Spacing help on 2 handed backhand

[EddieBrock]

I posted before that I've improved the shot, but one area that still give me trouble is proper spacing. I especially have a lot of trouble with this when I first step on the court in the warm up.

Just yesterday I was making a mess of the shots in the warm up and was embarrassed because I kept getting jammed or reaching way too far. After about 5 minutes I got it dialed in and didn't have much trouble during the match.

On the forehand you can use your left arm to help with spacing, but what do you use on the backhand? I'd like to have something to help me early so I don't embarrass myself in the warm up and be such a bad partner for the other player.

 

[5263]

Remember that if you learn to pull back, left to right for a righty, then it not only helps with spin and your spacing, but also court coverage. I'm not saying to do this every time, but use the Bailey footwork move to compensate for being closer than your prefer.

 

[alexg]

I think you are on the right track to replicate what works on the forehand and bring it to your backhand.

I'll volunteer something that has helped me a lot, but it may or may not work for you... Please keep in mind that I'm a 3.5 / 4.0 player. Right handed. YMMV

My coach calls the arms position while running to the ball the "tracking" position. As you perform your unit turn, you get into the tracking position. On the forehand, your left arm is extended out and holding the racquet's throat. Some people have the racquet tip pointing up, some others have it pointing forward, doesn't matter for the tracking purpose. What matters is that your left arm is extended and therefore the racquet distance to your body is what it's gonna be at impact. So now you have a distance tracking tool, and by the sounds of it you have that pinned down on the forehand.

On the backhand side, with a 2hbh, the same applies. You want your left arm extended. The difference with the forehand side is that the right arm is almost extended as well, whereas on the forehand side it is bent with the elbow up. On the backhand, he recommends to point the face of the hoop to 10 o'clock (court clock), basically the left fence, slightly forward. Run and track in this position.

If you run without tracking, or your tracking position is not correct, eg your left arm is bent, your racquet is behind, etc. then inevitably you get jammed / hit overextended.

Hope this helps. It helped me.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

There was a thread on this very subject earlier this month. Try this to help you with spacing:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/spacing-in-backhand-2hbh.603622/#post-11773126

 

[Sam Pras]

On the forehand you can use your left arm to help with spacing, but what do you use on the backhand? I'd like to have something to help me early so I don't embarrass myself in the warm up and be such a bad partner for the other player.

I hate to beat a dead horse but there is only one way to get the spacing right and that is to drill the back hand over and over and over again until you get it. That's what training means. I can tell you that my daughter had every single issue that every player here has or had. There is no work around. Assuming you're practicing the correct way, you just need to practice your backhand. And this does not mean practicing while hitting around or playing a match. It means drilling your backhand over and over. The reason advanced players have nice strokes, good timing and clean contact is because they've drilled their strokes.

 

[EddieBrock]

I hate to beat a dead horse but there is only one way to get the spacing right and that is to drill the back hand over and over and over again until you get it. That's what training means. I can tell you that my daughter had every single issue that every player here has or had. There is no work around. Assuming you're practicing the correct way, you just need to practice your backhand. And this does not mean practicing while hitting around or playing a match. It means drilling your backhand over and over. The reason advanced players have nice strokes, good timing and clean contact is because they've drilled their strokes.

Obviously drilling is important. This morning I probably hit nothing but backhands for 20+ minutes. What's frustrating for me is the first few that I hit are truly atrocious because of the spacing. Too far, too close, ball is too far in front, etc. After a few minutes I get dialed in and have no issue and can hit the backhand very well. In a real match a lot of times people won't hit to my backhand in the warm up and then suddenly in the match they're attacking it and I just can't get the spacing right until halfway through the set.

 

[Sam Pras]

Obviously drilling is important. This morning I probably hit nothing but backhands for 20+ minutes. What's frustrating for me is the first few that I hit are truly atrocious because of the spacing. Too far, too close, ball is too far in front, etc. After a few minutes I get dialed in and have no issue and can hit the backhand very well. In a real match a lot of times people won't hit to my backhand in the warm up and then suddenly in the match they're attacking it and I just can't get the spacing right until halfway through the set.

Just keep Drilling. I practiced serve for an hour a day 5 days a week for months before things started to really come together. Its very important that you know you're practicing the fundamentally correct things.

 

[5263]

There is no "correct spacing" and the 2 hander has a very different contact point than the Fh. Are you accounting for the difference?

There is preferred spacing and less than preferred spacing. If you are totally dependent on preferred spacing, then you will often lose. You must be able to compensate and adjust.

 

[EddieBrock]

There is no "correct spacing" and the 2 hander has a very different contact point than the Fh. Are you accounting for the difference?

There is preferred spacing and less than preferred spacing. If you are totally dependent on preferred spacing, then you will often lose. You must be able to compensate and adjust.

Eventually I am accounting for the spacing as my 2 hander becomes rock solid now once I get dialed in. If I go cross court backhands with my coach for 10 minutes and then play against him or someone else the shot feels completely natural and I know right where to go to hit it properly. I just kind of judge it without thinking about it. In the warmup it's a different story as I mentioned in the OP. During the time before I'm warm I wish there was some indicator I could use to judge. Maybe I'll try my racket as some have suggested Agassi does.