM's than vertical Poc. Have to close the racquet face quickly if not ..it's gone!.Have to respect all the kinetic chain showed in here ,be very relaxed ,lock your wrist at Poc and accelerate right before. I teach the so called kick topspin and I also hit in this way. I really like the concepts and drills Scott&Nate ,show here. I use same ones and if the shot hits the back fence or curtain after one bounce you 're doing it right. It's the same concept as the kick serve. But for many doing it right, it's not easy.
@@ovidragos5118 Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but if the ball is struck with an "open" face (and I'm interpreting that as tilted upward), the ball is going on an upward trajectory because when the racquet strikes the ball, the ball is going to travel in the direction the strings are pointing. Period. Whether or not a shot struck with the racquet face tilted upward stays in the court depends on the amount of force used to strike the ball. The angle you're describing is literally counter to the laws of physics. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding your desription.
Sounds like the a dip drive. If a heavy topspin is staying relatively low it means they're taking the ball at the apex and driving on top of the ball. Tough to say really without seeing it but that would be my guess. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
@@Playyourcourt thank you for replying. The first comment that I see is from AcingTennis posted 10 months ago and has no link. Nor has the following comments which are not in chronological order, so I can’t find it. Could you please repost the link? Thx in advance. I don’t know why it’s not there, surely it can’t be a different layout on RUclips in Europe than in the Americas.
Hey Rick, I use the heavy forehand in a lot of situations while playing dubs whether I'm on the deuce or the ad court. Granted the concern of a righty poaching while I'm on the deuce court is much higher so I do make adjustments. I'll focus on playing more towards the alley on the opposing deuce court and play a dipper or flatten the ball out if playing towards the center of the court. I hope this helps answer your question. Appreciate you watching!
Hi David, thanks for the question. Regardless of the level, I always suggest the semi-western grip to help produce better spin. It may be difficult at first but it's even more difficult to change a grip much farther down the road after years of muscle memory have set in. If the SW is too extreme I'd suggest the eastern grip. You'll need to really focus on closing the racquet face and swinging low to high but with enough reps you can find plenty of spin. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
@@Playyourcourt Thanks! I hit a one-handed backhand (but not very confidently) because it's just more natural for me than a two hander. Would you suggest a continental grip for me, at least until I develop more confidence in that stroke?
Number 2 on the advantages should be number 1. Number 1 sometimes becomes compromised because intermediates tend to hit shorter when attempting a heavy forehand.
Thanks for the lesson. I've noticed that a lot of players, even a little on the video, when they hit with topspin tend to put the bodyweight backwards. Doing this will definitely produce topspin but not with enough punch. Also is an incredibly exhausting exercise. If a boxer put his weight backwards to punch an opponent he can still punch but not very heavy. Can you produce topspin putting your weight forward?
Hi Maximo, we appreciate the feedback. What you're referring to is a topspin drive and it is the preferred method when you can move forward to the ball. In the demonstration, the goal was to keep one another deep so we were predominantly using open stance forehands. If we were to take the ball on the rise we could use a drive to be more aggressive. It's an advanced concept but certainly worth utilizing if a player is capable of doing so. You can still get a great deal of topspin with an open stance but the key is to still transition weight forward to the front foot. If we were to receive a ball that allowed us to move forward then we would certainly look to drive and take control of the point. Hope this helps clarify the instruction. Thanks for watching!
It is clear that you have a semi-western or western grip. Despite your claim that Scoot is using an Eastern grip in parts of the video, it does not seem to be the case. Can a heavy ball be produced with a less extreme grips? I struggle with my forehand. I have made some in-roads by moving to a more eastern grip but there is still not much progress in my efforts to modernize my forehand. It is still relatively flat and not enough net clearance. Help!!!
Hi Jon, thanks for watching and the feedback. Scott is in fact rocking a eastern grip on that forehand. He's played with a eastern since he was a kid. You can certainly produce heavy spin with a Eastern grip (continental not so much) but you would be more limited on maximum RPM's compared to the western grips. At the advanced recreational level a Eastern grip is completely adequate. I would put more focus in the racquet path low to high creating a larger differential from the racquet to the ball. Starting with the racquet tip up on the unit turn is a must though. It helps produce more speed and leverage over the ball on the racquet drop. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
It's a good video, and accurate....but for lower level players this concept of lag has led to an epidemic of players pulling out of shots early and being wide open with chest and shoulders before they hit the ball. I'd just say for the beginners focus on footwork, keep a loose grip, and swing low to high before worrying about firing your hips and getting more lag.
Hi Don, yes its the Blade V7 16x19. Love the racquet but I've recently upgraded to the Blade V8 16x19. Both great sticks but the V8 swings a little easier and just a tad bit manuverable. Both have great plow through and access to power and spin. Highly recommend!
The hip leads but the shoulder initiates acceleration. You have to mention that otherwise people are just going to be throwing their hips at the ball with no other action going on.
A heavy ball can be hit with topspin or in a linear fashion (flat or slice). To say otherwise is to say that previous generations couldn’t hit heavy, which is utter rubbish. Heaviness didn’t arrive with heavy topspin. A heavy ball pushes your racket back and / or goes off at a tangent unless your contact point and acceleration are good. A heavy ball also seems to accelerate after the bounce (it doesn’t - it just doesn’t decelerate as much because of good technique, so the second bounce is much further from the initial bounce). Two (relatively) modern players who hit heavy balls but in vastly contrasting ways are Nadal and Berdych. There are numerous female players who hit heavy balls but relatively flat (Kvitová and the Williams sisters, to name but three). What you were discussing was height and depth, which is important, but is a totally different thing to a heavy ball. I can hit the fence / curtain at the back of the court by hitting the ball flat at the right trajectory (not heavy). If I hit it correctly, I can also hit the fence / curtain at the back of the court with a slice backhand that doesn’t rise above your knees after the bounce (heavy). Please don’t confuse height and depth with heaviness, although you can hit high, deep and heavy. You’re correct in stating that fast and heavy are two different things. The key difference between a fast or high and deep ball versus a heavy ball is that you can deflect or bunt the former, whereas you need to play through a heavy ball (this doesn’t always mean a full swing - it’s hard to take a full swing at a 130 mph serve). Spin on its own won’t produce a heavy ball - just an over spun ball that doesn’t do enough to trouble your opposition.
Appreciate the feedback Kevin. This video was specifically on the heavy topspin forehand and by no means suggested a ball hit flat or with slice couldn't also be considered heavy. If you replaced the word THE with A in the title perhaps it would be clearer. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the reply. However at 0:48, you state, “If the ball is moving fairly linear, that’s not the same as a heavy ball.” This implies that you cannot hit a linear ball that is heavy. Brushing the ball will not produce a heavy ball as it will be all spin without any substance. A heavy ball will penetrate. You should clarify your comments; if I didn’t know any better, I would be under the impression that the only way to hit a heavy ball was with topspin, 9 feet high. When you throw the rackets, you also imply that a linear motion won’t do the job. In my opinion, this video was more about adding spin, the swing path, height (over the net) and depth, not about a heavy ball.
Both are really common mistakes. Just keep working on it and put a bit of extra focus as to where your contact point is. Often jammed forehands will cause the body to loose balance and as a result we pull off the ball causing the shot to go long. On the other hand if we're caught reaching for the ball we can often get over top of the ball forcing it to the net. Thanks for watching!
Hi Luba Luba, great question. Anything in the strike zone between the thigh and just below the shoulder is ideal. Anything above the shoulder can be attacked with a drive as well assuming you're playing with a semi-western grip and in an attacking zone on the court. Thanks for the question and for watching!
Want to meet new players & play more tennis? Try PlayYourCourt for free here: bit.ly/2HjZ0Gj Want more power and spin on your forehand? Grab our Forehand Mastery Course for free here: bit.ly/37mXTR6 Want to work with Scott & Nate? Check out upcoming live events and workshops here: bit.ly/36UGkXV
I’m continually jamming myself and getting too close to the ball when I’m hitting it and it’s causing a lot of out/net shots, is there a specific way of keeping distance or a way of keeping you arm extended without over extending?
Not everyone llikes to play with a semi western grip Roger Federer has the best forehand and also one of the fastest and all this with an eastern forehand grip
Very true, but when it comes to producing topspin the western grips are the preferred grips for maximizing RPM. With that being said the Eastern grip certainly has it's place but for most recreational players they will have more access to spin using a semi-western. Federer's grip is a bit of hybrid, with it being somewhere between eastern and semi-western. No doubt its one of the worlds best though! Thanks for the feedback and for watching.
The video is good for beginners to learn how to hit topspin and keep opponents back (very important!), but those shots have no weight to them. What gives it away? The guy is using too much arm, and not enough legs.
This is a "Poor Man's Heavy Ball". More like a Moon Ball strategy to create the depth rather than racquet head speed (to name just one other variable). Yes you're increasing top spin by the nature of the racquet trajectory just to keep the ball in but you're simply telegraphing the lower ball speed by the height and a good player can easily counteract a moon ball and attack it. Creating a Heavy ball should not involve hitting a ridiculously high ball. It involves a lot more science than you've eluded to here.
Hi Roman, glad you're enjoying the app! Sorry to hear there's issues with the rating system. We would love some feedback if you don't mind as we're always looking for ways to improve the service!
Heavy topspin at the lower levels is BRUTAL. Amazing how many points can be won just by hitting heavy topspin near the baseline a couple times in a row.
No doubt! When the goal of the game is to take time form the opponent while giving ourselves additional time, heavy topspin does quite the job. Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
I won a match point just by hitting with topspin up the middle. He just biffed it into the net lol.
@@user-be5qg7mr1s been there done that on both sides of the court 😂😂
@@AcingTennis lol. I was surprised, very anti climatic because he was hitting good forehands most of the time. you are right, topspin is very disruptive
@@user-be5qg7mr1s just a match point? What about the rest of the match ?
Thanks, it helps a lot in improving my forehand even though I’m 63 .
Happy to help Antonio! Never too late to improve my friend. :)
“Though I’m 63”
At my park we know and see that age group a lot and are known to be skilled and play very well. Makes young people look weak.
Not in the age that matters at 72 I can still play well and hard as in my early 50's
I'm 64, you're not alone. Lol
@@romeoromblon6874 nice going brother! I'm trying to be like that & I'm 64. I know a player at 83 doing pretty well.
7:20 The Dennis Van Der Meer drop feed drill of standing 6 feet from the net and hitting into the service box is good...The next progression might be to drop feed standing just one foot from the net and **aim for the baseline**. Will practically be forced to hit with topspin drop feeding that close to the net!
Thanks Scott and Nate. This shot is vital to have in your arsenal. Hitting heavy deep balls are great for pushing opponents back! My doubles partner and I set up cones and practice drills hitting heavy deep balls into the court.
Thanks for the support Andre! Sounds like you and your dubs partner are working hard, love to hear it! Keep grinding out there! 💪
I play with tension, especially when I’m playing matches. I understand the need to loosen up but I revert back to playing tight over and over again. Your drills seem really helpful, especially the one at the net just trying to hit the ball inside the service line. I’ve gotta start somewhere!
Very helpful guys, thanks for this! I do think though on any RUclips videos I've watched that not enough/any emphasis is put on pushing off with the leg. That entails getting to your spot, having your balance and being able to drop your body a bit first. Most just talk about dropping the racket and keeping loose, but really it all starts with the big muscles (as do all sports movements), and the rest just follow along. I think that is why I am here today, I can hit my forehand hard (I'm a 4.5) but I find it often is too flat and I can't control it. But by watching your form I see the leg pushoff. Just wanted to add my 2 cents!
You're 2 cents is on the money! 😉😊
Most detailed/informative video I've seen about this. And I've searched up "how to put more topspin" a LOT of times.
Thank you, much appreciated! Glad to hear you enjoyed the instruction
one way I understand spin is though the bamboo chopper. If I want to spin a bamboo chopper, I will neet to snap it from its stick but instead of pushing its wings. The point is the more nearer I can reach the spining axis, the greater spin I may produce. Same story for tennis, to create greater spin, I need to reach the core of the tennis instead of rubbing it from its surface. So before brushing up, I will need to strike hard and deform the ball. When the ball is realatively flat, I get nearest to its core and only by that moment, the brush-up would work the best to create spin.
I have an eastern grip coming here and was worried, so seeing scott demonstrate heavy topspin even with an eastern grip helps my confidence with this.
Stay with it! 💪 Thanks for watching
Thanks for this video. I just went over this yesterday and looking for ways to improve. One player said always aim to go the height of the racquet higher after you get the 4'-6' height. Great stuff, thank you!
Happy to help Sanjit. Keep battling out there!
Liked the very clear and well structured explanations and demonstrations. Nice job guys.
Our pleasure! Thanks for the supportive feedback.
Great! I like it that you also suggest drills, not just explain the technique! Thank you!
Our pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
The free tutorial in the link was so helpful, thank you!
You're very welcome!
What a great video guys...and thanks for the gift at the end! I always thought that you guys were already giving us many gifts (your video instructions) but now this is another level. BTW, loving the video format and production quality, you've totally stepped it up! Cheers!
aww shucks you had us hello. Glad you’re enjoying the new format!
Funny that this is the 1st video I’ve seen that I’ve used throwing a racket to help students learn this.. nice to see ..
Thanks Nick, definitely a great method for teaching, glad to hear you incorporate it as well!
Yes hitting heavy top spin is not easy ,but keep in mind many top pros are using XL xtra long racquets to help generate heavy top.
Racquets that are longer than the standard 27 inch length are considered XL models,Nadal,Del Potro,Schwartzman, Serena all use XL racquets.
And now a very easy modification to ANY RACQUET can add half an inch making any racquet a XL version of itself.
By simply removing the factory butt cap on bottom if your standard racquet and installing the XTP Xtended Tennis Product butt cap you can easily add half an inch, for extra Tourqe and spin.
Normally top customizers charge 125.00 for this but you can install the XTP yourself or have your local tennis shop do it for much much less.
Thx.j
Interesting, thanks for sharing!
Great video guys, I think that episode will help a lot of people out . I played Div I a long time ago and just getting back into playing again after kids. Currently having issues with my forehand so this definately made me think of the swing plane a bit more than maybe I was as I never really thought that much about it. Great content from guys who know what there talking about, cheers :)
Thanks for the support S Walker! Glad to hear you’re back in the game and our video helped with the swing path of your forehand! Keep us posted on it's progress. Cheers 🍻
Great tips, thank you.
You bet! 👊
Very helpful info...looking forward to getting back on the court.
Thanks Eve, hope your back on court soon!
I really need to learn to hit heavy top spin This was very helpful.
You can do it Susan 💪 . Glad you enjoyed the instruction!
Thanks for this, a very clear and useful explanation. If we were talking percentages, hat would you say is the usual/optimal power reduction you’d apply to heavy forehands compared to a full-paced flat forehand? I often find my heavy forehands ‘loop’ a little too much at the elevations you demonstrated here. I’d like to know whether to push for more power, or perhaps focus on the spin a little more. The low racket head you demo’s could be the key. Looking forward to trying it.
Great question. Believe it or not, when using heavy topspin you want to accelerate even more than when trying to flatten the ball out. This is especially true for western grips becaus they require so much racket head speed in order to be effective.
Loved your video very helpful and look forward to trying it out tomorrow!
Hope you enjoy it!
Nice lesson Guys !!!
Thanks! 😃
thank you guys
Probably the best video on how to hit a heavy topspin
thanks, we appreciate the support!
Thanks Sir.🎾👍
Welcome 👍
Great,super great : Like the drills and the slowing down at the end of the shot. The big "bonus" doing the heavy ball is make it easier to creat angels ? Bedst from Denmark.
Thanks Olaf, glad you enjoyed it! The weight of the heavy ball makes timing difficult and often pushes the opposing player back. And Yes it definitely spreads the angles of shots as well!
Hi thank so much for your video. In another you say to use "kiss on biceps", today i play very well but my ball always is flat. I will try technique of kiss biceps. Thanks so much.
Our pleasure, always happy to help! Happy hitting!
At 8:12 how could you differentiate between Scott just hitting lighter vs actually adding topspin? I have that type of exercise in my warm up but when it comes to match play I find myself going more flat. @PlayYourCourt
Hi Jonathan, thanks for the question. The trajectory in which the ball travels where it is high and then pulls down well inside the parameters set within the court define the amount of topspin imparted on the ball. This is a byproduct of racquet head speed and a vertical ascent to the ball. If Scott was just swinging slower (which he is compared to a normal swing from the baseline) the ball wouldn't be on the same trajectory. Hope this help, thanks for watching!
Great video, as usual.
I would love to see how to modify this swing for high balls!!!!!
I get into a Heavy ball vs. Heavy ball rally. Swings at head level-how do you find a slot position there????
My form breaks down at that point.
Hi, thanks for the kind words. On the high forehand you want to drive the ball focusing on contact at the apex or slightly on the rise. Ultimately it just about keeping the racquet head below the wrist. Try focusing on keeping the grip loose and swing slightly up to meet a high ball in order to produce attacking spin. This would make great content so we'll plan something on it in the future. In the interim check out the link below, as it may help explain things clearer. Thanks for watching! ruclips.net/video/VjXH5tDoZLs/видео.html
Hi Scott, very informative. After the contact with the ball, do we bent the wrist to give the extra whip? I am so confused coaches teaching different things. For example, morutuglo and my son’s coach they teach the kids to whip with the wrist. But another experienced coach, says no wrist bending (whipping) involved whatsoever, it is the contact, and then follow through. Just like what you are showing in the video here. My question is when do we use the whip forehand, if we actually do. I went through slow mo of many of the top players like Alcaraz and Federer, they do not do the whip. Can you please explain?? I am bit confused, specially I pay a lot for my son’s lessons. Tia
great video thanks
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Great video, how about follow through, any tips?
There's multiple follow throughs on the forehand that are dependent upon shot selection. In general a high follow through will assist with topspin assuming the swing path his still low to high. Try to keep the the follow through at the shoulder and up even moving all the way over the head on some shots. Hope this helps!
Low to high swing path for topspin makes sense! Especially for rec players... There also appears to be an advanced technique used by Federer whereby he hits topspin with an essentially linear swing path, i.e. his swing path for topspin shots is not much steeper than his flat shots. Maybe we can see a video on that.
Great suggestion! The amount of topspin a player produces is often dependent upon their grip preference and the vertical ascent to the ball. Federer due to his Eastern grip will play more linear than say a Nadal who playes with a semi-western and prefers to drop the racket well under the ball. All comes down to playing style! Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
Will try it next time againt better hitter.
Go get em!
Does anyone know where I can buy the Wilson t-shirt which Scott is wearing? Thanks.
Checkout Wilson.com. It was from last season so I'm afraid it may be out of stock. For big time savings on all things Wilson checkout our deals and discounts section at www.playyourcourt.com
Thank you for this awesome video! And thank you a lot for the link! I was going to ask you guys how can I work on accelerating faster up the ball and how can I make it more “heavy” and not as much spinny. Thank you guys for ur time and keep up all the great work!
This is a great question to do this I'd say footwork and getting the ball on the rise would be very beneficial! We are also tennis players and would love to welcome you to our channel and videos as well 🙏🎾
Our pleasure, always happy to help my friend! We really appreciate the kind words. 🙏
A complete shoulder rotation, and every shot , imagine your hitting through 5 tennis balls in a line ( for heaviness and control). Try and finish your stroke with your elbow pointing towards your opponent.
Amazing!
Thanks!
What about string tension, how much does it affect the spin? I use a poly tour pro ( string tension 55lb) on a yonex ezone 100. The balls fly off court even with the softest hit.
The strings can make a HUGE difference when combined with proper technique. Polys offer access to a substantial amount of spin.
Really clear and concise info guys.
Much appreciated!
Pushers hate heavy topspin. I find a pusher loves nothing more than a hard flat shot they can deflect. A combination of a deep heavy ball with a short skidding slice up the middle drives a pusher and grinder nuts. Makes me smile just thinking about it lol.
Indeed sir, indeed 😉 😊
I have caught up . Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Love your videos,
Thank you, thrilled to hear you're enjoying them!
@@Playyourcourt the simple mechanical breakdown of how the shots are done make learning and adapting my own way so much easier! Keep up the great work 💪
Brilliant 👏
Thanks Pieter, glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, wonderful video, i'll try to put it into practice, i've never been able to spin my forehand, it always comes out stoned.
Thanks William, let us know if it helps get that forehand firing!
H22 and 4G string are the perfect combo for spinning the world around
Thanku very much
Our pleasure Harsh, thanks for watching!
Whether wrist and forearm should be bent or kept straight throughout the forehand shot?
Hi Sanjay, it really comes down to the personal style of the player. As long as contact is being kept out in front both techniques are perfectly fine. ie: Federer = straight arm, Djokovic = bent arm. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
@@Playyourcourt what about wrist? Thanks for the reply.
Excellent explanation 👍 Thank you guys!
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching!
Great video, but the one thing most coaches forget to talk about when teaching how to hit heavy topspin to 3.0 to 4.0 players is racquet face control. The whole low to high, racquet lag thing is great and correct, but must also include that the angle of the racquet face at contact must be maintained as vertical. It is not tilted top-forward to create topspin (this is often mis-described as "hitting over the top of the ball"), and definitely not tilted up, bottom-forward (that would create launch), but rather it must be maintained relatively vertical, because the ball's direction when it leaves the racquet is more influenced by the direction the strings are facing when they strike the ball than by the path of the swing. The low to high creates the desired topspin, but the racquet face at contact must be maintained relatively vertical to create the proper direction of shot. This is often misunderstood by recreational players on the lower end of the player rating scale and something that will speed up the process of learning to hit topspin when understood and applied correctly.
Great insights James, thanks for sharing. Ironically we actually debated going more in depth on the direction of the racquet face at contact but with the video surpassing 8+ minutes we elected to talk about it in another video on producing topspin cued in production. Looking back I think you're right it would have been appropriate here. Always appreciate the feedback sir. Thanks for watching.
@@Playyourcourt You guys do great job on your videos. They are always both entertaining and informative. You are good coaches and teachers. I should've known you guys already get the often overlooked importance of racquet face angle control and how important it is in playing tennis. This is something that is very under-taught by tennis coaches and something that would create great improvement in most recreational tennis players' performance on court. Thanks for all you do.
You are correct, but also will be surprised that starting with an open face racquet(have to be an advance player)and hitting bellow the ball creates a lot more RPM's than vertical Poc. Have to close the racquet face quickly if not ..it's gone!.Have to respect all the kinetic chain showed in here ,be very relaxed ,lock your wrist at Poc and accelerate right before. I teach the so called kick topspin and I also hit in this way. I really like the concepts and drills Scott&Nate ,show here. I use same ones and if the shot hits the back fence or curtain after one bounce you 're doing it right. It's the same concept as the kick serve. But for many doing it right, it's not easy.
@@ovidragos5118 Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but if the ball is struck with an "open" face (and I'm interpreting that as tilted upward), the ball is going on an upward trajectory because when the racquet strikes the ball, the ball is going to travel in the direction the strings are pointing. Period. Whether or not a shot struck with the racquet face tilted upward stays in the court depends on the amount of force used to strike the ball. The angle you're describing is literally counter to the laws of physics. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding your desription.
how would you call a shot (forehand o backgamd) wich is heavy but it comes with a low bounce?
Sounds like the a dip drive. If a heavy topspin is staying relatively low it means they're taking the ball at the apex and driving on top of the ball. Tough to say really without seeing it but that would be my guess. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
great video guys
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Moving up from intermediate level... This is exactly what i am looking for.
good stuff
Wow! That's a great practice video
Thank you! 😃
How to find the forehand mastery link?
It is located in the first comment in the comment section! 😊
@@Playyourcourt thank you for replying. The first comment that I see is from AcingTennis posted 10 months ago and has no link. Nor has the following comments which are not in chronological order, so I can’t find it. Could you please repost the link? Thx in advance. I don’t know why it’s not there, surely it can’t be a different layout on RUclips in Europe than in the Americas.
Good stuff
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nate, when you are playing the ad court in doubles, do you use the heavy forehand frequently?
(Sorry, meant the deuce court)
Hey Rick, I use the heavy forehand in a lot of situations while playing dubs whether I'm on the deuce or the ad court. Granted the concern of a righty poaching while I'm on the deuce court is much higher so I do make adjustments. I'll focus on playing more towards the alley on the opposing deuce court and play a dipper or flatten the ball out if playing towards the center of the court. I hope this helps answer your question. Appreciate you watching!
What is the best grip to help a 3.0 player hit more forehand topspin?
Hi David, thanks for the question. Regardless of the level, I always suggest the semi-western grip to help produce better spin. It may be difficult at first but it's even more difficult to change a grip much farther down the road after years of muscle memory have set in. If the SW is too extreme I'd suggest the eastern grip. You'll need to really focus on closing the racquet face and swinging low to high but with enough reps you can find plenty of spin. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
@@Playyourcourt Thanks! I hit a one-handed backhand (but not very confidently) because it's just more natural for me than a two hander. Would you suggest a continental grip for me, at least until I develop more confidence in that stroke?
Superb🎾
Thank you, much appreciated. Cheers!
5:45... i know its just for demonstration but the ball was way too high even w topspin imo and it didnt even land inside the court 😢
Number 2 on the advantages should be number 1. Number 1 sometimes becomes compromised because intermediates tend to hit shorter when attempting a heavy forehand.
Good feedback Reggie, thanks for watching!
Thanks for the lesson. I've noticed that a lot of players, even a little on the video, when they hit with topspin tend to put the bodyweight backwards. Doing this will definitely produce topspin but not with enough punch. Also is an incredibly exhausting exercise. If a boxer put his weight backwards to punch an opponent he can still punch but not very heavy. Can you produce topspin putting your weight forward?
Hi Maximo, we appreciate the feedback. What you're referring to is a topspin drive and it is the preferred method when you can move forward to the ball. In the demonstration, the goal was to keep one another deep so we were predominantly using open stance forehands. If we were to take the ball on the rise we could use a drive to be more aggressive. It's an advanced concept but certainly worth utilizing if a player is capable of doing so. You can still get a great deal of topspin with an open stance but the key is to still transition weight forward to the front foot. If we were to receive a ball that allowed us to move forward then we would certainly look to drive and take control of the point. Hope this helps clarify the instruction. Thanks for watching!
It is clear that you have a semi-western or western grip. Despite your claim that Scoot is using an Eastern grip in parts of the video, it does not seem to be the case. Can a heavy ball be produced with a less extreme grips? I struggle with my forehand. I have made some in-roads by moving to a more eastern grip but there is still not much progress in my efforts to modernize my forehand. It is still relatively flat and not enough net clearance. Help!!!
Hi Jon, thanks for watching and the feedback. Scott is in fact rocking a eastern grip on that forehand. He's played with a eastern since he was a kid. You can certainly produce heavy spin with a Eastern grip (continental not so much) but you would be more limited on maximum RPM's compared to the western grips. At the advanced recreational level a Eastern grip is completely adequate. I would put more focus in the racquet path low to high creating a larger differential from the racquet to the ball. Starting with the racquet tip up on the unit turn is a must though. It helps produce more speed and leverage over the ball on the racquet drop. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!
@@Playyourcourt wow, such great instruction, even in the comments section. Thank you!! 🙂
Thank , i quite weak and creat ball not hard for return.
It's a good video, and accurate....but for lower level players this concept of lag has led to an epidemic of players pulling out of shots early and being wide open with chest and shoulders before they hit the ball.
I'd just say for the beginners focus on footwork, keep a loose grip, and swing low to high before worrying about firing your hips and getting more lag.
Is that a blade pro you are using verses a regular blade? If so how do you like it? Thanks for the video
Hi Don, yes its the Blade V7 16x19. Love the racquet but I've recently upgraded to the Blade V8 16x19. Both great sticks but the V8 swings a little easier and just a tad bit manuverable. Both have great plow through and access to power and spin. Highly recommend!
Can u hit FAST top spin ball?
Amazing pointers. But is that really an eastern grip? I’m not sure. But if that is eastern, then I have a continental forehand.
The hip leads but the shoulder initiates acceleration. You have to mention that otherwise people are just going to be throwing their hips at the ball with no other action going on.
I like the drill where you physically get closer to the net and hit baby top spin shots..
Thanks for the feedback Matt, it's definitely a great drill for improving topspin!
A heavy ball can be hit with topspin or in a linear fashion (flat or slice). To say otherwise is to say that previous generations couldn’t hit heavy, which is utter rubbish. Heaviness didn’t arrive with heavy topspin. A heavy ball pushes your racket back and / or goes off at a tangent unless your contact point and acceleration are good. A heavy ball also seems to accelerate after the bounce (it doesn’t - it just doesn’t decelerate as much because of good technique, so the second bounce is much further from the initial bounce). Two (relatively) modern players who hit heavy balls but in vastly contrasting ways are Nadal and Berdych. There are numerous female players who hit heavy balls but relatively flat (Kvitová and the Williams sisters, to name but three). What you were discussing was height and depth, which is important, but is a totally different thing to a heavy ball. I can hit the fence / curtain at the back of the court by hitting the ball flat at the right trajectory (not heavy). If I hit it correctly, I can also hit the fence / curtain at the back of the court with a slice backhand that doesn’t rise above your knees after the bounce (heavy). Please don’t confuse height and depth with heaviness, although you can hit high, deep and heavy. You’re correct in stating that fast and heavy are two different things. The key difference between a fast or high and deep ball versus a heavy ball is that you can deflect or bunt the former, whereas you need to play through a heavy ball (this doesn’t always mean a full swing - it’s hard to take a full swing at a 130 mph serve). Spin on its own won’t produce a heavy ball - just an over spun ball that doesn’t do enough to trouble your opposition.
Appreciate the feedback Kevin. This video was specifically on the heavy topspin forehand and by no means suggested a ball hit flat or with slice couldn't also be considered heavy. If you replaced the word THE with A in the title perhaps it would be clearer. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the reply. However at 0:48, you state, “If the ball is moving fairly linear, that’s not the same as a heavy ball.” This implies that you cannot hit a linear ball that is heavy. Brushing the ball will not produce a heavy ball as it will be all spin without any substance. A heavy ball will penetrate. You should clarify your comments; if I didn’t know any better, I would be under the impression that the only way to hit a heavy ball was with topspin, 9 feet high. When you throw the rackets, you also imply that a linear motion won’t do the job. In my opinion, this video was more about adding spin, the swing path, height (over the net) and depth, not about a heavy ball.
@@kevintopp2274 Totally agree.
Forehand Mastery
Sometimes I mess up and it hits the net or it goes so far up and out of the area
Both are really common mistakes. Just keep working on it and put a bit of extra focus as to where your contact point is. Often jammed forehands will cause the body to loose balance and as a result we pull off the ball causing the shot to go long. On the other hand if we're caught reaching for the ball we can often get over top of the ball forcing it to the net. Thanks for watching!
@@Playyourcourt should I swing in more of a upward motion to get topspin
Great vid guys 👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it!
What would be the ideal height on incoming ball for you to hit the heavy forehand ?
Hi Luba Luba, great question. Anything in the strike zone between the thigh and just below the shoulder is ideal. Anything above the shoulder can be attacked with a drive as well assuming you're playing with a semi-western grip and in an attacking zone on the court. Thanks for the question and for watching!
Want to meet new players & play more tennis? Try PlayYourCourt for free here: bit.ly/2HjZ0Gj
Want more power and spin on your forehand? Grab our Forehand Mastery Course for free here: bit.ly/37mXTR6
Want to work with Scott & Nate? Check out upcoming live events and workshops here: bit.ly/36UGkXV
Use heavier racquet?
Can you demo same stroke with eastern grip?
We'll keep it in mind for sure! Thanks for watching!
👎🏾
good people
6:46 did hurt
maybe a little 😬
I’m continually jamming myself and getting too close to the ball when I’m hitting it and it’s causing a lot of out/net shots, is there a specific way of keeping distance or a way of keeping you arm extended without over extending?
Checkout the link below for a vid all about proper spacing. Hope it helps! ruclips.net/video/aksMKXKgmtQ/видео.html
control finnish. thank you.
Always happy to help!
I clicked on the link and was sent to page that said "you caught us on our heels." Is this free or what?
Not everyone llikes to play with a semi western grip Roger Federer has the best forehand and also one of the fastest and all this with an eastern forehand grip
Very true, but when it comes to producing topspin the western grips are the preferred grips for maximizing RPM. With that being said the Eastern grip certainly has it's place but for most recreational players they will have more access to spin using a semi-western. Federer's grip is a bit of hybrid, with it being somewhere between eastern and semi-western. No doubt its one of the worlds best though! Thanks for the feedback and for watching.
The video is good for beginners to learn how to hit topspin and keep opponents back (very important!), but those shots have no weight to them. What gives it away? The guy is using too much arm, and not enough legs.
Thanks for the feedback "coach". 😉
Every time I've tried this, I hit the tennis ball over the fence! Home run! .. but wrong sport. 😥
🤣
Disclaimer: No racket was destroyed in this video.
🤣🤣
This is a "Poor Man's Heavy Ball". More like a Moon Ball strategy to create the depth rather than racquet head speed (to name just one other variable). Yes you're increasing top spin by the nature of the racquet trajectory just to keep the ball in but you're simply telegraphing the lower ball speed by the height and a good player can easily counteract a moon ball and attack it. Creating a Heavy ball should not involve hitting a ridiculously high ball. It involves a lot more science than you've eluded to here.
Appreciate the feedback Chairman but respectfully disagree. Height doesn't equate to a moonball.
Can we have a moment of silence for the rackets tossed in this video? 😭
Lol 😂 . They were good rackets. Brave to the very end.
🤣😂
Two nice cool guys with good-looking beard. So articulate.
Thanks for the kind words, made our day!
Out. 0:40
Anyone try the course? Is it any good? And do they send lots of spam emails? 😂
Yes sand Yes 😉🤣
All that effort hitting heavy spin and Scott just taps the ball back to you like he’s just got out of bed 😴😴😴😴😴
Scotts nickname at his old club wasn't sleep for nothing!
I use this app it’s pretty legit but the rating system is wack
Hi Roman, glad you're enjoying the app! Sorry to hear there's issues with the rating system. We would love some feedback if you don't mind as we're always looking for ways to improve the service!
Why peope pronounce height as heighth
I do not agree, do not drop that much, no pro does that
Wow try to sign up for free video and never went thru.
maybe the Russian players could change their nationality ?
Less talking more showing i am falling asleep