John Escher's Page

Hi John,

When Oscar published that tip, my forehand improved so I could hit with anyone. I teach as if we have a glass wall in front of us. The key is to pull the hand, not snap the wrist, up and across along the glass plate in front of us. As Kelly Jones astutely pointed out, the forearm does not consciously go through the target line, as Landsdorp teaches, which explains why his female students such as Sharapova and Alexandra Stevenson (though raised by Dr. Pete Fisher, who I have spoken with extensively when I spent 2007 in California) often get arm and shoulder injuries. When Landsdorp was working with her, I even predicted to other coaches she was in trouble as I believe he ruined her and luckily Yuri got rid of him because she's no longer going through the target line incorrectly. One of our MTM coaches, Scott Chrichlow, was her hitting partner, and he told me Robert always told her to just get stronger when she said her arm got tired; therefore, my prediction of her since discovered injury. You can't slam your forearm through such a force as in incoming 100 MPH ball without risking injury which explains why so many USA juniors are ruined before they get out of the gate until they learn to hit across the ball and the forearm will shape the shop based on their intent. That racket must be even with or behind the ball at contact on most successful FH shots. Then it whips forward on it's own based on pulling the hand inward by bending of the arm. I tell them to picture pulling a sliding glass door shut and that you move to the left and often back away from the ball in effort to as Kelly Jones states "hold the ball" as you shape the shot with our forearm.

To hit the inside out forehand that is Fed's (and Roddick's and Blake's) biggest shot, I tell my students to push the left side of the glass inward and that now, pull your hand along that angled glass in front of you, which means the hand will go from closer to your body to up and over extended outward from your left shoulder as you drag the racket behind the hand at that right to left angle. Try that and see if my word analogy translates to good results given you are seeing it on paper and not with me teaching you on court. You can really picture Roddick pulling way up over extended out from his left shoulder when he hits that shot before his arm bends back down towards his left side.

Hi john, check out our group EXCUSE ME!!! I would love to have you blog on there and please do.

John your not going to believe this. I have lived in Bandera Texas for 17 months now. I was born and raised and lived in High Point N.C. for 46 years. I know Winston well.