Body wear and tear, 2h vs 1h backhand

[LeeD]

I switched from 2hbh to 1hbh when I turned 40.
Not due to reach, not due to shoulder injury, but mainly because I liked the idea of variety in spin, speed, and bounce, on my groundstrokes.
A slice backhand has more reach than a 2hbh. A topspin 1hbh doesn't have any reach advantages.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

The American tennis game is built on running around the backhand. If you are American, you don't need a backhand, so the discussion is irrelevant. It isn't 2HBH vs 1HBH, but rather why are you hitting so many backhands at all? If you are forced to hit one, do whatever you need to do to get it back, then get in better position next time so you can run around it.

 

[LeeD]

I must not be American. Have only lived in California for 66 years.
I often run around a possible forehand to hit a backhand slice inside out, basically DTL, instead of a CC forehand.

 

[sadowsk2]

IMO, the two hander is way more demanding on the body and you have to cover more ground. With proper technique tennis elbow is not an issue for the one hander.

Agreed. People who develop tennis elbow from using a 1hbh simply don't know the correct technique. Specifically with their wrist positioning

 

[Moveforwardalways]

I must not be American. Have only lived in California for 66 years.
I often run around a possible forehand to hit a backhand slice inside out, basically DTL, instead of a CC forehand.

I'm talkin' bout real 'murican tennis.

 

[LeeD]

That's just plain wrong....
Old days, Tony Roche, and John Newcomb had tennis elbow. I guess they had flawed 3.5 strokes, eh?
Even Ken Rosewall suffered through a bout with tennis elbow. Ever heard of his backhand stroke?
OVERUSE is one of the main causes for tennis elbow.

 

[movdqa]

That's just plain wrong....
Old days, Tony Roche, and John Newcomb had tennis elbow. I guess they had flawed 3.5 strokes, eh?
Even Ken Rosewall suffered through a bout with tennis elbow. Ever heard of his backhand stroke?
OVERUSE is one of the main causes for tennis elbow.

Stan Smith too.

Novak Djokovic.

Lots of ladies on the WTA tour with arm cuffs over the years.

 

[gvsbdisco]

choose the one you hit cleaner. that is likely one of the biggest factors in wear and tear on the body. I hurt my left shoulder (at 49) hitting 2HBH. Switched to a one hander 4 months ago or so and it came pretty natural. I hit way cleaner with 1HBH.

 

[sadowsk2]

That's just plain wrong....
Old days, Tony Roche, and John Newcomb had tennis elbow. I guess they had flawed 3.5 strokes, eh?
Even Ken Rosewall suffered through a bout with tennis elbow. Ever heard of his backhand stroke?
OVERUSE is one of the main causes for tennis elbow.

While that's true overuse is an injury cause- I suspect for the amateurs on this board who aren't playing/practicing every day it's most likely technique ;-)

 

[geca]

1hbh has less restriction and the 2 arms move separately to balance each other.

it has a slightly better reach laterally for wide balls.

it has a much better reach vertically for lower/higher balls.

less body wear for sure. The key is to have sound technique. If done correctly, there is very little stress on the shoulder/elbow.

That's a big IF though.

 

[ext2hander]

deleted .....

 

[jga111]

Most people that suffer from TE with the OHBH do so because they're not doing it right and their technique is off. If this cannot be resolved then the 2 handed should be used.

I believe that with the modern day OHBH should come mandatory conditioning for the rotator cuffs and general surrounding muscles of the shoulder. Not doing so will run the serious risk of injury. I am recovering from an impingement issue myself but do not want to lose my OHBH and now ensure appropriate conditioning is part of my schedule.