Tip of the Day: Swing through groundstrokes with the forearm, not the wrist

Here’s a little secret about topspin: it isn’t generated by the wrist movement from the bottom to the top of the ball. While having a flexible yet firm wrist supports the intention, we must debunk the misconception that it’s solely responsible.

Preteen players often rely on their wrist as they have the flexibility of developing a swing based on comfortability, but adjusting to faster, heavier paces as they grow requires more thoughtful technique. Any adult who hasn’t yet transitioned away from a wrist-controlled swing will soon be out of the game due to wrist straining, tennis elbow, and other related injuries.

The key factor to top spin, and any controlled shot from a groundstroke, is the forearm. The groundstroke relies on the whole body coming together to execute one shot, from the legs to the core to the arms. While most coaches focus on the footwork and the core, and the syncing of the two (more tips on those soon 😉), we need to also understand the importance of the arm.

During a swing, the forearm goes through pronation and supination as it makes a “C” like shape. The pronation, the arm facing downward, transitioning into supination, the arm facing upward, and the trajectory from one to the other, determines the type of spin, the arch of the ball, and the pace behind it.

As the legs and core come together as well, the more controlled and powerful the shot can be.

This is where the flexibility of the wrist and its firmness on the racquet come to either help or hurt the swing. It’s the direct source of impact from contact with the ball, and it needs to play the supporting role for execution. As the ball leaves the string of the racquet and the follow-through comes into play, you can feel the wrist leading that charge as well (another topic of interest we’ll be covering).

Swinging properly through the ball is essential in a player’s ability to control the ball, compete at improving levels, and having longevity in the sport. Pay attention to which part of the arm is controlling your groundstrokes, and see the difference for yourself when implementing a forearm-forward swing.