Hitting The Heavy Ball in Tennis

The incoming shot "feels heavy" when that shot has a lot of momentum.
Generally, heavy shots are produced with a combination of racquet speed as well as body weight "against the ball."
But (as always) there is more. In addition, I believe it has to do with perception. If the player times their racquet acceleration and weight shift - the appearance is of minimal effort - and that cue often surprises us when the ball arrives heavily.
Heavy balls feel like they shoot through the court, seem to have more pace after the bounce, and often produce late or defensive replies.
Want to hit heavily (hold on here what follows is old school) - bring your body weight and racquet against the ball.
There is a saying, “You are only as good as your second serve.” Learn how to master the kick serve: goo.gl/8UMm7q
Discover the secret to playing better tennis - it starts with a flowing and balanced serve: goo.gl/jDV24F
Subscribe for new videos ▶ goo.gl/UpabpL
Let's connect:
Website: goo.gl/r9UFrS
Twitter: goo.gl/Qd8GQt
Facebook: goo.gl/qGfGsN

[@ARTZY64]

Yep.. people in my club have always marveled at my slow swing yet heavy ball. Guys who have never hit with me always say they never expected the speed. It's mass... a heavy racquet can be swung more slowly and create as much or more mass as a lighter racquet swung quickly. If the ball is coming off your strings faster than your swing, then you are doing something right.

[@willm3539]

people think is all about spin but its actually more about point of contact and clean kinetic chain. As Jim mentions here if you hit the ball at the optimal point in your swing you get the most speed and power, in addition to this if the player has a clean kinetic chain the "heavy" is emphasized.

[@theendlessenigma]

I know that when I am right during swings it feels so effortless and I that I am barely swinging at all. Legs and torso in the swing make a huge difference in power and grip and racket direction make the spin giving the ball the spin and that heavy feel.

[@craigtozer3260]

"swing slower, hit harder" - genius

[@tennisun4382]

great stuff Jim. it's been some time since you posted this, any chance of a sequel to hear more thoughts of yours on this subject? and maybe reflect on some of the comments below...

[@mikecarpenter5466]

If you are strictly looking for what people think a heavy ball is... then I agree with MegaReemas, a heavy ball hits your racket and it feels as though it overpowers the stability you've put behind the racket. Now, as for the science of the heavy ball, I think it's really more about the spin than the pace. Pace can't be overlooked but a nice tight topspin hits the strings of your racket and shoots off the strings much differently than a flat ball. That makes the ball heavy and hard to control.

[@Volleymaster2]

watch the video of Federer training with Mardy Fish and you will see a HUGE difference in how heavy they hit the ball. Fish hits with less spin, but through the ball. Federer hits with much more wrist, and you can see how Fish struggles, it's really evident - even though both players are balanced when they make their shots. nice video Jim. from my experience, timing, balance, and technique are the 3 key factors. heavy racquet also helps (swingweight), you'll know that most male pro's use 300g+

[@DamaniDanDadar]

Although unconventional, he leans backwards to generate spin and increase his reach. This in turn increases the moment on the ball, i.e. force x distance. This principle explains how levers work so that we can lift heavy object with little effort using large distances from the pivot. The moments just have to be the same. Del Potro's long arms/fast swing explain his ball pace even though he swings from near the ball. Conversely, Djokovic's racket head speed explains his. Ball pace factors differ

[@sarangkapadia]

Lets assume there are 2 balls one hit with top spin and another hit flat, and both travel at the same avg velocity in the air. The one with top spin however will have a higher velocity after hitting the ground than the flat one. So in my opinion a heavy ball can be produced by hitting with high velocity and topspin at the same time. Of course the impact is dependent on how well you disguise this.

[@DamaniDanDadar]

Nice video. But I'd say it is often about how much extra 'body mass' you impart on the ball. Momentum = mass x velocity = MV Racket momentum MrVr = MbVb ...that is, ball's momentum. However the racket's mass is supplemented by the player's added 'body mass' especially during serves or stylish jumping b/hands. So if I can swing my racket only so hard, then my max Vr is mostly constant so that the increased ball pace (or velocity Vb) comes from added body mass. That way, MrVr still equals MbVb

[@imatrOlda]

I like Your perspective. Surely a bit overlooked aspect.

[@2ddw]

To me the 'heavy' ball is spin and speed. Must have both. It is the speed/spin of the ball after the bounce, in particular, if the ball leaps up and you have to contact it head high or above. Hitting head high balls is tougher because that is not where your strength is...your hitting strength is waist high, right? At head high, the returner is basically slapping at it or looping it back, a weaker return for sure. Getting it head high also means having to hit it deep as was mentioned in the video. So, deep, spin, speed. If it doesn't go high, it is not heavy, b/c it falls in peoples' shot box.

[@kathybolger4819]

Jim, On your backhand for a waist high shot ,on the backswing your racket is open.On your forward swing do you try to hit with a flat racket face and follow through with an open racket face? I apologize for keep asking questions, but I have read and seen so many videos that I am very confused! Many professionals say to close the racket face. My own backhand has always been very weak, and I am trying to figure out the right way. I admire the ease with which you swing your racket on the one-handed backhand , and would like to create the same swing. It feels more natural to me. I get confuse with a stiff hitting arm and a closed face ,and a deep knee bend on the forward swing. Sincerely, Kevin

[@jimmclennan2234]

Please drop me a personal note on my website and I can send you something on the backhand - Jim

[@myviews469]

We need to see where contact should be and service motion when performing tennis serve

[@caloyjp]

Hi Jim any thoughts on the hips during the swing?

[@Volleymaster2]

i'm not sure about the body mass being the important factor here (some skinny women pro's hit heavier balls than men on the tour), it's more about swinging through the ball with the proper technique and timing. balance does play an important role as well. in Nadal's case, he uses a lot of wrist, but if you watch closely, he hits through the ball with tremendous spin and almost 'slaps' it at contact. this is the same as Del Potro - although DP has a longer swing with a flatter hit

[@user-jv9qz2bu1r]

without looking at any other comments, my assessment of a heavy ball is one hit a) extremely cleanly and b) with maximum spin rotation (rpm's) and above average pace

[@miguelbarahona6636]

J. I agree with a) (hitting cleanly). I disagree with b) (máx. spín). A friend of mine, hits forehands and backhands, everything flat (continental grip). And believe me, he has an extremely heavy ball.

[@electric_boogaloo496]

I think heavier balls are the ones that have both high pace and high top spin. Due to the spin, the ball dips and hits the ground harder, bounces back harder, strikes the racquet with both pace and bounce. But I personally find flat shots that skid off the surface harder to return.

[@ARTZY64]

When I occasionally get lucky and get that 'crunch' I always look at my strings thinking I broke one haha

[@tensforme]

Jim In my opinion the "heaviness" of a ball is BOTH the force exerted on the ball (speed) combined with the amount of topspin. It's both and not just one. One can hit heavy topspin without it seeming "heavy" and also one can hit "hard" without it seeming heavy. It's the combination of the speed and topspin that makes a heavy ball so effective. And isn't Nadal's forehand the very definition of "heavy"? That ball explodes off his racket and ditto when it hits the ground. I think one relevant question is, why is hitting "heavy" so effective and what does it "do" to an opponent? One possible answer is that a heavy ball is unusual in tennis. When one encounters it they're put on the defensive because it's so hard to play. Most players try to counteract a heavy ball with topspin of their own. Kind of like trying to swim out of a riptide. Big mistake. This makes it a battle of upper body strength. It takes a lot energy to reverse the heavy topspin of a Nadal-like player. You're forced to slice or hit flat to use less energy but that only makes the heavy hitter's job easier! I've played heavy hitters and there's nothing worse.Fighting the heavy topspin with your own topspin is the wrong strategy unless you're sure you can outmuscle them.

[@miguelbarahona6636]

I think the heavy ball also depends on the surface. Topspin is better on clay. Flat ann slice shots on hard courts and grass. Nadal has a heavy ball specially on clay. Federer and Djokovic on hard courts.

[@phantom5573]

For me all timing. There's that lag and "snap" of the wrist (radial deviation) that gives the ball that "pop". I wish I could do it all the time, especially in a match.

[@phantom5573]

Yes it relates to the forearm bones. There's that slight wrist motion thumb toward the radius in the last moment of the swing that gives the ball that Pop.

[@nel3000]

pretty much lots of momentum equals a heavy ball to me. It's as if they have a lot of their weight/leg strength behind the shot.

[@ARTZY64]

Those pros throw the arm with sequence-transferred rotational momentum... their arms are loose, like a wet noodle. Loosey-goosey haha

[@bigmaristuff]

Tough to hit a heavy ball with a light racket. F = MA

[@overkill6446]

I think it's because he still does so well to drive off of his back foot. When you watch him hit forehands (usually) he drives off his back foot and makes his momentum move forward. I think that as he travels backwards he plants his foot and still gets a weight transfer as he's moving backwards. Yes, no?

[@douglashagan6718]

thats a secret thebest in the world

[@Volleymaster2]

your 2nd and 3rd paragraphs - this is not the case on grass. it is the opposite for grass because the ball skids off the surface. for hard court, you are right for clay, ? - i guess it depends on the amount of surface clay. maybe you have to break your wrist to get the same effect!

[@madwarrior1920]

if the ball is flat then its FAST but not HEAVY because "Flats" have no spin. you can easily return it by just sticking your Raquel out. You can even hit a really heavy ball easier when returning a Flat because their is no resistance. just go down up to return the flat since its coming at great speed and a beautiful shot will appear,

[@madwarrior1920]

Its just moving into the ball. stepping into it. Pushing with you feet and hitting in front of you. In other words you just ned the right Timing( Momentum) to hit the ball when you are moving into the ball. this shot then has a great mixture of freaky spin and push because it has no kick back cause of the mass driving behind it. :O

[@ossamahkhan]

In my opinion the more flat u hit . More heavy the ball will come to opponent. And one thing more . More the spin on ball less it will be come faster or penetrating . How ever it will curve more in air.

[@marykistnen6837]

I think the longer you have the strings on the ball the easier it is to hit the ball faster, whether it's a flat ball or a ball that travels higher over the net. Keeping the ball on the strings means that the wrist movement can impart more spin and speed if all levers are working together. Maybe that's why you can swing slowly to hit fast. I'd say that it's more spin than speed that produces a heavy ball. I also think that a flat ball can have a lot of spin, produced by hitting across the body rather than upwards and these balls are driven into the ground rather than jumping up when they bounce.

[@Thomas-bq4ed]

I get what you are saying. Makes a lot of sense. Combination of spin raquet speed and solid hitting, but also throw people off by having a similiar stroke no matter how you hit and where try to hit the same as always. Spin and power come off of that consistent swing

[@jsbroussard25]

It's in the wrist. Most of the top players add a little slap at the right "time" while making contact with the ball. This is what gives that audible we like so much. When you get a good drive from the butt cap, then let the driving force of the swing transfer from the butt cap out to the tip and give it that little extra wrist flick you get the heaviness of the shot without the clues. Watch out though, if your don't practice and stay focused on this it will fade away. Just like any technique.

[@Dman9fp]

It's not all wrist or there would be more wrist injuries. They have figured out how & conditioned themselves to best use their upper body & core to become a kinetic chain to hit mad amounts of power & spin (I've seen it firsthand + seen enough scrawny kids who hit with massive power)