One handed backhand practice - tips needed

[sureshs]

also do not copy Federer's slice backhand,,, Worst technique ever in history of tennis.

LOL

 

[Mojo28]

You think I copy Federer's shot?
Any critiques on slice?

 

[ChaelAZ]

Hi all,
I am trying to fix my backhand. I often feel I lack power.
UPDATE:

Backhand:

Racquet head speed, Racquet head speed, and more Racquet head speed. Your fundamentals look okay, but you need to load and really snap through the ball. I use my hand on the racquet throat to pull it back and down to load, then just accelerate through the ball. Eventually you will start adding the step in and leg push, but isn't always required. The it is trying to maximize that forward contact point and such. But start with getting racquet head speed and you'll find that power.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRuVqQygJo1/

 

[Curious]

Racquet head speed, Racquet head speed, and more Racquet head speed. Your fundamentals look okay, but you need to load and really snap through the ball. I use my hand on the racquet throat to pull it back and down to load, then just accelerate through the ball. Eventually you will start adding the step in and leg push, but isn't always required. The it is trying to maximize that forward contact point and such. But start with getting racquet head speed and you'll find that power.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRuVqQygJo1/

Nice backhand. Any tips for timing of takeback and forward swing or does it just happen with a lot of practice? My backhand is as good as yours but only in front of the mirror without balls! That's why I am really interested in timing.

 

[Bender]

I am not an instructor. I point out what I believe are a few differences between poster's videos and high level strokes.

Kinovea side-by-side comparison. This video is intended for stop action single frame viewing, it has brief timed labels. To single frame on Vimeo, click Vimeo, full screen, hold down the SHIFT KEY and use the ARROW KEYS.

The time scales are: 1) a countdown time scale ("-") to impact and 2) a second time scale after impact ("+"). Impact is at 0 milliseconds for both scales. [1,000 milliseconds = 1 second.]

1) Your racket is not held up like Gasquet's and it is brought down earlier and slower in comparison. With the off arm and racket drop Gasquet is probably rotating his near straight arm to get internal shoulder rotation (ISR)(defined joint motion also called "medial shoulder rotation") for stretching the external shoulder rotation muscles. (The upper arm bone rotates around its long axis in the shoulder joint.) See the videos.

2) At impact your racket face is open. Gasquet's is closed.

3) In the forward swing, I believe that initially the acceleration comes from the upper body turning that causes the chest to press on the upper arm. If the shoulder muscles are used during initial forward acceleration, instead of the muscles that turn the upper body, I believe the acceleration and racket head speed will be considerably less. I believe that Gasquet, Wawrinka and Justine Henin use this chest pressing on upper arm technique when they hit their high paced backhands.

See post #51 and the later posts in the rest of the thread.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...ht-force-to-start-forward-swing.462997/page-2

Warning - This can increase increase racket head speed and might put more stress on your arm especially at impact.

You deserve a medal for the immense effort that show in your posts.

 

[Bender]

Racquet head speed, Racquet head speed, and more Racquet head speed. Your fundamentals look okay, but you need to load and really snap through the ball. I use my hand on the racquet throat to pull it back and down to load, then just accelerate through the ball. Eventually you will start adding the step in and leg push, but isn't always required. The it is trying to maximize that forward contact point and such. But start with getting racquet head speed and you'll find that power.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRuVqQygJo1/

Is it bad that I spent a whole minute looking at your video, then your avatar, then back to your video to see if they were the same pair of legs?

 

[ChaelAZ]

Is it bad that I spent a whole minute looking at your video, then your avatar, then back to your video to see if they were the same pair of legs?

Ummm...I haven't changed them out yet lol.

 

[ChaelAZ]

Nice backhand. Any tips for timing of takeback and forward swing or does it just happen with a lot of practice? My backhand is as good as yours but only in front of the mirror without balls! That's why I am really interested in timing.

Lots and lots of hours on the ball machine or hitting with people. Focus on one thing for a day and try to do it consistently. Years back I started with slower balls so I could have time to think about my setup and swing. Then i just gradually picked up the pace. My thing is still working on consistency.

 

[Curious]

Lots and lots of hours on the ball machine or hitting with people. Focus on one thing for a day and try to do it consistently. Years back I started with slower balls so I could have time to think about my setup and swing. Then i just gradually picked up the pace. My thing is still working on consistency.

Very encouraging. Thanks.

 

[ChaelAZ]

Was trying to find a cool YouTube video that I had found a few years back that broke down the backhand to 4 components. It was excellent but I don't see it anymore, so I did find this one that kinda fits some of the points that I follow like using the off hand to pull the racquet back , the should turn, and such. Check it out.

 

[Curious]

Was trying to find a cool YouTube video that I had found a few years back that broke down the backhand to 4 components. It was excellent but I don't see it anymore, so I did find this one that kinda fits some of the points that I follow like using the off hand to pull the racquet back , the should turn, and such. Check it out.

I'm repeating myself but the issue-at least for me is not the correct technique but the exact timing which you replied to before saying that it's lots of practice. I agree, when I look at people with good OHBH they don't really seem to think about it, they just do it. Anyway I still can't help but ask this question: Do you start the unit turn/racket takeback as soon as you see the opponent hits the ball to your backhand, a little later or depends on other factors like the pace, depth of the ball, how far you need to move laterally to hit the ball etc? Or am I thinking too much?

 

[zalive]

I'm repeating myself but the issue-at least for me is not the correct technique but the exact timing which you replied to before saying that it's lots of practice. I agree, when I look at people with good OHBH they don't really seem to think about it, they just do it. Anyway I still can't help but ask this question: Do you start the unit turn/racket takeback as soon as you see the opponent hits the ball to your backhand, a little later or depends on other factors like the pace, depth of the ball, how far you need to move laterally to hit the ball etc? Or am I thinking too much?

When it's automatic, you actually have to think what you actually do, as part of it is on non-conscious level however what I know is, when you have barely enough time to run to the spot and hit the ball, you need to start to prepare during the run as you won't have enough time after you arrive. And in certain cases you'll have enough time to arrive and then start to prepare for the shot. So it's all according to situation. Somewhere on non-conscious level you have to learn how much time you need to prep, so adjustment is automatic.

I truly believe that all good sportsmen have to leave it to the instinctive level once they adopted the technique. It has to be automatic and you should not have to think about it least.

 

[ChaelAZ]

I was looking back at videos and I always turn when I see a backhand shot, but I don't necessarily load the racquet immediately. In slow practice it is easy to exaggerate the turn, but when you start moving I'm not sure that is really a thought. I guess here is an example of what I do during actual movement and pace. I see I get the should turned pretty quick but I don't think I load immediately all the time. To your point, to be able to make sure to hit a correct, out front timed contact point you would need to do the unit turn almost immediately. Not sure if that helps or not. Cheers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMhbzP6jCxR/

 

[Curious]

To your point, to be able to make sure to hit a correct, out front timed contact point you would need to do the unit turn almost immediately

Yes, that's what I was expecting, thanks again.