Forehand Lesson 10: Open Stance Step

[purgatory13z]

actually, I think that would be an interesting drill to try with younger kids that already have reasonable stroke production. I can see this having the unwanted effect of possibly causing someone to jerk their left shoulder through first, but this could be a good way to enforce the weight transfer in a stationary open stance forehand.

[hi10spro]

@purgatory13z ooohhh never thought of that application

[mrmartin522]

dude i wanna play tennis with you and try what you can do , iam 60 years old and i wanna show the meaning of tennis, thank you

[hi10spro]

@mrmartin522 i am in bangkok now for a job but i'm game

[ManMingLam]

Ummm Ok............

[hi10spro]

@ManMingLam try this one, this is actually a drill I picked up from the USPTA convention, it teaches weight transfer.

[mrmartin522]

you dont play tennis

[hi10spro]

@mrmartin522 you don't type very well

[hi10spro]

@mrmartin522 where are you located

[mephatboi]

dude! i get these women who take a huge crossover step (totally closed) on the FH - there's a tip by caradoza where he makes them put their right foot on a cone and hit a ball (i think this is better b/c the toss doesnt have to be perfect)

but it doesnt solve the problem when they hit on the move, any tips???

[hi10spro]

@mephatboi make them turn and move like they're running in a straight line when they have to run... and as they get close, turn and get ready. old ladies are hard to change, but make a game out of it==and reward them for effort, alot of my old ladies would bail and not try...but once they start, they can do it

[mephatboi]

@hi10spro as usual, i think i need to see a vid that shows just how that would work :(

they're not all old, some r in their 20s!

[hi10spro]

@mephatboi the 20 year olds can be taught to move. i'm playing tomorrow and teaching so i'll make something

[mephatboi]

@hi10spro :'(

[Neckomack]

why those videos are under 1 minute thats not long enough to show and explain the basics of any motion or stroke....i suppose u get a HD-CAM and make some vids more than a minute or in this case 37sec :D

[hi10spro]

@Neckomack i'm a school teacher...i know how long a person can pay attention...

[Neckomack]

@hi10spro don't talk shit xD i think any1 can listen 5 min.

take a look at FYB-videos they very good...

[hi10spro]

@Neckomack bro you need to take chill pills. i personally have never watched the long videos all the way through...and you are honestly going to tell me you have. I've watch fyb...but even him, i have a hard time watching past 3 minutes...so be straight dog and don't hate

[Neckomack]

@hi10spro first of all i am not ur bro and i don't hate any person on youtube....

...but u have to admit that ur vids are in low quality and they are too short to explain very complex and difficult movements....they are even to short for the basics.....it takes time to learn tennis and it takes time to make a good video....so i think u should take that time and buy a new cam / take ur time by making vids

[hi10spro]

@Neckomack don't hate bro--we're all brothers from other mothers :D kay I'll stop. can you take the time and look at a more recent video--this vid was made about 3 years ago...HOWEVER, I warn you--my videos all focus on one point, and one point only--very rarely will you get more information than that because i really feel, it's like a menu, you're going to take what you want to eat and leave the rest behind

[MattScottUK]

This is so wrong! Pro players DO NOT play open stance in the way demonstrated in this video - hi10spro has totally misunderstood the concept of the open stance forehand. When the shoulders turn in preparation for the racquet take back, the feet also adjust accordingly with what is known as a 'unit turn'. The weight shifts on to the outer foot and in doing so the hips are also set sideways .. ready for forward rotation. The stance seen here in the video is too square on - nobody plays like this.

[hi10spro]

@MattScottUK um...aren't my shoulders and hips lined up, isn't that the unit turn. isn't my weight on the outer foot since i'm standing on one leg, isn't this a teaching tool to bring my weight to the other leg by jumping to my other leg, and finally, you ever going to post a video

[Doggieman1111]

good simple helpful vid, thanks

[bigdombig]

I never any problems with the open stance, I find the most difficult shot would be the on the run forehand. maybe cuz i hit western....

[hi10spro]

@bigdombig everyone has a problem with the on the run forehand

[FiNdLaY47]

dude wtf?? shocking forehand!!

[dura1mater]

You need to buy shorter shorts. You look short, squat, and lazy with long shorts. Get them shorts up. Basketball players wear long shorts because they are so tall. Long shorts make them look normal. Long shorts on you make you look squat. I know you're not, but this is what it looks like.

[willobillo0714]

oh ok, im just changing my game play from groundstroke to serve and volley. and can the heavier racquets give me a better feel to my single handed backhand?

[hi10spro]

um that's a huge difference. serving and volleying takes a long time to master, plus if you serve and volley then you need a lighter racquet in my opinion so you can move it around easily plus a heavier racquet will make it harder to hit a one hander...um go in steps for the serve and volley--master coming in on a return first or master serve and volleying in doubles--where you only have half a court to hit to and cover

[willobillo0714]

I'm aiming to be an all arounder =D. I got the groundstroke down and i just wanna end points fast to go up to the net at times. and yeah, i learnt to hit the single handed backhand with a locked wrist and unlocked. and i hit the ball hard to have speed on it, reakon a heavy racquet?

[CapnSparrow23]

what kind of racquet do you have?

[hi10spro]

wilson n code n3...it's very stiff and light, more of a serve and volley racquet than a groundstroking frame.

[willobillo0714]

I have a question. How is the open stance better than the stepping up method?

[hi10spro]

you have a better recovery, longer turn of the hip, and longer reach.

[willobillo0714]

Oh ok, and on my first serve, my wrist naturally puts a tiny bit of spin on the ball, is that good? i often hurt the players by doing so because they think its flat bit its fast and spinny and they jump to the ball to get hit O_o

[hi10spro]

yep! the spin slows it down, but if they don't read it, keep it. my serve is the same, there's a bit of slice on the ball at the end.

[willobillo0714]

Ah ok. Also i just tried out the open stance today at training, the ball wasnt going going fast at all and going in loops as well. Also i can now use the windshield wiper forehand, should i use that more often than the forehand drive?

[hi10spro]

be careful with the windshield wiper forehand, check your wrist and elbow. make sure you're using your whole body. stretch your lower back. you should get mad spin... if it's looping, are you resting your body weight on your right leg almost 100% if you are, it's right...

[willobillo0714]

oh ok. i used it in my game and for once i totally smashed the ball with the windshield wiper and won mostly with that forehand. should i keep using it or mix it up with the basic forehand?

[hi10spro]

how's your arm feeling? plus on low balls... it is necessary to use the old one...

[willobillo0714]

sore id say, especially the shoulder. aight, but im not as good at controlling the old one, if i dont step into thew ball as good it'll loop high

[hi10spro]

easy dude... that shot is very technique intensive... it causes me elbow pain... BUT it's weird, then it causes my elbow to ache on my BACKHAND

[willobillo0714]

Also, is there a specific time to use the windshield? or just use it whenever?

[hi10spro]

hmmm...I like it on high balls and medium height balls. it kind of hurts on low ones sometimes

[willobillo0714]

and about the one handed backhand: i like to whip the ball, although many coaches told me to lock in my wrist, but that's unatural for me and when i whip the ball with full strength, my arm is straight but my wrist bends back in order to stop the momentum which sometimes causes pain to my whole arm. any suggestions?

[hi10spro]

whoa... you have to lock that wrist... or keep it really loose... i have to see it, but it sounds so SORE

[willobillo0714]

I kinda figured it out, i have to really warm up my shoulder and yeah i guess it'll be fine. and about the windshield, how do i hit it so that it is a foot above the net and going deep into the court?

[hi10spro]

be sure to come through the ball and aim for a target above the net and on the court...depending on your spin, depends on how to aim it.

[willobillo0714]

oh ok, and im normally a groundstroker, but i wanna end points fast, so when i serve, do i run towards the net straight after i serve? or wait for a shot that can make me run to the net? main question, how to be a good serve & volley?

[hi10spro]

it takes time to learn it. i would try to be progressive first--come in off groundstrokes.  and maybe do it on the adside, serve a wide kick to a backhand and come to volley... master that side first .

[willobillo0714]

awesome, i got the kick serve ball toss and spin, but i cant generate enough speed to it, so its like bouncing in the middle of the service box and can be easily returned, how do i change that?

[hi10spro]

you have to add body weight to the ball... throw your body up and into the ball and transfer/snap that into your hand/racquet

[willobillo0714]

Ahh, I was thinking of changing the grip, but that sounds better. and does the windshield wiper forehand work with the open stance? and erm, how do i hit a ball hard with tons of top spin and deep into the court? its normally either spinless and deep, full of spin but bounces half way of court. really hard to get it perfect.

[hi10spro]

it works... hit it like Nadal... use the Western, but it will make you tired..

[willobillo0714]

screw that haha =D, nadal isnt my favourite player anyways. and why do ppl argue between the pin point stance and platform? on which one is better

[hi10spro]

to me, pinpoint is the way to go. I mean come on, in the pinpoint stance, your body weight is totally moving forward, but in the platform, you have to jump into it. it just seems to me to be better to have the legs together.

[willobillo0714]

my coach just said it give more springy feeling in my legs and more explosive power to jump into the ball. and erm, my raqucet is a tiny bit bent, does that effect my play? and why do i play different in competition than in training?

[hi10spro]

oh...you should fix that or get a new one--i played with a dented racquet for months because i didn't want to tell my parents... :D back in the day. homes--everyone plays better in practice--no pressure...

[willobillo0714]

hmmmm, which racquet does federer use? or recommend me a light racquet =D.

[hi10spro]

i think fed's racquet is a tour model and it's heavy...

[hi10spro]

you ever try the kzen... I like that one--light, packs a pop..

[willobillo0714]

kzen? and ill only choose wilson racquets =D. and can u explain the advantages of light and heavy racquets for me?

[hi10spro]

light racquets move faster-- BUT you have to provide more power on the groundstrokes while heavier racquets are slower at the net, but when you hit a groundie, it's easier. add in the stiffness factor and that's a better indicator of the power.

[willobillo0714]

oh ok, i think ill go light, since i dont wanna add extra stress to my wrist. which wilson racquet thats good quality would suit me?

[hi10spro]

they got a bunch of new ones, the marketing is out for the next generation above kblade..so go try them out, BUT the tours are always heavy... i would try the stiffest, the mid, and one of the tours because the kzen was not a racquet that i would normally like...and it was awesome

[willobillo0714]

hmm, why r the tour ones made heavy? and the shops at my place sell crappy racquest =( so i cant really try, have to order it online

[hi10spro]

the tour ones are for the pro player types--the frames are more stiff and solid, but not light. It's for feel plus the pro player types are mostly groundstrokers and play lots of singles while your normal dudes play doubles...

[mic270469]

ma vai a fare in culo

[IllnezzBD]

Great Tip and I agree with what baldwintopspin said. You might also want to put the right foot back a little bit more to get a little more balance if your right handed. If your left handed put the left leg a bit back for balance.

[baldwintopspin]

Nice tip but be careful as this will pull them off the ball to quickly. Point the toes on your right foot at 45 degrees to load. Even in an open stance stroke you don't want to swing around your body. Extension is the key!!! Check out some slow motion forehands on here to get better understanding

[brvheavyhitter20]

good video

[boscofernandes]

Good tip. rgds Bosco

[iloveuTJ]

gay racquet ! but good lesson.