Power potential 1HBH vs 2HBH

[LeeD]

2hbh CONTROL allows the player to hit old school eForehanded flattish 2hbh's fast, low, pinpoint.
1hbh can probably swing faster, but do you have time to prep every time?
LISTEN, for the answer.

[Relinquis]

how is the prep time any different between the two? it's just a matter of rotating your body.

moving on from pure power, the one hander has the benefit of more disguise. one can move quickly from slice to topspin/flat during the turn. if you are a two hander, it's pretty obvious when you'll go for a slice.

[LeeD]

You only need to play tennis just a little bit to know 2hbh is much better for half volleys, for shots hit behind you, for big fast serves hit into your backhand, and for returning overhead smashes with some ball speed besides slicing.
You don't have to play a lot to know this.

[dominikk1985]

Originally Posted by Relinquis

how is the prep time any different between the two? it's just a matter of rotating your body.

moving on from pure power, the one hander has the benefit of more disguise. one can move quickly from slice to topspin/flat during the turn. if you are a two hander, it's pretty obvious when you'll go for a slice.

the prepping itself is not longer but the swing takes longer because you need to hit it more out front and the swing arc is wider (more like what you call "casting" or "arm bar" in baseball). a 2 hander or FH also should be hit a little out front but you can still hit it beside you. a 1HBH topspin needs to be hit really out front which takes more time.

for that reason you have a little more time contraints and have to prep earlier for the 1HBH.

[LeeD]

Me jerk.
Dominikk1985, very patient.

[Relinquis]

Originally Posted by LeeD

You only need to play tennis just a little bit to know 2hbh is much better for half volleys, for shots hit behind you, for big fast serves hit into your backhand, and for returning overhead smashes with some ball speed besides slicing.
You don't have to play a lot to know this.

I have no issues hitting half volleys or behind me with one hand and the backhand overhead is always a smash for me, never a slice. I suppose it's the benefit of all those hours playing squash and badminton.

While I can imagine hitting low half volleys in the service box with two hands, i think single handed would give more feel/disguise/angle.

The real question:
how does one reach a backhand overhead with two hands? is there a two handed version of this? http://youtu.be/u2vF9xnL-EU?t=5s

[LeeD]

Serena and Venus never had problems with 2hbh overheads. You can get more power on the ball more often with both your hands....unless you're strong as ConantheBarbarian....and even HE uses 2hbh on his overhead cuts.
If you gotta reach full reach, just let go like you would on a wide groundie.

[Relinquis]

thanks dominikk1985.

I see your point, but that is during the swing forward, not the takeback/prep. how many milliseconds are we saving?!

[Relinquis]

i guess it's a matter of developing feel with a particular stroke. to each their own. how did you guys choose which one to use?

One handed always seemed more natural to me as it was what i used for other racquet sports and all of my heros as a kid were one-handers so i was influenced by them.

[LeeD]

Unfortunately, the takeback is part of the prep, so it cannot be judged separately. Some 2hbh's takeback direct, while other's loop.
Longer leverage and weaker ONE arm is the reason the forward swing takes longer to initiate in 1hbh, and quickness favors the 2 hbhs.
Any swordsman will tell you 2 hands is stronger and quicker than one hand, while badminton players would argue, as would knife fighters.

[dominikk1985]

Originally Posted by Relinquis

thanks dominikk1985.

I see your point, but that is during the swing forward, not the takeback/prep. how many milliseconds are we saving?!

I don't know. probably like 20% more time. this is often no problem but in some situations this can be crucial

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by Relinquis

i guess it's a matter of developing feel with a particular stroke. to each their own. how did you guys choose which one to use?

One handed always seemed more natural to me as it was what i used for other racquet sports and all of my heros as a kid were one-handers so i was influenced by them.

'Twas the same for me. Started with a 2HBH, but the 1H always felt more natural. Now I think it was because I used to be much larger and the 2H form made me feel cramped. I switched to a 1H in the middle of high school and it simply plateaued in the middle-late of college. I decided to give the 2H another shot, and now as of February, I'll have had 1 year with 2H and it's better than my 1H could ever dream of. I would get more power on my 1H, but the amount of control and stability of the 2 makes it a no-brainer. The best part is that I have kept my slice so I have both options available. People often say that the 1H provides more angles to hit. I have found the opposite when playing against a real opponent.

[LeeD]

Which is preferred by pros is influenced by the NEED of 2hbh while they were little kids, and the reluctance to change as they got stronger. Fed and Samprs noted exceptions.
Longer lever of the 1hbh can provide more swing speed, but needs more time.
Shorter, quicker, more violent 2hbh can hit eastern forehand like lazer shots with precision and accuracy.

[Relinquis]

what about satisfaction?

there is a certain pleasure in hitting a one-handed backhand winner, like a slap from a firm pimp* hand!


* i don't mean to cause offense or encourage violence. hitting people is not cool.

[LeeD]

"satisfaction", I can't get no....
Is tennis art form?
Is tennis winning or losing?

[Relinquis]

is winning/losing vs. art mutually exclusive? i firmly believe tennis, at it's best and most personal, can be both.

there were a couple of good Martin Amis and David Foster Wallace articles on this. I'll see if i can get links.

[LeeD]

Why do we need "articles"? Why can't we think for outselves?
Some people are engineers/mathmaticians. Some people are artists/dreamers.
And most have a mix of both, of course.
A winner is a winner.
A winner hit well is better than any plain ole winner.

[Relinquis]

relax. i didn't suggest the articles as evidence for an arguement or such. they're just pretty cool and well written. thought you'd like them as a tennis fan.

my view is art can be seen as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. Sounds like a good description of a well placed (single handed) backhand to me.

anyway, here you go (the articles, they're short and good reads):

Martin Amis: Tennis, my beautiful game.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...love-of-tennis

David Foster Wallace: Roger Federer as Religious Experience
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/sp...anted=all&_r=0

[LeeD]

Oh, don't get me wrong....
I play exclusively with a 1hbh, using both slice and topspin...and lots of sidespin too.
My competitive years back in the late '70's, exclusively 2hbh flat or sidespin. But I didn't touch a racket for 15 years, and came back with a 1hbh.

[TennisCJC]

Originally Posted by LeeD

You only need to play tennis just a little bit to know 2hbh is much better for half volleys, for shots hit behind you, for big fast serves hit into your backhand, and for returning overhead smashes with some ball speed besides slicing.
You don't have to play a lot to know this.

Yes, you don't have to coil as much for 2 HBH and you can hit ball later in the stroke - that's closer to your body. 1 HBH you must rotate shoulders a wee bit more as you normally use neutral or closed stance, and contact point is a foot or more out front. Getting that extra coil and extra foot of early contact takes a bit more time. You can get away with more such as open stances and later contact and still hit an agressive shot with 2 HBH.

But, a good 1 HBH is prettier.