Forehand Tennis Lesson

This is the forehand with the heels aligned for a full power drive. Prior to this you had to do a unit turn that included a left foot pivot, a shoulder and hip turn, and bringing the racket back all in one motion. Next you have to get into position to hit the ball, which means some adjusting steps or a run to the ball.


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The first photo is commonly called a closed stance with the heels aligned and the front foot facing slightly forward. The knees are bent with a wide base to allow a full weight transfer forward and allow for maximum lift and rotation.

Notice in the second photo the weight is now transferred forward as the racket has moved out to the contact point with the ball. The knees are now straightened because the motion of the body is not only forward and rotating around, but also upward to generate lift.

In the third image you can see the finish or follow through. The end (butt) of the racket faces outward and notice that the elbow points forward as well in almost a chokehold fashion. Another important thing to observe is that the shoulders and thus the hips have fully rotated so that the body is face on to the target area.

Here is a side view image of the contact point segment of the forehand with the weight transfer evident by the rear foot now on the tip of the shoe.

Progression View

Above is the progression of movement for a forehand from the balanced stance with heel alignment to the weight transfer and the finish with the player facing forward.