39 - Modern Forehand - From hi-techtennis.com - Lesson 6: Rhythm and Timing - Establishing Rhythm: Get Spring In Your Legs

 Establishing Rhythm: Get Spring In Your Legs

Watch the player on the right's legs. He is hopping/springing up and down, even with the racket in front of him before he has turned to prepare for his forehand. I can't overemphasize how important it is to get spring in your legs. It is the key to improving your timing and your explosiveness on contact.

Timing begins in your movement TO the ball. Watch how Coria moves to the ball in this clip. First of all, he does NOT take the racket back right away. He holds it with his left hand in front of his body. Once you begin your takeback, the racket can't stop moving. For this reason it is a huge mistake to start the takeback early. It will force you to stop the motion somewhere.

The second huge thing I want you to see is how Coria bobs up and down, up and down, like a prize fighter. He is getting rhythm and spring in his legs, which will help him time the spring outward on contact with the ball. So a huge secret of the pros is that "spring" starts in the body well before the shot. It aids the very rhythmic spring out through the ball on contact.

Coria Hopping Around. Watch the Legs Spring Up and Down.

Kristian Pless. Watch the Legs Spring Up and Down.

Roger Federer. Watch the Legs Spring Up and Down.

This is the end of the Modern Forehand Series from https://www.hi-techtennis.com/forehand