continental grip for 1hbh

[Syfo-Dias]

I've been working a lot on my 1hbh lately. I had been using an eastern backhand grip, but recently tried using more of a continental grip and it's been working a lot better for me. I wouldn't say it's straight continental, but maybe somewhere in between continental and eastern bh. It's actually the same grip I use on serves. Do many people use this kind of grip for a 1hbh? It seems like a lot players who still have a 1hbh prefer the eastern or western grips now.

 

[Solat]

i use this grip, but i am an attacking player, not a big spinner of the ball off the BH, i slice a lot and i s&v

i like the variety i can get out of this grip

 

[Mada]

My 1hbh is eastern, wouldn't it be hard to get decent topspin with a continental grip?

 

[Solat]

its not a true conti, the heel comes around the back of the racquet but the knuckle is still technically closer to 2 then 1

so the hand isnt on top of the racquet like conti for volleys

 

[ronalditop]

i use a backhand grip between western and eastern, sometimes full western. i cant imagine getting any spin with a continental grip.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

i use a backhand grip between western and eastern, sometimes full western. i cant imagine getting any spin with a continental grip.

Like I said, it's not a true continental grip. Maybe the term for it would be extreme continental. I'm able to hit with a pretty good amount of spin with it and it allows me to hit through the ball a lot more. Its main weakness is with high balls. I think that's where the more western backhand grips work better.

 

[SirBlend12]

I have about the same grip... I more or less float between the two. It depends on how much drive I want behind the ball. I use the Continental for low balls and Eastern for anything above thigh height. Sometimes it's the in-between grip you described. And you can definitely get spin from a Cont. 1hbh. Low to high swing path, loose wrist, turning your upper body...

 

[split-step]

I hit with a semi western 1hbh grip, but my coach had me hit with the continental for a while to get the feel of driving through the shot. (instead of excessive 'brush')

Anyway, the stroke is basically the same. The position of the wrist is different.
For the continental, the wrist is turned inward, to close the racquet face, so that at contact it is 'square'.

With my semi-western, the racquet face is already super closed so the wrist is cocked , so that it is square at contact.

And yes, you can generate spin with the continental, but it is not the best choice for a baseliner. IF you are using the continental grip to drive backhands, works better if you are an attacking player/net rusher.

 

[halalula1234]

i tried conti and it is good not just for slice but also driving the ball. Sometimes it seems to go even faster than my western bh. Since conti produces really flat balls.

 

[jasoncho92]

A more continental grip feels more comfortable for a lot of people because it is easier to get over the net (problem for many 1 handers). Its harder to put spin but what ever floats your boat mah buddeh

 

[ls206]

I use a continental 1hbh, I don't find it hard to put spin on the ball.

 

[Mada]

Well, watever works for ya i guess =p

 

[In D Zone]

I am sure you can play your backhand with any type of grip. I seen players who hit a reserve backhand (basically turning and using the opposite side of the racquet to hit bh). I know I can't do it !

But there is the recommended way - the right way ??? Perhaps... again beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Learning to hit it the proper way like in this case eastern backhand can take you game to the next level.

how can u return a hard serve to your body or to your backhand? Are you just going to slice it back?

The advantage of using eastern is to have a strong hold on the racquet when a heavy ball is coming back at you; allowing you to punch the ball back or when you are ready to hit a flat or topspin go for the winner.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

But there is the recommended way - the right way ??? Perhaps... again beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Learning to hit it the proper way like in this case eastern backhand can take you game to the next level.

Didn't Henin use a full Western? Didn't McEnroe use a Continental? I could have sworn I read somewhere that Sampras used somewhere near Continental. I don't know, it just seems like there should be more than 1 proper grip for the 1 hbh. It's a beautiful stroke and I definitely plan on sticking with it. I don't know why, but I've always really hated the 2 hbh stroke. I guess it's the purist old schooler in me.

 

[supertrex]

u can use continental for topspin backhand. your just gonna twist your wrist a lil bit but at the same time firm and locked. its really hard to do. I only use it if I get short balls and hitting it down the line. but baseline backhand u need to change the grip or else. wrist will hurt bad.

 

[Kevo]

I think it's probably easier to get spin with an eastern or western grip. I can't imagine really wailing on the backhand side with a continental. I don't see how I could get enough spin to keep the ball in.

I also think you can get more variety with the eastern or western. I frequently hit short looper that are mostly spin mainly by turning my arm (supination). I imagine you could do something similar with a continental, but I don't imagine it would be as natural a shot. It's probably worth experimenting with the grip change just to see for yourself how it might or might not fit for you.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

I might just post a pic of what grip I'm using. I really think it's somewhere between Continental and Eastern BH. Pretty much the same as my service grip. It really is amazing at how subtle changes in grips can make such a difference.

 

[In D Zone]

Interesting..... I've decided to look in the archieves & found these.

Freeze the vid just the player prep 1bh racquet for the shot.

Henin's back hand: (pause immediately just as the vid starts to play) looks more Eastern Bh to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZCVNv1Tmlo&NR=1

Sampras ; backhand (looks eastern to me) - freeze 0.03 to 0.05
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QMF5U-GdjE

 

[NLBwell]

Relax about the grips. Whatever works best for you. You can hit any type of shot with any type of grip - there are just gradients of how natural the shot is. Top players have used really bizzare grips (Berasategui) but managed to use the strengths and compensate for the weaknesses. It is possible to hit huge topspin with Continental grips and slices with western grips, it is just not as natural as the other way around.

 

[halalula1234]

Didn't Henin use a full Western? Didn't McEnroe use a Continental? I could have sworn I read somewhere that Sampras used somewhere near Continental. I don't know, it just seems like there should be more than 1 proper grip for the 1 hbh. It's a beautiful stroke and I definitely plan on sticking with it. I don't know why, but I've always really hated the 2 hbh stroke. I guess it's the purist old schooler in me.

yep henin used semi-western
McEnroe used conti grip for every shot
Sampras use somewhere like between conti and eastern
federer uses eastern
Kuerten uses full western

I have recently tried the 1 handed backhand drive with the conti grip and felt strange and harder to put spin onto the ball. I managed to hit a nice flat ball with a little slice on it consistently though. I'll just stick to my western bh unless im on the run.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I've been working a lot on my 1hbh lately. I had been using an eastern backhand grip, but recently tried using more of a continental grip and it's been working a lot better for me. I wouldn't say it's straight continental, but maybe somewhere in between continental and eastern bh. It's actually the same grip I use on serves. Do many people use this kind of grip for a 1hbh? It seems like a lot players who still have a 1hbh prefer the eastern or western grips now.

If I am hitting a onehanded backhand on serve returns, I will hit through it using a Continental grip.

The reference point of the Continental grip is to feel like you are hitting the ball with the back of your hand. Therefore, you want to maintain a straight wrist/hand/forearm through the stroke.

Players that are not used to this grip will have a tendency right before impact to curl up their hand/wrist towards it being laid back. This is a natural tendency and you will do it at times even when you are determined not too. However, this also produces shots that pop up and have a tendency to sail long.

I dont usually advocate curling up the wrist before impact for people learning to hit with a Continental for various reasons. However, once they have developed a stable wrist and they are able to keep this wrist stable throughout the swing and well into followthrough, then a little curl before contact can be what the Doctor ordered to add a little "pop" on the ball. This takes real real good timing which is why I would want to see someone master the straight wrist first through the stroke.

The feeling you want is that you are brushing the back side of the with the ball back of your hand wrist and you maintain that until you have your racquet well into followthrough and you are in the "air the armpits" area. You should feel the impact of the shot slightly concentrate against the back of your hand/wrist as you go up through it.

Also, another reference some players use is a "knuckles down" to help them stablize the wrist area throughout the stroke. The knuckles down has to do with your forward swing to contact to help ensure you hit the ball with a square racquet face.