Beginner Tennis: A five star forehand & quick fix when you're in trouble
Ready to hit your best forehand!
Regardless the playing level, everyone playing tennis is out to have a good time. That rush happens fast when you hit your first beginner forehand on the sweet spot and it lands in the opposite court. That 1st time is like noooo other! YOU WILL come back for more. But to do it again you’ll need to improve your beginner forehand to get into your first tennis rally. I love teaching the forehand & fixing adults on day 1 of an adult camp. It sets a great energy for everyone to quickly improve the #1 fan favorite shot in tennis, the forehand.
To improve a beginner forehand a new player will focus on hitting deep, 6 ft. high balls above the net, consistently. Next improve moving the ball around left to right, cross court - down the line. At the same time, find your ideal hitting stance for balance, support and comfort in a neutral or open stance to improve the forehand.
My first post on the perfect beginner forehand focuses A LOT on using your non-hitting hand to find your contact point. Your non-dominant hand is sooo important to your forehand, it's crazy!!!! So please get used to using it. You'll not only look like a player, but you'll feel stable and exactly sure where & when to hit the ball. It’s like having a buddy out there with you, pointing the way.
Pro tip: 💡
Adult tennis camps by playing level & travel destination for Summer 2023 check here.
Beginner's Mind: For beginner players
The most important thing for you to do before going further is remember you're learning from scratch. No one expects anything from you besides feeling good on court. And figuring out if you like tennis.
In order to get there with less frustration, put down any ideas you have around how easy the game looks on TV.
Go into the game having very little expectations - especially at the beginning. Or that you played tennis in high school and so, of course you already know how to play decades later. Try not to be in a rush. Try NOT to judge your abilities on court next to “Jamie Too-Shoes” in your class.
Be open to staring this game as an adult, like so many others do. You don’t have to compete if you don’t want to. You can use it for exercise, for work, or learn it because your family plays. You don’t need to be really athletic to play the game. It’s not a rich mans game, or to hard for you.
Come out on court open to the idea that tennis is new and you likely know very little. And that’s ok. You’d like to make the most of the experience so you’re willing to learn from someone who might know more.
Be open to not judging yourself at all while you’re learning. Or other players learning beside you. You’re all in the same boat. They feel the same way you do. Be open to all those videos you’ve likely watched on youtube that might help you from hearing tennis terms or slang and of course, seeing the way a ball is hit.
But from an experiential place? This sport really takes; seeing doing, feeling, missing & trying again to consistently hit a great forehand. Hitting 1000’s of balls!!!! That can be really satisfying with an open attitude.
Tennis isn’t hard when you’re OPEN to learning the game. Very little tricks, secrets, and rocket science theories will get you playing real tennis. Learning in real time from a certified coach w/ patience & simple verbal cues specific to you AND has a good eye will get you there, fast! It’s like the two of you are investing in each other. It’s always a team effort when you find the right coach.
As long as you don't jump ahead and skip the foundations, you're going to do great!
Remember! Sooo many adult tennis players get frustrated & stuck at the intermediate level. Why? Their foundations took a hit.
Here’s a simple beginner course online to learn how to play tennis and everything you need to learn as a beginner in order to advance in the game. to drill down on the fundamentals you need to learn; including how to keep score, which racket to buy for beginners, the 5 core strokes and basic tennis strategies for newbies.
Without decent foundations it’ll be tough to get rallying or ever feel confident enough to play a point. So don’t limit yourself. Even the beginning level is fun to learn the game and meet new people.
{I'd LOVE to skip my Spanish verb tables but it won't do me any good if I ever want to actually talk to someone. So foundations are important.
Protip: 💫
Stretch before you step out on court. Loosen and warm-up the shoulders, wrists and hands.
Before you get on court, loosen up to prevent injury w/ Tania Rada
Now let’s improve your forehand
Now that you've warmed-up your shoulders, hands & wrists before hitting your first forehand you’ve likely pulled up to the service line for your on-court warm up in mini-tennis before backing up to the baseline to hit full swing forehands, no?
{P.S. Mini tennis is great. Don't let anyone tell you it's lame. It gets everything firing (eyes, instincts, mind, feet, and balance) and awake.}
Tennis Forehand Basics: A quick review
The Grip
You're in an EASTERN grip because it's easy and let's you hit through a tennis ball. Visually that must seem impossible - to hit through a ball?! But it happens automatically when you hit deep balls.
In my last post here I talk about swinging for the fences to get the sensation of hitting through a ball. That’s easy to do in a forehand eastern grip.
If you’re able to hit the fence on the opposite side, then you've successfully hit through the ball and used your body to send the ball flying! That’s a good thing. That’s intuitive, natural power.
The Ready Position
Beginner Forehand: Eastern grip - Ready position
This is your starting position before & after each shot.
Each stroke in tennis has a ready position except the serve. There’s the return of serve but of course not the serve. On your forehand it's when you stand behind the baseline. The racket poised in front showing strength in your body language.
I hear people ask what grip they should be in in their ready position?
Be ready, in your forehand grip. I understand a backhand may come, but it wont' be as likely as a forehand. Remember! 70% of your shots hit will be a forehand. See how important it is to get this stroke right?
It doesn't mean your backhand couldn't turn out to be your stronger tennis stroke when you start out. It was for me. I couldn't keep a forehand ball in the court. I could hit it hard as hell. But that didn’t do me any good when it mattered. (It was my contact point that was off on my forehand! No one caught it and I suffered for it in junior tournaments.)
Last thing about the ready position ... your hips should be parallel to the net.
From there you'll turn your hips & shoulders (sideways) to the net and hit your forehand. When you finish the shot - you'll return to the ready position again. Your hips & shoulders at the end of your shot have automatically turned back towards your ready position again facing the net, parallel.
The Forehand wrist position
contact point and wrist position with Rhonda Costa
As you take your racket back keep the the palm of your hitting hand facing the opposite court. Don’t let your wrist position face the floor or open up to the sky. That’s very important!!
Tennis forehand and how to shape the racket
Shape the Racket Backwards
Shape the racket as you take it back in a small inverted letter "c". Or however it is you develop the motion you see above in your mind. Just don’t make your backswing too big.
Now's a good time to peek at the video.☝🏼
As you take your racket back, you'll likely find your own personal style. But it shouldn’t affect the position of the wrist.
You're shaping the racket head into a position lower than incoming ball and your ideal strike zone. This will make your swing natural, from low to high. It’s the proper swing path (low to high) that lifts the ball to clear the net with ease. When you’re just starting out work on clearing the net each forehand shot by at least 6 ft. above the net.
Protip:💫
The baseline where you hit your forehands is 39 ft. (11.88 meters) from the net height at 3 ft. (0.91 meters). That makes it a challenge to clear the net. To hit and clear the net well, lift the ball with a long fluid swing and your forehand will easily clear a deep ball into the opposite court.
The Forehand Contact point
Here comes the ball. You’ve turned your hips & shoulders sideways, your racket is back - prepared to hit the ball.
You hoist out that left non-dominant hand up & out just in front of you. (for right handed players)
The ball is quickly approaching with the anticipation mounting … the ball is practically lined up with that non-dominant hand now and it’s hitting time! Go & hit it like you mean it. 😁
The Finish on the Forehand
Keep it simple.
As you swing at your forehand it’s good to think of making your swing as long as possible away from your body to the other side of you. That will give you deep balls and a good looking stroke.
Make sure your racket finishes across your body. It shouldn’t be too extreme with the racket wrapped around your neck like a scarf. And it shouldn’t cave onto your chest. That would mean you broke your hitting arm to early. And not only did you not extend at all but you did what we call “slapping at the ball”.
That wouldn’t be good. That’s a good habit to break now, at the beginning level. I see a lot of intermediates who do this commonly. Not a good look on any level. But here’s the thing, that’s what a good coach will catch ASAP and change when you start out. This is the kind of basic I’m talking about learning well at the beginner level.
Your swing is one of the first things you learn in beginner tennis. Hard to build on a bad swing, no?
Adult Beginner Forehand: Power tips
Invest in your forehand. You'll hit it more than 70% of the time and have fun when you have confidence behind it.
The contact point out in front show & tells you where and when to hit the ball - thanks to your non-dominant hand is.
Make your swing extension long & fluid so the ball goes deep and where you want it to.
For more power at the beginner stages turn your shoulders and hips together to set up & swing your racket faster.
Beginner Forehand Stance: How do you like to stand when you hit the ball?
When someone hits the ball right to you, how do you like to stand and hit the ball best?
Do your feet feel best when you step inside the court to hit the ball? Or do you feel more comfortable when your feet are open - next to each other?
These 2 tennis stances are called; open stance & neutral stance. Learn them both.
Neutral stance should be learned 1st, because as a beginner, your tennis pro will hand feed or send the ball to you on purpose. In time, when you have to RUN to a ball out of your reach, you'll need to feel ok in an open stance too.
Not an easy shot. But verrryyy fun when you're able to grab and return a ball out of reach - even if you are in a defensive position.
Who cares! You're still in that point or rally!! If you’re rallying a ball. You’re playing tennis.
Beginner Forehand: How to get more power
Power is something we all want. Unfortunately it's peoples drug on court, and given TOOO much importance. So much so that when beginners start playing they want to hit and play with power right away.
At the beginner level, you're looking to get a ball over and in the court. A few times in a row.
From there, practice moving the ball around side to side. Left to right of the tennis court. Cross court and down-the-line.
AND THEN … you add in the SUGAR! The power.
Protip:💫
Cross court & down-the-line are the 2 dominant directions you will hit the tennis ball.
To get more power on any shot you use your body & swing the racket faster. Get your body into your best hitting position (neutral or open stance) every time you hit a forehand.
Get to the ball quickly. As you see the ball hit from your opponents or coaches strings, start moving in the balls direction. Once you get to the ball - get stopped & grounded. Turn those shoulders and hips with your non-dominant hand raised in front. And let it rip!!!! Swing your racket fassttttt! But only when you're adding more power from a position of strength.
If you're slightly off balance, or a little late getting to the ball ... pull back. Forget adding power this particular shot. Get the ball back over as best as you can. That's enough for now. Maybe next shot you’ll be ready. Because not every shot is possible to add power.
Protip:💫
If your shoulders OR hips aren't fully turned? You'll lose power.
Tennis Forehand Fix: When you're in trouble
You'll make adjustments all the time at any playing level on court.
You'll make mistakes all the time. You'll want to know why? And it’s smart to learn how to self coach yourself early on. So you’ll always feel more aware on court. That you can get yourself out of trouble the next time because you know what you’re doing wrong.
Here's a couple quick fixes for your forehand when you're in trouble:
Are you hitting the ball a lot on the racket frame? You've taken your eye off the ball at the last second. Did you use your non-dominant hand?
Are you hitting the ball in the net? Swing up & think of lifting the ball over the net. Make your balls 6ft. above the net as a beginner.
Are you set up and want to go for more power? Turn your shoulders & hips sideways & swing faster.
Are you hitting balls off to the side? You're too early or too late. Use your non-dominant hand to hit your best shot.
Not feeling steady on contact but you're using your non -dominant hand? Squeeze the racket handle a little harder on contact.
Are your balls going straight up in the air? It's your wrist. Make sure the palm of your hand faces the other side of the court on contact not facing the sky. Correct your wrist position.
Remember!! the game’s built on repetition. So if you’re practicing something on repeat that’s wrong & you pick-up bad habits? You won’t want to change it later. That goes for tennis grips in general. Learn them at the beginning (you should learn the eastern & continental grips early on when you’re learning the backhand.
With love from Mallorca~