@TennisAnnalyst Yes, on the right incoming ball, the semi is easier, but in my experience, there are more opportunities for an eastern forehand grip than any version of the western unless you're way back behind the baseline.
I'm primarily a serve & volley, chip and charge players, so that style doesn't work well for always using a semi for the forehand.
Great lesson Brent. I learned continental FH at a young age (1 grip game). I converted to eastern FH in the early 90's. Your tips on relaxing hand at contact does the trick in both pace / topspin. Also, the result of not fighting the ball really helps reducing the impact force on your arm and elbow.
For those who don't believe in this grip, just look at Graf's "real" eastern forehand. One of the best of all time FH. Low to high swing is the key, even on the high ball.
Hey Brent, I have a question regarding my forehand.
I am relatively new to this sport so I was learning the forehand. But whenever I make contact, I immediately go up and my balls always land near the baseline and kick up. Despite this, its easy to return my balls. Apparently, my coach told I have too much topspin and not enough drive. Is there something I can do to correct this?
@Yvesiscool Without seeing your forehand, kinda tough to throw something out there. Too much top might be from your grip. Are you using an eastern forehand grip?
Haven't played for 20 yrs am finding these very helpful in correcting bad habits that on reflection caused me frustration and to quit tennis thanks Brent yr helping me really enjoy my tennis now will play till I can't walk!
Good point on this video. It would seem, then, that this loosening of the hand will help to create the acceleration needed to create enough top spin to pull the ball back into the court. It's a great example of technique, not muscle, creating speed. Would you say it's kinda like cracking a whip?
To all those bastards that are talking crap about this man's forehand:
You don't have to be the best player in the world to be the best teacher. Otherwise, Federer would not be the best player of all times, it would be his coach. Is the knowledge what really matters.
It is interesting to note that you can hit the ball and talk at the same time, but at no time does your voice sound tight. I bet that if your hand was tight, your voice would also be.
@agquinby That's a good observation. Hadn't thought about that, but. you're right.
One thing I've always tried to get players to "feel" is the tension they might have in their face at the moment of contact with the ball. Try to allow your facial muscles to naturally hang as you make contact. - Brent
Hey man I'm a complete novice. I notice you said that the key is to maintain your racquet speed. My problem, and you touched on this a little in the video (low to high factor in the swing), is that I havent quite learned the motion. Would it be possible to get a close-up slo-mo so of you forehand? When I try to hit it like you are in the video the tennis ball ends up halfway down the street.
@webtennis Definetely At Contact. I grew up playing baseball so i'm hitting the ball way too hard. I think my main problem is at contact but im afraid my technique up to the point of contact may also be incorrect.
@pimpsean03 Can you take a short video of your forehand and post it as an Unlisted YouTube video?
Use a tripod, don't have the camera panning (moving) when it's recording, and set up the tripod & camera at the corner of the deuce court service box (singles sideline & service line) so I can look directly into your forehand if you're a righty.
An unlisted video keeps it private. Once you upload it, send me an email with the video's URL. askbrent (at) webtennis (dot) net
@obliviousguy217 I don't like to consciously tighten the grip at contact. There is natural firming of the grip at contact, but for me, if I tighten, my swing speed gets really slowed down and I lose the natural spin I want. - Brent
@vaccinne I'm using Gamma 18g synthetic gut. Really pretty cheap stuff, but I like the feel I get with thin gauge at 18. I play with a 110 head size so I stting it up at around 65lbs which gives me enough control, but the thin string gives me the power I want. - Brent
Brent, Great video, thx....I occasionally play against a Vietnamese guy who's got a great forehand slice. It is very similar to a good backhand slice...low with good pace (and sometimes a slight left to right bounce). He disguises it well and the skidding bounce catches me unawares at times. Can you post something on the technique of this shot ??
@FairwayJack Will do. I've added the forehand slice over the past few years to my game with really good results. My backhand slice has always been a part of my game, but for whatever reason, we all tend to be late to the game with a forehand slice.
I'll get a video up here soon to help you get motivated to start learning the fundamentals of this great shot.
In the meantime, go above to the description of this video and click the link to my info page on the forehand slice. - Brent
Thank you so much! I tried to add topspin to my forehand using the western grip, and my shoulder got twisted. Much easier now that I can use my "natural" eastern grip.,
Now and then when my forehand goes off (i.e., I forget these basics Brent's talking about), I go back to this video. My forehand kinda looks like this. Nice and simple. Thanks Brent.
The fact of the matter is that you can generate good topspin with an eastern grip if you practice and learn how to do it. Two of the last great players (Sampras & Federer) have used it and had great forehands. Keep in mind Brent is trying to teach us good all-court play and I tend to believe that with a good eastern forehand, you'll be better prepared when making approach shots, volleys, etc. I'm not saying a semi or western grip is terrible to use. If it works for you, then great.
no one cares if you can beat an old man you idiots. he's a coach that's focusing on demonstrating form, it doesn't matter how bad his footwork is. i guarantee you UK tennis "gods" have less control/topspin than him even if you can beat him
Your comment are really bad either technically and in the form ( language ) you use.
I do not see you ranked in any place evidently you are above all of us.
In this case you do not need to comments at any cost. Nobody really forces you. If you do not like the video just ignore it and keep on doing the way you like but, please do not be offensive because it is not more a critique but just spitting on people without knowing too much about people themselves.
You guys are all assholes, hes just teaching you guys how to generate topspin, hes not showing off how hard or how great footwork you need to have, hes showing how to generate topspin on your forehand. This guy is an established senior and if you guys are so great, than post a vid of yourself. IGNORANT PEOPLE
Maybe if you're a top junior or playing in college (which I highly doubt) otherwise, shut up. The guys a pretty accomplished player in the senior tournaments, look up his profile. My guess is you're some 3.0 level club player that has nothing better to do but to try an put people down.
i started out using at how i learned full western and thats how i learned top spin...for me i think eastern is hard to generate top spin so this helped me with the times i try to use eastern
if your using this grip, an easier way to generate top spin is to just to use the windshield wiper forehand. this type of forehand is just a regular forehand but with a fan motion to finish. if you need to see a video of it, search for it on youtube, and click the one by FYB
Great advice. However, I can't stress enough how much semi-western grip will help you get natural and consistent topspin.The transition from the eastern is really all about being conscious with your forehand more so than being difficult to achieve. The full western grip is very different story, it CAN damage your wrist if youre not use to it.
This guy is so flat-footed he's even off-balance in this video, never steps into the ball. I'd beat him easily 6-0, 6-0 .. he'd never last 3 sets with me!
loosen up a little bit. serioulsy it looks like you have gears in your arm. and for all the people out there that wonder why this guy tries to teach over the internet is that because he tried to teach people in person but he got fired by all his students. lol
eastern is more for beginners to intermediate, very little pro use eastern but there are, western is alot different cause you have to hit the ball infront of you more than eastern. Western is more for the professional, if you play more with eastern you will generally start to switch to semi-western or even to a western when you feel more comfortable. But ya western generates more spin easier but is awkward if your not use to it.
There is this player on my highschool team who uses a complete eastern grip, his shots are a little flat but hes real good. In contrast to anothe rplayer on my team who has an extreme western grip, his shots have ALOT of topspin, once it actually bounced over his opponent.
i started playin with eastern grip since young and i can NOT switch to western. i cant compete as well because i cant hit the high top spin balls with power. i have to keep moving back to hit the ball when it is at my waist level. IT SUX damn!
excuse me but you are not putting a high charge of top in that ball. indeed, with the eastern grip its nearly hard to make shots with a high charge of top.
if you want a style based on topspin shots you should use semi western or western grip.
Not true. They both use a variation of eastern, and does not hit like this guy. Federer for example always keeps his racket head closed which naturally generates a lot of topspin. I myself use a more eastern semi-western and it is very effective since you hit flatter shots than the Western which is perfect if you are an aggressive player, but still maintain the consistency of someone that hits with a semi, or western grip.
two good points here: racket speed brings the spin and relax when hitting the ball to maintain speed.
But equally these principles can be applied to western and semi-western grip forehand, no?
I play semi-west or western depending on the height of the ball. I just make sure (at least try to) I strike the ball arms-length away in front of me and when on the rise so I get optimum contact.
hey bret. I have a question. Could you give me any tips on how 2 hit a powerful forehand? like do you think u could tell or show me a certain motion or something like that to increase power on my forehand. hope this isnt to diff. to explain. If you can explain some way, please do.
best way to get racket speed with a eastern is getting the ball on the low bounce. i had to switch from a eastern to western because the kids in miami kick the ball to much
yeah this is 1970s sea stroke...and if these old timers had it their way everyone would be hitting the exact same way...my tennis coach is one of these guys....he doesn't know the meaning of hitting a ball flat. it's all topspin even at the most difficult of times, like a mad scramble at the net or a high looping forehand near the service line that could be crushed flat. If my tennis coach had it his way everyone would be hitting with the same racquets, the same clothes, with the same strokes.
I always thought semi / western was the better grip because of the margin for error.
I used semi but found i could generate a helluva of spin from reverse forehand ala Nadal using eastern , I dont even know how the hell youd get power of western using western like Nadal does..
very good tip but don't pause what you're saying between every time you are talking and then when the ball comes, you pause and after you hit it, you're pausing what you're saying and continuing. i play a lot of tennis and i skate. i'll subscribe
interesting and helpful, but u need 2 do a close up of the grip and a slow mo of the swing. my coach told me 2 look the topspin up, and this is the first that came up. its... helpful.
Im being a little bias considering I use Eastern grip for forehand, but i think its the most versitile as it allows for torso rotation and different bounces. You can flatten it, whip it with topspin or when you get tight push it away from the body and still do an alright shot. Love to hear other thoughts on eastern forehand.
you know, this are only basics. when you are playing, yo do not remember what type of grip you are using..videos dont teach you shit. True it helps you see through the theory of tennis...wake up, tennis is not a subject! its a sport! its all about the practice baby! as long as you love to practice, play, and enjoy tennis you will always be an awesome player
with that grip notice that he can only hit topspin when the balls is waist high or lower, everything else is very flat. a western grip allows you to hit topspin in a higher stike zone. if you are playing against good players with good spin that a western grip is best, if your opponents it slow and flat than an eastern grip is ok
Good points. Even older players down here in Florida use semi western grips. I don't know why anyone would teach an eastern grip as a topspin shot grip. As a put away, or agressive grip yes, but topspin. No.
My friend and I are just learning the game and want the essentials to be able to strike the ball consistently and keep it in play. I am going to play some of these for him before our next outing. Your videos and teaching style are great and really help out those of us who don't have the time or money for lessons. Thanks!
Now I'm totally confused. Everything I've read about the forehand talks about the double bend (laid back wrist, bend at elbow) using that to through contact with the ball. Not a loose wrist. Oh well.
ur probably reading old books...back then consistent top spin wasn't really played by anyone except borg, so they didnt really write about it. you're not exactly supposed to keep a loose wrist, but not a stiff wrist either
I favor the continental grip for topsin. No, I am not crazy. But you have to stand with your hips to the line, and wait until the ball is almost behind you. Then the top you can hit is amazing. If you don't believe me look at the vids of Rod Laver. He had outrageous top and his grip was continental.
Something that gets gets to me are balls that are above waist height. How do you hit those balls? Normally, they just dump right into the net, I have to take them on the rise, or I backpedal just to meet the ball in waist height. I'm never in a neutral position where I can rally, I either have to be a few feet away from the baseline or I have to rush into the net and finish points there. How do I hit shots above waist height?
Umm...small misunderstanding here...when you say release you hand do you mean really release your hand or wrist? It seems to me that if you release your hand then uhh...you reacket would fly out of your hand, unless if you mean something completely different then what im thinking...
well why dont u fools make it easier on your self and switch to a semi-western grip and if ur feeling brave enough use a western grip and if u r jus crazy put your hand on continental then flip it over and if u an extreme grip (which is wat i use) i mean i does have its disadvantages and ive lost alot of points but ive also won alot cuz of its spin and i have a solid backhand
Basically he is saying to loosen your grip and be nice and loose with it and one thing is that topspin is generated with cutting up on the ball go low to high with the raquet he said its based off of raquet speed that isnt always true you have to be able to get underneith the ball and cut up on it
I'm the number three player on my high school team and about a month ago I was hitting the ball with a ton of topspin and with lots of speed, but I sprained my ankle twice, and now that i'm starting to play again(in my first week back), I have a big tournament coming up and I can either hit it with alot of topspin, or really flat and fast, I cant mix the two together, what should I do to solve this
I'm always doing this and for some reason when I switch to an eastern to do a topspin shot I'm not able to generate enough spin. And so most of my shots miss the baseline by a bit. Anyone know if the tension in the racket strings can help add more spin?
Allow a looser grip tension to naturally drop your racket head below the ball prior to contact and then pick up its own racket head speed to generate plenty of topspin.
Boris Becker & Pete Sampras could top forehands with massive pure topspin when they wnated to with an eastern grip and literally make contact to their side.
Give me a break with this western garbage...
If you want to play tennis past 45, get smart and stop trying to play like Roddick.
webtennis is useful but to really develop the skills rather than understand them, one would need a teacher to watch over you and point out mistakes u don't notice
i keep trying to generate topspin on the more horizontal and higher hits, even with a relaxed swing, but theres not enough spin so the ball doesn't travel downwards fast enough
you cant hit heavy topspin with an eastern grip, if you play against players generating heavy topspin and play higher balls too, you will get too many problems with an easterngrip
If you learn to take the ball on the rise, you can take their shots early with a flatter grip, use their pace, and come into net and force them to pass you.
You should be careful using an extreme western grip to generate "heavy" topspin.
Unless you're a world class trained athlete, the potential for injury to your wrist, elbow, shoulder, & lower back is huge.
Learn to play with more grips. I think Federer is the best because he simply has the most grips available to him.
Thank you for telling me that topspin with an eastern grip is possible! I have a natural eastern grip, but I've been trying (more or less coerced) to switch to a western or semi-western grip to create some topspin, but it just felt very awkward to me. I would almost always hit the ball into the net or straight down. I'll try this to see if it helps, although one of my problems is that I tense up.
Thanks so much for the tip. Relaxing the hands wrist and racket through the hit is key for me. I haven't been doing that consistently and I'm too tense, holding the racket very tight.
This is an old way of hitting. His racquet head is way too much above his head. The modern way teaches the student to end up with their racquet head pointing directly to the back fence with the racquet ending up just over the shoulder or if u want lower. the hand is suppose to end up on the top of your left shoulder. his hand is somewhere else
That's right. I teach the "classic" stuff so you and your pals will be able to play the game for the rest of your life. You're crazy if you think your body parts can survive hitting a Roddick type forehand over time. Brent
I agree. your video on spacing on the forehand with your elbow tucked in is the basic part of the modern forehand that i try to copy. If you lookat slow motion videos the pros all meet the ball with racquets square to the ball. I really appreciate your videos great job. I have purchased a two handled tennis racquet and am learning to hit forehands on both sides.(bit of work but worth the effort i belive)
The upper limit of this style of play is going to be around a 5.5. Below 5.5, where a majority of players are at, this is a great way to play. 1.) because it is easier on your body 2.)provides for consistency.
A western grip requires more precise timing, but for those who spend a-lot of time playing and accept the burden on the shoulder joint(high end high school,collegiate and professional players) the Western grip/Windshield Wiper forehand is great.
The big problem down the road with a western forehand grip after high school and college is as you describe, risk to body parts, but mentally, burn out from being so limited. Players with big western forehands typically don't make very good doubles players, and the reality is when you get older, you play more dubs. Brent
Good tips, but that shoe squeak is a killer!
creatress 6 months ago
@creatress Funny! Gotta keep those feet moving out there...
Brent
webtennis 6 months ago
@creatress shoe squeak means you are PRO
nezumiamalek 6 months ago
@TennisAnnalyst Yes, on the right incoming ball, the semi is easier, but in my experience, there are more opportunities for an eastern forehand grip than any version of the western unless you're way back behind the baseline.
I'm primarily a serve & volley, chip and charge players, so that style doesn't work well for always using a semi for the forehand.
Brent
webtennis 8 months ago
Great lesson Brent. I learned continental FH at a young age (1 grip game). I converted to eastern FH in the early 90's. Your tips on relaxing hand at contact does the trick in both pace / topspin. Also, the result of not fighting the ball really helps reducing the impact force on your arm and elbow.
For those who don't believe in this grip, just look at Graf's "real" eastern forehand. One of the best of all time FH. Low to high swing is the key, even on the high ball.
Widmer09 8 months ago
Good video, I just started playing tennis and I don't want to pay for lessons so this helped me a lot. A lot of good info.
xJakex068 9 months ago
@xJakex068 Glad to hear you're getting into tennis.
Head on over to my blog where you'll get a lot of free tips.
The link is above in the Description area.
Brent
webtennis 8 months ago
Hey Brent, I have a question regarding my forehand.
I am relatively new to this sport so I was learning the forehand. But whenever I make contact, I immediately go up and my balls always land near the baseline and kick up. Despite this, its easy to return my balls. Apparently, my coach told I have too much topspin and not enough drive. Is there something I can do to correct this?
Yvesiscool 9 months ago
@Yvesiscool Without seeing your forehand, kinda tough to throw something out there. Too much top might be from your grip. Are you using an eastern forehand grip?
Brent
webtennis 8 months ago
man your recent videos are of much better quality. thanks so much for the forehand slice video (:
13141beizi 9 months ago
Haven't played for 20 yrs am finding these very helpful in correcting bad habits that on reflection caused me frustration and to quit tennis thanks Brent yr helping me really enjoy my tennis now will play till I can't walk!
PJL10100 10 months ago
I love his footwork :)
seuquin 10 months ago
Is it me? Or is this a harder shot than a backhand? I alway
seldomsceen 11 months ago
You have such an awesome voice, mixture of teacher and sportscommentator.
jfkpublicservant 1 year ago
Good point on this video. It would seem, then, that this loosening of the hand will help to create the acceleration needed to create enough top spin to pull the ball back into the court. It's a great example of technique, not muscle, creating speed. Would you say it's kinda like cracking a whip?
PArbuckle18 1 year ago
To all those bastards that are talking crap about this man's forehand:
You don't have to be the best player in the world to be the best teacher. Otherwise, Federer would not be the best player of all times, it would be his coach. Is the knowledge what really matters.
Think about it.
Edu2503 1 year ago 16
@Edu2503 Tell it like it is Edu! - Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
@Edu2503 I think it's both knowledge and talent...:)
Raduleskovici 10 months ago
I love tennis whites!
preppychrisbou 1 year ago
Good technique Brent, perfectly executed returns with great control. Thanks for the tip....
striderswoe 1 year ago
It is interesting to note that you can hit the ball and talk at the same time, but at no time does your voice sound tight. I bet that if your hand was tight, your voice would also be.
Thanks
Q
agquinby 1 year ago
@agquinby That's a good observation. Hadn't thought about that, but. you're right.
One thing I've always tried to get players to "feel" is the tension they might have in their face at the moment of contact with the ball. Try to allow your facial muscles to naturally hang as you make contact. - Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
Hey man I'm a complete novice. I notice you said that the key is to maintain your racquet speed. My problem, and you touched on this a little in the video (low to high factor in the swing), is that I havent quite learned the motion. Would it be possible to get a close-up slo-mo so of you forehand? When I try to hit it like you are in the video the tennis ball ends up halfway down the street.
pimpsean03 1 year ago
@pimpsean03 Which part of the swing is confusing to you? Pre contact, at contact, or after contact? - Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
@webtennis Definetely At Contact. I grew up playing baseball so i'm hitting the ball way too hard. I think my main problem is at contact but im afraid my technique up to the point of contact may also be incorrect.
pimpsean03 1 year ago
@pimpsean03 Can you take a short video of your forehand and post it as an Unlisted YouTube video?
Use a tripod, don't have the camera panning (moving) when it's recording, and set up the tripod & camera at the corner of the deuce court service box (singles sideline & service line) so I can look directly into your forehand if you're a righty.
An unlisted video keeps it private. Once you upload it, send me an email with the video's URL. askbrent (at) webtennis (dot) net
Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
should you tighten your grip the moment your racket makes contact with the ball, and how much should your knees bend
obliviousguy217 1 year ago
@obliviousguy217 I don't like to consciously tighten the grip at contact. There is natural firming of the grip at contact, but for me, if I tighten, my swing speed gets really slowed down and I lose the natural spin I want. - Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
coach, what string you used? i used crossfire string and everytime i played topspin within 2 months my string snapped?
vaccinne 1 year ago
@vaccinne I'm using Gamma 18g synthetic gut. Really pretty cheap stuff, but I like the feel I get with thin gauge at 18. I play with a 110 head size so I stting it up at around 65lbs which gives me enough control, but the thin string gives me the power I want. - Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
Nice forehand! Looks like Serena's.
Tennistruth 1 year ago
Brent, Great video, thx....I occasionally play against a Vietnamese guy who's got a great forehand slice. It is very similar to a good backhand slice...low with good pace (and sometimes a slight left to right bounce). He disguises it well and the skidding bounce catches me unawares at times. Can you post something on the technique of this shot ??
FairwayJack 1 year ago
@FairwayJack Will do. I've added the forehand slice over the past few years to my game with really good results. My backhand slice has always been a part of my game, but for whatever reason, we all tend to be late to the game with a forehand slice.
I'll get a video up here soon to help you get motivated to start learning the fundamentals of this great shot.
In the meantime, go above to the description of this video and click the link to my info page on the forehand slice. - Brent
webtennis 1 year ago
This man is able to play, there should be no reason to diss his ability to play.
Just curious though, how come you don't use a windshield wiper forehand? Though yours seems to work very well.
ChantoTheMovieGuy 1 year ago
great!
tennisfelice 1 year ago
Thank you so much! I tried to add topspin to my forehand using the western grip, and my shoulder got twisted. Much easier now that I can use my "natural" eastern grip.,
scaremenga 1 year ago
Now and then when my forehand goes off (i.e., I forget these basics Brent's talking about), I go back to this video. My forehand kinda looks like this. Nice and simple. Thanks Brent.
bqndc 1 year ago
SMOOOOTH:D:D
nikisisi 1 year ago
The fact of the matter is that you can generate good topspin with an eastern grip if you practice and learn how to do it. Two of the last great players (Sampras & Federer) have used it and had great forehands. Keep in mind Brent is trying to teach us good all-court play and I tend to believe that with a good eastern forehand, you'll be better prepared when making approach shots, volleys, etc. I'm not saying a semi or western grip is terrible to use. If it works for you, then great.
mk73183 1 year ago
btw fed is using between an eastern and semi western...so...yea...just sayin
hersh94 1 year ago
no one cares if you can beat an old man you idiots. he's a coach that's focusing on demonstrating form, it doesn't matter how bad his footwork is. i guarantee you UK tennis "gods" have less control/topspin than him even if you can beat him
GGopalTHEIndianMafia 1 year ago
evidently you feel to be a champion.
Your comment are really bad either technically and in the form ( language ) you use.
I do not see you ranked in any place evidently you are above all of us.
In this case you do not need to comments at any cost. Nobody really forces you. If you do not like the video just ignore it and keep on doing the way you like but, please do not be offensive because it is not more a critique but just spitting on people without knowing too much about people themselves.
mfieni 1 year ago
relax up on the grip, maintain racket speed through the ball, keep the eastern grip to maintain good court position.
thanks brent, i learned more from this video than i did earlier this morning from a 75 dollar private lesson.
ghd76 2 years ago
You need to look closer. His stroke is so fluid, you must be having a hard time seeing its mechanics. That's OK. Typical for a novice.
originalrexhavoc 2 years ago
You guys are all assholes, hes just teaching you guys how to generate topspin, hes not showing off how hard or how great footwork you need to have, hes showing how to generate topspin on your forehand. This guy is an established senior and if you guys are so great, than post a vid of yourself. IGNORANT PEOPLE
revengestrikerx 2 years ago
Maybe if you're a top junior or playing in college (which I highly doubt) otherwise, shut up. The guys a pretty accomplished player in the senior tournaments, look up his profile. My guess is you're some 3.0 level club player that has nothing better to do but to try an put people down.
drumsfightingandstuf 2 years ago 44
i started out using at how i learned full western and thats how i learned top spin...for me i think eastern is hard to generate top spin so this helped me with the times i try to use eastern
tennispwnzu 2 years ago
if your using this grip, an easier way to generate top spin is to just to use the windshield wiper forehand. this type of forehand is just a regular forehand but with a fan motion to finish. if you need to see a video of it, search for it on youtube, and click the one by FYB
ObliviousxHope 2 years ago
Great advice. However, I can't stress enough how much semi-western grip will help you get natural and consistent topspin.The transition from the eastern is really all about being conscious with your forehand more so than being difficult to achieve. The full western grip is very different story, it CAN damage your wrist if youre not use to it.
smithcm14 2 years ago
Which bevil is my knuckle on for the eastern grip?
FishMaster328 2 years ago
wrong follow through !!!
The racket should be on lower part of the body, just about the waist, the racket head should be face a little down to generate top spin
funpolice0096 2 years ago
I guarantee all of the people talking crap on this guy's forehand either A) can barely play the game or B) would get destroyed by him in a match.
drumsfightingandstuf 2 years ago 20
Agreed. He is has broken through the grip barrier. His technique should also help prevent tennis elbow. Brilliant video.
originalrexhavoc 2 years ago
lol - I'm criticing him, on some body postures and angles...
but i'm shutting up, since either way he can most likely kick my ass in tennis - and the bottom line is what only counts.
lawrencelugar 2 years ago
This guy is so flat-footed he's even off-balance in this video, never steps into the ball. I'd beat him easily 6-0, 6-0 .. he'd never last 3 sets with me!
MattScottUK 2 years ago
0 & 0...? Really Matt. You're talking pretty big there son.
What's your current ranking, wins, anything we can all see to be able to know that you must be one helluva player...
webtennis 1 year ago 7
if you really want to learn tennis....go out and play it..!
ELREEE 2 years ago 2
this guy has the worst top spin on earth
tenopunk 2 years ago
I agree with davowarp, just a bit arm and a bit shoulder rotation, bad technique.
mysteriekiller 2 years ago
loosen up a little bit. serioulsy it looks like you have gears in your arm. and for all the people out there that wonder why this guy tries to teach over the internet is that because he tried to teach people in person but he got fired by all his students. lol
shoobibear44 2 years ago
you seem like a reliable source.....
LiquidSurgery 2 years ago
The guys one of the top senior players in the nation.
drumsfightingandstuf 2 years ago
main types of grips:
continental- serves, volleys
eastern- beginner serves, beginner groundstroke
semi western- intermediate groundstroke
full western- advanced groundstrokes (difficult on wrists for those new to the grip)
ThatSecondDude 2 years ago
So Roger federer has a beginner groundstoke? Cut the crap, you're talking nonsense.
mysteriekiller 2 years ago 3
TOPSPIN IS SO EASY! When you hit it turn it over. If you get a teacher than you'll see that it's easy. Backhand is so simple.
hungryhippos41 2 years ago
you should be a pro then
popeye135 2 years ago
ok it's true I had it down within the first week of playing it doesn't mean anything
hungryhippos41 2 years ago
maybe if he lost the hat, the tucked in shirt and the khaki pants he wouldnt look like a grand dad.
theartsofebony 2 years ago 2
do u have a babolat if u do cool cos i do
lawrencedezoya 2 years ago
can someone tell me which is better and more effective? eastern or western?
manumber7 2 years ago
eastern produces less western produces more,
eastern is more for beginners to intermediate, very little pro use eastern but there are, western is alot different cause you have to hit the ball infront of you more than eastern. Western is more for the professional, if you play more with eastern you will generally start to switch to semi-western or even to a western when you feel more comfortable. But ya western generates more spin easier but is awkward if your not use to it.
ChiiboxV2 2 years ago
but federer uses eastern! haha
manumber7 2 years ago
are u trying to be funny? lol cause you made me laugh
ChiiboxV2 2 years ago
about this... umm... federer hits the ball way in front
manumber7 2 years ago
let me correct that, eastern can generate topsin easier but it doesnt have the spin outcome of a western grip.
ChiiboxV2 2 years ago
There is this player on my highschool team who uses a complete eastern grip, his shots are a little flat but hes real good. In contrast to anothe rplayer on my team who has an extreme western grip, his shots have ALOT of topspin, once it actually bounced over his opponent.
roloman4 2 years ago
uhm i think he is old?? that's why but look at him he can still play good tennis because of his style relaxed and effortless^_^
tolendoi123 2 years ago
you just look like a grandpa we=hen yyou play
charpeedarth07 2 years ago
by grandad i mean you are an arm player....you have no weight transfer from your legs, all your power comes from your arms.
davowarp 2 years ago 6
he plays like an absolute grandad
davowarp 2 years ago 5
Any place, any time davowarp...! Brent
webtennis 2 years ago
Eastern is a nice grip i changed mine to an eastern. I just need to have a slightly loose hand when im about to hit the ball its nice thanks brent!
tolendoi123 3 years ago
i started playin with eastern grip since young and i can NOT switch to western. i cant compete as well because i cant hit the high top spin balls with power. i have to keep moving back to hit the ball when it is at my waist level. IT SUX damn!
kartikiyomoma 3 years ago
thnks ;)
lemospes 3 years ago
excuse me but you are not putting a high charge of top in that ball. indeed, with the eastern grip its nearly hard to make shots with a high charge of top.
if you want a style based on topspin shots you should use semi western or western grip.
gallagherii 3 years ago
eastern=bad
YoshiRza 3 years ago
Eastern = Andy Murray and Federer , I don't think it's bad.
yoimcrazy 3 years ago 6
Not true. They both use a variation of eastern, and does not hit like this guy. Federer for example always keeps his racket head closed which naturally generates a lot of topspin. I myself use a more eastern semi-western and it is very effective since you hit flatter shots than the Western which is perfect if you are an aggressive player, but still maintain the consistency of someone that hits with a semi, or western grip.
theonlystory 2 years ago
pete sampras use eastern buddy
TheLittlestRiceball5 2 years ago
sorry, I didn't understand very well, you've got to relax your hand to give more spin?
lemospes 3 years ago
you need to accelerate when you impact to generate topspin, you need to hit the ball in the under side, from down to up
gallagherii 3 years ago
two good points here: racket speed brings the spin and relax when hitting the ball to maintain speed.
But equally these principles can be applied to western and semi-western grip forehand, no?
I play semi-west or western depending on the height of the ball. I just make sure (at least try to) I strike the ball arms-length away in front of me and when on the rise so I get optimum contact.
huhuluihuhu 3 years ago
wat is the difference between eastern and western or others?
yunholic1 3 years ago
google
TibxB0i 3 years ago
eastern/continental arre the same thing...
bahobamf2 3 years ago
no, no they arent
thehunto 3 years ago
they are actually different
cooldude8922 3 years ago
hella different
TibxB0i 3 years ago
Why doznt anyone teech how to hit the continental 4hand? Doze anyone uze this theez dayz?
Fanfardon 3 years ago
hey bret. I have a question. Could you give me any tips on how 2 hit a powerful forehand? like do you think u could tell or show me a certain motion or something like that to increase power on my forehand. hope this isnt to diff. to explain. If you can explain some way, please do.
thanks bret
kusta345 3 years ago
This is a website putting on the videos, so i dought they read there comments, let alone respond to them
Gondee 3 years ago
great vid, but his feet aren't wrong? at the beginning
lemospes 3 years ago
best way to get racket speed with a eastern is getting the ball on the low bounce. i had to switch from a eastern to western because the kids in miami kick the ball to much
MIXMASTAPWN 3 years ago
can someone watch my vids and give me some tips...please!
shotyboy 3 years ago
yeah babolat....
gufasan 3 years ago
yeah this is 1970s sea stroke...and if these old timers had it their way everyone would be hitting the exact same way...my tennis coach is one of these guys....he doesn't know the meaning of hitting a ball flat. it's all topspin even at the most difficult of times, like a mad scramble at the net or a high looping forehand near the service line that could be crushed flat. If my tennis coach had it his way everyone would be hitting with the same racquets, the same clothes, with the same strokes.
rockerduff1231 3 years ago
Great for Boomer Generation.
therealrexhavoc 3 years ago
Mr.Abel can you put more spin on the ball if you snap your wrist when the ball is near the gut?
tennisnoob10 3 years ago
Very informative thank you.
d0min0danc1ng 3 years ago
I always thought semi / western was the better grip because of the margin for error.
I used semi but found i could generate a helluva of spin from reverse forehand ala Nadal using eastern , I dont even know how the hell youd get power of western using western like Nadal does..
kinkabala 3 years ago
1. hes ripped
2. he really really follows through
3. watch his excellent footwork
oathseeker 3 years ago 2
very good tip but don't pause what you're saying between every time you are talking and then when the ball comes, you pause and after you hit it, you're pausing what you're saying and continuing. i play a lot of tennis and i skate. i'll subscribe
lakaisk8er323 3 years ago
i respect brent abel, but his swing is oldschool
welsjager007 3 years ago 2
Yes. That is the point unless you are a 17 yr-old hot dog.
therealrexhavoc 3 years ago
thanks! it was very helpful for me
keks23 3 years ago
nice tip though the tennis court ground is somehow broken...
vertitover 3 years ago
this is so gay.wtf
ashniyey 3 years ago
nice post more bout top spin...nxt time "invent" spin that ppl can't reach
MapleDynasty 3 years ago
yeah that's how i do it is cool
PChomosapienssapiens 3 years ago
interesting and helpful, but u need 2 do a close up of the grip and a slow mo of the swing. my coach told me 2 look the topspin up, and this is the first that came up. its... helpful.
christianpopgrrl 3 years ago 2
Im being a little bias considering I use Eastern grip for forehand, but i think its the most versitile as it allows for torso rotation and different bounces. You can flatten it, whip it with topspin or when you get tight push it away from the body and still do an alright shot. Love to hear other thoughts on eastern forehand.
IricForset 3 years ago
Great vid Brent.i use eastern...if you know how to do properly you can get a wicked topspin drive wtih a lot of whip...May i remind people of sampras
mcha6397 3 years ago
lots of people are not able to hit real, natural topspin- good vid
welsjager007 3 years ago
you know, this are only basics. when you are playing, yo do not remember what type of grip you are using..videos dont teach you shit. True it helps you see through the theory of tennis...wake up, tennis is not a subject! its a sport! its all about the practice baby! as long as you love to practice, play, and enjoy tennis you will always be an awesome player
eliaspapo 3 years ago 3
i could not agree more, eliaspapo
bamboodlesh 3 years ago
with that grip notice that he can only hit topspin when the balls is waist high or lower, everything else is very flat. a western grip allows you to hit topspin in a higher stike zone. if you are playing against good players with good spin that a western grip is best, if your opponents it slow and flat than an eastern grip is ok
integra0000 3 years ago
Good points. Even older players down here in Florida use semi western grips. I don't know why anyone would teach an eastern grip as a topspin shot grip. As a put away, or agressive grip yes, but topspin. No.
intracoast 3 years ago
My friend and I are just learning the game and want the essentials to be able to strike the ball consistently and keep it in play. I am going to play some of these for him before our next outing. Your videos and teaching style are great and really help out those of us who don't have the time or money for lessons. Thanks!
Jaydcassat 3 years ago
Now I'm totally confused. Everything I've read about the forehand talks about the double bend (laid back wrist, bend at elbow) using that to through contact with the ball. Not a loose wrist. Oh well.
sethwai58 3 years ago
ur probably reading old books...back then consistent top spin wasn't really played by anyone except borg, so they didnt really write about it. you're not exactly supposed to keep a loose wrist, but not a stiff wrist either
Crynoglare2 3 years ago
pretty good it wood help if it showed the whole racket
taiseton 3 years ago
I favor the continental grip for topsin. No, I am not crazy. But you have to stand with your hips to the line, and wait until the ball is almost behind you. Then the top you can hit is amazing. If you don't believe me look at the vids of Rod Laver. He had outrageous top and his grip was continental.
Fanfardon 3 years ago
why would people call u crazy? lots of people use continental for their topspin forehands.
Crynoglare2 3 years ago
Something that gets gets to me are balls that are above waist height. How do you hit those balls? Normally, they just dump right into the net, I have to take them on the rise, or I backpedal just to meet the ball in waist height. I'm never in a neutral position where I can rally, I either have to be a few feet away from the baseline or I have to rush into the net and finish points there. How do I hit shots above waist height?
eggrolleggroll 3 years ago
how do you hit shots above the waist?
what ntrp rating are you 2?
lol seriously....
EMG4Life 3 years ago
Geez, sorry for asking then
eggrolleggroll 3 years ago
ur supposed to slice.
Crynoglare2 3 years ago
can't you jump when hitting the ball or perhaps take the ball earlier, what kind of court are u playing on
dannehbai 3 years ago
its just regular hard court, but i got it down now. I'm about to switch to the modified eastern grip instead
eggrolleggroll 3 years ago
slice 'em
Crynoglare2 3 years ago
Umm...small misunderstanding here...when you say release you hand do you mean really release your hand or wrist? It seems to me that if you release your hand then uhh...you reacket would fly out of your hand, unless if you mean something completely different then what im thinking...
warpedretard 3 years ago
He means to let your wrist go loose so you can generate topspin with the racket speed.
mgbest91 3 years ago
well use your commen sence then
annoyingdevil24 3 years ago
well why dont u fools make it easier on your self and switch to a semi-western grip and if ur feeling brave enough use a western grip and if u r jus crazy put your hand on continental then flip it over and if u an extreme grip (which is wat i use) i mean i does have its disadvantages and ive lost alot of points but ive also won alot cuz of its spin and i have a solid backhand
Free411 3 years ago
Basically he is saying to loosen your grip and be nice and loose with it and one thing is that topspin is generated with cutting up on the ball go low to high with the raquet he said its based off of raquet speed that isnt always true you have to be able to get underneith the ball and cut up on it
nathan155555 3 years ago
ur not really supposed to loosen ur grip, but u shouldnt keep it stiff either. just do something in between of loose and stiff.
Crynoglare2 3 years ago
I'm the number three player on my high school team and about a month ago I was hitting the ball with a ton of topspin and with lots of speed, but I sprained my ankle twice, and now that i'm starting to play again(in my first week back), I have a big tournament coming up and I can either hit it with alot of topspin, or really flat and fast, I cant mix the two together, what should I do to solve this
any tips will help
shotyboy 3 years ago
take a private lesson so your instructor can watch your swing
ElectiveMute 3 years ago
I'm always doing this and for some reason when I switch to an eastern to do a topspin shot I'm not able to generate enough spin. And so most of my shots miss the baseline by a bit. Anyone know if the tension in the racket strings can help add more spin?
robertleforte 3 years ago
Relax your hand...
Allow a looser grip tension to naturally drop your racket head below the ball prior to contact and then pick up its own racket head speed to generate plenty of topspin.
Boris Becker & Pete Sampras could top forehands with massive pure topspin when they wnated to with an eastern grip and literally make contact to their side.
Give me a break with this western garbage...
If you want to play tennis past 45, get smart and stop trying to play like Roddick.
webtennis 3 years ago
webtennis is useful but to really develop the skills rather than understand them, one would need a teacher to watch over you and point out mistakes u don't notice
Some1bor3d 3 years ago
but before ive been accustomed to a more western grip, and the eastern grip has really kept my racket straighter on swings
Some1bor3d 3 years ago
i keep trying to generate topspin on the more horizontal and higher hits, even with a relaxed swing, but theres not enough spin so the ball doesn't travel downwards fast enough
Some1bor3d 3 years ago
you cant hit heavy topspin with an eastern grip, if you play against players generating heavy topspin and play higher balls too, you will get too many problems with an easterngrip
lukasbonstingl 3 years ago
If you learn to take the ball on the rise, you can take their shots early with a flatter grip, use their pace, and come into net and force them to pass you.
You should be careful using an extreme western grip to generate "heavy" topspin.
Unless you're a world class trained athlete, the potential for injury to your wrist, elbow, shoulder, & lower back is huge.
Learn to play with more grips. I think Federer is the best because he simply has the most grips available to him.
Brent
webtennis 3 years ago
Thank you for telling me that topspin with an eastern grip is possible! I have a natural eastern grip, but I've been trying (more or less coerced) to switch to a western or semi-western grip to create some topspin, but it just felt very awkward to me. I would almost always hit the ball into the net or straight down. I'll try this to see if it helps, although one of my problems is that I tense up.
xrzkxero 3 years ago
his a natural
magick001 3 years ago
Pete sampras and Tim henman used eastern forehand grip. That's all you need to know.
stratomaster 3 years ago
continental grip
gowroo 3 years ago
the thing is Nadal uses western grip and Federer uses Eastern grip so u can't really say which one is better.
jeff00210 3 years ago
Federer uses a mostly semi western, he varies largely based on conditions. I have never seen a grip of his that looks like a full eastern.
dmugger 3 years ago
well it isn't full eastern, but it definitely isn't a full semi-western either. it's a very mild semi-western grip.
ihateuutube 3 years ago
Thanks so much for the tip. Relaxing the hands wrist and racket through the hit is key for me. I haven't been doing that consistently and I'm too tense, holding the racket very tight.
mahadragon 3 years ago 3
This is an old way of hitting. His racquet head is way too much above his head. The modern way teaches the student to end up with their racquet head pointing directly to the back fence with the racquet ending up just over the shoulder or if u want lower. the hand is suppose to end up on the top of your left shoulder. his hand is somewhere else
taylorstorm08 3 years ago 2
That's right. I teach the "classic" stuff so you and your pals will be able to play the game for the rest of your life. You're crazy if you think your body parts can survive hitting a Roddick type forehand over time. Brent
webtennis 3 years ago
I agree. your video on spacing on the forehand with your elbow tucked in is the basic part of the modern forehand that i try to copy. If you lookat slow motion videos the pros all meet the ball with racquets square to the ball. I really appreciate your videos great job. I have purchased a two handled tennis racquet and am learning to hit forehands on both sides.(bit of work but worth the effort i belive)
tailofdog 3 years ago
i saw a picture of a two handled racket. How do you use em?
lazyman90 3 years ago
You can use them as a normal racquet or 2 hands on both sides or the other option is using 2 forehands left & right (ther is a stiff learning curve)
tailofdog 3 years ago
its not just classic stuff, this is basic stuff. plus if u look at federer he uses a eastern forehand
heffychokotto 3 years ago 2
ur stupid he uses a semi western
aznsoulxd 3 years ago
r u a dumbass~ he uses a eastern. its more of between eastern and semi-western, but its still called eastern~
heffychokotto 3 years ago
more to the eastern though, he varies, but mostly its eastern. Look at his finish and natural follow through
khesimkong 3 years ago
thats tru, he uses a eastern more and its easier to use for a fast pace player like him
heffychokotto 3 years ago
nice BABALOT!!
jyy82993 3 years ago
i meant BABOLAT! haha my bad
jyy82993 3 years ago
The upper limit of this style of play is going to be around a 5.5. Below 5.5, where a majority of players are at, this is a great way to play. 1.) because it is easier on your body 2.)provides for consistency.
A western grip requires more precise timing, but for those who spend a-lot of time playing and accept the burden on the shoulder joint(high end high school,collegiate and professional players) the Western grip/Windshield Wiper forehand is great.
tennismike22 3 years ago
The big problem down the road with a western forehand grip after high school and college is as you describe, risk to body parts, but mentally, burn out from being so limited. Players with big western forehands typically don't make very good doubles players, and the reality is when you get older, you play more dubs. Brent
webtennis 3 years ago
i dont think thats true
Ukraine732 3 years ago