Hitting a tennis forehand is one of the most basic and most used tennis strokes.
If you are a beginner tennis player then getting your forehand technique down will be something you want to start working on from the very start.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when learning how to hit a tennis forehand is trying to make their hands do all of the work.
This leads them into using lots of unnecessary arm swing, which in turn makes it harder for them to control the ball without over-hitting or hitting out on the stroke.
This article will teach you what techniques are best for your desired style and the level of player you are.
In this post, we will talk about all the important steps to getting a tennis forehand that is consistent and will win you points during your tennis matches.
Here are some of the things that will be covered:
- How to Hit a Tennis Forehand
- Tennis Grip for Forehands
- Tennis Forehand Position
- Tennis Forehand Swing
- Tennis Forehand Topspin
- Tennis Forehand Swing
- Tennis Forehand Technique for Beginners
- Tennis Forehand Tips
- Tennis Forehand Drills
The perfect forehand in tennis takes lots of practice. You will want to know how to grip your tennis racket correctly as well as how to stand in order to get the most power and consistency. Once you have figured out the forehand basic skills you will want to practice them with drills or even by hitting against a wall.
One of the best ways to gain power in your forehand is to make sure that you have your racket back so that you are set up to make contact with the ball when it come your way.
Once you have gotten to the location where you plan to hit your forehand make sure you get your racket back so that you can make contact with the ball in the sweet spot of your racket.
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Everything You Need to Know About How to Hit a Tennis Forehand
Tennis Grip for Forehands
First, let’s discuss grip.
The most common grip used for forehands is the Eastern grip.
To get the Eastern grip you need to place your hand flat against the strings and slide down to the handle and there you have it!
I recommend this grip for beginners because it will be the easiest to learn and use correctly.
This grip works well for forehand shots as you can add some topspin to your shots with it and it is also a very easy grip to learn for beginner tennis players.
If you are an advanced player, I would suggest that you consider using a Semi-Western Grip.
To form the semi-western grip, we place the palm side of our index finger’s knuckle against the fourth bevel if you’re right-handed, or the sixth bevel if you are left-handed.
This grip is a little bit more difficult to master but it will give better control and power for advanced players.
So, this option would be best for those that are looking for added precision or want to make sure they have enough power in their shots without too much effort.
You may be able to get a bit more topspin using this grip as well.
You can read more in-depth about tennis grips HERE.
Tennis Forehand Position
In order to be prepared to hit your forehand you want to be in a “ready” position.I
Remember those tennis footwork drills we talked about?
Having great footwork helps you in all aspects of tennis….including forehands!
This means you have your knees slightly bent and are most likely doing a slight “bounce” so that you are prepared to move quickly when your opponent hits the shot.
Once you get to the spot where you are going to hit your forehand you want to make sure your racket is back so that you can get a full swing at the ball.
After you make contact with the ball you will follow through with your shot by bringing your tennis racket over your shoulder and then getting yourself ready for the next ball that is coming your way.
Tennis Forehand Swing
When you are swinging your racket to hit your forehand you will want to keep your racket parallel to the ground.
Your swing should go in the direction that you want the ball which is just over the net.
If your racket face faces upward then you can expect the ball to go that direction as well.
If it is facing downward then it most likely won’t make it over the net and get hit to the ground.
Keeping your racket parallel to the ground will help you keep your swing level so that you can get the ball just over the net which is where you want it to go.
Forehand Topspin
Once you feel comfortable hitting a forehand you can start adding some topspin to mix it up a bit.
The best way to add topspin is to just think about “brushing” the ball vertically when you make contact with it.
The faster you “brush” the ball the more topspin it will generate.
Tennis Forehand Technique for Beginners
Forehand technique is a little more complicated than just swinging your arm and hitting the ball.
For beginners, it is best to have an open stance so that you can swing with maximum power, which means not having any weight on either foot but staying centered while still being able to move in one direction or another.
You will also want to make sure you always have your racket head up higher than the grip hand, so that you can generate more power.
You can place your other hand gently on the racket as well.
Your grip should be fairly loose and relaxed.
If you are gripping too tightly, you will not generate as much power and your shots will fly to the other side of the net.
The grip is also very important! If you don’t have the correct grip on your racket it will be nearly impossible to hit a good forehand.
The next important thing is to turn as soon as you see the ball is coming to your forehand and get your racket back.
This allows you to turn and swing the racquet with your whole body.
You should be standing on your toes at all times, this will allow you to generate more power as well.
Tennis Forehand Tips
We have talked a lot about form and how to actually hit the ball with your forehand…but what about the mental aspect?
When hitting a forehand, it is important for you to focus on the ball and stay in control of your thoughts.
You should keep telling yourself that you can do this!
Your body will follow what’s going on with your mind…and if you start doubting yourself, your shots won’t be as good.
Don’t get so caught up in hitting hard and “winning” shots.
Focus on just returning the ball to your opponent and letting them make the error…so you can win the point!
Forehand Tennis Drills
The best way to improve your forehand and get better at tennis is to practice.
Tennis drills allow you to focus on one aspect of your tennis game and get lots of repetitive practice.
What forehand tennis drills will help your forehand get more power and accuracy?
Let’s talk about a few of my favorites!
Best Tennis Forehand Drill When Practicing Alone
The wall is a tennis player’s best friend.
Tennis drills with a wall are some of the best because you can hit to it and never have to worry about running out of balls!
Find your favorite wall and hit a forehand to it.
Check yourself while you are doing this.
How is your tennis-ready position?
Are you getting your racket back?
To get even more feedback set up your camera and take a video.
This will allow you to see exactly how all of these things are and what things you could improve on.
Forehand Tennis Drills with a Partner
If you have someone that can feed you tennis balls then I would take the opportunity to work on your accuracy.
Set up three targets on the other side of the court and try to hit them as your partner feeds you balls.
This will help to improve your accuracy in this situation, which is very important when playing against an opponent.
If you want to make it trickier have your partner yell out which target to hit right as they feed you a ball.
Ready to Try it OUu?
We hope you’ve learned something about how to hit a stong forehand. Did we cover everything?
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