FH Loop - pre-multiball stage
Teaching FH Loop or topspin is a challenge for beginners but a coach can find ways to lessen the difficulty as well as practice the key points of the stroke before a player can actually do multiballs. The objectives of this exercise are:
1. to make the trainee practice bending the knees at the beginning of the stroke as this is a challenge at this stage of development.
2. to emphasize the importance of bending the knees as this gives extra power when looping underspin. Also, the racket should be at least at the side of the right knee (if you are right-handed) at the beginning of the stroke when you are dipping your racket towards the floor.
3. to have the elbow should be relaxed and slightly extended as you turn towards the right twisting pivoting your torso.
4. to practice pivoting the torso at the same time shifting the weight of the body from your left foot to your right foot and back to neutral position after follow through of the stroke.
5. to enable the trainee to wait for the the ball before hitting or brushing it as the stroke's timing is challenging for beginners. This exercise will make teh trainee wait for the ball to come down because he can position himself before the ball goes towards the side of the body.
6. to enable trainee to practice brushing the ball thinly instead of hitting through the sponge. This is a key skill that needs to be developed by beginners since it enables a player to feel the ball by brushing it. Power is not emphasize on this exercise as power can be easily developed during multiball practice and matchplays. This is the reason why the ball is being hit or brushed upon at late or delayed timing instead of looping the ball on the rise or at the peak of the bounce.
7. to practice this at first 1-2 weeks before actually going to multiball stage. This is done in tandem with fh loop/topspin shadow drills before this exercise is done.