1H backhand grip: continental vs eastern pros cons?

[firstblud]

i've been using the continental grip for my 1h backhand (which sucks overall) and many times i would hit the ball high and out of the court (probably from bad stroke technique with racket facing up at contact somehow).

i've read articles about people suggesting eastern and continental and wanted to solicit from feedback from you guys to analyze the pros and cons... should i try switching to eastern backhand, or keep working on my continental grip forehand?

i started w/ a continental grip because i figured it'd be more convenient to worry about only two grips: semi western fore forehand, and continental for everything else. also, i started out with a 2h backhand, so continental felt more natural, but i want to take the best route to improve in the long run.


also, do both grips require wrist bend (or perhaps one requires more than the other)?

*CLARIFICATION: I mean eastern backhand

 

[halalula1234]

continental backhand is not good for backhand drives or if u want to get a winner....continental backhands are the correct grip slices and and the backhand volley other than that it is used for the serve and forehand slice. I recommend you learning the eastern if you want to improve your backhand and get the most out if it or just use your 2 handed.

 

[Essential Tennis]

Good questions Firstblud,

A continental grip is ok to start out with for the one handed back hand, but once you reach a certain level, and start accelerating and making a longer swing at the ball, its difficult to keep the ball in play. It sounds like you're running into this problem, as you're starting to miss way long using continental. You're correct in thinking that the reason why you're missing long is because of your racket face being too open at contact, and thats exactly what the eastern backhand grip is fore: to close the face more to allow you to make a more upwards and aggressive swing at the ball without it floating up and out.

It's still possible to hit aggressively with a continental grip and put it in play, but in general that requires a very low, flat shot over the net which is quite risky. Its very difficult to produce substantial top spin with a continental grip because once again its tendency is to have the face open too much, and making a good amount of top spin requires having a flat (perpendicular) face at contact.

So basically, the pros of the continental grip are that it keeps things simple and you don't have to switch as much, but the cons are it's going to hold you back in the long run to a certain extent because hitting aggressively with top spin is a whole lot harder.

The pro of the eastern backhand grip is that it further closes your racket face on the backhand side which makes it possible for you to make a longer, faster, more aggressive swing (make sure its upwards enough!). The con would be that it's another grip to learn and have to get to before you make your backhand swing.

Your question about wrist bend.....I'm assuming you're talking about the wrist flexing upwards, and at contact? My recommendation is getting to the eastern grip, and then keeping your hand and wrist relaxed, and just let things happen. Your wrist may be slightly bent at contact, but it definitely shouldn't be much, and its definitely not something you should be consciously trying to do. Here's Roger:

http://juhotunkelo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/federer-backhand1.jpg

On a side note, just in the past year or so I've started switching over to a true eastern backhand grip. My one handed backhand has always been the weakest part of my game by far, very flat and inconsistent when I was forced to have to go for it, like on a return in doubles as an example. Between running around it and having a good slice backhand I've still been able to hit at a 5.0 level, but turning it over more, relaxing my hand and forearm more, and starting to hit more topspin with it are going to improve it a TON, and I'm really looking forward to getting more and more comfortable with it in the future.

Make sense?

 

[Dags]

If you're hitting your backhand high and long, then it's quite likely that you're hitting the ball too late. This often causes you to be off-balance, and if you end up leaning backwards then it will make you hit upwards more.

Two things to try:

1) hit the ball earlier, i.e. make contact so when it is still in front of you.
2) use your other hand to help stabilise you. On your backswing, put your left hand under the throat of the racquet, as if you are resting the racquet on your fingers. When you swing to hit the ball, push backwards with your left hand, as if you are pushing off a wall behind you.

 

[firstblud]

wow really appreciate the feedback from all so far

Essential Tennis - yes i'm referring to the wrist bending back a bit towards the top of my forearm (if that makes sense).

thanks, i will try to work on the eastern bh grip

 

[Essential Tennis]

wow really appreciate the feedback from all so far

Essential Tennis - yes i'm referring to the wrist bending back a bit towards the top of my forearm (if that makes sense).

thanks, i will try to work on the eastern bh grip

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