The Perfect Forehand Takeback For Your Game

Just debunking a few myths and helping players find a takeback that works for their body and game.
Women and men use different takebacks to help them use their body in the optimal way.
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[@tennisproslav1237]

Girl had most improved forehand in KZbin history.

[@yakzivz1104]

thank you so much for doing this video!!! I'm so tired of people making fun of WTA forehand takebacks.

[@albertcamus5970]

Ric Macci is a plight on tenniskind. LOL. So glad I found your channel. Trying that pull from pat the dog stuff just murdered my forehand.

[@mayabergom]

One hidden gem in here is how Tom noticed something his student was already doing that looked better (the forehand feed) and built from that - instead of trying to break down a stroke and rebuild from scratch. Genius coaching

[@sincitystealth1]

Love this. Too many coaches force players into a rigid style as opposed to letting them find what works best for them.

[@dadmaxx8127]

Wow two major improvements in her swing.. First, you can see how jammed up the before swings were as opposed to after swings which had a nice natural and comfortable distance away from her body. Second, you can hear the difference in the after swings. They just sound more solid.

[@futarydary]

Night and day difference on her forehand. Nice catch coach. You're the best.

[@snstyvr7597]

“Channel’s probably banned already.” …and the best just got better!

[@AcidexMax]

Awesome video. In my opinion, that's the measure of good coaching, identifying what works best for each player. Sure, there are certain things that are objectively more efficient than others but forcing students to a particular technique it's just trying to solve every problem with a hammer. The argument for breaking the plane is that you'll be late in faster balls but to me it's just a matter of making the same swing a bit more compact or bigger according to the incoming ball. In your student what I see is that her timing with the ATP forehand is off and pretty close to perfect with the WTA style and for me the reason is that her body "knows" how to move more natural in that way so she will adjust to faster balls much better with that swing than she will ever do with an ATP one, even if it's much more compact

[@bri_____1970]

Nice one! Following the advice of KZbin coaches propagating cookie cutter techniques has hindered my progress. Once I started listening to my body and paying attention to what felt comfortable, I'm seeing drastic improvements. Sometimes you are your best coach.

[@josephk.4212]

"It's not foolproof." So true, Tom. So true.

[@tennisproslav1237]

Especially in Thailand

[@TomAllsopp]

Nomsayin

[@jayrussell26]

Such a cool video. Super interesting observation on body shape and the swing. Your student in the end is lucky to have you challenge her to break the so-called rules and plane. Thanks for taking one for the team in the rain.

[@jerome_morrow]

As always, your video demonstrates your exceptional understanding of tennis biomechanics. “Breaking the plane” is an effect, not a cause. The key element is where the player falls in the range of pronation vs supination of the forearm on the take back. Swing the way that feels most natural. 👍

[@jamesking6030]

Another great video, Tom. As a coach, I couldn't agree more. I remember years ago working with one of my students and trying to get her to stop breaking the plane because that's what most were teaching. Needless to say, it was extremely frustrating for her and for me. Luckily, I said F it. Let's stick with your natural swing and improve the timing and coordination, and I'm so glad I did. She went on to play for ACU and had a great college career. Lesson learned for me on that one.

[@AlexanderMayorov]

Nice and interesting topic. Thanks. Nothing is absolute. You said there's a wide spectrum. True. But we need explanations why it works such way and you gave very reasonable answers

[@omarsultanov362]

As always. Greatest tennis thinker and the best coach, Tom Allsopp 👏🏾

[@jeanb.3493]

Great video. One reason people struggle with a proper high take back and unit turn, is that they have problems getting into the chin-over-shoulder position. If you keep your arms low, you're probably better off going for a WTA style FH, but otoh that requires a more active hip (and leg) drive.

[@Be_Real_2]

You crack me up Tom! Thanks for all the advice. Been watching you for a couple years now.

[@vp6564]

This explanation of pronation and supination is absolutely amazing. I watched a lot of videos but still had nagging questions. Answered! Thank you.

[@chandravythilingam3647]

Very true people are built differently , best to let a natural coordinated swing to happen naturally , with the right parameters in mind

[@yakzivz1104]

I hope that other coaches watch this video!!!

[@glennwilliams4441]

Excellent Tom especially the improvement in the player at the end

[@aj520605]

This Ash Barty's FH is awesome, many thanks!

[@studfinderball]

I took the McEnroe backswing, changed straight arm to bent arm with elbow tucked, and changed continental grip to pistol grip eastern, and kept the racket head drooped. I've tried them all ATP and WTA. This works for me.

[@MMurad-ol4jk]

very very nice , thank you Tom !🙂

[@at1838]

Very insightful and well explained!!

[@djp3525]

Good stuff.

[@liliventa121]

You are amazing! I agree with you. Everyone is different

[@madbadtrad7746]

Excellent thanks! (Some radical ideas you have there; I do hope you will still be able to do these vids from the gulag.)

[@HaInspiration]

1st time hearing about this concept - WOW - definitely going to try out the WTA style rotation, rather than the ATP style swing! Thanks for pointing this out❣️

[@speedymr]

One of the best coaches on youtube.

[@dardoporta5346]

beautiful the last swings

[@Queenkeyla]

Thanks a lot i will pass this to my daughter's coach.

[@lilabner9131]

Thank God no one tried to teach Iga tha ATP forehand

[@davelee6002]

Hey, I just watched your video about "pull vs throw" and now this video about the take back shows me I need to pay attention. My biggest problem with my ground strokes now is a weird take back and a rushed and inaccurate swing. I had very late prep recently and it's still not great, but I think there's a lot wrong with my take back position, based on videos I've taken.

[@Jackripster69]

Given the WTA pros would beat almost all rec players its obvious the forehand works. So whatever suits go with it.

[@ElSupremo5]

wow what an insightful comment

[@FairwayJack]

good stuff

[@sarmhurts]

Brilliant!

[@KevinServe]

Do what is best for you and not Federer.

[@Johnstage]

Yah. I tried that elbow thing in Thailand too and I got unpleasantly surprised. 😭

[@georgipopov8973]

3:14 I appreciate the seemingly not-connected-to-the-topic comment.

[@umenon1]

Excellent video on explaining why the ATP and WTA forehands are so different. I agree with you about finding the best racket takeback to suit your body type but I still want to be able to hit with the ATP forehand (I'm a man dammit! 😀) I recorded my swing and was horrified to find that I had a huge loopy takeback like the WTA when I was going for the ATP look. Your explanation of shoulder-centered vs hip-centered swings as the reason for the difference makes a lot of sense. I'll work on getting a larger shoulder rotation during the backswing which should reduce the arc of the racket head. I'm hoping this is just a matter of breaking a lazy habit - not turning the shoulders enough.

[@maxgluteus4263]

This is like a new discipline of tennis that combines playing style with anatomy, eye-opening. I just fixed my 10 year-old sons forehand take back, to be more ATP like, now I don't know if i did the right thing

[@TomAllsopp]

10 year olds are not like an ATP player at anything, so if his forehand isn’t very ATP that would make sense

[@maxgluteus4263]

@@TomAllsopp thank you for the wisdom!

[@adenhealthchiangmai9197]

Awesome video

[@sebastiansantos5561]

What about the high of the hand that hold the raquet in the man side¿? Do tou suggest at the same high of the shoulder, higher or lower. At the pro tour I see that is variable in each player and in other videos suggest lower because the game is getting faster. What about you

[@PeteInTheMatrix]

love that tip

[@beaglesrfun5896]

PhD-level of dissertation defense of the forehand take back, and that you did so successfully! What racquet are you using, btw?

[@lordbyron3603]

You’re right about women having a lower center of gravity than men. It is this reasoning that I stay very low when I’m volleying or shuffling for a volley. There’s more stability and I have less of a tendency to muscle the volley and wracking it to death. Instead ,, I rely more on touch and feel!

[@chilledoutnotdead]

Tks

[@Findyourgame]

New players need to learn how to Feed, block returns in, start the point, lob, approach, Volley, even swing Volley before they need to master groundstrokes. You can be a pretty good doubles player and have less than avg groundstrokes. Coaches miss the mark on this so the time.

[@ollie708]

Nice

[@benjidamenji3428]

holy fuck you might just have solved my tennis slump thats been going on for two years.

[@nitzanricklis6488]

Incredible improvement of that girl's swing. You're a good coach too bad you're getting banned soon 😂

[@Better_Call_Raul]

On the serve, Jeff Salzenstein teaches "Elbow The Enemy" and this tip works very well on the serve. Would the "Elbow The Enemy" tip also work on the forehand? I tried it out a bit and it seems to work very well and it keeps the racquet on the right side of the body and it feels comfortable and I generate power. Is this tip something one should consider when exploring various forehand takebacks? 🤔 🎾

[@TomAllsopp]

Sure. I prefer bring a little smoother though, so don’t elbow anyone too hard

[@doorknobny]

The key here is to make sure u stay semi western ..this is like having a full house .I would love to see a video tap tennis connecting the footwork to the swing

[@1114gabby]

As you look back the ATP style has evolved over time. There are certainly men who still play with a traditional loop. Look at old footage of Federer and you will see a different forehand. He changed along the way.

[@andrehalim469]

Blake Fognini can generate power with simple take backs.

[@chilledoutnotdead]

"all that good stuff"

[@watcher687]

What about Jeremy Chardy?😮😅

[@TomAllsopp]

I guess he feels comfortable swinging like that. Whatever works for him

[@chilledoutnotdead]

Surprised the Thailand joke didn't get you banned 😂😂

[@jasonloeb4269]

Channel probably banned already lol

[@damon123jones]

men r better