Developing Checkpoints in Your Groundstrokes

When developing groundstrokes, either the forehand or the backhand side, it’s important to develop checkpoints. Checkpoints will ensure that you are starting the swing and finishing the swing in the proper position. Most of the time, by developing checkpoints in the beginning and the end of your stroke the rest of the stroke will fall together and follow the correct path.

On your forehand side you will need to decide whether you’re hitting a forehand with a straight back turn or with the loop turn. With a straight back turn your checkpoints should be with the racquet down with your arms straight racquet head below your hands and the butt of the racquet looking toward the target.

With the loop turn, your checkpoint should be your set position. A set position is when you rotate your shoulders sideways with both hands on the racquet finding an exact starting point. Whether your feet turned sideways or not is less important than whether your shoulders rotate sideways. Your racquet head will be about head level than perpendicular to the ground. Once you start your stroke you build the drop down through the loop and make contact.

Your forehand follow through check point position should be with your shoulder of your dominant hand to your chin. Your non-dominant hand will catch the racquet over your non-dominant shoulder so that both of your elbows and the plot of the racquet will be looking at the target. Your hips and shoulders should be facing the target.

The backhand check point on your turn of the two handed backhand should be with the right knuckles of your hand against your left thigh. The butt of the racquet should be looking at the target and your racquet face that will be striking the ball should be pointing downward. 

With the one handed backhand your left hand should be up on the throat of the racquet. Both arms should be extended so that the racquet head is below the level of ball. If you are making a loop on either your one hand or two handed backhand, you should find a set position where the stroke starts. Both hands will be on the racquet and your shoulders will be rotated sideways. 

The follow-through on the backhand side should be (for a right-hander hitting a two handed backhand) your left shoulder to chin with the racquet high above your right shoulder and both elbows and the butt of the racquet facing toward the target.

For one hander the checkpoint of the follow-through should be with your shoulders sideways and racquet in full extension toward the target. Your follow-through position for one handed backhand should not allow your shoulders unrotate until the racquet has traveled forward through the contact point.  For more information see the hitting zone lesson.

By ensuring you’re hitting the proper check points you will ensure the path of your racquet will be where you want to be. Consistency in strokes is built from consistency of the swing path. By setting checkpoints, it will allow you to be consistent with your swing path every time and have a consistent result of your shot.