Hit A Perfect Topspin Forehand With 3 Key Words

In just three words, you can learn how to hit the perfect topspin forehand ground stroke: "Tip," "Skip", and "Whip."

#1 “Tip”

"Tip" refers to the take-back of your racquet. To get into the correct racket position, imagine there's a light at the end of your racquet strings and that you're simply "shining the light to your right."

#2 “Skip”

The second word, "skip," refers to a shuffle step. Although many people believe that the purpose of the shuffle step is only to recover back to the center of the court, it actually can also be used as an initiating move for your swing as well as increasing its power.

If you perform a shuffle step correctly, you'll notice that you'll float in midair for just a moment before dropping down again with gravity. As this happens, your legs will help increase the power by pumping rhythmically- much like how someone would pump their legs on a swingset to create momentum.

#3 “Whip”

The last word, "Whip," is the moment your racquet hits the ball. You can feel it in your hand and forearm. A good whip feels a lot like trying to swat somebody's hat off their head. If you tried to use just this part of your body for the entire swing, it would be way too difficult because the racquet is so heavy. Instead, release the racquet and let it drop using gravity--that initial acceleration work will already be done!

Shadow Stroke

When you do the stroke without a ball, it's called a shadow stroke. The first step is to relax and sense gravity so you can connect with it. If you force the motion or do it in slow motion, you'll create tension and lose your connection to gravity. Let the gravity and the weight of the racket do as much of the work as possible.

Self-Feed

The next step is to use a self-feed. This is really where the magic of Gravity Tennis shines: The gravitational constant principle applies to all objects, regardless of mass. By synchronizing my motions with the ball's flight, you can get in sync with the ball and allow the racket and ball fall into each other perfectly timed.

When you sync the tip of your racket with the ball toss, and your shuffle step coincides with the ball's bounce, you can "initiate what I call the 'mutual float.'" This is when both the racket and ball are floating at aroundsame level before they collide. To "whip" it for a perfect forehand shot then all you have to do is finish by adding some speed with your hand. So in summary: "Tip," "Skip," and then finally -"Whip."

It is essential that you feed the ball to yourself in a way that will work with your stroke. Always float the ball in front of you so that you can move or shuffle along with it. If done correctly, your movement and the ball will appear as though they are fluidly dancing together.

Progressing Further

After you're comfortable with the self-feed you can progress to a coach's feed, and ultimately to a rally with a coach or partner. Continue to try to maintain the same fluidity and rhythm as you're self-feed. Practice makes perfect!

Conclusion

In just three words, you can learn how to hit the perfect topspin forehand ground stroke: "Tip," "Skip," and "Whip." These three simple steps will help you connect with gravity and create a powerful whip that sends the ball flying across the court. If you want to progress even further, be sure to practice with a coach or partner and maintain the same rhythm and fluidity as your self-feeds. If you're interested in seeing a video of this post, you can go here:

This post is part of the jumping off point for the Gravity Tennis Method. If you'd like to learn more about GTM, click here. And grab your free relaxation checklist while you're at it.