ADMIN: Jack, you said it all there bud, the majority of tennis players are “leisure players”, and “they all want to hit the ball Where they want it to go”, therefore a more of a linear follow-through path will ensure a lot more accuracy, as I know you agree with.

ADMIN: I understand where you are coming from here Larry, but linear and angular momentum are not either/or concepts. Most strokes will always have a combination of the two, it’s just a matter of the ratio.

As an example, the uncoiling of the hips and shoulders are clear examples of circular momentum that is turned into angular and linear momentum via the forward swing and contact with the tennis ball.

ADMIN: Sk, with time, we will post breakdowns on All Strokes you can think of!!

I have viewed all of your current forehand instruc-
tion videos and enjoyed them and learned some im-
portant fundamentals and reinforced a lot that I
have learned over the years. I played on a major
college tennis team full scholarship and did some
teaching pro work. It appears to me that Mauro is
fundamentally teaching the ” classic ” topspin
forehand primarily using linear power and tech-
nique. Is he going to go on to the modern wind-
shield wiper forehand that Guga was famous for that
Oscar Wegner takes credit for initiating in Brazil
and spreading across the world, or do the two of
you believe that your more linear stroke is super-
ior, or are you incorporating a combination of
the two techniques. Coach Mauro does throw in a
little windshield wiper in a couple of videos, but
continuously focuses on closed stance and big
linear step into the ball with the linear stroke
he demonstrates down the deuce court doubles alley.
Does a true winshield wiper forehand hit not only
and thru the ball but also across the ball?
Thanks for your help.
Larry

ADMIN: Larry, glad you enjoyed, learned and refreshed your Forehand basic fundamentals. I’m teaching here a “flexible/versatile” type of Forehand, in which you can either hit with closed, semi-closed or open stance, depending on the situation, opponent, player capability, incoming ball’s pace, depth, height or spin type, and also have different swing paths for the follow-through, depending on the grip used, shot/spin desired, and mainly, depending on ball height at impact point. Since these clips are considering that you did apply the “10 Laws of Tennis Success”, and are in a great position to hit (footwork well done), so therefore I’m “isolating” the stroke itself, not showing how to get in position (yet, in these clips), so the ball would be struck “around waist level”(around strike zone), and for these type of shots, which is way more common for 90% of tennis players, the linear swing definitely gives players way more Accuracy, and they can still generate pace & spin. On the other hand, if you are “high level”, College or Pro, Way Most of the Shots are very heavy and deep, jumping up at players shoulder height, therefore the use of the Guga “across the body”, ball on the rise, windshield-wiper “Swing” becomes more effective. But, what the industry is calling “THE Modern Forehand”, with open stance and follow through across the body, gives you more Power, and extra Topspin. Well, it seems to me that “extra-topspin” is meaning “more Control “, as more balls sink into the court, and don’t fly out deep. But how about “The Direction” of the Shot?? If you are willing to sacrifice reaction accuracy for extra pace and spin, then it’s for you. But most leisure players really like to “aim somewhere, and hit it there”, therefore the linear swing becomes way more effective than the angular, plus its easier for “anybody” to do it. Soon, we will be posting a couple of extra clips, explaining better to all exactly these possible variations of the shot. “A” Modern Forehand should be versatile , like you guessed, thus enabling both the more linear swing when seeking accuracy, and also the new angular swing when seeking power. In the end, what really matters for me is that the player chooses what works best for him or her, and if possible, why not learn to hit both ways?!?! More on the Guga FH soon!! – Coach Mauro