Mana Games

[CC]

ManuTOO:

Here is a basic tennis question related to this game. When I practice, I try to make my last two steps before forehand contact like this: step first with my back foot toward the point of contact and then push off and step with my front foot so that I am stepping into the strike and incoming ball path (weight is transferred to front foot) at the moment of contact. So, when I finish, my front foot will often be more to the left court line as I play left-handed, and my back (or left foot) will be more to the right side of the court:

/\
| (path of return)
|
. X (ball, front foot)
__x (back foot) (sorry; don't know how to make indention remain without ___ )

In TE, it seems that the back foot is often in a position opposite of my pattern (if player is left-handed and hits a forehand, the left foot is to the left, and the right foot is to the right). I'm sure there is variation to this when I play, and there is variation in TE, but why aren't accelerated forehand strikes hit with footwork like what I practice with?

Actually, just look at my avatar to see how the animation currently is; I am asking if it should be reversed (right foot to left side, left foot to right side).

Thanks.

[btaylor]

Hi CC

Sounds like you use more of a "closed" stance on your forehand, if you step across to the left sideline as you strike the ball..

The picture in your avatar is more of a semi-open stance where the weight is still transferred forward to the front foot as the ball is struck...
Actually in the modern forehand the two most common stances when playing at the baseline are semi-open and open, with the closed stance used more often for moving forward to hit an approach shot or else running to hit a really wide ball...

Unfortunately, with the animes it's impossible to tell or feel just where the weight shift is happening...

[CC]

btaylor:

Thanks for the reply. I don't know much about tennis (sorry; I love the sport, but I haven't played it for long, and there is much I don't know).

Here is a picture showing the movement I described, and this is Stan Smith in the photo(s):


It is that 1-2 step that I try to use. It works well for me to generate power. I may try to more open stance that you mention to see what happens.

[btaylor]

Hi CC
Stan probably hit 95% of his forehands with that particular stance, as did virtually every other player back in the day before Bjorn Borg entered the picture...
They also used primarily the eastern forehand grip and more of a "linear" swing out toward the target...

I used to use the neutral as well as the closed stance quite a bit myself, but have long since adopted the more "neural/semi-open" and "open" stance forehands from the baseline...though I do still use the closed footwork on occasion...

The main advantage of the open style is the power obtained by using the rotational forces of the torso and hips to provide the power of today's game...also necessitating the use of the semi-western and western forehand grips for more topspin...

Check out the videos of modern forehands on Fuzzy Yellow Balls...

[CC]

btaylor:

Apparently the stance or footwork I am describing is known as the forward stance, and I believe it provides power very well. It may be a little different from the footwork I posted above that Stan Smith used, as in this forward stance movement the body is moving forward, into the ball, and not sideways:


The site referenced for this image explains this movement more:
http://www.revolutionarytennis.com/step3.html