Learn the technique-Where the pace comes from

Unless youwere raised on a tennis camp, chances are somewhere in your tennis career you have run into this problem. Maybe you have the problem still. I see more and more young, or inexperienced players, trying to crank that big shot. While that's all and well, their constancy drops like a fly. Absolutely plummets. Even if they work at slapping the big shot, their consistency is still never good enough to compete at level beyond where their at (Usually a 3.5/4.0 or a Challanger level in the juniors). There reason is because when inexperienced players try to crack the ball they muscle it through with their arm...and only their arm. Thats a no no.

Here is what I suggest. Spend sometime working on technique, and the pace will come. Its not about how fast you swing, or how hard you swing. It's about what muscles you use. If you dont believe me, go out and play with one of the top 12 and under or 14 and under boys. I guarantee you will be surprised at how well they handle pace, create pace, and how they can engineer a point. The reason the top kids can generate that much pace for their size, or can reflect that much power, is because they know what muscles to use. So, here are a few tips to help you hit harder without swinigng faster.

1) Step in to the ball. Power is all about weight transfer. When you step into your shot, your tranfering your weight, and using all your core and leg power to fuel your shot.

2) Rotate your hips. This goes along with stepping into the shot, except in open stance. When you cant step in, swing your hips around into the shot. So for example if your right handed, swing your right hip into the court as your hitting.
Roger Federer forehand
Look at the video of Federer hitting his forehands and look at his hips. Every shot he either steps in or rotates his hips.

3) Watch the ball: This one is simple, a clean hit is generates more power than a shank

4) Break your wrist before you hit: Look back up at the Federer video. If you look closely his wrist breaks and his racket face drops below his wrist and under the ball before he hits. Every player no matter from what country does this. Never mind the extra wrist power you get, its the topspin you really want. Breaking your wrist forces your hand to naturally add topspin to your shot by accelerating through the ball during your follow through. It not only allows you to hit harder, more consistently but it forces you to hit a heavier ball.

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