Add power to your tennis forehand and backhand with this simple drill

This is a very simple drill to work on loading your legs for your tennis ground strokes. I'm using a 2 pound med ball but you can do it with a basketball or soccer ball, too. Using a more weighted ball though really gives you the feeling of when your body has to work more to create energy and how to release it more effectively.
The ideal way of using this drill on court is to do a set of 10 repetitions on the forehand side and then hit tennis forehands. You'll feel the difference! Repeat on your tennis backhands.
Find a wall or a fence or even better yet, a partner, and get going!
If you’re interested in having your tennis strokes analyzed, click here: www.meikebabel.com/stroke-ana... to book your analysis!
Feel free to subscribe to my channel above
FOLLOW ME
Instagram: / meikebabel
Facebook: / coachmeikebabel
Website: www.meikebabel.com/ (Sign up for my newsletter)

[@turbulenttennis]

i've always struggled with using more of my body in my strokes, thanks for this! i believe it will help me load more and use more of my body to generate power instead of relying on my arm.

[@krolldavid]

You are a brilliant coach. I was impressed by how you picked up that ball with your foot too!

[@NickNeras]

Thank you what you doing... love that!

[@juana.g.i.9006]

Hey Meike, you are very goog at teaching tennis!

[@wilbertreytarnate7872]

any adjustments to the exercises to a make it more appropriate for a one handed backhand?

[@ShanksJ1]

very useful and informative! thank you so much

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Glad it was helpful!

[@erickfogtman]

Hey Meike, this has to be the most crazy recommendation by the KZbin algorithm. I just came from the gym 10 minutes ago and I saw another guy doing this exercise over a wall so I went to my gym coach and asked him to add this drill to my next plan. I come home, open KZbin and what’s the first video I see? This one! Hahaha. Amazing content, I’ve been subscribed for a while and I’ve been really enjoying your stroke analysis. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I’m learning a lot from you and trying to improve my game every week.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

That is CRAZY! And sort of creepy actually! But I', glad that you like my content and find it helpful. Please recommend to friends ;-) Are you interested in anything specific so I can work on a video on that?

[@erickfogtman]

@@MeikeBabelTennis Personally, I’ve been getting back to playing tournaments and I found two things to be quite hard at the moment: 1) due to the fear of double faulting, I’m not hitting my serves with enough power making those games a break 90% of the times. My head says “if you don’t accelerate in your serve, you will lose the game either way” but I can’t still find that confidence. 2) also while playing a match, when changing sides I try to think in one or two things that are or aren’t working so I can improve or take advantage on those but the match goes so fast that it ends and I wasn’t even able to adjust the strategy during the match. Perhaps any of that gives you some ideas on future content :). Thanks again!

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

@@erickfogtman Yes, I will make content on that. That is great input. On your serve, I wold suggest that you go less for power but for more spin. Modify your first serve to about 80-85% of power that you would normally hit and increase spin accordingly so that you increase your first serve %. Then you don't even have to deal with a second serve. For your second serve, swing with the same racket speed as you would normally on your first but make it all spin. in the pros, if you look at the difference of racket head speed between 1st and 2nd serves there is almost none. However, there is a massive difference in spin which increases your consistency. The second issue is probably a bit harder to do in video content bc it's so individual how a match unfolds. I always helped me to work on contingency plans BEFORE the match, however. For my game style, I mostly struggled with opponents who outhit me. So even before the match started, I had it written up what I would do if that happened.

[@erickfogtman]

@@MeikeBabelTennis this is outstanding advice, thanks a lot! I didn’t expect such a long reply and now thanks to it, I can’t wait to my next training session and match (looking right now for a hitting partner that wants to play tomorrow 😂). You rock!

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

@@erickfogtman Have fun and kick heiny :-)))

[@juicetest]

Load back leg and exploding extension. sum up ? thanks

[@nickclaesen4456]

Complimenti,sei bravissima

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Grazie!

[@alisterzarkar7163]

Excellent video. We are going to use it for our highschool team practice. I see that you are dealing with the pickleball issues also.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

That is awesome! Yes, we're losing a lot of tennis courts to pickle ball and I don;t like that at all.

[@rds4629]

@@MeikeBabelTennis thanks for the video. I loathe pickbleball... but I hate to suggest this, I imagine you could probably coach picklers? I'd imagine a lot of the skills translate over? Obviously you should still keep tennis as your main gig :)

[@bournejason66]

Great clip here👍👏. Do you have tips on how to prevent racket face open at contact? I use an eastern grip on my forehand. 🙏 in advance.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Hi there and thanks! I find that when I prepare too late that my racket face is open slightly sometimes. So be sure to prep early so you can get legs and subsequently your racket under the ball and brush from low to high. Grip shouldn't matter if we prep appropriately.

[@bournejason66]

Meike Babel Tennis thank you very much 😁🙏🎾

[@haroldho19]

I like this video. I have problem with unit turn and loading . I will study this video. In your video you use 2 lbs med ball. For a person starting out 2-3 lbs med ball should be okay ? Also can you please do a video on first phrase of serve loading ? Thanks.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, I will put it on my "to film" list!

[@haroldho19]

@@MeikeBabelTennis Can't wait. Thanks.

[@bournejason66]

Coach, what’s your take on windshield wipers finish? Was it a thing back in Sampras/Agassi era? What is your advice for recreational players? Thanks 🙏

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Different coaches use this term for different shots. I still use this term for a heavier topspin ball that you want to angle off the court of dip down quickly behind the net. The racket head has to dip down low and then you brush quickly over the ball with the finish over your hip. From pocket to pocket. That's how I use it and so I find it still relevant. To me the wind shield wiper is more a style rather than a fundamental so if you have all fundamentals in place and that what you're swing looks like then you're fine, rec player and pro.

[@bournejason66]

Meike Babel Tennis Thanks Meike. It’s refreshing to hearing from a pro’s perspective 👍🎾

[@keluargaanhar2073]

What kind of ball do you use ?

[@sergiosimbula]

Hi Meike, do you ever use med balls in group lessons and if so how do you incorporate it in a fun and organised way?

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Not really in group lessons. In privates yes

[@sergiosimbula]

@@MeikeBabelTennis ah yes thanks that's what I thought. I did it once when I had a group of 6 on one court. 4 were doing a drill (focussing on initiating the stroke with the hip) and two that were waiting were in the meantime throwing the med ball. Still wasn't ideal no.

[@LubaLuba1]

what weight is that ball and brand name?

[@Salsainglesa]

Great video. Also point the foot out when loading the outside leg.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Good detail

[@Salsainglesa]

@@MeikeBabelTennis ❤️ your channel is great

[@user-gi8cf7kl5i]

hi coach meike, is it also useful for one handed backhand?

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, absolutely because you're still working on using the kinetic chain effectively. And strengthening all muscle groups that you need for a one-hander as well.

[@PeterPopovich]

How do you determine the appropriate weight of med ball?

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Ugh, that's a tough question. Depends on your size, shape youre in. I'd say a "regular" male should probably go between 6-10 lbs provided there are no physical limitation and the technique is good.

[@markdavisrealtor]

❤🎉🎉❤

[@rds4629]

I'll be honest that this sucks. It's not fun. However, it's starting to be worth it as I'm able to keep using my legs longer in the match rather than overloading my shoulder or biceps.

[@MeikeBabelTennis]

Yes, I agree. Strength and conditioning was never my favorite. But once you see how it helps on the court, it will at least get bearable