Any suggestions for my forehand or backhand?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlaurel

I'm trying to get warmed up to the Seattle summer season. I haven't been able to get together and hit with some of my friends, so I've been hitting against the wall a ton.

I'm trying a new approach... something I found helpful when hitting with my friend and video tapping (digital camera). Sometimes seeing yourself on camera really points out the sore spots. Here are a few angles, to see, the rest are in my tennis channel.

http://www.twango.com/media/mike.tennis/mike.12555
http://www.twango.com/media/mike.tennis/mike.12553
http://www.twango.com/channel/mike.tennis

Anybody have some good tips on how I can improve my ground stroke game?

I can already see that I need a bit more knee bend on both forehand and backhand sides. And it seems like I need to hit the ball a little more in front. Not sure if it means anything, but I'm trying to get sideways/perpendicular (especially on the backhand) rather than hitting with an open stance which I normally do.

What I really want to get up here and get some feedback on is my serve... that's where I need the most help. I'll try and shoot some video of that this week and get it up for feedback. Along with some video hitting real tennis with friends :)

Mike,

I couldn't find your serve video, but I took a look at your ground strokes. You could really take your forehand to a new level by learning to incorporate torso rotation and the windshield wiper finish. The torso rotation will add power into the stroke and the wiper finish let's you drive your hand and shoulder through and over the ball.

For an example of the windshield wiper motion, go here:
http://www.hi-techtennis.com/

Scroll down on the right side and watch the David Nalbandian forehand. He demonstrates a perfect wiper motion. Also Clint Stephenson, who is on these boards, teaches this torso rotation into contact along with the modern windshield wiper finish in his program TennisGuru (http://www.tennisguru.com). Torso rotation and the wiper motion are probably the two biggest advancement in tennis and is the reason why forehands are such huge weapons today.

Looking at your forehand, you aren't getting the torso rotation you need, so the stroke is mostlyl arm. And without the wiper finish, the stroke is not as full or as powerful as it should be.

You look like a very good athlete with a great foundation. I would give the modern forehand a shot and see what happens!

Jeff