Learning Curve - One Handed BackHand

[In D Zone]

I thought I was the only who noticed this - in comparison to a 2handed backhand, it takes awhile for a player to feel confident playing with one handed backhand because of several reasons:

1. One Handed Backhand strokes requires more movement (footwork, grip change, racquet swing, shoulder movement and timing)
2. Access to Slice - it is easy to learn to play with slice, and when you are in a match you tend to go with the weapon who know can keep you in it. Of course, adding the fun part of learning to play with different type of slice.
3. Learning to hit with different 1hbh strokes: Top spin, Flat, Block and Punch
4. Then learning the advance skills of hitting down the line, approach shots, returning on a dead run to your backhand and how use the block the shot if you got jammed.

Its not bad at all (hope I did not scare any of you who want to learn 1bhd) - but the variety of options this stroke has so much to offers which can be confusing at times; it causes you to over analyst yourself on what weapon to use in the middle of a game.

.... while watching the WTA on TV - Justin Henin was playing against Tatiana Golovin - the TV analyst commented on how far has Justine progress with her backhand strokes; and they cited the same reasons as I have listed.

I was releived when I heard it because I was not alone on this. I dedicated this last summer working on my backhand (it was alot of work) and so far each week my game has taken me to another level - not tooting my horn, but I was really surprised on how confident (I stop over analyzing on what to weapon to use) and consistent I've become with this stroke.

My Source:
I have learned a lot from playing with higher level players (drills and game experince).
Techincal advice / knowledge were mostly from this forum (learned alot from the many seasoned players / contributors from this site, and from the video's you guys shared) "THANK YOU!!!"

 

[Kevo]

Number 1 in your list is absolutely the most important factor. I agree with the rest, but if you're not willing to put in time on the backhand footwork, you should really just stick to two hands. The fact that you have to prepare earlier and hit farther out in front on the backhand really makes it difficult to own that shot. Especially since the tendency is to hit forehands in practice rallies. You really have to make time to work on the 1HBH.

 

[AznHylite]

Personally, I have only played for about 9 months and have had no coach (except some tennis club at school). Even with this, I find my 1HBH to be quite effective. And yes, I DO have a good base on my 1HBH, my tennis club head just said I have to work on consistency and to develop a slice backhand. Right now, I'm mostly a 1HBH flat and sorta topspin hitter. It works!

 

[stormholloway]

While I agree that the footwork is important and that the one hander requires more precise steps, I believe the most important aspects to understand are: the actual sequence the entire arm goes through for this shot, how to drop the racquet, how the arm straightens, how much shoulder rotation to add for which shots, what racquet face angle to use for different heights.

This is something that I've only recently really broken through on. Let's face it: the arm is doing the work here. What the arm does is of primary importance.

 

[Rickson]

Personally, I have only played for about 9 months and have had no coach (except some tennis club at school). Even with this, I find my 1HBH to be quite effective. And yes, I DO have a good base on my 1HBH, my tennis club head just said I have to work on consistency and to develop a slice backhand. Right now, I'm mostly a 1HBH flat and sorta topspin hitter. It works!

Finally got some topspin going? Remember, don't listen to your friend who claims you hit with no spin because flat bombs are tough shots to deal with too. That guy was probably annoyed that you hit some spinless backhand winners on him.

 

[ananda]

i have found learning the 1hbh to be quite easy - especially if you've done some shadow hitting at home prior to going to court (the first time). I found it to be a clean stroke. it worked from day 1.

however, that is not to say i have mastered the stroke. At present i think its mostly a flat drive i get, with only some topspin.

one thing i find is that if i hold the racket throat with the left hand at takeback, it ensures a clean stroke that goes just over the net but not too high. this holding seems to adjusts the angle/grip for the height that the brain computes the ball will come in at, at point of contact. (i hope i am talking sense).
if i don't hold at takeback, often the ball goes into the net, or floats out.

 

[AznHylite]

Finally got some topspin going? Remember, don't listen to your friend who claims you hit with no spin because flat bombs are tough shots to deal with too. That guy was probably annoyed that you hit some spinless backhand winners on him.

Haha thats true Rickson. =) And thank you for your advice from before. Flat 1HBH feel so much better to make for some reason though. And you were right with that!

 

[stormholloway]

People who aren't getting topspin with this shot need to incorporate shoulder rotation into the shot and, dare I say, a bit of firm wrist action (awaiting the barrage of arguments).

 

[NickOlsen]

People who aren't getting topspin with this shot need to incorporate shoulder rotation into the shot and, dare I say, a bit of firm wrist action (awaiting the barrage of arguments).

No, the way you get topspin (as with any other shot) is to brush up on the ball. That is, hitting low to high. After you take back with the nondominant hand, you drop the racquet down and whip up, brushing up the back of the ball.

No matter what else you do (grip, wrist, arm, toes, butt cheeks) you will not get topspin without doing this.

 

[ananda]

thanks for the input on getting some topspin in. but when i think about it, i find that (it appears to me) that even my fh doesn't seem to get any tops.
People say, hit high to low. that really doesnt seem to work other than to send the ball to the fence.
i am judging topspin by whether the ball is spinning when it goes across the court, not by its behaviour after bouncing which is difficult for me to judge. i am assuming if the ball goes out, it is not getting topspin.

Both fh and 1hbh are usually going about half a foot outside the baseline.

edit: when i do ball brushing (forehand) two things can happen: one is framing/shanking, the other is a spinny ball that lacks depth and should be easy to put away.

 

[NickOlsen]

the balls are hitting the back fence because you are getting too much racquet on it Low to High in a "brushing" motion. It takes a while to get originally, just work on it gradually.

 

[stormholloway]

No, the way you get topspin (as with any other shot) is to brush up on the ball. That is, hitting low to high. After you take back with the nondominant hand, you drop the racquet down and whip up, brushing up the back of the ball.

No matter what else you do (grip, wrist, arm, toes, butt cheeks) you will not get topspin without doing this.

No kidding, but if someone isn't going low to high with this shot then they're not even hitting it properly. I'm talking about how to get more topspin.

Are you claiming rotating the shoulder is not a way to add topspin to a shot? Because your first word in your response is "no". I assure you, there is shoulder rotation.

 

[NickOlsen]

People who aren't getting topspin with this shot need to incorporate shoulder rotation into the shot and, dare I say, a bit of firm wrist action (awaiting the barrage of arguments).

I was just replying to your comments, which seems like you're saying that shoulder rotation is the only way to produce topspin. Topspin is created by how the ball is affected by the strings. Shoulder rotation is referring to follow through, which is a by-product of the impact.

Anunda, just keep working at it. Sounds like your making progress when you shank and put balls short. The best topspin shot to practice is one that clears the net by about 2 feet and drops inside the base line by about 1 foot. You can always flatten out the ball more when you have accomplished this. Topspin creates consistency, but a lot of people taken it to far and never are able to hit a flat ball well for the winner.

 

[Ross K]

I thought I was the only who noticed this - in comparison to a 2handed backhand, it takes awhile for a player to feel confident playing with one handed backhand because of several reasons:

Just to say that the opposite argument can of course also equally be made, ie, with a 1handed backhand it takes a while for a player to feel confident playing with 2handed backhand because of several reasons... I know a lot of people who have found this, and I certainly have been one.

Compared to the 1hbh, the 2her's naturally more restrictive nature takes a lot of getting used to (to the extent some ppl NEVER get used to it.) Although a lot of opinion seems to think it's comparitively easy and a piece of cake, I'd also strongly argue that the issues of footwork and timing can be just as challenging. Utillising (successfully) 2 different grips is another highly tricky element. I also believe it's harder to combine a 2her with a 1handed slice (as of course virtually all 2hers have to.) There are unending challenges such as working out (and working on) the specifics of which particular type of takeback to use. And... not wishing to sound too technical and tennis geeky here but, from my own experience, I'd also cite the not inconsiderable issue of, er, consistantly getting the ball over the net!...

 

[staedtler]

I agree. My instructor made me switch to a one hander because he said my footwork was sloppy all around, and he said a one hand backhand will force me to prepare myself better. His advice helped me a lot. Granted it took me a good 4 weeks of practice and friendly matches just to feel a little comfortable. These days I go on spurts where I have so much confidence in my backhand, then there are days where I feel I have to slice everything back on the backhand because I have no confidence. Im hoping this love/hate relationship with my backhand will just be love. I still have much to learn.

 

[ananda]

Anunda, just keep working at it. Sounds like your making progress when you shank and put balls short. The best topspin shot to practice is one that clears the net by about 2 feet and drops inside the base line by about 1 foot. You can always flatten out the ball more when you have accomplished this. Topspin creates consistency, but a lot of people taken it to far and never are able to hit a flat ball well for the winner.

Do you think string tension affects topspin. I was earlier at 61lbs (poly) and i recently reduced it to 58 -- people say lower tension allows more time for the ball to be cupped/brushed etc.

Another issue (that has been beaten to death on another thread) is angle of racket at time of contact. I am quite certain my rack face is vertical upon contact. Does it need to be slightly closed? When i think of it, it seems a high to low action with a vertical face is going to send the ball out!

Usually since my topspins fall short, i use them to good effect on cross court, angled shots, when i am close to the service line picking a wide forehand, and putting it in the opposite x-court service box

 

[Talk_Tennis]

mbe ur balls are hitting the back fence cos ur racket face was too open when u hit e ball

 

[ananda]

the balls are hitting the back fence because you are getting too much racquet on it Low to High in a "brushing" motion. It takes a while to get originally, just work on it gradually.

Nick, you are not going to believe this but today while practicing i kept your feedback in mind, trainer was feeding me balls from a bucket ... i was getting good topspin on my forehand. this is the first time its happened. i could feel it on the strings, i could see the ball spiining away, and the balls cleared the net and landed between the service line and baseline.
The best is that i was able to really hit hard and not fear balls sailing out, which is what mostly has happened till yesterday (balls always one foot out).

then i and trainer were rallying (both at baseline) and he really enjoyed it, cos we were able to have longer rallies.

otoh, i did two buckets of 1hbhs. i did feel topspin on some, in some cases i tried closing the face more, but these ones went flying to the fence. i am a little surprised at this. was i overcompensating ? perhaps this will also sort out in a little time.

my trainer could not stop commenting on my fh today, and i feel really high

(fyi, i moved about 2 weeks back from a wrong closed stance fh, to the stance and style explained by fuzzyyellowballs).

 

[NickOlsen]

1hbh is a harder shot to master. Just make sure you are making contact with the ball as far out in front of you as possible. Here is something I wrote on backhands on another thread yesterday.

I have just gotten back into Tennis after 5 years. I have been getting a few private lessons around my 1hbh. It used to be a weapon, but when I started playing again, it was as inconsistent as anything. Im about to play an open state grade point tournament at the end of november You would be amazed at what time alone working with a quality coach will do.

1. Make sure your wrist is straight on take back. I was breaking it majorly without knowing.
2. Nondominant hand is cradling the racquet. This makes sure your that you are properly balanced, and that your shoulders fully rotate before the shot.
3. Contact point as far in front of you as possible. 99/100 your 1hbh will be off because of positioning and contact point.
4. Weight on the front foot at contact. Even to the point of the other foot dragging along the ground, or off the ground totally.
5. Full arm extension on follow through. Either on the left side of your head (wrist has not broken) or on the right side of your head (broken wrist). Which one of these you do is dependant on how much top you are putting on the shot.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=163803&page=3

As soon as I say to my coach "my bh is fubard" he says "look at your prep". So make sure you get to the ball early and give yourself plenty of time. Swing through the ball and transfer your weight to your front foot.

If you want to emulate a near perfect backhand, look at Gasquet on youtube.

Happy hitting.

 

[ananda]

in my earlier post, i said i was getting some topspin on my 1hbh. Now that you (nick) mention it so clearly, yes, the ones that got tops, the wrist did break (or turn).

 

[NickOlsen]

the pro's break their wrist on take-back (federer has his racquet head pointing to the sky on take back) but thats mainly to disguise the shot and a easier place to hold the racquet while running. Us mere mortals should, until we turn pro, take it back with a straight wrist to make sure that you make contact with a straight wrist.

Break the wrist, and you'll sky balls into the back fence (like me until recently).

 

[ananda]

oh when i spoke of breaking wrist, i meant not at takeback, i meant at point of contact, and it is not breaking, it is more like turning or flicking.

Edit: now that you mention it, on take-back i thought the racquet head was always to point skyward. thats what i have been doing (copying videos).

.... i just tried keeping it low and taking a few shadow swings (my partner keeps telling me to keep it low, i keep saying all the players keep it high). Yup, i think it felt good this way, cleaner, less room for error. will try it on court tomorrow.

 

[In D Zone]

I have added more new moves ...
- defensive block with a topspin (effective when ball is coming right at you).
- hitting close (traditional) and open stance
- Return of serve to my backhand : moving aggressive to hit the ball on the rise. Found this to be very effective against lefties, kick serves and attacking the 2nd serve.

 

[boojay]

I've been hitting open stance on my backhand more often lately, particularly during mini-tennis and controlled rallies. It's so awesome when I do open stances on both wings as I do so little moving it's like I have my own Prince of Tennis 'Boojay Zone'. I still prefer hitting close stance on either side, but when I'm lazy (which is often), I settle for open stance.

 

[Pusher]

I really think many people tend to over-analyze the mechanics of a 1HBH. The fact is that the 1HBH is a very natural stroke and assuming you are using the proper grip and put in the practice time most people will acquire a serviceable one hander. As you learn the stroke many people will blame technique flaws for their problems and spend lots of time getting their shoulders just right or their wrists or their head, etc. Thats just spinning your wheels.

My son transitioned to a one hander about a year ago. His coach hit with him about 2 months before ever recommending any change in technique-he only demanded that every shot be hit with authority with good racquet speed. That, in my opinion, is the key to the one hander. The progression of the 1HBH is start out hitting with power and then make slight adjustments as necessary.

We've all seen the beautiful one handers of guys like Fed and Gasquet but I've found that the classic one hander where you step into the ball is a seldom used shot in actual match circumstances. Most one handers will be hit on the run behind the baseline or hit as half volleys at the baseline. Those shots require that you maintain racquet speed while hitting with confidence-pushers need not apply. Forget about technique so much and just start hitting the ball hard-you'll get there quicker.

 

[Loco4Tennis]

my experience with the 1hbh has been to control my shoulder rotation and balance at impact,
I am a right handed player, the use of my left arm to counter balance the swing was key
i also had a tendency to rotate my body/shoulders like a forehand, changing this to something close to what you see on the videos really fixed my problem
i learned a lot and almost imitate the slow motion shoots of federers 1hbh
learning this shoot or getting it close to a place where i am comfortable with it took a while, but these videos really helped me a lot

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iz3NW9ZED-I

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MxvRtP7C42o&feature=related

 

[In D Zone]

The Elegance of 1HBH