One handed backhand thread. Put up or shut up. Let's see video of people's 1hb

[always_crosscourt]

Originally Posted by BevelDevil

Cheetah and Always_Crosscourt:

Always_Crosscourt uses a SW bh grip, so given this I can see how he's generating power by rotating through contact with no body deceleration.

There are also select occasions when I see pros, esp. Wawrinka, appear to do the same (usually on deep balls hit right at him).


However, for typical pro 1hbh (and most good ones), the shoulders decelerate through contact while the arm continues moving. That's why the "textbook" 1hbh advocates stopping the shoulders perpendicular to the net (like Federer). And that's why the left hand often flares out before contact. While many pros open up their chests more, the principle is still holding true.

The typical 1hbh is basically a "pull" stroke, like Federer's forehand.

The easiest analogy to this principle might be swinging a long axe with both hands. All the "oomph" takes place well before contact, and the momentum of the axe head is what carries it to the target. Perhaps that's why 1-handers seem to prefer heavy rackets.

On the 1hbh, maximum acceleration of the handle should be achieved well before contact, thus no further body rotation is useful.

No conscious thought is needed to do this on the 1hbh. Just an ingrained body checking motion (left arm out), proper weight transfer, and perhaps just an intuition about "throwing" the racket at the target.

BevelDevil, I'm not saying I don't decelerate, I'm basically saying I don't know if I do or don't. Knowing this would require me to film myself in slow motion and then time it to see if torso rotation deceleration occurred before contact.

I do throw the non-hitting arm back now, however, and I didn't use to. Flinging back the arm never happened as a result of me thinking about it - it just came with repetition and getting better.

Also, are you suggesting there are 'push' and 'pull' types of 1hbh's? If Federer has a 'pull', who has a 'push'? Wawrinka?

[BevelDevil]

Originally Posted by always_crosscourt

Also, are you suggesting there are 'push' and 'pull' types of 1hbh's? If Federer has a 'pull', who has a 'push'? Wawrinka?

No, I think all pro 1hbhs are pull. I was just saying the same principles apply as the pull forehand.

[Buford T Justice]

Originally Posted by marosmith

Very nice!

Yes...he looks good IMO!

[Buford T Justice]

Originally Posted by always_crosscourt

I do throw the non-hitting arm back now, however, and I didn't use to. Flinging back the arm never happened as a result of me thinking about it - it just came with repetition and getting better.

I've watched some super slo mos of Fed and it does appear that he keeps his left arm and hand more or less at his waist on the BH. The left arm doesn't flail backwards until the ball is long gone and it seems this movement is just for balance?

[luvforty]

Originally Posted by FrisbeeFool

I'm shocked that advice worked for your friend. Umm...... On the one hander you don't want your arm to be contorted close to your body. Go look at pictures of Federer or any other one-hander's contact point.

I really don't think you know anything about groundstrokes. Post a video of your one-hander. Your little pearls of wisdom aren't making any sense to me.

open you mind.

there are more than one way to hit the shot.... assuming you do have a sound bh, that does not mean you understand how others hit it.

i am not gonna bother posting a video, it won't serve any purpose, because you ain't gonna understand the motion anyway.

[Relinquis]

weak excuse...

you can argue he may not understand the motion, but he will be able to see the resulting ball...

[luvforty]

no... if i say that i hit like dimitrov, he's not gonna understand it, as dimitrov certainly does not stay low, and stay sideways, and extend to the target etc etc.

[psv255]

Originally Posted by luvforty

open you mind.

there are more than one way to hit the shot.... assuming you do have a sound bh, that does not mean you understand how others hit it.

i am not gonna bother posting a video, it won't serve any purpose, because you ain't gonna understand the motion anyway.

If not to explain to FrisbeeFool, we'd still like to see a vid of a good 1hbh!
Isn't demand a purpose in itself?

[slowfox]

50+ posts... Where are these videos?
And my bh sucks. I can ridicule myself...

[psv255]

Originally Posted by slowfox

50+ posts... Where are these videos?

they're in there, most on the first page. The thread trailed off into disagreement in instruction/stroke production about halfway in.

[Avles]

Well here's my iffy backhand, mostly topsin with a few slices thrown in-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e426kwOu75s

It's an ok shot when I can time it right,but I have some trouble controlling both vertical trajectory and L/R placement, and it tends to be late against incoming pace. So I end up reverting to slice as a default in matches and using the topspin mainly for passing shots or when I have lots of time to prepare.

Looking at this video I think I probably need more knee bend, more rotation into the shot, and more efficient/consistent footwork and prep. Maybe a higher takeback as well. I felt like the backhands I hit at 2:41 and 2:44 were a a little more like what I should be going for. Any comments welcome...

[psv255]

Originally Posted by Avles

Well here's my iffy backhand, mostly topsin with a few slices thrown in-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e426kwOu75s

Looking at this video I think I probably need more knee bend, more rotation into the shot, and more efficient/consistent footwork and prep. Maybe a higher takeback as well. I felt like the backhands I hit at 2:41 and 2:44 were a a little more like what I should be going for. Any comments welcome...

Feels like the first thing you might want to focus on is connecting torso and arm, and rotate both as a unit; as of now, you are completely arming it. A good cue I've seen here on TW which may help is placing a tennis ball under your arm, and keeping it there until just before contact when you hit your backhand.
2:41 is better weight transfer, but still all arm...

[aimr75]

A few backhands here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...MtLtZvE#t=118s

[Greg G]

Looking really good! Maybe just a bit wider base and knee bend would give you some more stability. Love the forehand too!

[dennis10is]

Originally Posted by Pickle9

this thread is going to be the goat

I just found this thread. Ageed.

I have a 1bh but as an 1.0 I'll sit back and learn from these masters.

Maybe one day, even without Tony the stringer, I'll strike enough courage to attempt a topspin backhand.

[dennis10is]

Originally Posted by always_crosscourt

It doesn't make sense.

How can you focus on slowing anything down when swinging into a shot. If you try to slow anything down when swinging forward, the shot will not be explosive and it'll be tentative instead.

I'm lmao right now.

[BevelDevil]

Originally Posted by Avles

Well here's my iffy backhand, mostly topsin with a few slices thrown in-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e426kwOu75s

It's an ok shot when I can time it right,but I have some trouble controlling both vertical trajectory and L/R placement, and it tends to be late against incoming pace. So I end up reverting to slice as a default in matches and using the topspin mainly for passing shots or when I have lots of time to prepare.

Looking at this video I think I probably need more knee bend, more rotation into the shot, and more efficient/consistent footwork and prep. Maybe a higher takeback as well. I felt like the backhands I hit at 2:41 and 2:44 were a a little more like what I should be going for. Any comments welcome...

You're letting go of the throat too soon.

Use your left hand to drop the rackethead below the ball and only let go once you start with the forward swing. Compare with this vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqBEErW0vTA#t=4m57s

The link jumps to the relevant section, but you should watch the whole video. (You can also find a 2-part series by this same guy, which is good.) Make sure you understand the "power position" concept.

On the forward swing, let your shoulders pull your arm and racket forward.

It also helps to straighten your arm earlier in the swing, before you let go. You'll get a more consistent and powerful swing pretty quickly that way.

[PhrygianDominant]

Originally Posted by The Bawss

No offence but being able to hit easy sitters which are being fed to you just behind the service box isn't any kind of measure of one's backhand. Despite this, you hit a whole bunch long.

if you don't put up you have to shut up.

[tennis_balla]

Mine sucks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9_840isSsI

[Greg G]

Looks great! Love the acoustics of the court, sounds like you have a cannon!