Pushers and dinkers can be tough opponents if you lack a consistent and powerful forehand. Understanding the racquets movement through the contact zone can make a huge difference in your forehand.
How To Hit The SLAP Forehand For More Power
One of my subscribers said they were watching the video I did on the effortless one handed back end and they said, Hey Tom, how can I hit an effortless forehand? Well, you can use the rubber band effect a little bit with your forehand, but let me say right here that....
A consistent and powerful forehand is very useful for defeating pushers and dinkers, but also important is a well-rounded game. You also need approach shots and a net game (or to train specifically on hitting winners off of weak balls). As one instructor wrote a half-century ago in a book I have, “You’re likely to lose when you lose the rally. But you also lose when you win the rally — then how good are you?” That’s a weakness that a pusher is experienced in exploiting.
People with these weaknesses being frustrated by pushers has a long history. See:
https://www.captiongenerator.com/954362/Hitler-plays-tennis-against-a-pusher
Hi Frank,
Yes pushers have been frustrating players for decades… willing to run all day with a ton of patience. I agree about the well rounded game especially FINISHING points when attacking the net.
To your tennis success,
Tom
Hey Tom , I hope watching your video will improve my game, I really enjoy your tips and lesson.I am 4.0 Player and 4.5 at my best, I am 53 years old and love tennis but frustrated with my inconsistency. My bigger weakness and handicap amount other, are stiff shoulder and poor second serve, can you help me with that?
Thanks
Serge
Hi Serge,
I don’t want to sound like a broken record BUT, it sounds to me like you need to make some dietary changes. I know firsthand about stiff shoulders, I used to pitch and had frozen shoulder in the past, currently my shoulders are looser than ever and I’m 66 years old. I attribute the ability to loosen up my shoulders by switching to a plant-based diet. No meat, chicken, fish, dairy or eggs. At this point you may say, ‘what do you eat?’ Basically the healthiest and most nutrient dense foods on the planet, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, rice and beans, nuts and seeds, that’s it. I suggest you purchase my Tennis Nutrition Secrets course and go plant-based to help your body heal from the stiffness. You also need to stretch the shoulder, and get massage, this will help increase blood flow that will clear the shoulder of uric acid crystals that are causing your stiff shoulder. Uric acid crystals become hardened and make joints stiff. As you loosen up your range of motion will get better… practice the 2nd serve 10 minutes at least 3X’s per week.
All the best,
Tom