I love this technique. It's more simple and gives more power and reduces the errors of a larger swing. I've practiced it for last two years and it's really helped. And the phrases make it very easy to remember. Even though I first watched this two years ago, I still remember "elbow up, elbow extended", "tap the dog", and "turn the door knob" -- so easy to remember. When I'm practicing, I can recall these phrases and use them as "checkpoints" to make sure I'm doing things the right way. I've watched dozens and dozens of "how to" videos on forehands and I like this the best of all. I've read many of the comments. Everyone has an opinion and mine is that this is an excellent coaching technique.
After years of struggling with my forehand this session fixed my problem. Now my forehand is stable so my weakness turns to a great weapon.Thank you soooo much!
Extending the elevated elbow to pat the dog to rotate the hips and pull the butt cap forward... now you're feeling the flip, you're in the dynamic slot... this is where Federer's sick power comes from... Macci conveys the feeling of the movements that result in tapping into that power source... the whole motion with unit turn, arm extended, etc. results in the creation of the powerful centriugal force for the racquet head while the hand is pulling in a short straight line. Cleaner contact... If you do all of this you almost instinctive extend outwards and "turn the doorknob" afterwards naturally... You know what complements this video really well in a weird way ... the one done by the guy who digitally removes the racquet from Federer's hand. This video is really a superb contribution. Thanks!
It is simply incredible. I am exercising my forehand for the year without no improvement. After watching your film on the following day my forehand was 100% better. I hit without effort, I hit the balls in front and at last I had a joy from the training. Thanks a lot for this lesson. Robert from Poland
Rick always super generous (and passionate...!) teacher - and pioneer of forehand 'lag' technique. In prior examples he's pointed something left out of this USPTA presentation - when executing the 'flip', relax the wrist so much so that you almost feel the racket head drop down to hit the back of the calf (right leg for righties, open stance). Get that done right then, as Rick as said, you'll get more - more speed, spin, power - more of everything. Thanks Rick, USPTA...!
Not only detailed technic explained, but also formula "elbow up - elbow extension" is practical. I repeat it silently when practice and feel that I lost proper forehand. Thank you, Rick!
One of the very best Forehand breakdown out there. I checked this video out a year ago and thought it made no sense, but after a year of playing, I came back to it, and now it seems soooo clear !!!
I have watched a ton of tennis lessons online and this guy is the best! Thanks Rick, keep the knowledge coming and I will keep shortening my swing! The combination of good sound, quality camera work and a good coach make it easy to watch this video multiple times.
I think it is very good lesson all around: theory, detail explanation, correction and recommendation how to practice this forehand. Everything is very clear and easy to understand. Thank you Mr. Macci!
I was doing the exact mistake as I was not elevating my Right elbow which causes the wrong forehand motion which resulted not having much control over my forehand. I corrected my mistake and saw the difference and keep practicing for wiping out old swing pattern from my muscle memory . thanks for the invaluable tip.
Great lesson. It is when I think I am exaggerating lifting the elbow up and tapping the dog, my forehand is the best. Because it feels so natural swinging through the ball and I don't have to worry about the racquet doing its thing (snapping) at all. It is a bit weird at the beginning because lots of things need to align. I for ex. needed to change my body position a bit and to force myself to bring the left arm across (not just in front) etc...Also, my legs needed to start helping the process :). I still sometimes can't find the rhythm, but for the most part, I know now what I need to do and it all comes back after a few minutes of swinging. A few things. Don't bother with how your swings look on the court. They look different than you think. Don't overthink the forehand. For example, don't worry about snapping the racquet that much, (showing the badge etc). When you bring the elbow up, tap the dog and extend the arm through the swing, the racquet kind of does the snap on it own. I feel like it is automatic. But it is important for your arm to be loose to the point you don't feel a muscle. I tend to hold the grip too strong when searching for the right position of the racquet. Also, stick with this lesson. And keep the faith. I wished I had seen it when I was losing patience. I realized the elbow/tap the dog thing watching Andy Murray. Not my favourite player at all, nor is his forehand, Novak is, but Andy's was kind of easiest to break down and copy (I guess is the right word.) It made me stop concentrating on the wrong things. Like what I needed to do with the racquet instead of what I needed to do with my arms. BTW, I am no pro. I am just enjoying my tennis with my wife who was. She actually started to enjoy it too and her asking me to play so she could practise is the biggest reward. Good luck.
You are so right about the elbow being higher. My son and I are both guilty of watching other players at the courts and hoping we dont look like kooks when we play. We are only playing 6 months but are absorbing everything we can. I think we play our best when no one is watching, plus we have way more fun. I think the worst thing I have ever seen was a father making his 7 year old daughter cry on the court. Sports are supposed to be fun.
I have practiced and practiced building from one step to the next and have tremendously improved my forehand. I really like the detail, especially the elbow positions and the "tap the dog."
I've tried this with my daughter. It took a super long while for her with the mechanics. When she swings with the proper mechanics the result is a very hard and heavy ball with a distinctive topspin. The problem she had at first is understanding from the elbow extension to the lag movement. She couldn't grasp to just start the forward movement from the elbow extension. As with the player above, the natural tendency is to cock the racquet back then forward. What they don't realize is when they cock the racquet back it changes the racquet head angle. The flip, I found to be instrumental for power and heavy topspin. I'm trying to add this technique to her offensive arsenal.
Used this video to make a few minor modifications on my forehand. It's still a work in progress but I must say that I am seeing improvements. Personally, it just makes sense to me. Thanks a million.
Great job Coach love it! The only suggestion I would make is: the hand/wrist gets above the elbow before the downswing - you were 1 frame or two before Roger had finished his prep before the tap the dog. The forearm was not actually parallel it finishes with wrist above the elbow. Great content coach...
Not sure whats with all the negative comments. This is spot on teaching - anyone above a 3.5 level will be facing higher pace and a lot of spin. The game has evolved requiring a shorter and more efficient stroke. There is always a trade-off, less power but more consistency. His coaching here is for a 5.0 type player. The Federer's and Nadals of the world have to learn and master many more techniques for all the various situations and in a much faster paced game than a 5.0 can even imagine. He is using Federer as an example of the elbow extension technique, he is not necessarily saying this is how Federer would be coached.
Federer and Nadal have straighter arm technique that works for them. Most high level players do not. Rick is a little like Bollettieri, in that they talk a good game but are not all that. This is much better: th-cam.com/video/fRjwYp_t0OE/w-d-xo.html
2:55 - o boy, here comes the SHOULDER turn again, even at THIS LEVEL?!?! Forget the shoulder guys, focus on the HIPS!!! Here's what took me 12 YEARS to figure out on MY OWN, after watching hundredths of coaching videos from at least a dozen different internet coaches and countless in person lessons, that I want to share with EVERYONE watching this video, as I think it will make the BIGGEST difference in your forehand: Forget about turning the SHOULDERS! That's a DISTRACTION, it's NOT the shoulder that's DOING the turning, it's the HIPS! When watching slow motion footage of PROs, STOP looking at their shoulders and focus instead on their HIPS (they are - via your legs - turning your WHOLE UPPER body, including the shoulders). In tennis you need to use your ENTIRE body, legs/hips are THE KEY here, without them you will NEVER get beyond pushing the ball back and forth and that's where these coaches want you trapped FOREVER, so that you keep coming back to them for more PAID lessons/courses ;) Once you understand that the unit turn needs to be INITIATED by the hips, EVERYHTING changes. You start to SUBCONSCIOUSLY, i.e. without thinking, use your LEGS, that turn your HIPS, which turn your shoulders, i.e. KINETIC CHAIN but on AUTO-PILOT. That way you stay perfectly balanced, you automatically (without any additional thinking) engage your core and your POWER and consistency will grow exponentially. That's the KEY to a PRO forehand that NO ONE is telling you. I wonder why?! Once you have this down, you will FINALLY have a solid FOUNDATION and you can then start adding all the peripheral bits that everyone is teaching you here on TH-cam. Be sure to drop a LIKE on this comment if it helped you out, so that MORE people get to see it!
18:06 - but then of course, at the summary, no mention of legs or hips turning at this crucial COILING stage, we're back to just turning the SHOULDERS. He does mention it later, but you can't UNCOIL without first COILING! May seem like a small omission, but it's absolutely crucial. Notice how Federer's hips and shoulders are perfectly PARALLEL at the UNIT TURNING stage? That means he has NOT TURNED his shoulders AT ALL yet! That extra little shoulder turn happens just before he starts to UNCOIL, then he starts to turn his HIPS back towards the court, beginning with the legs, the twisting tension then goes through the hips (which will automatically engage all the right CORE muscles) and finally into the shoulders, which transfer it via the arm onto the ball and that's how you get PRO levels of power and control. But all you need to THINK about are your HIPS, they're at the CENTRE of this whole motion, the legs and the shoulders/arms are peripheral and happen AUTOMATICALLY and subconsciously, freeing your mind to focus on watching the BALL and the opponent, so that you can better execute your strategy.
@@BlockThrone How do you explain hitting in open stance then, when your hips are much more limited in their range of motion? I agree that the hips are the first thing you should engage, but without also engaging your shoulders and chest at the same time, you will not be able to get enough energy from the hips alone.
@@drdickenbalz look closely at the open stance forehand videos and you will see that the hips turn very substantially in the open stance as well followed by the shoulders, so when you unwind them both you get a good rotation into the ball. But watching pros you will see waaaaay more close stance forehands than open stance ones, as that's a much more stable, powerful shot. Open stance is really only used when you're stuck for time (return of serve for example).
Thanks for the analysis of my idol forehand which I tried mimics over and over watching him live at the US Open and Indian Wells but unable to discover more then having a uspta master pro here to analyzed it for us. Hopefully tomorrow i will get better from this lesson.
Power is nice. Control is more important. Until a player learns control, more power is less likely to produce the desired result. Macci is right about not overcooking it. If the player is hitting the ball correctly, the ball should not be going into the bottom of the net. The results reveal whether the shot was properly executed.
Heavy guitar rifts, and dramatic tense synth tones really helped add just the right touch of atmosphere and theatre this coaching session demanded. But jokes aside, this was an awesome lesson.
I went back and watched again. The students extension got much better through the contact zone, in turn helping lessening the inversion. Still the right elbow needs to come up more at the end creating more control and great depth. Overall the video was spot on.
@@ST-xg3gy well, his info on the elbow is wrong, since having the elbow doesnt cause what he says it does. If anything, he has that backwards on cause and effect. There is no problem in doing the ATP swing with the elbow in tight as Tsonga does. Federer does the "swivel" NOT the flip as Macci claims here. Fed did used to flip yrs ago though. He as it all wrong about getting to the slot and using SSC for direct power. Yes, it can augment power created later, but SSC from the slot is not directly used for power and if it is, that is called "snatching from the slot" which will destabilize the stroke
Falcon 4 if you get real technical you might be right. But, I’ve seen real talented players with just a basic continental grip defeat advanced players.
wow, i like this. i've known something was wrong, felt weird, for a long time and that i was somehow fighting myself. you've helped a lot! (after many tennis lessons as a kid, i am actually only now even beginning to learn the game!)
Thanks for this lesson. It has already worked wonders with my kid's forehand. He was not taping the dog and his balls were always slightly out of longer and he is now more accurate.
Thank you so much for the great effort and this training video. One thing that I'd like to add that helped me a lot on forehand strokes is opening the chest on elbow extension right at the moment of accelerating the racquet. I already have almost good and strong forehand, and that developed by watching these instructions not only this one but others as well. This one is great indeed. I think it's also wise to mention or maybe in another video how thighs and coil action can help the forehand. However, this technique that you have mentioned here only applies to the balls bouncing to the trunk level or between chest and waist level, what if the ball were higher than shoulder or below the waist? I hope to see an instruction and technique for those shots. Great job and again thank you.
Rick is my favourite coach to watch online! Solid technical advice. The only problem that he doesn't address is the kid's hand possition on the grip. I see lots of players chocking the handle of the racquet like that (Mardy Fish style) and from what I was told, some coaches even teach that grip 1 or 2 inches higher on the handle. Doing that is the equivalent of playing with a 25" or 26" length racquet. There's a minor gain in control, but a big loss in power, spin potential and maneuverability. I always teach the pinky finger positioned 1/8 of an inch away from the buttcap edge. That adjustment alone would probably give this player as much power as the elbow up and wrist lag combined.
The coach featured in this video has worked with players such as Andy Roddick, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Jennifer Capriati. It's the technique of top level players. Short and powerful. Try some parts of the swing and it will help to some extent.
@ Chris S.; Did Rick work at IMG with Nick? Because VM, SM, MS and JC has extensive training there. This stroke technique is shorter than the student had, but not as short, concise and simple as JMPD and those mentioned. Also We see similar quick, efficient, powerful, speed from Naomi Osaka. See the videos at IMG showing JMPD forehand as the model. Also RF recommends juniors to learn from JMPD's forehand. Sincerely, :-)
I'm working on the exact same thing with my new coach right now. It's so difficult to break my old bad habits (semi-bent arm with no full elbow extension after contact). Now I'm feeling like my forehand form is falling apart... I hope I will be able to master the new swing sometime soon.
thanks for this video I have watched roggers forehand many times and these things where coming to my mind and even I was practicing it but your video boosted me up that I was right in that thinking process
Such a beautiful and detailed analysis! I'd say that this kid should fix his grip a bit as well. Slide the palm a bit down onto the rocket cap and spread his fingers around the handle a bit more. That's gonna make some difference as well.
Good instruction. I teach my students to eliminate most of the wind up and start from the butt cap position. Easier to learn from there and less chance of things going wrong with the backswing. Can still generate plenty of power for the beginning to club player
Every body is different every ball is different...this video talks about hitting a ball in a certain position and treats all bodies as the same it's totally wrong...
Great progression...love Coach Macci's passion and positive approach 👏 I've been trying to implement the first couple parts of this more efficient forehand- I look forward to hitting cleaner more powerful forehands 🎾
Excellent video. But it is missing another part (phase) of the Forehand swing: the Active non-Dominant arm. Active non-Dominant arm is parallel to the baseline, and then just "Catch The Raquet" at the end of the swing with Active non-Dominant hand. This is what causes the shoulders to turn. But perhaps, this video is only about Dominant arm part (phase). In the video, the student's non-dominant arm goes DOWN which is not supposed to happen. Active non-dominant arm simply has level path to the point where it "Cathces the Raquet".
The key to power and out front contact is leading with the butt of the racket before contact. This provides the least wind resistance and loads up racket head speed, released in front of the body. Golfers have known this for many, many years.
I love this technique. It's more simple and gives more power and reduces the errors of a larger swing. I've practiced it for last two years and it's really helped. And the phrases make it very easy to remember. Even though I first watched this two years ago, I still remember "elbow up, elbow extended", "tap the dog", and "turn the door knob" -- so easy to remember. When I'm practicing, I can recall these phrases and use them as "checkpoints" to make sure I'm doing things the right way. I've watched dozens and dozens of "how to" videos on forehands and I like this the best of all. I've read many of the comments. Everyone has an opinion and mine is that this is an excellent coaching technique.
The best lesson available to learn about forehand technique.
This has transformed my forehand to the next level. Thanks to the coach and USPTA.
I’m implementing this now and it takes time but I can see the effortless power and spin from experimenting
Me too. This was awesome
After years of struggling with my forehand this session fixed my problem. Now my forehand is stable so my weakness turns to a great weapon.Thank you soooo much!
Extending the elevated elbow to pat the dog to rotate the hips and pull the butt cap forward... now you're feeling the flip, you're in the dynamic slot... this is where Federer's sick power comes from... Macci conveys the feeling of the movements that result in tapping into that power source... the whole motion with unit turn, arm extended, etc. results in the creation of the powerful centriugal force for the racquet head while the hand is pulling in a short straight line. Cleaner contact... If you do all of this you almost instinctive extend outwards and "turn the doorknob" afterwards naturally... You know what complements this video really well in a weird way ... the one done by the guy who digitally removes the racquet from Federer's hand. This video is really a superb contribution. Thanks!
It is simply incredible. I am exercising my forehand for the year without no improvement. After watching your film on the following day my forehand was 100% better. I hit without effort, I hit the balls in front and at last I had a joy from the training. Thanks a lot for this lesson. Robert from Poland
Robert Karolkiewicz How is your forehand now?
Robert Karolkiewicz I
Boi that is so unrurhhfhdhdhhdhd i died 😞
Rick always super generous (and passionate...!) teacher - and pioneer of forehand 'lag' technique. In prior examples he's pointed something left out of this USPTA presentation - when executing the 'flip', relax the wrist so much so that you almost feel the racket head drop down to hit the back of the calf (right leg for righties, open stance). Get that done right then, as Rick as said, you'll get more - more speed, spin, power - more of everything.
Thanks Rick, USPTA...!
Not only detailed technic explained, but also formula "elbow up - elbow extension" is practical. I repeat it silently when practice and feel that I lost proper forehand. Thank you, Rick!
Thank You!! Rick!! I admire USPTA!! I am self-learn tennis player without much help in 1967!! I wish that I am still young today!! THANK YOU!!
One of the very best Forehand breakdown out there. I checked this video out a year ago and thought it made no sense, but after a year of playing, I came back to it, and now it seems soooo clear !!!
"Now here's where you're getting into trouble"
*ominous music plays*
I have watched a ton of tennis lessons online and this guy is the best! Thanks Rick, keep the knowledge coming and I will keep shortening my swing! The combination of good sound, quality camera work and a good coach make it easy to watch this video multiple times.
Buy a book on tennis by clicking the link: amzn.to/3CLKkIo
I come back to this video every year. Always finding something I can improve.
Same im backk every three months
@@gungeternal4119 bro watch something else
I think it is very good lesson all around: theory, detail explanation, correction and recommendation how to practice this forehand. Everything is very clear and easy to understand. Thank you Mr. Macci!
Senior player here completely transitioned my forehand....awesome! Crushing it!
I absolutely love his attention to detail and his step by step approach in building the forehand (FH). This video has helped my FH tremendously.
cant believe your critisiziing his hair,its about what hes saying not his hair.he knows his stuff.respect the guy.
WILLIAM SANNUTO nick bolletieri is also up there with him
The man knows his stuff
His hair was the main reason I watched this video.
you sure it is his hair?
Just add a little grey and it would look better and more natural.
I was doing the exact mistake as I was not elevating my Right elbow which causes the wrong forehand motion which resulted not having much control over my forehand. I corrected my mistake and saw the difference and keep practicing for wiping out old swing pattern from my muscle memory . thanks for the invaluable tip.
Great lesson. It is when I think I am exaggerating lifting the elbow up and tapping the dog, my forehand is the best. Because it feels so natural swinging through the ball and I don't have to worry about the racquet doing its thing (snapping) at all.
It is a bit weird at the beginning because lots of things need to align. I for ex. needed to change my body position a bit and to force myself to bring the left arm across (not just in front) etc...Also, my legs needed to start helping the process :). I still sometimes can't find the rhythm, but for the most part, I know now what I need to do and it all comes back after a few minutes of swinging.
A few things. Don't bother with how your swings look on the court. They look different than you think. Don't overthink the forehand. For example, don't worry about snapping the racquet that much, (showing the badge etc). When you bring the elbow up, tap the dog and extend the arm through the swing, the racquet kind of does the snap on it own. I feel like it is automatic. But it is important for your arm to be loose to the point you don't feel a muscle. I tend to hold the grip too strong when searching for the right position of the racquet.
Also, stick with this lesson. And keep the faith. I wished I had seen it when I was losing patience. I realized the elbow/tap the dog thing watching Andy Murray. Not my favourite player at all, nor is his forehand, Novak is, but Andy's was kind of easiest to break down and copy (I guess is the right word.) It made me stop concentrating on the wrong things. Like what I needed to do with the racquet instead of what I needed to do with my arms.
BTW, I am no pro. I am just enjoying my tennis with my wife who was. She actually started to enjoy it too and her asking me to play so she could practise is the biggest reward.
Good luck.
You are so right about the elbow being higher. My son and I are both guilty of watching other players at the courts and hoping we dont look like kooks when we play. We are only playing 6 months but are absorbing everything we can. I think we play our best when no one is watching, plus we have way more fun. I think the worst thing I have ever seen was a father making his 7 year old daughter cry on the court. Sports are supposed to be fun.
I have practiced and practiced building from one step to the next and have tremendously improved my forehand. I really like the detail, especially the elbow positions and the "tap the dog."
Preparation 3:05
Joint angles 4:05
Elbow extension 4:45
Tap the dog 5:51
The flip 7:00
Forward swing 12:18
The finish 15:17
Review: 17:51
Sound design and music has me on the edge of my seat.
I've tried this with my daughter. It took a super long while for her with the mechanics. When she swings with the proper mechanics the result is a very hard and heavy ball with a distinctive topspin. The problem she had at first is understanding from the elbow extension to the lag movement. She couldn't grasp to just start the forward movement from the elbow extension. As with the player above, the natural tendency is to cock the racquet back then forward. What they don't realize is when they cock the racquet back it changes the racquet head angle. The flip, I found to be instrumental for power and heavy topspin. I'm trying to add this technique to her offensive arsenal.
Used this video to make a few minor modifications on my forehand. It's still a work in progress but I must say that I am seeing improvements. Personally, it just makes sense to me. Thanks a million.
8yrs on and still effective
Amazing
Dang 8 years.
I just can not see this video enough. This is the only forehand video you need to watch, that's all!
I love the constant reference to Federer, well done!
Great job Coach love it! The only suggestion I would make is: the hand/wrist gets above the elbow before the downswing - you were 1 frame or two before Roger had finished his prep before the tap the dog. The forearm was not actually parallel it finishes with wrist above the elbow. Great content coach...
Not sure whats with all the negative comments. This is spot on teaching - anyone above a 3.5 level will be facing higher pace and a lot of spin. The game has evolved requiring a shorter and more efficient stroke. There is always a trade-off, less power but more consistency. His coaching here is for a 5.0 type player. The Federer's and Nadals of the world have to learn and master many more techniques for all the various situations and in a much faster paced game than a 5.0 can even imagine.
He is using Federer as an example of the elbow extension technique, he is not necessarily saying this is how Federer would be coached.
Federer and Nadal have straighter arm technique that works for them. Most high level players do not. Rick is a little like Bollettieri, in that they talk a good game but are not all that.
This is much better:
th-cam.com/video/fRjwYp_t0OE/w-d-xo.html
very clear explanation .. I completely clear up my mistakes.. now I will try to repeat and fix them once ever...thank you Rick
Just the missing piece I was missing on my forehand. Thank you Mac !!
Excellent advice!!! My forehand has improved massively after applying the tips outlined here!!!
2:55 - o boy, here comes the SHOULDER turn again, even at THIS LEVEL?!?! Forget the shoulder guys, focus on the HIPS!!!
Here's what took me 12 YEARS to figure out on MY OWN, after watching hundredths of coaching videos from at least a dozen different internet coaches and countless in person lessons, that I want to share with EVERYONE watching this video, as I think it will make the BIGGEST difference in your forehand:
Forget about turning the SHOULDERS! That's a DISTRACTION, it's NOT the shoulder that's DOING the turning, it's the HIPS!
When watching slow motion footage of PROs, STOP looking at their shoulders and focus instead on their HIPS (they are - via your legs - turning your WHOLE UPPER body, including the shoulders).
In tennis you need to use your ENTIRE body, legs/hips are THE KEY here, without them you will NEVER get beyond pushing the ball back and forth and that's where these coaches want you trapped FOREVER, so that you keep coming back to them for more PAID lessons/courses ;)
Once you understand that the unit turn needs to be INITIATED by the hips, EVERYHTING changes. You start to SUBCONSCIOUSLY, i.e. without thinking, use your LEGS, that turn your HIPS, which turn your shoulders, i.e. KINETIC CHAIN but on AUTO-PILOT.
That way you stay perfectly balanced, you automatically (without any additional thinking) engage your core and your POWER and consistency will grow exponentially. That's the KEY to a PRO forehand that NO ONE is telling you. I wonder why?!
Once you have this down, you will FINALLY have a solid FOUNDATION and you can then start adding all the peripheral bits that everyone is teaching you here on TH-cam.
Be sure to drop a LIKE on this comment if it helped you out, so that MORE people get to see it!
7:07 - "when you drive the LEG and the HIP", there you go, he slipped out the SECRET, but BLINK and you'll MISS it.
11:50 - here it is again, "when you drive your LEGS and HIPS"
18:06 - but then of course, at the summary, no mention of legs or hips turning at this crucial COILING stage, we're back to just turning the SHOULDERS. He does mention it later, but you can't UNCOIL without first COILING! May seem like a small omission, but it's absolutely crucial.
Notice how Federer's hips and shoulders are perfectly PARALLEL at the UNIT TURNING stage? That means he has NOT TURNED his shoulders AT ALL yet! That extra little shoulder turn happens just before he starts to UNCOIL, then he starts to turn his HIPS back towards the court, beginning with the legs, the twisting tension then goes through the hips (which will automatically engage all the right CORE muscles) and finally into the shoulders, which transfer it via the arm onto the ball and that's how you get PRO levels of power and control.
But all you need to THINK about are your HIPS, they're at the CENTRE of this whole motion, the legs and the shoulders/arms are peripheral and happen AUTOMATICALLY and subconsciously, freeing your mind to focus on watching the BALL and the opponent, so that you can better execute your strategy.
@@BlockThrone How do you explain hitting in open stance then, when your hips are much more limited in their range of motion? I agree that the hips are the first thing you should engage, but without also engaging your shoulders and chest at the same time, you will not be able to get enough energy from the hips alone.
@@drdickenbalz look closely at the open stance forehand videos and you will see that the hips turn very substantially in the open stance as well followed by the shoulders, so when you unwind them both you get a good rotation into the ball.
But watching pros you will see waaaaay more close stance forehands than open stance ones, as that's a much more stable, powerful shot. Open stance is really only used when you're stuck for time (return of serve for example).
Thanks for the analysis of my idol forehand which I tried mimics over and over watching him live at the US Open and Indian Wells but unable to discover more then having a uspta master pro here to analyzed it for us. Hopefully tomorrow i will get better from this lesson.
This is the first video I've seen that reminds me to lift my elbow before swinging forward. Thanks! 👍👍
That’s what I need a more economical stroke on my shots , great explanation of the mechanics!
Power is nice. Control is more important. Until a player learns control, more power is less likely to produce the desired result. Macci is right about not overcooking it. If the player is hitting the ball correctly, the ball should not be going into the bottom of the net. The results reveal whether the shot was properly executed.
Heavy guitar rifts, and dramatic tense synth tones really helped add just the right touch of atmosphere and theatre this coaching session demanded.
But jokes aside, this was an awesome lesson.
Lol
yes, great lesson, but i think they do the sound effects because it's an advertisement for USPTA
"Tap the dog" ..that's what I needed to hear....helped me a lot. Thank you very much
I too learn with images.
The last 3 years I watch tennis intruction videos in youtube. This is among the best; if not the best for forehand. Thank you!
I went back and watched again. The students extension got much better through the contact zone, in turn helping lessening the inversion. Still the right elbow needs to come up more at the end creating more control and great depth. Overall the video was spot on.
Very good instruction. Dump the constant background music. It only serves as a distraction. Thanks.
SICK PUN
this instruction is so bad and incorrect...
@@chtomlin How's that?
@@ST-xg3gy well, his info on the elbow is wrong, since having the elbow doesnt cause what he says it does. If anything, he has that backwards on cause and effect. There is no problem in doing the ATP swing with the elbow in tight as Tsonga does. Federer does the "swivel" NOT the flip as Macci claims here. Fed did used to flip yrs ago though. He as it all wrong about getting to the slot and using SSC for direct power. Yes, it can augment power created later, but SSC from the slot is not directly used for power and if it is, that is called "snatching from the slot" which will destabilize the stroke
Falcon 4 if you get real technical you might be right. But, I’ve seen real talented players with just a basic continental grip defeat advanced players.
Absolutely love this!!! So details and fix every of my forehand swing problem
wow, i like this. i've known something was wrong, felt weird, for a long time and that i was somehow fighting myself. you've helped a lot! (after many tennis lessons as a kid, i am actually only now even beginning to learn the game!)
excellent, précise, clear presentation.I do phantom swings at home. Can"t wait to hit on court
Thanks for this lesson. It has already worked wonders with my kid's forehand. He was not taping the dog and his balls were always slightly out of longer and he is now more accurate.
SUPREME video. Amazing. Efficiency in the forehand is what I’m working on right now and this has helped me so much. Thank you.
This guys is so likeable to me, ha has great teaching approach and techniques and he seems like a really good man.
Great video. I have recommended it to so many friends and even burned it to a DVD so that I can watch it on my big screen TV.
Thank you so much for the great effort and this training video. One thing that I'd like to add that helped me a lot on forehand strokes is opening the chest on elbow extension right at the moment of accelerating the racquet. I already have almost good and strong forehand, and that developed by watching these instructions not only this one but others as well. This one is great indeed. I think it's also wise to mention or maybe in another video how thighs and coil action can help the forehand.
However, this technique that you have mentioned here only applies to the balls bouncing to the trunk level or between chest and waist level, what if the ball were higher than shoulder or below the waist? I hope to see an instruction and technique for those shots. Great job and again thank you.
Bahman Mozaffari
Why would you hit the dog with a tennis Raquel?
I love the way he teaches
Wow, this is one of the best step by step forehand topspin technique video. I just need to go out and repeat these steps.
Rick is my favourite coach to watch online! Solid technical advice. The only problem that he doesn't address is the kid's hand possition on the grip. I see lots of players chocking the handle of the racquet like that (Mardy Fish style) and from what I was told, some coaches even teach that grip 1 or 2 inches higher on the handle. Doing that is the equivalent of playing with a 25" or 26" length racquet. There's a minor gain in control, but a big loss in power, spin potential and maneuverability. I always teach the pinky finger positioned 1/8 of an inch away from the buttcap edge. That adjustment alone would probably give this player as much power as the elbow up and wrist lag combined.
Had to revisit the video every once in a while to remind myself.
one of the best tennis videos on youtube! great job!!!
Excellent video! I feel like Im with a tennis coach just watching this. This is exactly where I need to work -forehand.
The coach featured in this video has worked with players such as Andy Roddick, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Jennifer Capriati. It's the technique of top level players. Short and powerful. Try some parts of the swing and it will help to some extent.
@ Chris S.; Did Rick work at IMG with Nick? Because VM, SM, MS and JC has extensive training there.
This stroke technique is shorter than the student had, but not as short, concise and simple as JMPD and those mentioned. Also We see similar quick, efficient, powerful, speed from Naomi Osaka.
See the videos at IMG showing JMPD forehand as the model.
Also RF recommends juniors to learn from JMPD's forehand.
Sincerely,
:-)
The best tennis technic i ever seen
Thank you buddy
Excellent. Efficient use of body to generate the physics of potential to kinetic energy into a beautiful forehand.
Rick, best explanation of forehand improvement so far
Best modern forehand instruction video I've ever watched. No exception. And I've watched many!!!
one of the best on court releases.
Thank you so much Rick. This video is very special and a real lesson of tennis.
I'm working on the exact same thing with my new coach right now. It's so difficult to break my old bad habits (semi-bent arm with no full elbow extension after contact). Now I'm feeling like my forehand form is falling apart... I hope I will be able to master the new swing sometime soon.
Best Coaching Video you can and will ever see
thanks for this video I have watched roggers forehand many times
and these things where coming to my mind and even I was practicing it
but your video boosted me up that I was right in that thinking process
This is the technique that will transform my forehand... watch out guys...cheers rick!!!
Fantastic video from Tony Bennett.
Tennis forehand
He is definitely the best coach I've ever seen! Thank you so much!
After I make contact, turning the doorknob does that mean I rotate my wrist to get that top spin?
Thank you soo much Coach Rick Macci thank you I am soo serious with tennis that i will watch this everyday!!
The best coach i ever seen online or on court. Guys, can you please make a similar one for 2H backhand by Rick?
love this video, I absolutely changed my whole forehandstyle because of it and now im really satisfied. Thanks alot
Amazing, very detailed and informative. Can't believe this instruction is for free!
Such a beautiful and detailed analysis! I'd say that this kid should fix his grip a bit as well. Slide the palm a bit down onto the rocket cap and spread his fingers around the handle a bit more. That's gonna make some difference as well.
Good instruction. I teach my students to eliminate most of the wind up and start from the butt cap position. Easier to learn from there and less chance of things going wrong with the backswing. Can still generate plenty of power for the beginning to club player
Every body is different every ball is different...this video talks about hitting a ball in a certain position and treats all bodies as the same it's totally wrong...
@@curiousgeorge6921 in this video, he was teaching one body to improve his unique swing.
one of the best videos about the forehand i have ever seen. Long live Rick
Great instructions! Kyrgios is a very good example of high elbow when turning.
thank you I finnaly found someone who breaks it down
thank you for the great leasson..one of the best content on youtube.
Very good instruction .... 👍👏👏
This was an amazing video. I can hit my forehand a lot better now.
what great instructions and even better instructor!
Good instructional video, nice demeanour with the student.
please keep making these type of technical videos
I would love to c it
I think next I would like to have it on two handed backhand 😀
This is so far the best tennis video ever
Just realized djokovic and Sampras elevates their elbow even higher when coiling for forehands.
Amazing! Helps my son a lot!
Thank you Mr. Macci for all that information. It helps a lot.
Love this video. It helps to clear up a lot of questions for me. Thank you.
Great progression...love Coach Macci's passion and positive approach 👏 I've been trying to implement the first couple parts of this more efficient forehand- I look forward to hitting cleaner more powerful forehands 🎾
אטטיחחעמ
Excellent video. But it is missing another part (phase) of the Forehand swing: the Active non-Dominant arm. Active non-Dominant arm is parallel to the baseline, and then just "Catch The Raquet" at the end of the swing with Active non-Dominant hand. This is what causes the shoulders to turn. But perhaps, this video is only about Dominant arm part (phase). In the video, the student's non-dominant arm goes DOWN which is not supposed to happen. Active non-dominant arm simply has level path to the point where it "Cathces the Raquet".
Dang, what a knowledgeable coach. I wish my tennis coach knew all this about form to be able to fix my form and swing.
amazing video!! going to the court to try it out! thx for the tips
That`s the key of the world....Works for me....now I need another video to explain how to achieve a good follow-through
Thank a lot! This is the best Forehand tutorial.
Really good drills. Just subscribed!
The key to power and out front contact is leading with the butt of the racket before contact. This provides the least wind resistance and loads up racket head speed, released in front of the body. Golfers have known this for many, many years.
Excellent tips ! Thank you very much
You're amazing, I've improved my forehand by watching your video once !
Rick Macci，great coach, definitely!