s.nakamoto
Banned
Also you over analysis everything too much. Tennis is alot based on a feel and focus, not 55 degrees here or 35 degrees there and looking down at your hands. If you play like that you will play like a robot.
My biggest problem with the one handed backhand
- Thread starter JackB1
- Start date
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
It is very different. If you wait in your forehand grip, then no grip change is needed.
But yes of course I need to practice it more.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
When you are in the technique learning stage, you need to be precise with things like grip and movement. Once you learn how they feel, you stop thinking about them and just play. But you need a starting point. You don't just hand someone a racquet and say "here...go play. Just use focus and feel". Sure they might figure things out eventually, but it's not the most efficient way to learn.
MisterP
Hall of Fame
It's an efficient way to learn things incorrectly.
What are your thoughts on switching to a 2 hander? Apart from all the other reasons that I think a 2 hander is better, I find it much easier to switch between grips with two hands on the grip at the same time.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
It's an efficient way to learn things incorrectly.
What are your thoughts on switching to a 2 hander? Apart from all the other reasons that I think a 2 hander is better, I find it much easier to switch between grips with two hands on the grip at the same time.
Not an option. I played with a 2 hander from the start and it was always an obvious weakness that was targeted. Since switching to the one hander, things have improved a lot. I do slice a lot, but am trying to mix in the one handed topspin shot more and more.
Yes a 2 hander is better for most rec players, but not for me.
s.nakamoto
Banned
You say you been playing for 5 years! 5 years = very long time not to learn basic tennis strokes. I see small children they learn 1 hand backhand < 12 months. I think you over analysis everything. That is why your tennis learning is bad.
MisterP
Hall of Fame
At least you have tried it. I know a bunch of 3.5 guys who couldn't hit over a one hander during actual match play if their kid's life depended on it, but still insist the 2 hander is too tough to learn.
I talk to guys who have been playing tennis for well over 45 years, up to 55 years, all the time.
Here, we have NorCal top 10 70 year olds, who've played tennis since juniors, playing A/Open from ages 17 thru 50, and dropping to upper 4.0's since then.......
All say the grip change is tough to nail exactly. But they also say it doesn't matter, because nobody goes for maximum power on the very first shot after the grip change. There is room for error, you don't try to skim the net and hit the ball right at the opposing baseline, and you don't try to paint lines until your 3rd shot, even in doubles.
Here, we have NorCal top 10 70 year olds, who've played tennis since juniors, playing A/Open from ages 17 thru 50, and dropping to upper 4.0's since then.......
All say the grip change is tough to nail exactly. But they also say it doesn't matter, because nobody goes for maximum power on the very first shot after the grip change. There is room for error, you don't try to skim the net and hit the ball right at the opposing baseline, and you don't try to paint lines until your 3rd shot, even in doubles.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
I gave it a good long try. It's decent but won't allow me to improve.
My slice backhand alone is much better than my 2 hander was. If I can
just get my one hander efficient enough to mix in with my slice, I will really see
some good results.
JackB1.
Have your practice partner feed you fast deep balls to your 1hbh.
You will learn early prep, even without the exact perfect grip change, and hit solid 1hbh shots, topspin or slice, every time.
Know to hit mostly CC, allowing your natural topspin go come into play. Know that your DTL shot attempts will be hit flatter, or more sidespin, so aim accordingly.
And know also, gravity and air drag makes every ball hit below 3' above the net to drop back into play.
Have your practice partner feed you fast deep balls to your 1hbh.
You will learn early prep, even without the exact perfect grip change, and hit solid 1hbh shots, topspin or slice, every time.
Know to hit mostly CC, allowing your natural topspin go come into play. Know that your DTL shot attempts will be hit flatter, or more sidespin, so aim accordingly.
And know also, gravity and air drag makes every ball hit below 3' above the net to drop back into play.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
You don't comprehend what you read very well do you? I only recently switched to a one hander. Also, it's "over analyze"...not over analysis.
I see small children that read and write better than you.
I get it. I over analyze things according to you.
Did you come here to help or just to criticize people? You only have a dozen posts here, but you already well on your way to making my ignore list. Keep it up.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
good suggestion Lee...thanks
I'm right where you are in the 1hbh topspin evolution.
Hitting with certain players, who hit deep consistent hard, and relatively little topspin, I can look like a 5.0 in rallying, if they hit near me.
Hitting with player's who mix slice, hit short, hit loopy topspin, I can look like the 4.0 that we are, even if they hit near me.
Playing is a whole different story, but we gotta start out hitting well before we can incorporate into playing well using the topspin 1hbh.
Hitting with certain players, who hit deep consistent hard, and relatively little topspin, I can look like a 5.0 in rallying, if they hit near me.
Hitting with player's who mix slice, hit short, hit loopy topspin, I can look like the 4.0 that we are, even if they hit near me.
Playing is a whole different story, but we gotta start out hitting well before we can incorporate into playing well using the topspin 1hbh.
I have extreme grips. Western forehand, SW backhand. I used to hit the ball on the same side of the racquet for 6 months. Which was great because I never really had to think much with regards to returning of serve as I never really had to change grip. Additionally I was able to hold long raleighs very well. Problem I found was when I wanted to slice. I normally ran out of time on faster shots and I would fail miserably. I also hated not having a good BH-slice return option.
So I changed - my transition took a few months to be completely comfortable but its completely worth it.
Set your ready position to chopper.
Ensure that whenever you're changing grip, either to the FH or BH, you're doing so by using you're non-dominant hand, which should always be holding the racquet for you. Keep practicing this at home, you do not need to be on the courts for this. You will eventually train you're muscle memory so that you're change of grip is seamless and subconciously executed. You will then have the comfortably position of having a range of shots open to you (BH-slice, BH topspin, FH topspine, FH slice). Couldn't recommend this approach anymore highly. Starting in chopper you become so comfortable with grips, change of grips, you will eventually be able to alter grips on particular shots to impart different intensity of topsin, flatter shots, etc...
Good luck.
So I changed - my transition took a few months to be completely comfortable but its completely worth it.
Set your ready position to chopper.
Ensure that whenever you're changing grip, either to the FH or BH, you're doing so by using you're non-dominant hand, which should always be holding the racquet for you. Keep practicing this at home, you do not need to be on the courts for this. You will eventually train you're muscle memory so that you're change of grip is seamless and subconciously executed. You will then have the comfortably position of having a range of shots open to you (BH-slice, BH topspin, FH topspine, FH slice). Couldn't recommend this approach anymore highly. Starting in chopper you become so comfortable with grips, change of grips, you will eventually be able to alter grips on particular shots to impart different intensity of topsin, flatter shots, etc...
Good luck.
mightyrick
Legend
Hi Jack. I have a two-handed backhand, but I had exactly this same problem. Especially on backhand volleys. What my coach did was get me to develop an additional muscle memory when performing the unit turn for the backhand.
Initially, he made 100% sure that I was always holding the racquet out front in ready position with my left hand (off hand) square on the throat. Then, he told me to make sure I unified the unit turn of the upper body with a turning of the racquet throat by my left hand. Make both movements as if they are a part of one motion. Get the feel for that.
Then, he fed me balls out of a couple baskets to my backhand. I was not to hit a single ball. Just unit turn and get the feel of simultaneously turning the racquet with my left hand as I did the unit turn. It really worked. Then he hand-fed me some slow balls so that I could slowly and deliberately focus on the motion.
He also told me not to focus on any target grip and that I would naturally fall into a preferred grip just by trial and error and the feel. Accuracy isn't 100% important. Sometimes you will be more EBH... sometimes you will be more Continental. Eventually you will get a feel for both and intentionally adjust to either one depending on the situation.
Anyways, that's how my coach helped me. Your mileage may vary. I don't miss grip changes at all anymore. My backhand technique is still very mediocre, but I have the grip problem solved.
ARKustom93
Professional
No, it's not.
In simple terms, try to figure out which ready-position grip feels 'best' as the starting point for your grip change, facilitating both a quick and secure switch. Based on my experience, it's gonna be the FH grip, but that could be different in your case(play around with the various options).
Valid points re Continental, all around ...
ARKustom93
Professional
Think, my post was pretty clear on that ...
ARKustom93
Professional
Wanna kindly tell me, just where I'm advocating anything??
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
When you say "chopper", do you mean continental or eastern forehand?
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
good stuff rick.....appreciate the advice. Incorporating the grip change with the unit turn is a great idea.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
ARKustom93
Professional
Care to go into detail on that shtuff, I mean, all those ironclad 'facts' you're stating there??
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
ARK...never mind arguing with LeeD......
Where in Boynton Bch are u from? I used to live there 9 years ago and moved from there to Atlanta where I now am. I used to live off of Gateway Blvd near Congress Blvd.
ARKustom93
Professional
But ..... it's so much fun!!!
Anyway, side street off Coconut Lane(Intersection of Military and Flavor Pict), so I'm a few miles south of your former location, ... still, small world, eh?
I do hit 1 hander with various grips. continental-ish sometimes and eastern or extreme estaern backhand grip sometimes. I have no idea when I do these though. This is very feel-y thing and can not exactly specify.
I think I feel it with my palm.
There was period(of a few years) when I hit my 1 hinder top spin only, hardly hitting slice. My top spin 1 hander got really strong. all the cross court, down the line, inside out, could handle high ball easily and so on. At the time, I almost
forgot how to hit slice and often hit lame slice.
Now that I incorporated slice back to my game, my top spin 1 hander got slightly less reliable.
Some of advanced shots. I now reserve them for really opportunistic time.
I think I feel it with my palm.
There was period(of a few years) when I hit my 1 hinder top spin only, hardly hitting slice. My top spin 1 hander got really strong. all the cross court, down the line, inside out, could handle high ball easily and so on. At the time, I almost
forgot how to hit slice and often hit lame slice.
Now that I incorporated slice back to my game, my top spin 1 hander got slightly less reliable.
Some of advanced shots. I now reserve them for really opportunistic time.
Sorry guys, yes when I say chopper I mean continental. Look at Roger Federer - always ready with continental hence his whole range of shots. His forehand is not always the same and he uses different grips depending on the requirement due to his confidence with all the bevels.
Learning to always be ready with continental will give you so many options and a better feel of your play overall.
There are ATP players that don't follow suit (Nadal, Nishikori, etc) - at least their ROS grip is not continental...
Learning to always be ready with continental will give you so many options and a better feel of your play overall.
There are ATP players that don't follow suit (Nadal, Nishikori, etc) - at least their ROS grip is not continental...
s.nakamoto
Banned
Just switched?
You been trying to learn 1 hand backhand since 2013 and maybe earlier !
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=454912
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=478410
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
Do you have anything positive to add this thread or are you just trolling?
This forum is called "tips and instruction"...not "insults and put downs".
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ARKustom93
Professional
Jack, which grip is 'home base' for you(BL, rallying, in the course of playing points)?
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
I've been using semi western forehand, with my off hand more securely wrapped around the throat.
I played a match last night and I am getting more comfortable with it. I think my grip switching problem had a simple, yet effective fix. I am no longer coming up short on the handle rotation and its quicker, so I have more time now...even on returns.
Fintft
G.O.A.T.
You know that you can cheat a bit and lean more towards an BH grip as you wait (and learn the stroke)?
I have a similar problem and as I just restarted the tennis lessons (interrupted since last fall) the girl coach pointed out that I was using my left hand on the throat of the racquet (to change grip) in the wrong way: at the end I was holding it with my fingers on the side of the ball.
She instructed me that the left hand has to end up behind the racquet and as such advised me to start holding it with my fingers higher up the throat (both sides of the triangle) as opposed to on the thin handle I was holding it before.
Of course now I have to learn this, b/c initially, when doing this change, I was fidgeting and wasting some time and as result I wasn’t dropping the racquet head bellow the ball (from the take back position) in order to swing from low to high (but was at times swinging high to low, straight from the take back).
Of course no other coach (including the high paid ones at my club) ever bothers to point out this level of detail, quick and precise.
This is what I’m trying to do now (as opposed to having the knuckles facing the ball)
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...83DD85EB9DBDFFD1B38227A066A0B&selectedIndex=6
http://lockandrolltennis.com/backhand/one-handed-backhand/
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
I think coaches sometimes assume too much. A simple change to the way I now hold the throat of the racquet made a big difference. Like you, I was holding it too low and too much in the fingertips and not securely wrapping my hand around it. Now I can more quickly and forcefully turn the handle in either direction, giving me more time to make the stroke.
Yes, I do sometimes cheat towards b/h grip is someone is repeatedly serving to that side. Patterns will develop over the course of the match and it's smart to alter your grip prep accordingly.
Fintft
G.O.A.T.
Thanks, except that I've been having the opposite problem: I was wrapping my hand around the handle too much whereas the correct technique seems to be using the fingertips high, on the throat of the racquet (on the sides of the triangle).
The LockAndRoll guy seems to be doing it right in the above link.
And in my case it doesn't have to be a forcefull turn since I'm using an Eastern grip on the FH.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
Yes I am pretty sure I hold it now like the Lock& Roll guy is.
The way you can check to see if you hold it securely enough is to completely remove your right hand...you should be able to turn the racquet face to one side or the other just by rotating your forearm/wrist.
10isMaestro
Semi-Pro
Probably.
Personnally, because I hit somewhere around the semi-western forehand grip and strike my one handed backhand with it, I wait with that grip. Some people would tell me I'm nuts because you usually need the continental grip if you're in trouble and trouble is no time to fool around with grips -- I've been told that. In my experience, however, I never encountered the problem, even when I played much better players than me.
10isMaestro
Semi-Pro
Curiously, this never happened to me before and one of my friend can hit big, flat left handed forehands right into my backhand. With that being said, I seldom get the hang of slicing the ball -- I just use it when I feel like my slice bites more than usual.
JackB1
G.O.A.T.
On a related note......
I have noticed that certain racquets or certain throat designs/shapes of racquets make it easier/harder to get a comfortable/stable grip on the throat of the racquet. This isn't usually something I consider when demoing a racquet, but maybe it should be? Some racquets have rounder beams in the throat and some have more squared off edges. A good example of differences in the throat is the Pure Drive vs the APD. Also some racquet throats are wider or more narrow which could also have an impact. I would imagine someone with small hands would struggle with a wide throated racquet or have to hold it down lower near the top of the handle?
Has anyone ever modded the throat of their racquet where the grab it with their off hand to make it less slippery? Maybe some athletic tape? Just wondering....
I have noticed that certain racquets or certain throat designs/shapes of racquets make it easier/harder to get a comfortable/stable grip on the throat of the racquet. This isn't usually something I consider when demoing a racquet, but maybe it should be? Some racquets have rounder beams in the throat and some have more squared off edges. A good example of differences in the throat is the Pure Drive vs the APD. Also some racquet throats are wider or more narrow which could also have an impact. I would imagine someone with small hands would struggle with a wide throated racquet or have to hold it down lower near the top of the handle?
Has anyone ever modded the throat of their racquet where the grab it with their off hand to make it less slippery? Maybe some athletic tape? Just wondering....
