Get more TOPSPIN on your FOREHAND!

[@ekremshark]

Comprehensive insight to the secret behind how to hit faster and consistent strikes with topspin. That upward swing path in conjunction with closed racket face helps control the speed, height,depth and spins. I had real trouble each time I stepped on the court when I was trying this and was skeptical thinking I was doing something wrong. After watching your video I will keep trying it without any doubt. Kudos coach :)

[@TNToncourt]

Please post more videos because they're so good.

[@HammerItTennis]

Thanks for the positive feedback! Hopefully getting more out soon!

[@davidhlin3023]

Great tool! Best topspin explanation I've seen.

[@HOKALIco]

TENNIS TIPS - Learn the Hammer grip with this short tennis tutorial video kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zn2kf6Vvl8ejmLs

[@tam260]

Great videos. Explaining the science and logic behind everything is crucial. Allows us to understand the concept and adapt to our needs and playing styles.

[@jamesleung89]

Nice props. Does a great job illustratiing. Thanks!

[@HammerItTennis]

Thank you too!

[@oldwestbury65]

This is a wonderful training video. Thank you

[@cutierooskie]

Very interesting video. Your presentation on the closed face relative to swing path was an eye opener for me. I had always used the ground as my reference for the position of the racquet face. Your presentation added a new dimension to how I look at the face of racquet and that is the amount of upward swing of the racquet on each stroke. I do want to present an alternative theory to your hammer position for wrist and arm for strength at ball contact, which seems very logical and is commonly accepted. But I have come across presentations and studies that I would like you consider that differ. While not intuitive one of the ideas to consider is the powerful centrifugal force generated when a racquet is being swung in an across or non linear path. This force allows the racquet to absorb and easily deal with the mass and force of a tennis ball striking a racquet as easily as a wrist locked in a strong position but it also can more easily impart spin through increased racquet head speed. I think you can see this centrifugal force playing the key role fairly easily on players with advanced backhand volleys where if you watch in video slow motion you see the racquet moving in a down and across motion rather than the more commonly accepted and taught pushing out on a straight line path. Stop action photos of top players do show the wrist in this strong laid back position on forehands but I summit that this is a passive, natural position and the racquet path for top players is then not out along the flight path of the ball but a angular swing. Again it is not intuitive but careful analysis I believe shows that for advanced players swinging out in line towards the target is not as important as having this centrifugal force generated along with ability to strike the ball with angular velocity that generates spin. While it is difficult to accept because of the accepted theory that timing the ball is the most difficult issue for a player and the theory of swinging out in a straight line seems to solve this problem. Perhaps for even intermediate players the risk of working towards generating a consistent non-linear swing that may result in better spin results and thus ball control will lead to better results than trying increase the hitting zone and thus timing by generating a more linear swing , which may not produce a shot of comparable power and control because of lower spin rates.

[@HammerItTennis]

hjh great comment! The idea of the racquet face relative to the ground is a common (in my opinion) mis-teaching that leads to players not truly understanding how to create spin. Centrifugal force is absolutely used in creating a powerful forehand. If you have not seen my forehand miniseries and the video on the dual swing paths check those out as they touch on centrifugal force. The racquet accelerates every time it’s direction is changed. As for volleys couple things to remember. The racquet should be more “pulled” with an angled wrist through the volley than “pushed”. This is the real “do not swing” that most pros have been told to tell students. When you swing, your wrist breaks over and now you are not leading with the handle of the racquet, and it becomes a weak position. The line your racquet is following on a volley is going to be very different than the line the ball will take, because once the spin is imparted on the ball, it deviates off the initial flight path. So a downward swing is necessary somewhat to get the ball to have a flatter flight. If you sent the ball out at a parallel line to the ground the spin would lift the ball up and sail it long. The angle of the wrist is necessary to strike the ball off its center of mass to create the spin in the first place. Thanks for the questions! Appreciate the comments!

[@praveenbhide]

Awesome!!! Very nicely explained 👍

[@Gatorpsychosis]

I love the props. They really help me to understand the process. Thanks, coach Daniel.

[@lyndonbelling7153]

Thanks for sharing , great explanation !

[@claudiocaffa9198]

very helpfull....thank you very much of the fantastic explanations and tips

[@HammerItTennis]

Thanks for the comment! Glad you like the content!

[@MrSubWright]

solid video, hope you keep going and get more viewers soon. It's tough starting out here on YT

[@raysfonexchange]

Why didn't they let this guy teach physics in my school.....I would've surely gotten an A+

[@HammerItTennis]

ray edmondson thanks for the comments!

[@gladyss.7357]

Thanks for generously sharing your expertise. I was a somewhat accomplished nationally-ranked junior player who, sadly, stopped playing after the Girls’ 14s; despite 4-6 daily hours of tennis from age 7-, I never conceptualized the physics of the game, especially at the point of contact; i.e., the racquet face’s orientation w/ the ball. Might you clarify what one should expect to occur when meeting the ball w/ a closed racquet face when one’s shoulder/body orientation is otherwise aligned to properly make contact w/ a neutral racquet face?

[@HammerItTennis]

When you say neutral are your referencing the ground or the swing path? I’m not sure I quite understand what you’re asking. The whole point is to make the ball spin and curve downward off its initial line. A lot of players have flat shoulder angles and then try to lift the ball with their arms. This usually results in a spinny shot with no real pace or an open face with not much too spin. It’s just so hard to gauge. If your shoulders are flat and you hit with a closed face the ball will go down. Think of it like a ball machine. If the top wheel turns faster the ball will shot out with topspin making the ball dive downward. To get that over the net you either have to be really close to the net, or angle the launch of the ball machine to allow for the curve of the topspin.

[@gladyss.7357]

Thanks for the reply. My question’s unclear, but I think you fielded it to my understanding. I’m meaning that if one, say, is structurally aligned respective to the court and to the ball to strike a perfectly flat forehand within one’s ideal strike zone like so: |• should one expect that a closed racquet face, like so: /• would itself, all other elements being equal, necessarily impart topspin? I suppose the answer is readily obvious but I continue to wonder as I seem able to hit perfect flat forehands (w/ the same pace/trajectory arc/depth) w/ various racquet face-to-ball alignments: /• |• \• It may be that I’m imperceptibly altering my swing path in doing so? Otherwise, impossible?

[@HammerItTennis]

Great questions! If you haven't yet check out my video "The Truth about Topspin" kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4CXeoKqobCgg6s in this video I go over many of these points and concepts. Topspin is only created by striking the ball off its center of mass. The generic brushing that is taught is just a means to help students strike the ball off its center with an upward strike. It is possible to hit a ball with no spin at all angles of strike if the face is square and hits in the center of the ball's mass. However, if your face is angled relative to the path of the strike, the ball must spin. If it is not then your path is changing slightly to allow the face to come square into the ball.

[@sanderfoppele_stopmotion]

Thanks for All vids!

[@alexthangaraj10]

great explanation!

[@dropshot118]

Very helpful! Not many videos show the details about this. I liked and subscribed this page. My question is the angle of the raquet face on the follow through - after you extend into the court. Mine sometimes is like 30-25 degree angle. Is 45 degree angle ideal ALL the time? for example - what if you have a high ball that you want to crush and penetrate the court? Should I maintain the 45 or more 30 degree? So my question is does that angele of the raquet change based on the shot height. You addressed the low ball already, thank you

[@HammerItTennis]

Great questions. In my newest video I talk about extension into the court and face angle, check it out kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIeyaIl3rNeSidU However, as you extend into the court your arm and the face of the racquet naturally close some. This may vary on how aggressive you are swinging at the ball, and that will vary the rate of spin too. If you have a shoulder height ball that is mid-court say and you want to drive it through the court, you can keep a 45 degree angle, but you'd have to level your shoulder plane (swing path) flatter. But keep in mind that will make the ball seem to drop quicker. To make sure you have enough height to clear the shot you must hit it harder to allow the ball to clear the net before the spin drops it. OR you can lessen the angle of your face so that you do not impart as much topspin, while having a "flatter" shoulder/swing plane so that the ball clears the net. But in that case you'd have less spin to help keep it from going long. The key is to get the concepts down so you can understand how they affect the ball and shot shape.

[@Osnosis]

After you hit the ball, face angle doesn’t matter. The follow-through is the result of the path prior to contact; that’s the angle that matters.

[@HammerItTennis]

The face angle relative to the angle of the swing path create the type and rate of spin. You can set an angle and maintain it before, during, and after contract, but you'll fail to apply any leverage to the ball and be keeping energy back from the shot. By allowing the release of your wrist you can get these forces into the ball. If you have an angle that you are working toward achieving from before contact to after contact, that will tend to help make sure you get the racquet at the desired angle during contact.

[@starman3533]

Nicely explained

[@HammerItTennis]

Starman Oddity thank you!

[@logaamuthuamirthalingam9153]

great turorial...i have also seen the dual swing tutorial also...could you do a turorial on two handed backhand..

[@TheNSays]

Good explanation of a modern tennis swing, but without the "windshield whipping" wrist motion most pro players have at the end of their swing. This makes sense for rec players because its simpler and will be more consistent. For more advanced players, though, you are going to want to hit the ball more out in front (more power not less). Think Federer here -- he hits waaaaay in front and he's pretty good. And you are going to want a whipping wrist (lag, snap) motion to generate more power and spin. Limiting everything to big muscles in your core and shoulder makes sense in the beginning -- but later, the wrist is key for adding that last bit of juice to your swing. Not having your wrist in play is like serving without a good pronation at the end of your motion. You will never get to the next level of power and spin.

[@Hypegreene05]

I think this is what my coach was trying to tell me yesterday. He wants my racket a contact point to be at a 45 degree angle.

[@progressivedemagogue8480]

Bad coach

[@obi5312]

Really really good explanation of the modern forehand. I feel that most players elevate the angle of the ball as it goes out towards the net by raising the arm upward at the shoulder and not by bending your back leg more than your front leg and thereby TILTING the shoulder plane. I have never heard anyone explain how to adjust ball height by tilting the shoulders. Most coaches will just tell you to swing at a more upward angle. It seems to me that you would get more consistent results by tilting rather than raising the arm angle. Do you agree?

[@HammerItTennis]

I agree 100% that's why I teach that concept! It is easier to aim your trajectory consistently because you can more easily replicate your upward swing path.

[@poida007]

HammerItTennis then perhaps you can show us video of touring pros doing this "shoulder tilting" on a regular basis.

[@MathCuriousity]

Haas does it, fognini does it, zverev does it...the list goes on...

[@poida007]

Joseph G please post some video links that clearly show this

[@MathCuriousity]

I don't have time but check out Jason Frausto Tennis Unleashed, channel, and check the slow mo clips of any of the players I mentioned.

[@alainbrouillaud484]

ABSOFREAKINLUTELY SPOT ON!!!

[@HammerItTennis]

Thanks for the kind words! Once you figure out where your face needs to be at contact, it makes controlling the face and creating driving topspin a lot easier!

[@the1tfactor]

Hi Coach, thanks for the video. My hands seem to be more comfortable with an Eastern grip, though I love your explanation ane will give semi-Western another go. Any words of widsom for the Eastern grip in terms of contact point and shoulder tilt? Thank you for your time and effort!

[@HammerItTennis]

Eastern grip is not really that far off from the semi-western. The eastern grip would just not close the face as much automatically at contact as a semi. The contact point in regards to the distance in front of your body is determined more by your forearm and the height of contact, which will be slightly lower with an eastern. Your shoulders should still angle upwards as that is the best way to launch the ball upward (do not try to generate lift by swinging your arm upward) and will depend on the height of the shot you want to hit.

[@7798chrisd]

So is slice racquet path generally from high to low with an open racquet face and the opposite for a top spin forehand. And both shots would mean the racquet face would be angled 90° to the ground at contact with the ball.

[@HammerItTennis]

Not necessarily 90 all the time but relatively close. However, the angle with the ground isn’t what’s really important, it’s the swing path direction and face angle relative to that path.

[@honkeyness9427]

Smart video

[@marktace1]

Velocity is radius times angular velocity so hitting with the elbow away from the body results in higher racquet speeds at impact.

[@HammerItTennis]

This is true, a longer swing radius creates faster speeds at the end of the radii. However, if your arm is at maximum extension at contact, you are unable to apply the leverage with the arm as it extends. Additionally, it is harder to adjust to last second changes in the ball trajectory if the ball takes a miss-bounce or other change. Most amateur players also struggle with the timing necessary to contact the ball out in front at the correct spot with a straight arm, which results in a huge lose of power, negating any benefits that the extended arm may have created.

[@marktace1]

@@HammerItTennis I’m not saying an extended arm like Rafa or Roger. I’m just saying don’t try to keep the elbow into the body. I’ve seen juniors ruined by trying to keep their elbow next to their body.

[@HammerItTennis]

Most of the juniors I see keeping an exaggerated elbow in position usually use an extreme western type grip too. I'm not a fan of that grip either. Check out my Forehand mini-series kzbin.info/aero/PL4EFDvXAXAhth3geU6-BxMu16qqbKq-Zf I think this gives a good summary overview of the Hammer It Method that I advocate. The other concepts in the Hammer It Method that I've been able to produce videos on you can see here: kzbin.info/aero/PL4EFDvXAXAhtmwxf1T8fRGm21mrleT4-L

[@shanmugasundaram6625]

thx.

[@narsimha1089]

How do you drop racquet before hitting the ball?i mean wrist lag

[@HammerItTennis]

To get the racquet to drop a couple things have to take place. First you want your left side (assuming you are right handed) to to start rotating. That motion will pull your right hand out from under the racquet if the head is above the hand, allowing it to drop. However, you also want to physically rotate your right forearm backwards which will also make your racquet head go backwards and drop. You want to have this twisting in addition to the “pull out from under” drop because that loads your forearm so it can unwind into the ball at contact as well for more power.

[@narsimha1089]

Hammer It Tennis thank you very much..wonderful explanation step by step

[@narsimha1089]

Hammer It Tennis thank you very much

[@pjakobsen]

If you could provide references from the USTA or Rod Cross or other tennis physicists, that would be great.

[@HammerItTennis]

Not sure of any thing that the USTA has provided that would be useful. Everything that I teach is from years of teaching experience and research and learning in physics. Physics apply to everything across the universe, tennis included.

[@acsh81]

How is the face angle in relation to incoming balls. Wouldn’t there be a need to have a closed face?

[@HammerItTennis]

Alex H could you explain what you are meaning a bit more? To hit topspin you absolutely must have a closed face in relation to the swing path. The angle of the face relative to your forward swing path is what matters.

[@acsh81]

@@HammerItTennis lots of videos instruct a perpendicular racket face to the court. Rarely do I see tennis instructors discus the physics of income ball bouncing off the court and that your racket face cannot be "open" there needs to be some degree of a closed face. I keep sending my shots to long and not enough spin.

[@HammerItTennis]

@@acsh81 alot of instructors say perpendicular to the court because they figured out that if your face is perpendicular to the court and you swing "low to high" it creates top spin. Many do not understand the actual reason this creates topspin but just to having your face "neutral" (to the court) at contact seems to create topspin, when in fact the only way it is possible to hit with any spin is to have your face angled to the swing path. I can have my face open to the court and swing up but still achieve topspin as long as my face is "closed" to the swing path. Usually if you are not getting enough spin on your shot, it is because your face isn't closed enough to the swing path. I do offer online instruction where I break down your stroke for you. You can check it out at www.hammerittennis.com

[@ceejay257]

Do I use wrist to close racquet?

[@HammerItTennis]

As you allow the racquet to extend, your arm naturally rolls closing the face somewhat. Using a semi-western type drip also sets the face closed. I focus on just striking through the ball and allow my grip and the natural extension to close the face. If I need to really close my face because my contact point is going to be off for instance, then I focus on getting the racquet face to extend more flat to the court.

[@Osnosis]

As noted in another video, if the face is ‘closed’ (past 90 degrees, string-bed facing the ground), the ball will go DOWN. Thus, a closed face can only be successful when hitting the ball when it is ABOVE the height of the net.

[@HammerItTennis]

Correct a closed face will make the ball go down! However, you are still confusing the ground with the swing path. The face is closed about a 45 degree angle to the swing path. This allows for an upward swing path and initial launch angle upward. The spin that you have created with your angled face forces the ball down. That is why the ball arcs into the court over the net.

[@FairwayJack]

like

[@HammerItTennis]

Thanks so much!