Natural or Trained?

[Freedom]

I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to develop a one-handed backhand, or stick with two hands. I've played with a two-handed backhand since I've started playing tennis (about 6 years ago) but I've recently tried a one-handed. Not only does the one-handed backhand feel a billion times better, but I've had great results with it in practice. My two-handed hasn't been any good lately.
I feel like it's easier to get more muscle behind the shot with a one-handed, and I think it flows much better than my normal shot. Should I continue to work with a one-handed backhand, or stick with two?

Thanks in advance.

 

[PM_]

IMO if you say if feels better than stick with it.
In my case, I actually switched from a 1hb to 2-hander just last fall.

But if you do this, commit. You may go through a strut or two but in the end there will be light...

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to develop a one-handed backhand, or stick with two hands. I've played with a two-handed backhand since I've started playing tennis (about 6 years ago) but I've recently tried a one-handed. Not only does the one-handed backhand feel a billion times better, but I've had great results with it in practice. My two-handed hasn't been any good lately.
I feel like it's easier to get more muscle behind the shot with a one-handed, and I think it flows much better than my normal shot. Should I continue to work with a one-handed backhand, or stick with two?

Thanks in advance.

I dont know, maybe you have always had a lousey twohander and now is the time to change. Or maybe you have crappy footwork and feel a little less constrained with the onehander. The trouble with that idea is lousey footwork for one stroke will be lousey footwork for the other stroke. Although you will feel better, you will still get crappy results.

I was teaching a 4.0 player the other week on his onehander that he has been told to use, coached to use, and drilled to use for what seems like forever. But! He never overcame certain critical things needed to hit the onehander well. At the time he was taking lessons from a coach who kept coaching him to improve his onehander, I was two courts down, sipping on a Mai Tai, and noticed the guy had great natural rotation. I envisioned him hitting a twohander and afterwards met him to tell him that. It has been 5 weeks and he isn't looking back.

The onehanded backhand will always feel like it has more freedom then the twohander. But the onehander has some major issues to overcome. It is a tougher stroke regarding body control and timing. Eight times out of ten, you will switch back due to inconsistent results.

The question I have is maybe you never learned how to hit a twohander properly so it could feel relaxed and smooth. Not that I am against changing but at the same time you have invested a lot of time in the twohander and to chalk it up because you aren't hitting it well "OF LATE" that to me seems a little drastic.

Every player has strokes that tank a little. So what is the problem?

 

[35ft6]

I know a guy who played junior college tennis in California, switched to a one-hander. He had a beautiful one-hander, prettier than mine, but if we were playing points, his one-hander was very easily exploited.

I think because he could occasionally hit a great one-hander in practice, he figured "if I can hit this great with no practice, with practice I will soon be hitting great one-handers all the time!"

Anyway, he's back to a two-hander now. His backhand is too loopy IMO, but it's still better than his one hander. More consistent, more reliable, but not as pretty.

Just saying that however easy a one-hander seems now, if you play matches, you'll see how solid it really isn't under pressure. If you're going to change, it's going to take a long time before your 1 hander is truly money, so if you're going to change, maybe acknowledge this and really commit to giving yourself a year to 18 months to make the change happen.

 

[Freedom]

I found that in a pressure situation, I can still hit the one-hander, but on one shot I actually snapped my left hand onto the racquet and hit a two-handed. I suppose I'll stick with the two-handed, and just improve my footwork. Thanks for your input.

 

[odessa]

I found that in a pressure situation, I can still hit the one-hander, but on one shot I actually snapped my left hand onto the racquet and hit a two-handed. I suppose I'll stick with the two-handed, and just improve my footwork. Thanks for your input.

I have a history of switching between one and two handed backhand.

Sure it looked good in training but when the pressure is on and i had to return against good servers and hard hitters the stability was simply not there.

But i believe that it still was not lost time because its good tobe able to rally with one hand as a coach and it improved my slice even more.

To return with two hands is just very natural for me, its my stronger return side.

One good test to see if someone is really talented to hit a consistent one hander is hitting inside out backhands.
Most recreational players cant hit inside out one handers to save there life.
Great drill to get the right rotational pattern which is inside out.

 

[AngeloDS]

Your backhand could possibly be good but not at the level of the people you play with. And as said you need to improve other things to improve that stroke. Such as footwork, preperation, fitness and several other things down the chain.

I had a great one-handed backhand until I started playing people better than me. It was still great against people around my level or below, but not so great against people above my level. So I had to go back and improve it to get to the next level.

 

[Rickson]

Go for the one hander, it's the most beautiful shot in tennis.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Go for the one hander, it's the most beautiful shot in tennis.

You are one diehard onehander. I agree with you, when hit right though, it is the most beautiful shot. When hit wrong, it can get pretty ugly.

So who do you think has the nicest looking one?

My vote is for Henin-Hardenne and Gaudio.

 

[Freedom]

Fitness isn't a problem, if I can say that without sounding like an egotistical jerk. And actually, I have run around my forehand to hit backhands - one and two-handed.

 

[Rickson]

You are one diehard onehander. I agree with you, when hit right though, it is the most beautiful shot. When hit wrong, it can get pretty ugly.

So who do you think has the nicest looking one?

My vote is for Henin-Hardenne and Gaudio.

Justine on the women's side and Gasquet on the men's side. Bill, it's your turn to come back to the one hander. Leave that 2 hander behind and come back, Bill, come back.

 

[hyperwarrior]

So who do you think has the nicest looking one?

My vote is for Henin-Hardenne and Gaudio.

I know they both have good-looking backhand but is it more effective than Federer?

I don't watch them often so I don't really know.

 

[Mahboob Khan]

If you are having good results with your 1-handed BH, go for it. Instead of going back to your 2-handed BH and spending more practice time (and money), I would advise you to work on your 1-hander. My feeling is: "That the best 1-handed backhand will always beat the best 2-handed backhand":

It looks elegant, free flowing

You can hit with topspin and underspin

Slice approach shots and volleys are quite convenient

And it provides variety.

 

[Match Po¡nt]

You are one diehard onehander. I agree with you, when hit right though, it is the most beautiful shot. When hit wrong, it can get pretty ugly.

So who do you think has the nicest looking one?

My vote is for Henin-Hardenne and Gaudio.

JHH and Federer have very similar signature 1HBHs. Their follow-throughs are --as how Manboob Khan describes the 1HBH in general--"elegant". Their forward swings are graceful-looking yet the ball is hit with tremendous pace and spin. They coil back their arms and load up on the take backs, there are slight delays as though things are in slow motion, then all of sudden they explode into the ball. Awesome stuff!!!!!!!

 

[Bungalo Bill]

JHH and Federer have very similar signature 1HBHs. Their follow-throughs are --as how Manboob Khan describes the 1HBH in general--"elegant". Their forward swings are graceful-looking yet the ball is hit with tremendous pace and spin. They coil back their arms and load up on the take backs, there are slight delays as though things are in slow motion, then all of sudden they explode into the ball. Awesome stuff!!!!!!!

So your vote is Henin and Federer. Hmmm...for some reason (of which I dont know why) Federers backhand doesnt grab me (like saying "wow, that is a beautiful backhand") as Gaudios or Henin's does.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

geeez come on computer!

 

[Bungalo Bill]

deleted post, hate it when it does this

 

[Bungalo Bill]

delted post

 

[Bungalo Bill]

If you are having good results with your 1-handed BH, go for it. Instead of going back to your 2-handed BH and spending more practice time (and money), I would advise you to work on your 1-hander. My feeling is: "That the best 1-handed backhand will always beat the best 2-handed backhand":

It looks elegant, free flowing

You can hit with topspin and underspin

Slice approach shots and volleys are quite convenient

And it provides variety.

Spoken from another true onehander...geez you guys just can't stop living in the past....

 

[Bungalo Bill]

:evil:

Justine on the women's side and Gasquet on the men's side. Bill, it's your turn to come back to the one hander. Leave that 2 hander behind and come back, Bill, come back.

Once you have been to the Darkside there is no coming back. :evil:

If I play a player lower level then I, I will fool around and hit onehanders. But not with a player that has a rocket forehand and a rocket serve. That is when Mr. Dependable comes out to play.

 

[AngeloDS]

I think a great one handed backhand (personal opinion) is Paradorn Srichipans. I used to have my backhands like his ;D. It's a beautiful grip when all your knuckles are aligned, it created incredible topspin and bounce after the topspin. Cross court shots are beautiful, down the line not so beautiful but still a lot of spin.

But I changed more into Federer's grip out of necessity ;p.

Two-Handed backhand is fine -- look at Hingis. So many angles and a lot of pace/spin with these angles. My HS Varsity coach used to use One-Handed backhand and switched to a Two-Handed backhand because of his elbow. His Two-Handed backhands beat mine all day - every day :\.

I had to use a two-handed backhand for awhile since I couldn't get much knee bend after my knee injury ;\. Now I'm back in fitness and health and bam now I can bend my knees and really hit like I used to.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I know they both have good-looking backhand but is it more effective than Federer?

I don't watch them often so I don't really know.

I think they all have very effective backhands. I think Federer can finesse his more and is more effective, but da "little sista Henin" can rocket some backhands.

But I am talking about beauty rather than effectiveness. Federers just doesnt grab me as much as the two I mentioned. Oh well, big area for personal opinions.

 

[tennisplayer]

The biggest problem that I've had and see other people encounter with the 2HBH is the ability to create racquet head speed. With two hands gripping the racquet tightly and working at cross purposes shots tend to be weak and there's the occasional home run. It took me a long while to learn to loosen the grip and swing easy, so I feel that while it's easy to get started with the 2HBH, it's every bit as challenging to master as the 1HBH.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

The biggest problem that I've had and see other people encounter with the 2HBH is the ability to create racquet head speed. With two hands gripping the racquet tightly and working at cross purposes shots tend to be weak and there's the occasional home run.

One of the keys to a powerful and thunderous twohander is to strengthen the non-dominant arm, totally relax the shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand of the dominant arm (bottom hand) and push through with the tophand. Let it take charge.

Developing a "throwing a sack of potatoes over the shoulder" finish also helps as long as the twohander doesnt "break" the tophand elbow too soon and goes through the ball with that arm.

It took me a long while to learn to loosen the grip and swing easy, so I feel that while it's easy to get started with the 2HBH, it's every bit as challenging to master as the 1HBH.

It is challenging from the perspective of most of the shot itself takes place from the weaker side of the body. The foot/leg/hip/torso/shoulder/arm kinetic chain is happening on the weaker side. So until that strengthens (hitting a lot of non-dominant arm forehands) it is tough to make it solid.

Many times the dominant side takes over too much and a wrestling match takes place. Or one pulls or leans back towards the dominant side altering the racquet path.

Good observation.

 

[AngeloDS]

When I first started playing summers ago. All I had was a two handed forehand and a one handed slice backhand and I was volleying -- because well I wasn't strong with a two handed forehand to hit from the baseline.

I never learned the two-handed backhand that well, simply because it felt too unnatural for me. But as I got better and understood how to hinge my joints, these unnatural shots became a lot easier.

I'm still very weak on my left side. But I can hit two handed backhands with pace.

But the thing that helped me in tennis was understanding and knowing how my joints work. On my two handed backhands my wrists are kind of bent and "ease" into a straight position as I hit through the ball. Educated joints you can call it. I'm wristy but it's like Foger Federer wristy. It's not a snap of the wrist it's like a fast ease into the final hitting position.

It's not snappy wrist/joints. It's very hard to explain but the joints are loose but know what they're doing and ease in. It's not a snap.

 

[dmastous]

One good test to see if someone is really talented to hit a consistent one hander is hitting inside out backhands.
Most recreational players cant hit inside out one handers to save there life.
Great drill to get the right rotational pattern which is inside out.

I'm not sure I would agree with that. My one-handed backhand is at it's best either down the line or inside out. It's not because it's such a good shot, or because I'm so talented. It's because I'm frequently late and that's the result.
I would agree it's a sign that I'm hitting through the ball and not around the ball. That's a good thing.

 

[Rickson]

I'm not sure I would agree with that. My one-handed backhand is at it's best either down the line or inside out. It's not because it's such a good shot, or because I'm so talented. It's because I'm frequently late and that's the result.
I would agree it's a sign that I'm hitting through the ball and not around the ball. That's a good thing.

Late backhands definitely tend to go inside out, but the key is to get it where you want it intentionally.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

One thing i can advise is not have a dilemma of which one to use. I started out with 1hbh then changed to 2hbh and now back to 1hbh. I can hit my 2hbh with lots of power but i cant get power in my 1hbh but can pack plenty of tricks. Offlate i have been using that as a strategy to sometimes change the pace of the game when i really run out of options.

Stick with either of them and go with it as these strokes should be second nature.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

lol im considering the same thing as the OP... (i was searching around )

im going to practice a 1HBH just to see how i can play with it. but if you really like it, should someone be opposed to using 2 hands for serve returns or really low/high balls (trickier shots for a 1 HBH?) and 1 hand for regular shots?

basically what im asking is, is there something wrong with using both a 2- and 1HBH consistently when you play?

 

[Rickson]

I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to develop a one-handed backhand, or stick with two hands. I've played with a two-handed backhand since I've started playing tennis (about 6 years ago) but I've recently tried a one-handed. Not only does the one-handed backhand feel a billion times better, but I've had great results with it in practice. My two-handed hasn't been any good lately.
I feel like it's easier to get more muscle behind the shot with a one-handed, and I think it flows much better than my normal shot. Should I continue to work with a one-handed backhand, or stick with two?

Thanks in advance.

I discovered the beauty of a one hander by playing a beginner. I knew there was no way I could lose so I started one hand driving all backhands. I had previously only sliced when I used the one hander, but the drive felt pretty good. I never looked back and the one hander is a beautiful thing.

 

[Janne]

Tennis_nerd22 asked an interesting question in my opinion and I would also like to hear peoples opinions on this one!

 

[onehandbh]

I think 2-handers have an advantage for service returns.
Also, with a 2-hander it is easier to disguise your lobs. also
easier to hit a half volley topspin log off of a deep approach or
volley.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

guys, i practiced with my dad for half an hour or so and my 1hbh were so-so... i was using an extreme eastern grip, and either the ball would fly out, or if i went for angles like my 2 hand, it would go in the lower half of the net. but when i'd hit a still ball (feed it in), the shots were perfect. is this due to just trying to find the timing, as the 1hbh is very hard to time?

 

[playlikepros]

My opinion - when you hit the two hander properly it will feel amazing as well, almost as much as that one hander you speak of. The key is, as bb said, getting your non dominant arm into the shot. The backhand will flow so smoothly, and you will be able to smack winners on the rise with ease in most aggressive situations. Just go out and play lefty (assuming your a righty) for a while - a couple days worth of practices at least. You should be able to swing that left arm pretty fast (hear the racquet swish in the air) and if you can't, then you have work to do in developing enough strength for a viscious two hander.

 

[Triple S]

I use both 2 hbh and 1 hbh depending on the bounce and shot placement. It's more comfortable for me that way and trying to do a 2 hbh when I should do a 1 hander ends up being pretty ugly. visa-versa

 

[TrueAce]

two hander is the most beautiful shot in tennis...ex alex kuznetsov.....awesome...

 

[altodds]

Prefer 1 handed backhand here...

 

[FH2FH]

Two ways to get a more "natural" feeling 2H is to have a good weight shift (forward) and really let the hips open up. I HATED the feeling of a 2H when I changed to one last year, but the consistency has improved a billion times. You CAN have the power of a 1H probably 75% of the time. As for the additional power of a 1H, unless your technique is great, half of them will be out.

 

[Tikiman53]

I started off with 2hbh, but I've decided a few days ago to prohibit myself from using 2hbh and made myself only hit one handed. I tried it out, and my 1 handed is developing; I can get the ball in with okay pace, my timings not that bad, but I find it harder to control the direction of the ball. I think I should stick with 1 handed, as I get more reach with it, but I'm starting to have second thoughts now...

I'm going to play with the 1handed for a few days more. I can already play pretty consistently with it, with plenty of topspin, but it's just a matter of getting comfortable with it, which will come in time, I'm guessing.