You know how scary it is to switch from your old phone to a new phone because of the absurdities it might bring along with the newness. You make a few mistakes in the beginning and eventually gets comfortable with it. That is exactly what happens when players try to switch from a traditional or continental/eastern grip to a western or semi-western grip. In forehand shots, grips undoubtedly play a big role in the proper execution.Mistakes come handy with such a transition, but this article will teach you how to avoid them.
Problem: When you switch from the habit of hitting with an open frame to the habit of hitting with the closed frame, you are liable of hitting a lot of balls in the net. You might not feel a good connection with the ball in a closed frame.
Mistake: What happens is, either the players do too many moves before the shot or they do not drop the racquet head enough for getting it under the ball. This disturbs the balance that the racquet and ball needs to cross the net, and hence the ball gets stuck on the net.
With just a little adjustments and steps you can develop a really awesome forehand shot. First and foremost thing you need to keep in mind is, you don’t have to get too frustrated or psyched out when you hit in the net. Just remember that good things take time.
In comparison to a flat shot, a topspin forehand stands in need of some technical moves and timing for the ball to cross the net. Below are the key points and steps you can follow to hit a really good topspin forehand:
- Do not lose hold of the western/semi-western grip.
- Bend your knees and get lower on your legs.
- Then relax by bringing the racquet smoothly under the ball (not directly under but at an angle). The ball must be at a good height above your racquet head.
- Relax your wrist by keeping the racquet laid back under the ball. This will give a necessary height to the ball for crossing the net.
- Then aim at the bottom of the ball, if you are closer to the net then you need to aim either at the top or middle of the ball. Set the aim according to the height of the coming ball.
- And finally lift your hand and body, placidly, to hit the ball.
- Do not stay down in your low position even while hitting, this will further worsen your shot. Always lift up after aiming and then hit the ball. Get down but don’t stay down throughout the shot.
- Also make sure that you don’t jump up too early, go with the pace of the ball and rise up calmly. Otherwise you will hit a lot of shots in the net.
So, mistakes are a part of the process and you will definitely make some while your transition from comparatively easy one to a more aggressive or semi-western/western grip. But you don’t need to freak out. Just focus on the tips that are included in this article. Let your complete forehand be a rhythmic motion. Synchronize each step, from staying down to aiming the ball, and finally hitting with a smooth lift. You will ultimately get over with hitting the ball in the net. Topspin forehand is a shot that depicts your confidence and that is why you must master it. Keep learning without fear with Crunch time Coaching.
