On Court with USPTA: Improved Forehand Technique with Rick Macci
Summary
TLDRIn this tennis instructional video, coach Rick Macy demonstrates his methodology to master professional player forehand technique. He analyzes common problems like taking the racket too far back, advocates for reducing range of motion while increasing speed, and provides a step-by-step breakdown. Macy emphasizes proper elbow positioning, tapping an imaginary dog to get the correct wrist angle, driving forward with the hips to let the racket flip into the slot, and rolling the forearm for topspin. He aims to efficiently create maximum racket head speed for power.
Takeaways
- 😀 The forehand swing needs to evolve to adapt to the faster pace of modern tennis
- 👌 Studying pro players' strokes with 3D and MRI technology informs teaching methodology
- ✂️ The key is reducing range of motion while increasing racket speed
- 🤸♂️ Having the elbow elevated sets proper joint angles for efficient stroke mechanics
- 🐕 Tap an imaginary dog on the head to get proper elbow extension and racket positioning
- 🚀 Driving with the legs and hips makes the racket flip into the slot for maximum racket head speed
- 🎯 Elbow passing by the trunk enables hitting through the ball in a straight line for consistency
- 🔁 Rolling the forearm after contact induces topspin
- ⚡️ It's all about producing maximum racket head speed efficiently
- 🧠 Even if you don't master it, trying this technique can still improve your current strokes
Q & A
What is the main goal when hitting the forehand as outlined in the video?
-The main goal is to reduce the range of motion on the backswing and replace it with faster, more efficient muscle mechanics to increase racket head speed.
What should the elbow position be when taking the racket back?
-The elbow should be elevated and away from the body, with the forearm parallel to the ground.
What is the importance of 'elbow extension' in the forehand technique?
-Elbow extension helps set the proper joint angles so the stroke is more efficient. It leads to increased racket head speed and power.
What is meant by 'tapping the dog' in reference to the forehand?
-This is a teaching cue to get the player to achieve elbow extension with the palm down and racket head externally rotated, as if tapping a dog on the head.
How does the 'flipping' action of the racket occur?
-It occurs naturally when the elbow is extended and the legs/hips drive forwards causing the racket drop down and flip back into the slot.
Why is it important for the elbow to pass by the body on the forward swing?
-This allows for maximal racket head speed and facilitates applying topspin to the ball.
What is the benefit of reducing the backswing motion?
-It speeds up the stroke for better timing while still allowing complete energy transfer for power.
How can you create topspin on the forehand finish?
-Use a rolling motion of the forearm and turn the wrist over as if turning a doorknob.
What is the kinetic chain referenced in the video?
-This refers to the sequence of momentum transfer from the legs to hips to trunk to arm that allows for optimum stroke power.
What is the main focus when changing a forehand technique?
-The main focus is on the stroke mechanics - adjusting motions like the elbow position rather than footwork or strategy.
Outlines
😊 Introducing the federer forehand technique
Rick Macy introduces the federer forehand technique which focuses on reducing the range of motion of the swing and replacing it with faster muscle mechanics to produce more racket head speed. He explains how researching with 3D technology revealed adaptations top players make and outlines the key aspects of the new methodology.
😃 Elbow position is key for efficient stroke
Rick emphasizes keeping the elbow elevated on the takeback and elbow extension on the forward swing. This sets the proper joint angles, engages the shoulder more and enables a more linear stroke path for power. He cues tapping an imaginary dog's head to get the right finish position.
😉 Reducing range of motion but not power
Rick explains how keeping the elbow elevated reduces the circularity of the stroke path allowing cleaner contact and more consistency without losing power. He has the student try some reps holding the elbow in the right position on the takeback to ingrain the new mechanics.
🙂 Dialling back effort level to nail technique
Rick notices the student muscling the ball when trying too hard. He explains overcooking shots when lacking confidence and cues dialling back effort level to focus on the new framework with elbow extension. This allows ingraining proper technique.
😊 Concluding with key concept summary
Rick summarizes the federer forehand method which reduces range of motion and develops faster stroke mechanics for efficiency. The key is elbow elevation, extension and getting the racket in the slot for maximum racket head speed.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡forehand
💡range of motion
💡racket head speed
💡elbow extension
💡joint angles
💡linear stroke
💡muscle mechanics
💡topspin
💡timing
💡repetition
Highlights
Learn to hit the Federer forehand by going over 7 key aspects of the shot
Using 3D technology and MRI to study pros' strokes; centered method around reducing range of motion but replacing it with faster mechanics
Keep the elbow elevated on the backswing, away from the body; this sets the proper joint angles
On the forward swing, go through elbow extension like tapping a dog on the head, which causes the racket to flip into the slot
Let the racket find the dynamic slot on its own by tapping the dog, pulling the hand, and driving the legs and hips
Having the correct elbow position enables you to engage the shoulder more, adding power and hitting the ball in a straight line
Reducing swing radius and replacing it with faster mechanics creates more racket head speed and a heavier, more consistent ball
On the finish, roll the forearm to induce topspin instead of manipulating the wrist
It will feel weird at first after hitting thousands of balls the old way, have to build new muscle memory
Goal is getting maximum racket head speed efficiently while keeping ball in court
Even if not fully mastered, these mechanics are likely an improvement over your current stroke
Pure stroke mechanics for more efficient power
Game getting faster; players constantly adapting swings
Stroke aims to be more linear, elbow passing by trunk on forward swing
Repetition in controlled environment key before fully ingrained
Transcripts
[Music]
in this episode uspta master
professional rick macy will show you how
to hit an improved forehand by going
over seven key technical aspects of the
shot
learn to hit the federer forehand
hi there i'm rick macy uspta master
professional you want more pop on your
forehand you want to hit the true heavy
ball and get a lot of explosiveness why
can get you that forehand plus i can do
it reducing the range of motion let's
get started
[Music]
the game has gotten so much faster
and the players are constantly have to
make adaptations in their swings through
the years brian gordon
has really studied exactly what is going
on out there on the pro tour and from
his findings doing all this with the 3d
technology
where cameras are set up and you
actually take an mri an mri of someone's
stroke like an x-ray through all this
research
brian and i have put together a
methodology
pretty much on the forehand and backhand
and the serve
the three real big ticket items in
tennis
where
it centers around reducing the range of
motion that means how big someone's
stroke is
but you've got to replace it with faster
quicker muscle mechanics it's really
programming the muscles to make these
movements so players can evolve into
this technique that we're teaching
what's probably the biggest problem on
your forehanks i've never seen you hit a
ball so what would you say the biggest
problem be on your forehand i tend to
have a pretty big evac swing and i take
it back bingo first off i'll take the
temperature and i want to see exactly
what's going on all right so just do
your thing you're going to hit your
forehand and i'm going to start putting
your elbow and your racket in certain
position and we see if we can get that
forehand cleaned up so hustle back there
and let's tee it up what i'm talking
about is pure stroke mechanics
a more efficient way to hit the tennis
ball
to produce more racket head speed
[Music]
good i like your wheels i like your feet
attaboy a few more
not bad
that's it i like your feet keep popping
the popcorn
that's all right
a few more drew
hustla
your unit turn is pretty good what i
mean by that you turn the shoulders and
you get the racket back you know right
away so i really like that
take the racket back as one piece
racket head the tip's going to be up but
we want to have that elbow elevated
almost like you're nudging someone we
don't want that elbow tucked in so one
piece
racket head up
elbow back
that's the preparation
but here's where you're getting into
trouble come on up here a little bit go
ahead and turn sideways now when you
take the racket back you have your elbow
way too close to the body
and what happens is when the elbow is at
close to the body almost every single
time when you go into this looping
action when your elbow is close you have
a tendency to take the racket back into
this position and if you notice where
your elbow is see how far it is behind
your body
okay now
here's going to be the game changer when
you take the racket back okay
you're going to take the racket back but
i want your elbow to be elevated
you want to make sure there's some type
of elevation away from the body you want
that left elbow up a little bit you
don't want that joint angle down here
you want that right elbow elevated
elevated a little bit
and the angle at this position
forearm would be parallel to the ground
okay that angle would be straight down
the elbow would be straight back to the
fence
when the elbow is elevated and away from
the body that's the first thing that's
going to set these joint angles in the
right position now from this position
you're going to go into this movement
here
where the racket you see where it just
went
once that elbow is elevated when you go
into the back loop
we want elbow extension
elbows up
elbow extension
this stroke's really simple it might
sound complicated but it's really this
elbow up
elbow extension
elbow up
elbow extension now am i saying make
your arm stiff no am i saying try to
straighten it out absolutely this is the
key because most people when they take
it back they go here
okay
and then they open this up and the elbow
comes back in when that happens
the elbow goes much further back in the
stroke
now you get to circular movement and
it's not going to be efficient it's not
going to hit the ball consistently that
you can extend through the contact point
elbow up elbow extension as you start to
go in to tap the dog then you're going
to start your swing
after elbow extension
the racket goes into a position where
the palm is somewhat down
the racket head is to the outside
the wrist is up you want to get that
elbow extension like you're tapping the
dog on the head pretend there's a dog
back at a diagonal the hand would be in
this position
you wouldn't take the hand and the
racket and have it too much on the edge
or have it open you definitely want to
be in a position where
you tap the dog on the head now you can
say palm down that's effective but one
of the best teaching cues that we've
learned is when i tell them
after elbow extension tap the dog it
really sinks in
and what happens then it causes the
racket when you drive your legs and hips
the racket's going to go down
okay as you keep driving the racket will
go back okay and it's okay to have the
racket there we want the racket to get
in that position but here's the big
ticket the elbow it's going to be able
to pass through the trunk
okay when you hit the ball
because the racket's to the outside and
the racket head is above the hand
when you pull the hand and you drive the
leg in the hip the racket goes down and
back on its own and it goes very quickly
that's what we call the flip when you
pull that hand from the outside and the
racket flips it goes down on its own and
it goes back on its own it finds this
position where the butt cap is towards
the ball
a lot quicker there's a lot more
momentum which is going to create a lot
more racket head speed so you're going
to find the slot that dynamic slot a lot
faster when you go and tap the dog you
pull on the hand
and that finds the dynamic slot and
that's creating a lot more racket speed
and you're going to hit a heavier ball
in a much bigger ball
all i want you to do is make a forward
swing don't go back
okay you went back just a little bit
okay don't worry about the power you can
have your hand down just a little bit
more there you go just make a forward
swing that's all i want to see attaboy
again
just start from that position right
there
okay
but right now play a little more open
stance
just keep it there don't move it ah
that's that's a good try attaboy that's
okay
[Music]
again
get the right there just keep it there
keep it there
attaboy again
everything cross-court you're doing a
good job
that was healthy that was very healthy i
like that one again
good now
just so you feel a little more
comfortable in the relationship between
you and the balls better try to work the
feet a little bit more up and a little
bit more back i like on the rise i want
on the rise and you got to hit the ball
on the rise but never hit the ball on
the rise because you're lazy never hit
the ball on the rise because you don't
want to move not that i'm saying that's
going on but you'll time the ball a
little better if you adjust the feet
then push down
but the main thing we're working on with
this forehand for right now this
progression you already got elbow
extension and your racket's to the
outside
doing great doing great now very seldom
have you ever heard you're doing great
when you hit it in the bottom of the net
like that but the stroke the way you did
the mechanics that was healthy i like it
i like it again
nice and true again
good again set the racket see where you
put your left arm across
now keep the elbow right there keep it
on that side
better
so you're not going to take it back the
back's going to occur on its own attaboy
the racket's flipping too
again slow down just a little bit take
your time take your time again all right
come on up here hustle hustle
[Music]
coming up learn the key to reducing the
range of motion to hit that heavy ball
[Music]
the elbow is the the key element to me
in this whole thing because that's the
first thing that breaks down in the
kinetic chain
if you don't have the elbow
somewhat to a
and then when you go into your backswing
and here's the key when you go back
you got to keep that elbow up elbow up
elbow extension now after the flip that
elbow if everything was right that elbow
is pretty much on the hitting side of
the body and what that does that enables
you to engage the shoulder more that
means more juice you're pretty much
hitting the ball in a straight line low
to high if you want to go more topspin
you just swing more low to high okay
and you see this you see that extension
with the best four hands in the world
then you got options galore
if the elbow
goes back
okay or comes in
then what happens is the path of the
racket's coming more circular
you can still hit a pretty good shot but
it's not going to be the true heavy ball
it's not going to be dynamic did you
feel like you lost that much power just
from that position
no okay and see that's where this is
going to go because as long as i can set
these joint angles you're actually going
to get more power simply because i'm
going to be able to make the racket go
more linear and it's going to be able to
go more you can maneuver the racket up
to get more topspin now what i want you
to do it's going to get a little tougher
what i want you to do
is wait in this position okay so from
this position come on up here
grab your racket with your left hand so
the elbow is elevated so this is going
to be your new preparation elbow up
elbow extension as you start to go in to
tap the dog then you're going to start
your swing and what happens then it
causes the racket when you drive your
legs and hips the racket's going to go
down
okay as you keep driving the racket will
go back
okay and it's okay to have the racket
there we want the racket to get in that
position but here's the big ticket the
elbow it's going to be able to pass
through the trunk
okay where before
when you did your stroke
the elbow came from way around this way
and that's what caused you to be laid a
lot in a lot of mis-hits
we go into our forward swing after the
racket flips we want to make sure
it's almost like you're pulling a rope
here we want the elbow
everything moving in a straight line
there's going to be more of a linear
type movement that's made here if the
elbow goes back behind the body
everything's going to be a little more
circular and the elbow is going to tuck
in
so we already got turn the elbows a
little elevated excellent
better
great buddy again keep it up keep the
elbow up
again
keep that elbow up keep it up okay two
things now
mentally
i need you to scale it down a little bit
don't try to hit it so hard and the
reason why i'm saying that because when
you try really hard
to hit the ball
what you what you feel like you need to
do is you need to take it back a little
bit
you know a lot of times when people have
confidence it's a good thing but also
they can start overcooking the ball so
what i want you to do you can stay
aggressive but you got to stay in the
framework elbow up elbow extension boom
give it a shot drew keep it up here
that was great great miss buddy great
miss
better
better again
so in the game
totally different the radius of your
swing much different again
good
again go ahead and set it already have
get the shoulders turned all the way now
already have it all the way turn your
shoulder a little more
a little more
now from that position i want you to go
to the elbow extension
awesome you're doing great you're
picking this up drew with the new
forehand
again
doing better you doing better
got to give it up on that one
okay question you can say whatever you
can say whatever you want
does it feel different than your old
forehand yes definitely yes definitely i
like when the kids say that when they
say yes or yes definitely that means
something good is cooking so what did
you feel different
well it kind of fears it kind of feels
weird when you like keep the elbow like
so much forward
when you go through with the swing
but um
other than that it's pretty good for the
most part do you feel your stroke was
bigger or shorter shorter did you feel
the racket going faster or slower faster
and that's though that's what this is
all about we're
decreasing the range of motion and we're
making the racket go faster
remember what we're trying to accomplish
we're reducing the radius of your back
swing and replacing it with quicker
faster muscle mechanics
on the finish once this elbow passes by
the trunk you want to make sure you get
some type of rolling action on your
forearm here you want to feel this this
is how you're going to induce top spin
on the ball this rolling action you
don't want to manufacture the wrist at
the end
you get extension
turn the doorknob for a great finish
let's hit a few more you're doing great
you're doing great from that position
show me what's gonna happen next
okay
elbow elevated
[Music]
again
so good how'd that feel good
good or great great i like that better
here we go elbow up elbow extension see
one of the things i like what's going on
one of the things you're feeling and
that's why we got to do repetition
repetition repetition on on your stroke
mechanics here
you're feeling and you're convincing
yourself i don't need to take it back as
far
i'm still getting good power i'm
actually getting more top spin and
notice you haven't missed hit the ball
now
go from ready position this is where
it's going to get a little slippery here
we go showtime from the ready position
you're doing a great job buddy
good try again
not bad
again
attaboy good effort keep adjusting your
feet
hustle i like that i like that
you feel a difference yeah okay what's
the you surprised me because this this
is not easy i'm talking thousands of
balls you gotta hit a lot of repetitions
in a controlled environment okay before
you're gonna get this does it feel
different than your old stroke yes okay
kind of fill me in what what do you feel
is going on
um well i mean i'll have to take it back
like behind me and just keep it on the
same side
and so i guess that makes it easier as
far as the timing goes
because i don't have to worry about how
far i'm taking it back
and so i can make sure i get it in front
of me
and continue with my finish remember you
did thousands and thousands the other
way and your brain's telling your
muscles i want to go here
so you can just build up the confidence
and your muscle memory from the ready
position you're gonna go boom boom
opposed to boom
boom does that make sense
you did a great job
[Music]
let me frame this up for you remember
the concept what we're trying to do is
reduce the range of motion the radius of
your swing and develop quicker faster
shorter muscle mechanics
here comes the ball
i turn the shoulders
the great preparation
you want that left elbow up a little bit
you don't want that joint angle down
here you want that right elbow elevated
remember what i said
you don't want it too high that's going
to take too long to get this
accomplished
we're reducing the range of motion
and we're replacing it with quicker
faster muscle mechanics
so it's imperative elbow up
elbow
extension after elbow extension
the racket goes into a position where
the palm is somewhat down
the racket head is to the outside
the wrist is up you want to get that
elbow extension like you're tapping the
dog on the head
you want to drive the leg and hip that's
going to cause the racket to flip
power starts from the ground up we
always drive the legs the hips turn but
because of where my racket set it causes
the racket to flip
boom
the name of the game
is getting more racket head speed and
being more efficient
when you start your forward swing
the elbow then passes by the trunk and
this is how you're going to get that
all-important top spin you're going to
turn the doorknob or you're going to wax
on
wax off
good luck
what i'm talking about is pure stroke
mechanics a more efficient way to hit
the tennis ball to produce more racket
head speed because let's face it at the
end of the day that's what the game's
all about can i get as much racket speed
as possible
and still be effective and efficient in
keeping the ball in the court anybody
can keep the ball in the court going
like that but can you get it in there
with some juice on it
10 15 20 times in a row that's the key
not talking about footwork i'm not
talking about the mental part
purely stroke mechanics but if we can
give people
maybe i'm not saying a new a new toolbox
but maybe a little different way to look
at the ground strokes
especially as this game's getting bigger
and faster i think
all coaches
and players should really give this a
good shot because even if you're close
to getting it it's better than what
you're doing before for more help with
your game find a uspto teaching pro at
usptafindapro.com
[Music]
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