2 BEST ATP Modern Forehand Drills for Learning Lag and ATP technique - PLUS Pro TIPS!

[@powersanderson6432]

Thanks Chris this video is very helpful. I will being using these techniques to practice this week.

[@ChrisLewit]

That’s super!

[@robertoperez7395]

Hola Chris. Your use of the hips is AWESOME. That is the key to me to the whole stroke. Everything happens because of the hips. Gracias y VAMOS.

[@ChrisLewit]

Gracias amigo!

[@ChrisLewit]

Remember hips are key. Legs drive the hips. But without an elastic arm, the whole thing doesn’t work.

[@robertoperez7395]

@@ChrisLewit I think that using the hips makes for an elastic arm. Everything seems to stay loose when using hips, same on serve. VAMOS

[@ChrisLewit]

@robertoperez7395 ok amigo

[@beatriceing.2604]

Will be doing this drill soon!

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks so much. It’s a really good way to work on the backswing component!

[@thomasc4777]

Nicely done, Chris. New viewer and subscriber. Went to UVM. Where in VT is your facility located? Lastly, like the shoes. What brand? Thanks much.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks very much. We are in Manchester. Southern Vermont. Those are the Babolat Jet Mach 3! Come visit anytime.

[@thomasc4777]

@ChrisLewit Thank you, Chris. I will do that. VT is a beautiful state with an abundance of sporting and fitness opportunities. Keep up the good work!

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks. I am working to make Vermont a known destination for high level tennis training for the first time. Players visiting me here now from all over the world, which is exciting. I coached previously in NYC for 20 years but I like it here up in the mountains!

[@davidgrigg3747]

Another training aid that could help fire your hips during the forehand is the kinetic band by xpand. I added several additional bands so it requires more leg/hip drive. Helps me.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks. Never tried it. Will check it out!

[@MicahWhitmire]

Great vid 👏👏

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks buddy!

[@AlexanderAndreev1799]

fascinating topic as I am actually using forearm to initiate this pronation and then it is followed by isr,... unfortunately on slomo its impossible to see for pros if this is forearm or isr ... in my experience if I just use ISR the ball is less "heavy" ... also what about western grip and bend arm forehand? I don't see how you may use ISR as a primary force in this case.. I must be missing something.

[@ChrisLewit]

You raise some very good questions my friend. I am going back to school for a Master’s and PhD in biomechanics and look forward to getting some answers to these tennis mysteries on the forehand. Are you really able to feel pronation versus ISR? They are closely related movements. Western forehand does tend to be bent but check out Rublev’s forehand which is near western and very striaght arm

[@ChrisLewit]

Brian Gordon uses 3D motion capture and he can see the join rotations. He focuses on ISR

[@ChrisLewit]

Oftentimes what feels like forearm pronation could be ISR

[@VehicleofMiracle]

shoulder has to be engaged so that it loads as you unwind , if it was relaxed or passive it would fold back too much And not load eccentricity . Guys with wester grips or towards western grips allow their shoulder and arm to rotate externally as they unwind their body which is imperative to near squaring the face You can work on lag and relaxing your grip by taping your hand to your racket and going to the extreme of total relaxation and learning to position the arm correctly as well as placing an obstacle that the racket will flex against as it approaches the ball creating more lag . Another great drill for naturally feeling the lag instead of talking about it is using a long heavier stick and swinging with it as that extra weight and length forces the student to feel it naturally . And yes your own technique by the sound of the contact isn’t very solid . U should mention how to activate and lead the swing with the large muscle groups legs hips and obliques shoulders allowing the forearm and hand to load against that . Most people really struggle to have the courage to dominate their swing with body rotation . Backswing tip is good , but lots of missing context here which is very common with your tube videos .

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks the shoulder is not passive. In the video, I said studies show the wrist is more passive. The shoulder is active concentrically I would be very careful about using a heavy stick to work on lag. There is a risk of injury doing that. I like your creative thinking but be careful. This is a short video focusing on exercises not a comprehensive tutorial hitting all major details.

[@ROSEMARY-gl7wx]

Chris.. can you recommend wrist & forearm strengthening exercise? I wanna take stiff rackets like junior players do & still keep my arm safe

[@silversnakezx]

Really heavy deadlift without wrist straps can help tremendously. also try using thick rubber bar handles

[@ROSEMARY-gl7wx]

@ what do you mean by thick rubber bar handles? About deadlift… I easily losing grip.. any other way. I got chicken arm & wrist

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks very much. Any general strength training with free weights (barbells and dumbbells) will help your wrist and forearm strength. Specifically you can also do wrist curls and extensions and rotations either light dumbbells or weighted sticks. I recommend Kovacs Institute for some good courses on strength training for tennis.

[@silversnakezx]

@ buy those rubber bar wraps. Really thick ones. it helps with forearm strength. standard bar is too thin for training forearm muscles.

[@silversnakezx]

@@ROSEMARY-gl7wx to be honest u don’t need forearm strength. What u need is tendon toughness. the racquet is only 300g . U can swing really fast with little effort. but your tendons will rupture under repetitive load. U need at least 70% rm weight to stimulate tendon adaptation. Anything lighter won’t do much good.

[@Hope4unow-7]

Chris, I have a student who mechanically drops his racquet before the ball arrives (it points around 4), so then it looks like he pushes the racquet, and half the time his racquet doesn't drop below his hand. Any drills or ideas for this? Thank you

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks. Yes-that is a common mistake. Early drop of the racquet. The lag and flip of the racquet doesn’t get optimized that way. The racquet head needs to be up higher before the initiation of the hip “firing” for lack of a better term. You are right. So to fix that I usually have the player start from the position just before initiation of the hip rotation. Start there. And work on the “pull.” Pull the racquet forward using the legs and hips. And make sure they keep the tip up before the pull. Teaching cue is “racquet up up up up up…PULL”. Something like that. If you send me the player’s video to my WhatsApp [phone] I can analyze quickly and send you a few more ideas. It’s easier if I see the stroke visually.

[@IsaiahLewit]

Awesome video

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks!

[@ChrisLewit]

Hey guys, I’m happy to answer any forehand technique questions

[@motarpesselguy]

Very clear. Can't wait to try it.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thank you so much!

[@kimberleighweiss-lewit333]

Helpful!

[@ChrisLewit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Orangestudios295]

GREAT VIDEO

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks amigo

[@bennettcurtis]

I do think most professionals release their wrist just prior to contact. ( I prefer release to snap). Even your shot of Sinner at the beginning of the video shows that he is making contact when he is not in the full lag position so the wrist must have flexed some prior to this

[@ChrisLewit]

Smart thinking. You may or may not be right. As I mentioned, it can depend on the situation and the type of shot. This question is one of the big debates in biomechanics right now. We will get more evidence soon. High-speed video is a good tool but 4D motion capture that shows joint rotation speeds is more definitive. My understanding of current 4D studies is that typically the wrist is fighting against the “release” you describe. Or the wrist is very subtly allowing some minor release depending on the shot. But most of the acceleration you see is from lateral shoulder adduction, trunk rotation, and internal shoulder rotation (ISR). Scientists are still trying to figure out the exact role of the wrist. So that’s the scientific angle. Yet still when I coach, I will sometimes tell my students to flick the wrist or use the wrist because it feels kind of like you are using the wrist and that teaching cue can help them even if it’s not 100 percent accurate.

[@ChrisLewit]

And yes release is a much smarter term than snap which implies concentric muscle contraction

[@bennettcurtis]

@@ChrisLewit thanks would love to see a video on that when that info comes out. I like the biomechanics stuff.

[@ChrisLewit]

@bennettcurtis absolutely. I have new technique and biomechanics book coming out 2025, Winning Pretty. You would enjoy it. I have an entire chapter on serve biomechanics based on research.

[@cjd2555]

Regarding the wrist release / snap, I once watched a Vic Braden video analysis of Andre Agassi's forehand. Video was probably made in the late 80s. If I recall correctly, the video showed that Agassi maintained his wrist angle (wrist lag) from just before contact to just after contact. So this was proof that Agassi was not snapping the wrist (or even releasing the wrist) THRU impact. I'm not saying that every ATP player's forehand has the identical biomechanics that Agassi's forehand has. But this definitely proved that one of best and hardest forehand's in the business did NOT require a wrist snap as a power source. Also, keep up the videos like this one, Chris -- you on the court, demonstrating the correct action, is extremely helpful. Thank you!

[@peoplespeace]

I would ALMOST recommend u, which is a huge compliment coming from me! ☺️

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks. What’s holding you back? I’m an actual real high-performance coach unlike many coaches on KZbin. You can trust my advice.

[@ChrisLewit]

ATP forehand is tricky to learn. These drills can help and stick with the pro tips.

[@jean-pierreuys1554]

Topspin pro not a good tool for ATP forehand. The topspin pro wants you to brush more and atp forehand is not like that. I bent the two side bars down (going to saw them soon) for my topspin pro. The brush technique doesnt create the pentration of the ATP forehand. The topspin pro also damages the frame of racket on miss hits. Rather get the i-coach.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks for sharing. I think they both can help if you don’t have a wall or training partner or on a rainy day too. Eye coach can also damage the frame or strings sometimes so watch out for that too.

[@jackinparadise]

why my wrist is hurt and a bit swollen on the pinky bottom area. How do I avoid this getting worse

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks very much. Pain on the ulnar (pinky) side could be many things. What grip do you have on forehand and I would need to see video of your forehand to see if it’s anything technical. Physically, it could be a ligament strain or stress fracture. Could be a number of things. Hard to say without an evaluation. But I can look at the video if you send to my WhatsApp [phone]. At least we can rule out technique. If you try some basic wrist stretches before playing that may help. Ice the area down after practice to reduce inflammation. There are also a number of good wrist strengthening exercises you can add to your workouts. Chris

[@ChrisLewit]

I also like to write a compression band on my wrist when I play. Keep it warm and secure.

[@ChrisLewit]

I also like to wear a compression band on my wrist when I play. Keeps it warm and secure.

[@agradina]

I can lag and snap with my left arm but not with.my right it seem also how u are born with depends

[@ChrisLewit]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. There may be different tensions in each arm.

[@foxyonthrottle690]

Im using flexion for 30 years and never had injury, but you never flex for 180degree !! Once you come into neutral position then pronation and ISR comes automatically ( even at 60 years people say I have a huge forehand )

[@ChrisLewit]

Maybe brother. Send me the video to look at in slow motion and we can check how much flexion there is. Thanks.

[@foxyonthrottle690]

@ kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5TGgmSHa5unobMsi=mNfcSr-d6K-p3Q5Z This is one with explanation of flexion

[@foxyonthrottle690]

@ kzbin.info/www/bejne/aorGeHqXi7F1e8Usi=zHHJPwQAGEdar3C8 And this one to show there is wrist movement towards contact Greetings and enjoy the videos

[@BDYouTubeSEOspecialist]

Hello sir. How are you? I am a regular viewer of your KZbin channel. I watch all your videos. I love your content. But I see some issues with your channel that need to be fixed. I want to share with you some free tricks to take your channel to the next level.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thank you!

[@davidgrigg3747]

Warning: Eye coach is very heavy and can easily hurt your arm, wrist and shoulder if you overdo it. I speak from experience.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks for this. I haven’t had any pain from using eye coach. It’s definitely heavier than the topspin pro. I could see how it might be possible if doing a lot of reps on the eye coach.

[@mariobradanini9781]

No one finish lower as you do

[@ChrisLewit]

Thank you my friend but that’s not true. Some pros finish higher and some lower and it also depends on the tactics of the shot.

[@ChrisLewit]

kzbin.infoqcYk0FDlU7U?si=-gcoi_AkA1almGpQ. Check it out.

[@ChrisLewit]

Berrettini and Kokkinakis too

[@silversnakezx]

To be honest never self feed . no incoming spin at all.

[@ChrisLewit]

Hand soft feeding is a staple of training in Spain and used extensively there.

[@wallaceyallup4026]

Not well-known? Ha ha. Drop-feed is how drills were started- I like what I see tho.

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks amigo. Actually, for a long time I never realized the variety of drills I could do just drop feeding to myself. Came as kind of a shock to me. I always thought I needed a partner but it’s not true.

[@wallaceyallup4026]

@ thank you for what you do/have done, to build this beautiful game. When my Son competed I would drop-feed him 200 balls daily on his one-handed BH., to watch him progress and see how he could arc the ball sharply cross court - dipping it over the tape

[@ChrisLewit]

@wallaceyallup4026 Nice!

[@treplay8846]

Hey chris....relative to plane of your feet...your hands actually broke the 6 o'clock plane

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks. I don’t see that in the high-speed video. If so, very close. I measure lag according to the trunk, not the foot position. I also measure by the tip of the racquet more so than the hand. Anywhere between 5 and 6 o clock racquet lag is typical. There is not a one and only degree of lag or hand position that is correct. There is a range of acceptability.

[@treplay8846]

Your unit turn is pretty weak ..your left hand leaves the racquet too early

[@ChrisLewit]

Thanks. I am dropping a ball self-feeding so that may have an effect. I cannot hold onto the racquet and drop a ball to myself. I’m still coiling more than 90 degrees, which is a very good trunk rotation. Check the trunk rotation. But there are many pros who do not hold the left hand on the racquet like Alcaraz does. The key is the trunk itself coiling, not the action of the left arm per se.

[@bennettcurtis]

@@ChrisLewit how long do you teach your students to hold on to the racket with the left hand. There is some variation there. Do you have them straighten the left arm completely after release?

[@ChrisLewit]

@bennettcurtis you can do it many different ways. The key is the actual trunk rotation. I like the Alcaraz style with the extended hold. That’s been more popular recently. But the Federer style is good. There are many ways to do it. I believe in coaching with parameters and not forcing one style on my players. I like Kyrgios’s style and I even like Tiafoe’s style. He lets go really early. But I agree with you that I do like the left arm going out after releasing from the racquet for balance and measuring the ball. But again there are many stylistic differences that are within the range of acceptability. On KZbin many times the videos say it’s only one way. That’s not true

[@treplay8846]

@ChrisLewit fed holds onto the throat for a long time...must be a gazillion photos in that pose

[@ChrisLewit]

@treplay8846 thanks. I don’t think he holds it as long as Alcaraz. But yes he does have similar hold.

[@sapientbudgie5652]

You over rotation is not an atp forehand. Looks amateurish

[@ChrisLewit]

That is a normal rotation on a modern forehand. It’s actually probably less than many pros achieve based on high-speed video analysis. If I’m hitting full-speed I will probably rotate more at times.

[@ChrisLewit]

It’s a normal rotation especially from a semi-open stance.

[@sapientbudgie5652]

@ sorry. You don’t have pro level technical skills. It’s a 5.0 level

[@ChrisLewit]

@sapientbudgie5652 You can say what you want, but your critique was about my rotation. High speed video shows that my rotation is normal compared with any professional. If you disagree, please explain why you think the rotation of my shoulders and trunk is not optimal.

[@sapientbudgie5652]

@ you jump for no reason. Why are you doing some modified mogul step drop feeding yourself? Once the shoulder and elbow clear the torso with the hip turn into contact the racket head makes contact and you stop turning the shoulders. You jump and do all sorts of stiff strange jerky movements after contact. Stay low, don’t jump. You do that on a defensive ball off the back foot,not on a self feed. You show slow motion videos of the pros after you hit and none of them do what you do after contact.