FOREHAND OVERVIEW PART 7 - LINEAR VS. ROTATIONAL POWER. In this video, SportsEdTV Director of Tennis, John Eagleton, describes the difference between linear and rotational power on the forehand. Linear power, which has been used by players for decades, simply means getting the racquet behind the ball and driving through it like you are hitting through five balls. Linear refers to turning sideways and getting your weight through the shot by transferring the weight in a straight line from the back to the front foot. Because of the speed in today's game, and the different heights at which a player must strike the ball, linear power technique makes strokes hard to repeat without a lot of time consuming little steps taken to position the body perfectly between shots. As you can see by watching the pros, time between shots is scarce, so most top players use rotational power, which is created by rotating the body while facing the net, and creating force by rotating the racquet around the body. This preparation and resulting rotation can be done quickly, and creates incredible racquet head speed and spin on the ball. This technique, which is a cornerstone of today's game, helps players operate effectively at high speeds, adjust to different hitting zones quickly and create a variety of shapes (trajectories) on the ball. This is video seven in a seven video series that breaks down the forehand fundamentals for today's game.