My Problem on the One Hand Backhand

[Torres]

It's obvious to me, that my faulty swingpath is causing an outside to inside forward swingpath and that is pulling my shoulders open. I need more of a inside-out forward swingpath to the ball.

Last night I really exagerated getting the racquet back behind me to where it was parallel to the baseline and behind my back...strectching my front shoulder as much as I comfortably could and then letting go and dropping the racquet down below my left pocket before the forward swing. This sets things up much better to come from below the ball ans swing low to high without pulling accross my body.

I am getting a ball maching this weekend, so I will be able to practice this a lot more with slower feeds.

That's along the right lines.

- The start is very important. You need a much stronger start because the position of the racquet head at the start of the swing affects the subsequent swing, particularly so in your case.
- You need to be feeling your left arm actively positioning the racquet. At the moment its like a floppy snake that's not sure what to do. Unit turn, elbow out away from the body, racquet head pointing up, racquet behind the shoulder etc. It's practically impossible to hit outside in when you the racquet is dropping from a high position and then down past your toes.
- Stay side on
- Racquet head needs to be coming down along the line of your body
- Inside out swing. Outside in is after the contact and more for the finish
- Contact point is not directly in front of you. It needs to be slightly to the left. You need to be better positioned relative to the contact point as you're a bit lazy with your positioning relative to the ball and you tend to compensate by rotating.
- Full extension, hitting out in front of you, low to high.

There are other things as well but those are the main things that you should be trying to develop a feel for at this stage, ideally hitting in the short court with somebody eyeballing you until you develop a feel for the correct positioning, racquet path, spacing and timing.

 

[Torres]

Forget Blair Henley, have a look at Suarez-Navarro's backhand. Absolutely text book.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9jXx8iAw8M

Break down the technique elements of exactly what she does:

1.
2.
3.
4.

 

[RetroSpin]

It's obvious to me, that my faulty swingpath is causing an outside to inside forward swingpath and that is pulling my shoulders open. I need more of a inside-out forward swingpath to the ball.

Last night I really exagerated getting the racquet back behind me to where it was parallel to the baseline and behind my back...strectching my front shoulder as much as I comfortably could and then letting go and dropping the racquet down below my left pocket before the forward swing. This sets things up much better to come from below the ball ans swing low to high without pulling accross my body.

I am getting a ball maching this weekend, so I will be able to practice this a lot more with slower feeds.

By jove, I believe you've got it. The movements should feel somewhat exaggerated to you. Also, don't be afraid to really let it go. Don't patty cake it.

 

[JackB1]

Forget Blair Henley, have a look at Suarez-Navarro's backhand. Absolutely text book.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9jXx8iAw8M

Break down the technique elements of exactly what she does:

absolutely beautiful!

1. steps out with os foot, turns shoulders w/ off hand on racquet throat
2. very high takeback, face a little closed...high elbow, bent right arm
3. left arm straightens as she starts down, left hand stays on racquet till left hip.
4. meets the ball out front...nice high follow through w/ off arm out for counter balance
5.left leg gets pulled sideways from leaning into the shot

 

[Torres]

I think the important things for you are getting a strong and correct start - shoulder turn, correct positioning of the arms and racquet head - and subsequently the correct the positioning of your body relative to the position of the ball so that you can hit inside out with extension to and through the ball. The links should follow naturally.

Don't concentrate on the entire stroke, the feet or the small stuff at this stage. That shouldn't be the objective now and over complicates everything. Correct start and racquet path is what you should be aiming to get a feel for at this stage.

 

[asifallasleep]

All the info everyone is giving you is correct but you need to understand what it "feels" like to hit a proper topspin backhand before you can mechanically follow the advice everyone is giving you re: form.

Too many ideas in your head and you will become a more rigid step by step robot. Not a free flowing, natural tennis player.

The most important tip for the 1 hand backhand is loosen up that grip. You cannot generate the necessary racquet head speed if your grip is tight and your arm rigid. Don't try to control the ball!! Don't be afraid of hitting it out. Be free and beastly!! The top pros with 1 hand backhands absolutely rip their backhands. Your backhand should be as loose, powerful and free flowing as your forehand.

1) Loosen that grip. I mean barely hold the racquet. Almost as if you are holding a bird. This applies to your forehand as well. Loose, loose, loose. Don't think too much, don't worry about form. Keep everything insanely loose, arm, grip on racquet, everything. Just think about generating very high racquet head speed by being very loose and swinging from low to high.

Get a bunch of balls, and just loosely generate crazy racquet head speed from low to high. Don't worry about where the ball goes. You have to get used to being very very loose with your arm and grip

2) With your new found loose grip, you'll be able to generate racquet head speed. Hugely important.

The reason the pros racquets finish behind their backs is that they are crazy loose. The are not controlling things.

If you are insanely loose and swinging from a sharp enough trajectory you can rip the ball and it will stay in the court due to the huge rpms and topspin you'll get on the ball.

Stay loose, you'll hit a heavier more penetrating topspin ball, with a higher margin for errors and less injury to your arm. Look at the ball over your shoulder, closed stance and loose loose loose, racquet head speed from low to high, not a care in the world and you'll be in the finals of your local tournament in no time.

Good luck.

 

[JackB1]

Finally got myself a ball machine and video'd some more backhands today off a pretty slow feed...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0XGpLVhMlI

I was working on several things today and its really been a struggle.
Trying not to open up.
Trying to swing more low to high
Trying to turn shoulder more on take back
Trying to use off arm more

Some of these things look like they should be easy but for me they are not. I am struggling to get that off arm up in the air. I am struggling to stay closed and I am struggling with the swingpath. Despite all of this, I still can hit some decent backhand when I am in proper position.

Can anyone suggest a good starting drill to work on first with the ball machine?

 

[JackB1]

Don't concentrate on the entire stroke, the feet or the small stuff at this stage. That shouldn't be the objective now and over complicates everything. Correct start and racquet path is what you should be aiming to get a feel for at this stage.

So how do I do this?

 

[LeeD]

As I see it, you never get your takeback completed before you actually start your forward swing.
Watching some pros, Warinka, Kohlshreiber, Gasguet, Almagro, they get the racket back much farther and earlier than you do, then await for the ball to arrive.
YOU, OTOH, seem to be still taking the racket back as the ball arrives, so you never have a consistent back part of your swing to start from.
I"ve seen some 4.5 level players with a back wandering backswing as the ball arrives, but they SLICE on shots they are late for, and topspin on balls they have time to hit.

 

[Greg G]

Hey Jack, try to stop the shoulder rotation when you get perpendicular to the net, the let the arm go through.

 

[JackB1]

As I see it, you never get your takeback completed before you actually start your forward swing.
Watching some pros, Warinka, Kohlshreiber, Gasguet, Almagro, they get the racket back much farther and earlier than you do, then await for the ball to arrive.
YOU, OTOH, seem to be still taking the racket back as the ball arrives, so you never have a consistent back part of your swing to start from.
I"ve seen some 4.5 level players with a back wandering backswing as the ball arrives, but they SLICE on shots they are late for, and topspin on balls they have time to hit.

So turn back even more and do it earlier?

 

[JackB1]

Hey Jack, try to stop the shoulder rotation when you get perpendicular to the net, the let the arm go through.

I know I need to do that, but its really hard to actually do.

 

[LeeD]

Not turn back more.
Instead, get the rackethand back sooner and more.
An aligned stance with your shoulders is enough for now.
Try hitting a few with your rackethand already all the way back. I'll bet you immediately start hitting harder, more solid, and more consistently, as long as you get the right hand back before the ball arrives.

 

[Greg G]

I know I need to do that, but its really hard to actually do.

When I drill, it's to a 1-2 count, where 1 I stop hip/shoulder rotation, 2 is contact. Might help you. Good luck!

 

[JackB1]

You guys think this is a good drill to start with ?
http://youtu.be/LkRxbaPRHbg

 

[Torres]

You're not doing any of the things I mentioned previously. Absolutely none of them.

In addition to that, your grip looks wrong, you're slicing the ball and your contact point is way too close to you. Who told you to do that weird giant step closed stance?

This is the problem when you solicit 101 things from the internet and try and do too much too soon. More is not better.

 

[Torres]

You guys think this is a good drill to start with ?
http://youtu.be/LkRxbaPRHbg

It's not a bad drill for getting a feel for a closed racquet face but your issue is with the start and the swing to contact.

 

[JackB1]

You're not doing any of the things I mentioned previously. Absolutely none of them.

In addition to that, your grip looks wrong, you're slicing the ball and your contact point is way too close to you. Who told you to do that weird giant step closed stance?

This is the problem when you solicit 101 things from the internet and try and do too much too soon. More is not better.

Sorry but I cannot just magically do what you tell me to do. Wish it was that easy. My grip is eastern b/h and I don't know what's weird about my stance?
I am trying to hit with a closed stance and step into the shot.

So what should I start working on? You gave me a lot of suggestions just like everyone did. Give me something simple to get started on. How is that video I posted the link to above?

 

[Gyswandir]

Compared to your first video, there is a lot of improvement. If I had to pick just one thing for you to correct right now, it is your opening up on the stroke (backswing is a close second).

I'm not a fan of over correcting, but try this: every bh shot, check after you hit and if your shoulders are past perpendicular to the net, consider it wrong. To accomplish this,
make sure you don't wait so long to hit the ball after it reaches its apex,
get lower with your knees,
use your left hand (start swinging it backwards, as soon as your hand separates from the racket),
for the time being decrease your supination on the follow through, keeping the forearm to wrist position through the stroke to completion (used to be called a rising socket bh).

 

[Torres]

Sorry but I cannot just magically do what you tell me to do. Wish it was that easy. My grip is eastern b/h and I don't know what's weird about my stance?
I am trying to hit with a closed stance and step into the shot.

So what should I start working on? You gave me a lot of suggestions just like everyone did. Give me something simple to get started on. How is that video I posted the link to above?

LOL. I want to come down there and manoeuvre your arms for you so that you get a feel for the positioning of the arms and the racquet path :mrgreen:

I think you're trying to do way too much way too soon.

 

[JackB1]

LOL. I want to come down there and manoeuvre your arms for you so that you get a feel for the positioning of the arms and the racquet path :mrgreen:

I think you're trying to do way too much way too soon.

I agree and that's why i want to start simple, like in the video above.
Yesterdays video i took was just a first run with the ball machine to test it out.
Next time i plan to set it up for a slow toss feed and hit from the service line.
I will start with the racquet back and just swing easily to finish, concentrating on staying closed.

 

[Kevin V]

I would just find a good pro and get some lessons on the one handed backhand. You'll probably struggle with it forever if you don't. It is one of the most butchered shots that I see on the courts, and there are few that hit it correctly.

Watching videos is good when you already hit it correctly and you're just trying to make minor improvements.

 

[RetroSpin]

I know I need to do that, but its really hard to actually do.

Practice in front of a mirror, no ball necessary. With enough reps, at some point your mind will grasp the muscle memory necessary. You have a problem because you have ingrained a poor follow through and have to unlearn that.

One drill is to rally along the doubles alley. Very hard to keep the ball in the alley with your follow through. Hitting down a "hallway" reinforces the need to go forward not around.

A more extreme approach would be to put you over against the forehand side fence and have you hit balls or hit drop feeds. If you open up, you will hit the fence with your racquet.

You also need to get more below the ball on your stroke. You want everything to feel a bit exaggerated . What feels natural for you is unfortunately incorrect form, so you have to get out of your comfort zone.

 

[JackB1]

I would just find a good pro and get some lessons on the one handed backhand. You'll probably struggle with it forever if you don't. It is one of the most butchered shots that I see on the courts, and there are few that hit it correctly.

Watching videos is good when you already hit it correctly and you're just trying to make minor improvements.

Its not easy to find Pros that really understand how to teach the one hander nowadays. Most teach kids and they rarely will teach a one hander.

 

[Torres]

Its not easy to find Pros that really understand how to teach the one hander nowadays.

Then he shouldn't be coaching or is a very poor coach.

 

[Nostradamus]

I just watched some video of myself (will post later) and I noticed on my one hand backhand, that I still don't hit low-to-high enough and pull the racquet accross my body too much. I guess this is because I am so used to slicing, that the proper swingpath for topspin isn't ingrained yet. I really struggle with this and have to fight it on every stroke.

Any keys to getting more of a vertical swingpath and less diagnally accross the body? Should I take the racquet back higher and try and loop it more?

Any drills to help this?

thanks

try using the steel bar with wheel attached to it. try to hit up on the wheel to make it spin. it will help you maintain the upward motion. Also Stan Warinka has good up and out motion

 

[ericwong]

As a SBHer, I often tell myself to drive thru and end with the arm going up and out. The part where the hitting arm go round the body is when you are at the recovery stage after hitting the ball, getting ready for the next shot.

 

[Tennisean]

Gee thanks. That was very helpful. :twisted:

Welcome to Tips/Instruction, where you'll get all the bad advice, and snide remarks, you could ever wish for. (though in a 'helpful' way)


To help develop a good topspin backhand, try swinging in a figure-eight motion, like Tommy Robredo does.


http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...3j4.17.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.lEQNec3uxMQ

 

[Tennisean]

Practice in front of a mirror, no ball necessary. With enough reps, at some point your mind will grasp the muscle memory necessary. You have a problem because you have ingrained a poor follow through and have to unlearn that.

This is some great advice!

Similar to shadow boxing, (you could even shadow swing, if a large enough mirror isn't available) watching your swings in a mirror is free and easy to do, but surprisingly hard to stick with.

A backboard is an even better way to develop the muscle memory needed to hit well, if you have access to one. (a racketball/handball court can do)

 

[Shroud]

Many have mentioned that the sw grip is advanced or not to be used at all, and that I shouldnt have mentioned that to the OP.

Recently I signed up to Tom Avery's course as a 7 day trial. One document you get is a 54 page guide called "Blueprint to Consistent Wins".

Page 9 in that doc talks about grips and for backhand it lists 2. Eastern and SEMI-WESTERN are the only 2 grips for the backhand drive. There is even a specific sentience specifying how to find this grip on the backhand.

Avery knows way more about backhands than I do and well he would have recommended that grip to the OP....

 

[ProgressoR]

It's a bit of a leap from that sentence to saying he WOULD recommend someone to switch from EBH to SW if he already hit with EBH grip.

 

[JackB1]

Many have mentioned that the sw grip is advanced or not to be used at all, and that I shouldnt have mentioned that to the OP.

Recently I signed up to Tom Avery's course as a 7 day trial. One document you get is a 54 page guide called "Blueprint to Consistent Wins".

Page 9 in that doc talks about grips and for backhand it lists 2. Eastern and SEMI-WESTERN are the only 2 grips for the backhand drive. There is even a specific sentience specifying how to find this grip on the backhand.

Avery knows way more about backhands than I do and well he would have recommended that grip to the OP....

How exactly do you know that?

Anyway, I did give the SW grip a good try the other day and it just didn't feel right. However, I did do fine with just a bit past Eastern...right on the edge of the bevel. But at this point, I have much bigger fish to fry then minor grip tweaking. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Sander001]

Hitting across the body is much easier because the muscles that facilitate that are naturally stronger[triceps]. If you do exercises to strengthen your shoulder, make sure to train your fast twitch muscles as well.

edit: sorry, it's close to the tricep but called something else.

 

[RetroSpin]

For me, the best reason to use the SW BH grip is that it makes it more unlikely that I will slip into a continental grip. I find that kind of easy to do if I lose focus. The SW also makes it easier to get the racquet face tilted forward at impact, like Rafa does it.