Help my backhand please part II

[johndagolfer]

Last time I was telling you that my backhand was having troubles of either going long or to the bottom of the net. So I took your suggestions to heart and it's getting a tad bit better. My problem is not longer the bottom of the net, but it is a problem at the bottom of the back fence. Low and high balls especially. Probably from lack of knee bend or footwork in moving back. But when the ball is in the prime hitting zone at waist level I still seems to air the ball out huge with very little top spin. The flight path of the ball is at least 3 feet above the net. What I've really been concentrating on is keeping my elbows bent close to my body. Trying, time permits, to get my feet in the correct spot. Most of all I am trying to swing low to high. This seems to be why I get the excessive loop in my backhand. Question how do I controll my swing so I get less fly and more top spin.

I have a 2 handed backhand, with a flexpoint instinct. My forehand and serves are kicking butt, but my backhand(which I slice every time due to no confidence) is killing me.

Thanks,

John

[travlerajm]

Try adding about 10 grams to the end of the butt cap - while you're experimenting, you can just tape a couple of coins onto the end so you don't need to dissect the racquet.

Adding weight here will tend to make your 2hb softer and spinnier. The effect on your forehand and serve will be much less. The reason that the 2hb is affected more is because the axis of rotation for the 2-hander is about 6 inches from the butt, while the axis of rotation for the forehand and serve is only about 2 inches from the butt. So weight in the buttcap effects the 2hb 3x as much as the other strokes.

[Mountainman]

Last time I was telling you that my backhand was having troubles of either going long or to the bottom of the net. So I took your suggestions to heart and it's getting a tad bit better. My problem is not longer the bottom of the net, but it is a problem at the bottom of the back fence. Low and high balls especially. Probably from lack of knee bend or footwork in moving back. But when the ball is in the prime hitting zone at waist level I still seems to air the ball out huge with very little top spin. The flight path of the ball is at least 3 feet above the net. What I've really been concentrating on is keeping my elbows bent close to my body. Trying, time permits, to get my feet in the correct spot. Most of all I am trying to swing low to high. This seems to be why I get the excessive loop in my backhand. Question how do I controll my swing so I get less fly and more top spin.

I have a 2 handed backhand, with a flexpoint instinct. My forehand and serves are kicking butt, but my backhand(which I slice every time due to no confidence) is killing me.

Thanks,

John

I had a two handed backhand lesson two days ago. My ball would either go into the net or fly to the fence. The coach told me either I was hitting late or overhitting. Then he told me to push the ball with the non-dominant hand. In other words, "Hit through the ball." Try that! Good luck.

[serveitup911]

When you make contact, your arms should be almost straight, not bent. Try to make contact as far in front of you as is comfortably possible.

[Mountainman]

When you make contact, your arms should be almost straight, not bent. Try to make contact as far in front of you as is comfortably possible.

Learn from the pros. They may straighten their arm when taking the racket back but they keep their arms bent before contact. "almost straight- no such thing. either straight or bent. Good luck!

[johndagolfer]

this is what I mean by keeping my arms bent and close to my body

http://tennis.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=5C6E696A016E4CCEA387FFC08A1E1E2C&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=31A71968E9AE4A9997861120A8C6CE1B

I've been trying to copy safin's take away. I think maybe I am not dropping the racquet head enough before impact, hence the flat shots with no spin

[serveitup911]

Mountainman, you have spent too much time in a cave in the mountains.

http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/img/625/13466.jpg


Marat Safin, arguably the best 2H BH in the world looks like his arms are almost straight. His contact point is way in front, too.

[Mountainman]

Mountainman, you have spent too much time in a cave in the mountains.

http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/img/625/13466.jpg


Marat Safin, arguably the best 2H BH in the world looks like his arms are almost straight. His contact point is way in front, too.

I love the mountains. If you look closely, Marat Safin's arm was straight AFTER the contact which could mean that his swing path may be long and straight. The picture does not say he kept his arm straight before the contact.

New note* Follow john's link. Duh! serveitup911. You should not have made this kind of mistake for a guy who is ranked #59.

[johndagolfer]

his right arm looks a little bent. Anyways what should I be "working" on to emulated this I think my backswing looks like the link that I posted. A good question, I guess, would be how do I drop the racquet into a good "slot" just before the forward swing? Safin's racquet is pointed up and just a second before he begins his forward swing he drops it abruptly. what causes this? Is it his wrists dropping the head that low?

Thanks,

John

[serveitup911]

He is referring to the backswing, I am referring to the point of contact and follow through. Of course the arms will be bent while taking the racket back, no one is arguing that.

To drop the racket in position at the end of the backswing, just let your arms drop. Then accelerate the racket forward. Safin is a great model.

[serveitup911]

New note* Follow john's link. Duh! serveitup911. You should not have made this kind of mistake for a guy who is ranked #59.

Look at time of posting. My post was completed 2 minutes after John's. I was writing my post, and didn't see the link until after I posted because he posted while I was writing.

[johndagolfer]

if you take a look at this video it seems that his left arm doesn't full extend to straight. Near straight. He seems to be hitting through the ball so well. Do you guys think that I am trying so hard to get topspin that I am just hitting up and that's what's causing these "home runs"?
http://www.boscofernandes.com/index_files/Safin_BH_Overview_Front-017.mov

John

[papa]

Some suggestions.

- get your butt down and I "don't" mean bend over at the waist. Pretend that your going to sit down.

- get the back foot planted "first" and try if possible to hit from an open stance.

- introduce your right chin to your right shoulder and keep them together during the swing.

- watch the contact point even after the ball has been hit. The majority of mis-hits are because the players is not watching the ball the entire way into the strings.

- swing from low to high and never try to stop the swing. The lower you start and the higher you finish will determine the top on the ball.

- make sure the top hand (left hand in the case of RH player) is in a left-handed forehand (frying pan grip) position. You might want to vary this somewhat over time but its a good position to start.

- strike the ball when its between imaginay lines extending out from your feet.

- I don't think it matters that much if your arms are straight or not - some like them straight others have some bend - I don't think its that important.