Should you lock your wrist for your one handed backhand? I've been using a one handed backhand since I started playing tennis and its like been 7 years so I'm pretty good with it but the thing I struggle with in tournaments is my backhand..I can't seem to find the confidence in me to use it, I always play a slice because I'm afraid I'll keep making unforce errors because I'm so afraid to use my backhand, don't tell me to switch to a two handed because I know I'm good with the one handed in practice but when I play in tournaments I suck so I was wondering if I should consider locking my wrist on my one handed backhand so that the ball goes in rather then hit the net? For example: Alex Clayton, anyone have any suggestions?
One handed backhand wrist lock?
- Thread starter Dimitrov
- Start date
mixedmedia
Professional
You should hit mostly from your shoulder, with little wrist movement. It looks like the pros whip the racquet through with their wrist--and they do to some degree--but it is much better to create a solid checkpoint at the beginning and end of the stroke while leaning in. There are some good videos on Youtube explaining this.
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
Run around your forehand and start hitting that backhand whenever you can. Give it a great big hug with both arms, give it a smooch on the forehead, and declare it your new best friend... yes, I'm serious (sort of).
In the short term, you'll be a little shaky, but you need to hit that stroke to the point that you can do it without actively willing your way through it. Lock your wrist? I dunno - what works when your not uptight in the middle of a match? Whatever gets it done when you're grinding on the practice courts, that's your stroke.
I don't like the idea of a "locked" wrist just because that can make for too much tension or steering of the stroke. Tension kills motion and that stroke ought to be loose and smooth for good energy and racquet speed. If you're more consistent with a degree of firmness in your wrist, I'd say just try not to overdo it just to keep from restricting things too much.
In the short term, you'll be a little shaky, but you need to hit that stroke to the point that you can do it without actively willing your way through it. Lock your wrist? I dunno - what works when your not uptight in the middle of a match? Whatever gets it done when you're grinding on the practice courts, that's your stroke.
I don't like the idea of a "locked" wrist just because that can make for too much tension or steering of the stroke. Tension kills motion and that stroke ought to be loose and smooth for good energy and racquet speed. If you're more consistent with a degree of firmness in your wrist, I'd say just try not to overdo it just to keep from restricting things too much.
B
bhallic24
Guest
great post. I did the same, started lookin to hit my backhands more and more and even in practice asked my buddy to try and abuse that backhand side. Sure theres gonna be some growing pains initially but over time you'll see that the time you put in is worth it.
OTherwise how are u gonna get better? You'll never have a good backhand if you don't use it.
fuzz nation
G.O.A.T.
I'd say try to use only enough of a firm wrist so that your swing through contact is predictable. If it sort of flails around when your wrist is too loose, that's not good.
You ought to be able to keep it rather loose and consistent though, if your stroke is smooth. That means that you need to get it going early enough to make a full release through the ball with a nice, broad swing radius. That means that you need to use deliberate footwork to set yourself up in a hurry and allow for that full stroke. Get your weight transfered onto your front foot before your forward swing so that you can set your hip turn and drive the stroke with it.
Racquet speed gives you pace and spin in varied degrees, so avoiding a tense, slower stroke with a completely locked wrist will eventually be a good thing.
You ought to be able to keep it rather loose and consistent though, if your stroke is smooth. That means that you need to get it going early enough to make a full release through the ball with a nice, broad swing radius. That means that you need to use deliberate footwork to set yourself up in a hurry and allow for that full stroke. Get your weight transfered onto your front foot before your forward swing so that you can set your hip turn and drive the stroke with it.
Racquet speed gives you pace and spin in varied degrees, so avoiding a tense, slower stroke with a completely locked wrist will eventually be a good thing.
BevelDevil
Hall of Fame
we need to clarify terms.
"Wrist lock" = creating a 90-100 degree angle with the racket and forearm.
"Forearm pronated" = your palm rotated downward so that you feel some tension in your arm. Racket will be roughly horizontal.
At the transition from backswing to forward swing your wrist should be locked, forearm pronated, and arm should either be straight or should begin straightening.
Supination should take place naturally on the forward swing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqBEErW0vTA
"Wrist lock" = creating a 90-100 degree angle with the racket and forearm.
"Forearm pronated" = your palm rotated downward so that you feel some tension in your arm. Racket will be roughly horizontal.
At the transition from backswing to forward swing your wrist should be locked, forearm pronated, and arm should either be straight or should begin straightening.
Supination should take place naturally on the forward swing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqBEErW0vTA
KenC
Hall of Fame
You want a "locked" wrist in that the wrist angle never changes.
As Fuzz said, you need to gain more confidence in your backhand. My suggestion is find a lefty with a strong forehand and do crosscourt rallies until your backhand is as good as his forehand. I'm a lefty and all my usual hitting partners have thanked me for making their backhands more reliable and stronger.
As Fuzz said, you need to gain more confidence in your backhand. My suggestion is find a lefty with a strong forehand and do crosscourt rallies until your backhand is as good as his forehand. I'm a lefty and all my usual hitting partners have thanked me for making their backhands more reliable and stronger.
ProgressoR
Hall of Fame
+1 for this< I had a similar problem BH was ok, but wrist locked all the way through from the beginning of the swing, i felt it robbed me of a fair bit of racket head speed, so i changed my take back so at the start of the forward swing, my forearm is pronated.
As you swing forward, your arm should sort itself out and kind of supinate through the stroke. For me this added a fair bit of control, power, racket head speed, and importantly that feeling of slight flexibility, that i have been feeling in my FH stroke too, that looseness that helps the stroke.
As you swing forward, your arm should sort itself out and kind of supinate through the stroke. For me this added a fair bit of control, power, racket head speed, and importantly that feeling of slight flexibility, that i have been feeling in my FH stroke too, that looseness that helps the stroke.
