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Levers

Understanding the importance of using levers correctly is advantageous to the performance of a forehand. In the sport of Tennis, the most predominate lever used is the third class lever. The fulcrum is attached to the lever; applying this to Tennis it is represented as the shoulder being attached to the body. The force however, is located in the center of the axis; in Tennis on the human body this is the arm. Resistance or the load is positioned at the furthest point from the fulcrum, the Tennis racquet is the load in Tennis.

 

 

 

 

It is crucial in the game of Tennis that the force or the arm is fully extended to increase the power of the forehand as “the longer a force arm is in length means it requires less effort to move a resistance, therefore increasing speed and range of motion of a lever” (Nelson, 2016).

 

 

 

 

 

It is evident in my forehand technique that I do not fully extend my arm by not locking my elbows, therefore maximum power is not generated contrasting the autonomous tennis athlete Roger Federer who fully extends his arm on his forehand.

 

 

(Google Images, 2016)

Federers Extended Arm

(Google Images, 2016)

My Extended Arm
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