Increase Your Forehand Power With This One Simple Move

This is what I focus on when I want to crank up the speed.
It takes a lot of timing to move the body first and allow the racket to come through second. But this is the easiest way to get that effortless power. When you're faced with a difficult shot, still try to move your body, but keep the arm a little more connected with the body.
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[@thurlestonetennis2447]

Would be interested to hear your views on the Rublev forehand; his first move takes his shoulders to an 8 o’clock to 2 o’clock axis, at contact his shoulders have only rotated to 4-10 o’clock, he then whips his arm around, with very little further shoulder rotation. He hits the ball as hard as anyone, is this something we should attempt to imitate?

[@TomAllsopp]

The kinetic chain is about stopping things not just starting them. He’s able to start and stop things extremely fast which gives extreme lag and power. I’m teaching like this because average players struggle to do what he’s doing. Thanks for the question.

[@thurlestonetennis2447]

@@TomAllsopp many thanks for your prompt reply. I think it will be easier for me to follow your example, as I anticipated.

[@TomAllsopp]

@@thurlestonetennis2447 Hope so! Thanks

[@swu1413]

I discovered it too from my golf practice a few days ago : ) There is a term in the industrial world-FIFO, first in first out, meaning turn body first slightly before arms and then turn back body and then arms. The lag is the result.

[@NamesAreRandom]

For me the shoulder is key - to really whip you've got to have a relaxed shoulder, so I drop the shoulder and then the hip/torso rotation+stop drives the whip. If I engage the shoulder earlier (which I have to do if I can't get nicely behind the ball) then it takes more effort for less power. I think a tense shoulder blocks the transfer of power (e.g. try skimming a stone with a raised shoulder vs a dropped shoulder - you can't help but muscle it more with your arm if the shoulder is raised).

[@TomAllsopp]

I agree. Good points

[@Johnstage]

Love this insight. Different strokes for different folks receiving different balls. Wish more coaches understood that what’s right isn’t always what’s good! You’re the best, not the least because you’re open to discussion and modest. Please don’t change when you’ve got 250k followers!

[@TomAllsopp]

Great comment. Thanks mate. I'll try not to sell out haha

[@jayrussell26]

Great bottom-up approach to the FH - adding more complex elements as you progress from fundamentals. Your instruction to delay the arm - a) seems readily doable as it’s not during acceleration phase b) emphasizes a control element of the stroke rather than a “load and explode” type instruction which often sends things out of control if they aren’t set up properly. Really cool image - looking forward to trying it. “quiet the arm” message would be helpful on the serve too to allow a fuller racquet drop before firing the hand. Another interesting cross golf-tennis insight - thanks.

[@TomAllsopp]

Yes you could have the same thought process on the serve. Great comment

[@CARLOCOLAIACO]

Tom, I don't know if this going to last but to me this very video changed my tennis life. At least so far. It's been a game changer to think not to be too eager to hit the ball with the arm. "Wait wait wait" and then rotate totally did the trick. You cannot even imagine how greatful I am. So just wanted to thank you🙏🏼

[@Johnstage]

Every time I have rhythm problems and find I’m over rotating (or my main problem of starting my rotation too late), I go back to this simple video tip. I get so caught up with trying to hit the modern forehand that I forget these basic classic forehand skills I had learned in the 1970’s! Keeping “connected” leads to easy power and it’s not just racquet head speed. It’s the momentum of the body-racquet unit transferred to the ball. You can see the impact of the classic forehand in its formation. One of the most valuable reminders ever for me! Thanks!!

[@aapopispa6810]

This is exactly what I have been doing with my golf swing but not with my tennis stroke - thanks a lot Tom!

[@yoshischookee7115]

Noone else adresses this essential aspect of a powerful forehand..? Just AMAZING!!

[@relaxandwinintennis2550]

You are definitely one of the best sources for tennis instructions.👍

[@sunglee3935]

My coach says after the initial hip rotation, you have to resist the shoulder turn to make the arm go fast.

[@FundamentalTennis]

Well done Tom. I second the pronated vs. supinated backswing forehand video request 👍

[@watcher687]

Thanks Tom. Great video. Would you consider making a video on forehand take back pronated vs supinated? In other words racket hitting face inverted towards the back fence like Djokovic or pointed towards the right fence like Del Potro or your take back.

[@TomAllsopp]

Yes I'll try to cover the take-back subject soon

[@omarsultanov362]

The best FH tip for the level: a beginner till 4.0 ntrp (up to 4.5 in case the footwork is great and the head is slow) 🤩

[@CoVaTennis]

love how you make follow on videos. sign of a true coach… and listener 💪🏽 side note… are those Nike’s tennis shoes? they look like air max 90s… one of my favorite street shoes ever 🙌🏽

[@TomAllsopp]

Thank you! No they’re golf shoes hahaha. I just wear that as casual shoes. Basically identical.

[@CoVaTennis]

@@TomAllsopp ooo nice! Nike tennis needs to step up their game like golf 🤣

[@TomAllsopp]

@@CoVaTennis agreed!

[@dima8832]

That was very helpful .. Thank you

[@mayabergom]

Exactly what I'm working on! And so simple - just delay a bit. Otherwise keep things the same. Perfect. I have the problem of becoming more arm-driven when I want to whack it. I'll work on just relaxing the arm a bit more and delaying it. Thank you!!

[@TomAllsopp]

yes, relax the shoulder!

[@shorttough]

your explanation and technique is spot on! i wish you were in Texas.

[@TomAllsopp]

Thanks mate

[@masayonrodruepid8765]

Love what you teach.

[@TomAllsopp]

Thank you

[@litiometalico]

Best tennis is hitting while running forwards all the time. The hand movement is natural.

[@filippovecchiarelli1144]

this is pretty good tip. ty

[@dom4639]

Great stuff

[@lethedan]

Thanks for great lesson again. If I may add to remind students that it’s still an up then across the body action . Many forget the upward part when focus on rotation!

[@TomAllsopp]

Thanks. I guess I don’t really think about it like that. That’s not my feel.

[@lethedan]

@@TomAllsopp My 4.0 students still having issues of up and across for topspin. Your lesson was great when I asked them to watch but they forgot the hitting up part when they focus on body rotation.

[@TomAllsopp]

@@lethedan Keep going. Sounds like they're learning

[@goodlife678]

I really like your vids that made my tennis more enjoyable. Thank you for your effort on creating these materials. I have a question regarding WHEN TO INITIATE ARM/WRIST PRONATION during forward swing. My grip is between eastern and semi western. I noticed my racket face is open at contact when I initiate forward swing using "skip the stone' motion. The results? ball sometimes sails long. I guess I need a pronation to get the ball in, but I don't know when? Thanks for your help in advance from Korea.

[@rucas10]

Excellent !

[@geepeeone]

Coach. Can you do a forehand analysis of Raducanu? Her forehand seems a liability.

[@jackquinnes]

I think we simply have to accept we don't inhabiit a perfect world nor bodies and there will be crucial power losses if we pretend to, i.e., If we act under such delusions and illusions as perfect elasticity and.frictionlessness of our body parts (especially muscles) and joints connecting them. Since this Is clearlly not the case the ideal of complete/abstract kinematic chain and drive of swing energy via such a imaginary construct will always be a pipe dream even to Roger. Thus I warmly recommend any and all to join forces of hip/core rotaatiom with simultaneous drive of the shoulder axis with the non-dominant arm. In a perfect world and body I would postpone the upper body rotation until the pure kinematic/kinetic chain would take care of its thrust, after a perfectly timed and placed, measured and performed "lag". But there's no such world out there where everything's gonna be perfectly played out and flown into a flawless swing of a racquet. here's just this world. Just this rock; this court and this ball. So, don''t waste your energy for nothing. Eat the cake when it's still fresh and sweet. Don''t let It rotten while you "have got it"! ;-D

[@bournejason66]

I sometimes received the comment that I “open up the body too early”, and the racket face tend to get open. What’s the line between delay the arm and opening up too soon? Thanks 🙏

[@TomAllsopp]

That’s a great question. I’m going to guess that when you open up early you have to pull/drag the racket from behind you. Rather than the early rotation triggering a throw.

[@bournejason66]

@@TomAllsopp so the difference is the arm throwing motion? Maybe make a follow up video on this as I’m sure I’m not the only one making this mistake. Thanks in advance 🙏

[@jbc-3975]

Your statement here is something I don't think you've emphasized enough. When you try to coordinate the swing with weight transfer core unwinding people can end up relying on that weight transfer / core unwinding to PULL the arm/ racket thru the contact zone .. and thereafter thru the follow-thru. The racket head speed often ends up being limited because the arm & racket are moving together with the weight transfer core unwinding. With a throwing motion you rely on the kinetic chain to INITIATE the throwing motion at which point the normal mechanics of a multi-segmenfed throwing motion take over such that the racket head accelerates thru the contact zone with minimal effort. Ideally, the core unwind slows down fairly quickly after the initial release allowing the arm/ wrist & racket head to very quickly accelerate thru the contact point and then begin to decelerate naturally with the core counter balancing the energy from the swing. It's really no different than a serve or an overhead which are 3/4 throws vs FHs where you utulize a sidearm throw. And no it's not just a technique that's only useful for hitting harder; it's a more efficient easier method for hitting both an easy/ slow warm-up serve, a 3/4s speed 2nd serve or your hardest 1st serve. It's the same with one's FH. Sure, you can hit a serve and/ or a FH w/ out using an efficiently throwing motion but I wouldn't suggest/ teach anyone to do that. I'd instead suggest that they learn the efficient/ easy way to serve and hit a FH but yeah I'd suggest they start with just trying to get comfortable with an easy warm-up serve perhaps using an abbreviated wind up and throwing motion until money get comfortable with the motion & timing and then speed things up from there. In my experience, the progress is quicker because it's more efficient & easier on the body to throw a ball vs. shot putting it. What's true is that there are lots of women (and men) that never learned how to throw a ball which makes.it hard to teach them to learn how to properly hit a serve or a FH but then I think one has to decide whether one has to down more time teaching the proper throwing mechanics and getting them ingrained.

[@alanlee6662]

That means the body moves in vertical plan shoulders rotation more than the hips. It says vertical movement.

[@TomAllsopp]

Not sure what you’re saying

[@bournejason66]

The purpose of delaying the arm is to create the whip action, correct?

[@TomAllsopp]

Yes, you create more lag so it comes through later and faster.

[@LubaLuba1]

Is 4 1/8 too small for tennis racket grip?

[@johnsmith-zf1fd]

you have the same accent as geoff rowley, liverpool american