Compare BH volley mechanics to FH volley's

[fastdunn]

I never really paid much attention to BH volley and slice mechanics
because those shots are the one that came naturally to me
and never a major concern to me (of course I never surpassed 4.0
yet. Maybe I'll have more problem in the future).
Last 1 year so, I spent so much time improving my topspin
forehand and 1H BH ground strokes that I found I have lost my
fortes.

So while I was working on reconstructing BH volleys, I got
surprized that BH volley seems to be very different type of stroke
from FH volley. I always thought they are same type of short
punch. I though same principles hold for both BH & FH, for
example, racquet heads up and so on....

The main reason seem to be because BH volley
does not have same type of support to get under the ball.
Therefore, 1) you should hit slightly more in front of your hand
2) racquet head is slightly more side way, compare to FH volleys.
"Racquet head up" seems to apply only to FH volley, basically.

Am I getting it right ? or totally wrong ?
I never really took any lesson on backhand volley
and I personally feel like these two are fundamentally different
stroke. Is it simply because I've lost them ?

Thanks,
FD

 

[Bungalo Bill]

The backhand volley is a bit different because you need to maintain your balance in a different way. There are lots of "tips" to hit a backhand volley as compared to a forehand volley.

The main problem with the backhand volleys is the tendency to chop down on the ball, allowing the racket head to drop below wrist level. Usually, this will result in a net ball.

A backhand volley needs to have a firm wrist, and instead of chopping down on the ball, flatten out your volleying motion.

A good way to think of the motion is to pretend or think of yourself as a baseball umpire calling someone safe at home plate. HE'S SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFE (arms spread out wide).

As you punch forward on your volley, your free arm should extend away from your body simultaneously in the opposite direction to help you maintain your balance and keep your volleying motion solid and compact.

You might also want to very the grip towards an eastern backhand grip to help the wrist feel less vulnerable.

 

[fastdunn]

I still feel like I need to hit more in front for BH volley.
BH volley feels like more of "swing" and a slight supination.
FH volley feels like more of "blocking" with a bit less swing and almost no pronation. Racquet head is also a bit more upright
in FH volley, isn't it?, while BH volley is chopping si----de way
as you mentioned. No matter how firm you try to maintain
your wrist for BH volley, it can't be as firm as wrist state for
FH volley, can it ?

 

[bcaz]

Close the front shoulder ... move into the shot ... lay wrist back, keeping knuckles up, parallel to the ground ... bring racquet into the ball with the front shoulder, driving the strings though the ball toward the target ... squeeze the handle at/right before impact ... keep free arm back for balance ... keep moving through the shot.

 

[ma2t]

Close the front shoulder ... move into the shot ... lay wrist back, keeping knuckles up, parallel to the ground ... bring racquet into the ball with the front shoulder, driving the strings though the ball toward the target ... squeeze the handle at/right before impact ... keep free arm back for balance ... keep moving through the shot.

Lay your wrist back? That doesn't sound like a good idea.