Wrist Lag on The Forehand - How To Make It Happen

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This video covers everything you need to know about the forehand wrist lag and clears up some misconceptions about this mysterious technical element.
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#intuitivetennis #wristlag

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Learn The Croatian Serve 🇭🇷 (FREE COURSE) 👉🏻 bit.ly/tcs1977

[@daviddalisay5317]

Why Nik's lessons are the best: 1. He tells you to practice a solid fundamentals of a forehand. 2. The rest will happen intuitively.

[@Fernwald84]

Glad that you clearly explain that the wrist lag isn't something we consciously execute; it happens automatically because the arm/racquet combination is naturally flexible (the wrist being the fulcrum). Since the racquet has to trace a longer path than the arm and hand, it will lag behind as the forward swing begins and only catch up as the racquet head nears the ball. The wrist, not being stiff like an iron bar, will simply bend as the forearm and shoulder lead the racquet.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

George, 👍👌

[@funfoot1]

Nice! Great communication. Seeing this phenomenon through your words has added a whole new level of understanding to this subject that I have previously visited. I can't wait to take it to the courts. Thanks much, Jeff

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Jeff, glad you found it helpful. 👍👍

[@malvikachandhok8571]

Thank you so much, very useful!

[@poida007]

Looking forward to the video on sequencing FH torso/hip rotation to get more lag! 🎾👌Hi Nick, any luck with the FH torso/hip sequencing video? Also, I spoke with a high performance coach who played on tour and has a world class forehand about level of wrist layback/extension, he said "it's vital that it gets to 90°, players who lack that flexibility will be severely restricted/limited, and there are some workarounds but they're not ideal". I know some coaches (former tour players) who have limited wrist extension and none of them hit their FH as well as the coaches/players with more flexibility. I've yet to see a coach assess this in their players in their own, and it should be done for all strokes. Joint flexibility/range of motion is huge in tennis.

[@daniloneves4289]

Excelente vídeo. Muito obrigado pela sinceridade ao dizer que não é possível treinar o atraso do punho conscientemente, basta fazer as outras coisa de modo adequado que acontece naturalmente.

[@junkmail75034]

Can’t wait to hear you talking about pronation in serve.

[@swu1413]

Like the wrist lag, absolutely not intentionally practice pronation : ). It will happen naturally

[@turkordusu3042]

İnanılmaz bir hocasınız. Teknik bilginiz mükemmel. Harika bir gözlemcisiniz.Sayenizde inanılmaz bir şekilde geliştim. Bilek gecikmesi bana mıknatısı andırıyor.

[@olafsrensen9578]

great.So the naurel inside outlag is the the same backhandvice now fliping the bagside of the hand towards the ball. Can you come up with some drills about how to controle the fast flip at contact ? Anyway great lag explanation !

[@pranavkarve2494]

This is a great video to develop an intuition for wrist lag. I can understand your point about not practicing the wrist lag. But do you do any exercises to improve the flexibility of your wrist? I think that if your wrist is more flexible/mobile, we will naturally get more wrist lag

[@MaxRiffage]

Very clear and logical video. Thank you! (You should lock the exposure on your camera to stop the strobing and get a much cleaner contrast throughout)

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Max, thank you for the tip. I forgot to do that on this video

[@MaxRiffage]

Intuitive Tennis no probs. Thanks for your video! I can concentrate on what’s important now.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Max, 👍

[@vivy_xo]

Another awesome video Nick!👏🏻

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Natachi, thank you 🙏

[@kathrynegan4336]

NIck I think you should have mentioned the need for a very loose or relaxed wrist and forearm. Without them it is very difficult to generate lag.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Kathryn, kzbin.info/www/bejne/anSaga1nZ6mKhKs

[@MrGhirbo]

01:00 wrist lag = the wrist in an extended position lagging behind the arm 01:42 WTA forehand 02:00 ATP forehand

[@commondirtbagz7130]

I think a misconception people have with wrist lag is that they try to initiate it by dropping the wrist manually right before or as they start to accelerate. If you consciously make sure to relax your wrist moments after you accelerate.

[@greatredchicken]

This, this is a great tip

[@adhimaryadhi6222]

how about if we consciously hit with bottom of the raquet, it is Ok ?

[@andrewlilico2218]

You show how there being no wrist lag is possible if the whole shot is done with the shoulder and a straight arm. But isn’t another case - and these are the people I see at my club with no wrist lag - people who do the entire swing to contact solely with the body (so the arm's position relative to the body is fixed)?

[@julesmartin9510]

Hi Nik, Ive been struggling a lot with the wrist lag because when I try to focus on it my forehand completely misses and when I try not to focus on the wrist I get some sort of pain in my wrist and elbow. I really worry about it

[@benncranklin3334]

I don't know if this will help but i've been playing consistently for a little over a year now, and just now figured out i've been gripping the racket handle too tight. Creating unnecessary tension and unforced errors. For me the best and simplest explanation has been holding the racket handle like a bird. The lag has followed as well the unnecessary tension is gone.

[@emmarichardson5059]

Great video as always, Nick! Sudeći po imenu i prezimenu pretpostavljam da si iz Hrvatske? Jesam li pogodio? :D Pozz iz Zagreba

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Emma Richardson, thank you. Puno hvala, pogodio si 100% 🇭🇷 🇭🇷 Iz Splita

[@poida007]

You will not get much wrist lag if you lack wrist flexibility in the extension range, which is not uncommon, especially as players age or suffer wrist injury. Without having the ability to lay back the wrist the FH is severely compromised. Comments welcome and encouraged. Also, any coaching suggestions. It's very rare to see coaches check this with their students let alone figure out adaptations, such as which grip to use and why.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Hi Poida, the wrist lag is a byproduct of correct sequencing of the torso. I teach this to all my students (and some are 70+ years old). I have not uttered the words “wrist lag” in 27 years of coaching and yet all my students have it without knowing that they have it. In fact, if one was to consciously perform the wrist lag there could be a possibility for injury. Coincidentally, I have never had a wrist injury (knock on wood) and I have never coached a player with wrist injuries. You are right that some players are less flexible than others, but in my experience all players benefit from torso rotation regardless of their flexibility.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

...and all grips (even the continental) will result in a wrist lag if the player sequences the rotation properly. I have a recent video on grips that you might find interesting: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3ypmniDmZeMrs0

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thanks Poida I’m working on a video about this topic, coming out soon...

[@matyverona9407]

@@IntuitiveTennis I've heard that semiwestern grip creates less wrist lag than esatern grip... Is it right or just another misconception?

[@attybong]

is a forehand with no wrist lag advisable or efficient too? thanks

[@IntuitiveTennis]

No

[@alenx5455]

WTA players basically mostly LAY the racquet in a "wrist lag" position, and as they swing they either hit though the ball or they pronate the forearm and rotate the shoulder if they want to get more spin, its a slightly more active move, they need to force it more to pronate/shoulder rotate to hit more spin. Meanwhile ATP players LAY the racquet sideways and as the legs and hips start to rotate into the shot the force pulls the arm and the weight of the racquet gets pulled back into a "wrist lag" which creates a stretch shortening cycle because the weight pulls on the forearm and shoulder muscles of the arm and they then snap and pronate/shoulder rotate completely passively, so the men get more spin and more heaviness to the ball without even doing anything actively. or

[@Lucian86]

Can we say the same thing about the follow through ?

[@matyverona9407]

what do you mean exactly?

[@Stiffjab71]

Ciao Tomasz. Actually there is a practical tip to make wrist lag happen and generate huge racquet head speed. It's the so called "pinky-trick". Focusing on squeezing the grip with just the pinky finger while staying loose with all the rest of the hand will generate excellent wrist lag and big racquet head speed by maximizing the leverage of the racquet itself. With the pinky being the fulcrum of the leverage indeed you get maximum leverage since that specific finger is the most distant one from the tip of the head of the racquet. Physics applied! Keep up the great work and take care!

[@matyverona9407]

You might injure the pinky...no???

[@Stiffjab71]

@@matyverona9407 ciao, sure it can stiffen up a bit

[@rahulmalik1083]

@@matyverona9407 I have got a trigger injury in my pinky finger doing the thing mentioned in the comment unintentionally , it's stuck in a crocked position till afternoon lol .

[@minboogie]

What the hell Nik, I NEED WRIST LAG 😢😅

[@assimnaodamais]

another one bites the dust! another fake instruction by a tennis coach wanna be is dusted by the Intuitive Tennis we trust! Thank you Uber Nick!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Mauricio, 🙏

[@kathrynegan4336]

Fake instruction? Hardly it is an observation. At contact if the wrist is laid back it is very stable and you do not need to flax your forearm muscle to give it "stability" give it a squeeze and you will lose your spin

[@poida007]

Good points Nick however wrist flexibility/range of motion has a lot to do with lag and many other aspects of tennis strokes. For people with limited wrist joint flexibility (inability to achieve 90° extension) there won't we much lag and the stroke will always be limited in potential no matter what other things they do well. It just is what it is. Joint mobility/flexibility and stability are major factors in biomechanics and stroke production/potential. Not just wrists, but all joints, that's the kintetic chain working. One weak link and that's it, the stroke breaks down. And that's exactly what you see at the rec level everywhere. Biomechanics breakdowns because of poor technique, driven by physiological limitations, poor core strength, lack of flexibility, weak legs/ankles etc. etc. etc. Unfortunately, many coaches don't assess or look at these physiological inhibiting factors. Just look at the wrist extension/layback range of Fed, Rafa and almost all the pros, male and female and you'll see it. They are all very flexible and strong, which enables them to hit with the spin, velocity and control needed in dynamic, high speed situations characteristic of the pro/advanced levels (5.5 and above)

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Poida, good points. I agree

[@assimnaodamais]

Kathryn Egan I meant fake instructions/guidance posted by those who I call tennis vampires who lack knowledge, expertise and even hours on the court and take advantage of KZbin not charging crap content at the expense of people really trying to learn tennis. Thats clearly not the case of this Real tennis coach. Observation or not just go searching how many “lessons” people post instructing on how to “produce wrist lag” on purpose or how to improve the serve through stupid drills ot asking people to look at the ball behind the strings like Federer...so the list goes

[@fingersm]

Most players will never understand what you are saying, unfortunately

[@turkordusu3042]

Videolarınız keşke Türkçe altyazılı da olsa😅

[@turkordusu3042]

Otomatik çeviri olunca bazen anlayamıyorum 😂

[@IntuitiveTennis]

They are, turn on the captions

[@gkanthraul]

Dear Sir I need your email address as I am having problems in my forehand, if you provide me the information I will mail my forehand video to you.

[@chessbrilliance8783]

Wrist lag is a joke. Everybody talks about that like it's the secret of the modern forhand. You can get injured by consciously try to get it.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Well said Chess 👍