Tension

Dilruk Tirimanna Asked 12 years ago

hi Alois and Jeff. Every time I try the forehand top spin or smash, some kind of stiffness comes  in and I miss the ball completely.  Could you help me out here....... thanks in advance.

Alois Rosario Answered 12 years ago

Hi Dilruk,

Tension usually develops in the shoulder area when we do a forehand topspin.

Try to focus on how relaxed or tight your shoulder is while you are playing the stroke.  See how little effort you can take to make the stroke but still making sure the bat goes along the right path.  Do some repetitive swing and you can even do this without the ball and see how smooth you can get the stroke.  That is all the effort you require to make a forehand topspin.  The ball is not heavy so it doesn't take a lot of strength to finish the stroke.

Focus on smoothness and less effort and you will soon see some improvements in your stroke.