help-me-improve-my-forehand
dunc asked 3 years ago
Hi lads
Firstly, can I say, love the British League / TTDSL content. Some of the best TT videos I’ve ever seen.
I’m a “modern defender”. I play to an OK standard (British League C3 ~60% before COVID) but I’ve got a long way to go.
One thing that has plagued me throughout my “career” is inconsistency with my forehand. I’m really comfortable against backspin, because I brush up the back of the ball well, but I lack speed and really struggle to play against float/topspin without slowing my stroke down and almost trying to “guide” the ball on.
You can see an example of this at the very start of this video, which was captured just a week or so ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5sCgkk4opw
When I watch PR or The Captain’s forehands for instance, which generate good pace, they look absolutely nothing like mine. I feel like my stroke is way too vertical, and needs more horizontal, but I just can’t seem to do this. Is there anything in my stroke that I could change to achieve this?
Ideally I’d love to be able to play those types of forehand so that I can pick off weak pushes – it would be a huge asset to my game.
Cheers,
Duncan
Dan Academy Coach answered 3 years ago
Hi Duncan
Firstly, great work with coach Graeme Barella!
From the video, I would say that there is more to be got from your legs. When you practice really emphasize the push from the floor on your FH and BH. This will allow the rest of your shot to relax a little bit more and to whip through the ball just like Captain. Really use the force from the floor and allow it to travel into the bat and then the ball.
I can see you are training well and with purpose. Keep up the good work with Graeme and the improvements will come.
duncThanks Dan. Only recently started working with Graeme, but yeah, he’s great.
I’ll definitely work on using my legs more – I can see how “static” they are.
I feel like my finish position is too vertical. Like I come up on the back of the ball, rather than through it. My bat finishes before my right eyebrow, where perhaps it needs to finish more on my left? And potentially a bit further away from my head, to promote a forwards action?
DanWhen you push more from the floor, you will lean more forwards naturally due to crouching. Make sure the force you produce from the floor goes out in the direction you want the ball to go.
maurice101Dan is spot on. Think of a more aggressive push off the right foot and the idea is to rotate your body fast by keeping your legs more bent. You tend to go too much up so your stroke goes up. Start the body rotation before the arm to get more whip. At times you start the stoke with the arm before the body starts rotating. Relax your arm and let the body propel it forward.
