Your Strokes Will Never Look Like The Pros

We have all been in the situation of watching professionals play from our couch and observing their strokes in awe. As a result, it encourages us to watch slow-mo videos of our favorite player’s technique, while later trying to replicate how they hit. In fact, with some research I have found out that the fundamental elements that were taught to these players are exactly the same things taught to recreational players. This adds to the motivation that is building inside of us, for learning the correct fundamentals will make our game look like we are part of the top 10. Right?

Unfortunately, this is not true, due to the limitations that are placed on players at the rec level. Therefore, in this article, we will dive deeper into what these limitations truly are and how they can affect your game.

The Definition of Professional

The number one reason why your strokes will never look like the pros is that the players you watch on TV are professional athletes. Now, it is important to understand what a professional athlete is. Put into simple words, it is someone who performs at the maximum possible level.

Additionally, these players have amazing athleticism, meaning the pros put in the innumerable amount of hours training and honing your craft. Unfortunately, I am informing you that your athleticism is going to be nothing like the athleticism that you see on tour.

Genetics

If you haven’t already stopped reading due to the reality check I am giving, what I just said is not all. Another reason why your game will look nothing like the pros is because you have your own genetics.

In other words, no matter how hard you have been trying to copy Federer’s forehand, your body is going to move in a different way compared to that particular player. Instead, I recommend you to focus on the fundamentals and your personal style will eventually come out.

Struggling Serve

With the serve, the optimal loading position is where the body is bent in a reverse C. Basically, it's a bending of the body that occurs where the chest is pointing to the sky and you stick your hip slightly into the court. Hence, there's going to be a lot of players who simply cannot bend backwards. They're stiff in their back or maybe they have a neck issue.

Something that lots of players have a hard time accepting is to not to go past their comfort zone. Go ahead and bend backwards as much as you can, but as soon as it feels uncomfortable, you have reached your limitations. This is perfectly fine, for you can modify it to a J setup, which is when you bend your knees and keep your upper body more straight up.

Finishing on the Forehand

Meanwhile, players usually don’t have a hard time executing their forehand, but may struggle with the actual finish. Usually, it is difficult for them to accelerate through their shot and end up finishing somewhat in front of their non hitting shoulder. This could be thanks to a stiff shoulder, but could also be part of a fundamental issue.

In other words, what often happens is that players don't have proper rotation and they're often side on. Not rotating makes the finish even more difficult, so keep in mind that the forehand needs to have a correct sequencing of torso rotation. Doing this is going to make finishing a lot more natural, but even with that, the arm still might not go all the way.

The Odd One Hander

When you see the elegant one handers on tour, there is a finish where the hand goes above the level of the shoulder. However, that's not all, for the racket will whip backwards where the cap of the rack is pointing forward. In fact, players like Dimitrov are so flexible that they can touch their hands behind their back.

At the recreational level, some players are uncomfortable getting their hand above the level of the shoulder. They can simply not do this because of the amount of range of motion in their back muscles. In addition, others will actually feel pain in their shoulder when they try to finish too far back, making it something dangerous to copy.

If you experience pain while trying to hit those Federer’s backhands, an adequate modification would be using the old-school finish. Doing this will have you finish with the tip of the racket pointing towards the outside of your finish. It will still be that circular swing path that is needed for a fundamentally sound backhand, but you will not be able to get heavy topspin. Unfortunately, this is sometimes the cards that you're dealt with.

Troublesome Two Handed Backhand

It is quite clear that juniors have a far easier time learning the two-hander over the classic one handed backhand. To add, they keep going and believe it would be the same at the adult level. It is actually the complete opposite.

The vast majority of recreational adult players who started playing tennis later in life have a very difficult time with the two-hander. Now, the reason why the two-handed backhand is such a tough shot to pull off at the rec level is that it requires torso rotation. What’s more, we're gonna be hitting it with two hands. That itself makes this shot tricky because a lot of guys at the recreational level are a little bit overweight.

If you have a big gut in front of you, it becomes really restrictive. It's gonna be much easier and more comfortable to play a one-handed backhand. On the other hand, even if you're a ripped guy, the two-handed backhand is going to be tricky to pull off. A lot of people are simply not be comfortable using two hands and rotating at the same time.

It is the exact same thing with the golf drive. You’re going to have this rotation that involves the entire body, which is what you want to do on the backhand. Players would instead rather play the ball with their arm. It is just a shot that is very limited in the range of motion that can be produced. Thus, it makes sense why players prefer the one hander, for it is perfectly okay to hit it by staying sideways.

Final Thoughts

As hard as this is going to sound, forget the dream you have of looking like a professional player. The players you watch on TV have been following a specific and arduous regimen since a very young age. What’s more, acknowledge what I said about genetics and how all of us are wired differently. Instead, focus on applying all the fundamentals that are so necessary to improve in tennis.

Now, when it comes to limitations that you have, don't ever go into the pain trying to do something crazy. Make sure to also see a doctor if you are experiencing pain, for I am definitely not qualified in the medical field. However, I could tell you that playing tennis everyday keeps the doctor away.