Two Tennis Tips That Work Better Than "Swing Low To High"

slow to high swing may be difficult with a grip, swing and body position that is optimized for Eastern/Western type of a forehand topspin strokes. I'd suggest heavy Continental (backhand grip) and swing low to high as a half circle that is the extension of your shoulder axis and at a forward angle of 45 to 70° (the higher the ball the flatter the angle, the more in front of the body the contact point). Ball contact for normal height balls is much closer to the body, above the right knee for a right-hander. Transfer body weight from right to left foot during the swing. Use legs (vertically) and rotate hips/shoulders (torsional force, very important). The aim is to brush the ball, hence provide more rotational energy.
Sounds odd? That's because it is not the way how Tennis is played today.

Low to high doesn’t work. A Nike swoosh or a C motion is better

My tennis instructor really stressed the low/high movement, big circles at the baseline. I never could prevent my forehand from flying all over the place. Now I know why

Wrong

You have to be under the ball before contact in a upward swing period.

Amazing....! You are so right. I will try it. Thank you.

Myth of contact point on the ball is cleared.perfect explanation.thanks.

Commenting second time with results hi from Mumbai unable to send my results pics of my hair but the results are amazing

I have been playing 1,000+ years and never heard such great advice. Amazing. Great job coach 👍

Take a shot every time he says low to high!

Bloody genius

It really works well

Im a pandemic tennis newbie and your videos is really helpful. Started playing at 37 and i hope i can be competitive despite learning to play late. Thank you very sir!

In my personal experience, more than hitting the ball under, what has helped me more is to try to hit off center of the racket and exaggerate that I'm hitting with the upper part of the frame. That has helped me to allow for more contact of the strings with the ball as they roll upwards. Plus it has helped me to hit earlier

I feel it's not realy good to talk TOO much about what is wrong. Cause this is what the brain remembers. The brain can't store negativ information. The brain stores for example "do not do this" as "do this".

“Throw” the racket or “pull” it. Not push it. And with a loose hand grip. Takes time to get it. But it’s free and easy power. Just like the pros

This is very helpful. What a great explanation too!

you are brilliant

It is not a good idea and it will cause the player to open the racquet face.

The student would be able to hit longer better backhands if he held the grip lower.

I had this exact mistake, THANKS!

I love the way you explain. Thanks!

Great channel I’m learning so much even for playing first person tennis in virtual reality

I completely agree with hitting below the equator as you described - even though my forehand has a good topspin my 2 hand backhand didn’t have any until I started hitting below the equator, it works.

I am not completely sure about your advice to “maintain” contact from low to high as the contact is for a fraction of a second - how is it possible to follow the ball?

I find this explanation fascinating. This morning I was constantly NOT getting the topspin: I was thinking too much about my body movement, and about down to up. I recently purchased the Topspin Pro tennis aid, a device with which I can see how much topspin I give the ball. I had been trying it before I saw this video. I then tried again after viewing the video but making use of the two tips recommended. The difference between "before and after" was amazing. I can't wait till my game tomorrow to use these 2 tips (if I can focus properly). Thank you for this wonderful instruction video. I happily clicked to become a subscriber.

Very good lesson. Thanks!

Again, great insight. Focusing on ”swing down” instead of “swing up” sounds counter intuitive at first, but it’s quite right and results in a much smoother stroke. It starts building up momentum on the downswing which can be gradually accelerated as the racket moves forward, up and through the ball. It leads to a more natural flowing stroke with more topspin acceleration instead of trying to force more upswing which leads to a jerky, disconnected stroke.

I had an intuition that when I drop my left shoulder into my shoulder pocket, I am hitting better backhands.

Howver, I think you had a previous video about thinking about the serve from start to finish as one motion rather than just the motion up to the contact point. How does what you say relate to that?

This coach is wonderful. He addresses all of of the issues that are behind the difficulties to execute the movements

Thank you.

thank youuuuuu - great instruction and very clear!

this is most detailed explanation of the swing, hitzone, contact point and momentum for s groundstroke that i have seen since i started looking to improve my game sept 2022...will watch this again.

Can you clarify a little the way that hitting below the equator of the ball is just an "idea" and that you do not actually do this, and you do not actually roll the racquet over it? That is a very complex action that you do not describe. As I understand it, as you also said, this "idea" just helps to shape the swing path which is still all along the idea of the "universal swing path" and does not require this kind of fine adjustment of the racquets vertical orientation with respect to the ball, but only, as you have described elsewhere, a little straightening out the forward momentum at contact to direct the ball. We should not be thinking about "rolling" the racquet over the ball, right?

Thank you! Your explanation on this has corrected so many wrong doings in my stroke!

Excellent. Thank you 👍💪

This idea of rolling over the ball does not work well for me because it causes me to make contact with an open racquet face. What I try to do is hit up on the ball from the "equator." Or, to hit across the ball, making contact at the "equator" and thinking of my swing path as circular, connected to my core rather than pushing away, rolling away, from my core to go "over" the ball. I think across the ball instead.

Talk talk talk talk ....horrible

Great video. I am a new (2 years ) tennis player. I have been struggling the most with this exact concept. Swinging high to low just didn’t seem to be working, yet slow motion videos of pros doesn’t show a steep angle. I have been having trouble mastering a perfect forehand. It is holding me back considerably. Thank you for this video.

This term has its place and it’s for raw beginners that hit down on the ball

Coach! I doubled my power by swinging down! And my timing and sound of the hit is incredible. My movement/footwork is now cleaner too as a result of placing myself in a good position to create the pendulum/hitting below center. I've been forcing my followthrough and robbing myself of free energy for decades! Thank you.

Excellent as always, thank you Tomas!

I have exactly this problem with to steep swing path. Thanks.

I really love your ideas of creating new mental images for the different movements, strokes and so on, they help so much. Every video gives me a light bulb moment...

Pretty sure, the Nadal forehand is swong low to high.
He even swings it out over the head, and his arm stays on the forehand side at all times.
Swinging through still means brushing over the ball ( low to high ). If your body moves forward how it sometimes should anyways, it works.
Starting at the low point, yes it is more exhausting, but watch for example Courier doing it for both back and forehand. It works.