Toughest Shot In Tennis: How To Hit A Powerful Back Hand Overhead

[ask1ed]

USE YOUR CORE


Coil the shot: hips turn paralell to the alley. Point racquet elbow to the sky. Wrist is loose with racquet, dangling around your knees. Step into the shot if possible with plant foot. Shot must be hit a full shoulder width in front of your body, not directly overhead. (Forehand overhead can be hit dir. overhead because your shoulder is behind, not in front, on this side.) Contact ball two feet in front at least with flat acellerated face of racquet. Follow through with hips rotating viciously and racquet acellerating towards ground. I've bounced five Bh overheads over the back and side fences during tourny matches. It's hit with deltoids/rotator muscles. If people hit their forehand overheads with the same wimpy little motions they use with their back hands, the forehand oh would be just as weak and puny.

 

[munk3y]

I think you try to make things too complicated.

 

[Becker]

Agreed. Almost as if he's trying too hard to sound knowledgeable.

 

[pham4313]

with this shot, i try to go for sharp angle instead of muscling it.

 

[kevhen]

Run around and hit forehand overhead. It's only one more step and you usually have that much time to move a step over on a lob if you use good footwork.

 

[Tim Tennis]

I've bounced five Bh overheads over the back and side fences during tourny matches. It's hit with deltoids/rotator muscles.

That is very impressive. I want to know what level this guy is? I really did not have any trouble following it. I think he has a good point. Most people, including myself just block it back and hope it goes in somewhere. I don't think I have heard of anyone actually practicing the Bh overhead. I know I don't. We do have one guy in our group who does have a very good Bh overhead. He does use a greater range of motion then the rest of us. I think it would be fun to practice, then I would not have to run around it all the time.

 

[chess9]

I always get a good view of those as they go by and fall deftly into the backhand corner. On the other hand, I won't be playing with Mac much longer.

-Robert
________
Babe movies

 

[Rickson]

Run around and hit forehand overhead. It's only one more step and you usually have that much time to move a step over on a lob if you use good footwork.

If you have time to do all that the author wrote, you have time to run around. Good advice, kev.

 

[ask1ed]

I've bounced five Bh overheads over the back and side fences during tourny matches. It's hit with deltoids/rotator muscles.

That is very impressive. [I want to know what level this guy is?] I really did not have any trouble following it. I think he has a good point. Most people, including myself just block it back and hope it goes in somewhere. I don't think I have heard of anyone actually practicing the Bh overhead. I know I don't. We do have one guy in our group who does have a very good Bh overhead. He does use a greater range of motion then the rest of us. I think it would be fun to practice, then I would not have to run around it all the time.

I have won the sf city, 4.5, and many other tournys. Right now due to injury, I'm an ntrp 4.5. If every shot of mine was as good as my bh overhead, I'd beat Federer. I dare anyone to try to bouce even one over the back fence. Not one in a thousand can do it, due to bad technique.

 

[AngeloDS]

This is the easiest shot in tennis, it's a wrist flick :\. The only hard part about it is timing and being to the left of the ball when you flick it.

 

[Slazenger]

This is the easiest shot in tennis, it's a wrist flick :\. The only hard part about it is timing and being to the left of the ball when you flick it.

I wouldn't say it's the easiest shot in tennis (That's the BH volley) but you're right. It's basically a wrist flick. Common problem is timing the shot such that your racquet face is not open when it hits the ball and as you said being to the left of the ball.

I don't know how someone hit a BH overhead and it went over the back fence. That's pretty amazing.

 

[vinky]

Sounds like a high bh volley. If i were to describe the movement, I would just say "Drive the butt of the racquet forward, and then down"

 

[tennis4losers]

I keep my wrist firm when i do a backhand over head. More control but then again, i tend to choke my racket

 

[ReturnAce]

Really...wow...

and how often do you bury the ball in the bottom of the net, with such a swing?

First of all, I agree that if you have time to line up a backhand overhead, you have time to turn and hit a regular overhead. My coach is always yelling at me about that, because I have been known to hit a backhander every now and then in practice. However, my technique is a little less complicated. A flick of the wrist and some good timing.

I'll take a regular overhead any day. I've bounced quite a few of those over the back fence, I'll have you know...

 

[ask1ed]

Must snap wrist powerfully for a powerful shot. How often do you bury the forehand overhead? Same shot, same technique, with contact point two feet further in front, with far greater power, speed, wrist snap than normally taught. Think about it. OVER THE BACK FENCE. Have you ever seen anyone do it ever? Be honest now.

 

[AngeloDS]

You don't need to snap the wrist powerfully for a powerful shot. You just need to get timing and contact point down. You don't take it out in front, you take it right as it's by your side. Taking it out in front will bury it into the net.

You can snap it back over the fence. I see it a lot during college practice, and have seen it during D1 college stuff.

Ask1ed, that was horrible advice .

 

[ask1ed]

Have you ever bounced one over the back fence? How can you say it's horrible advice when you can't even do it? If you hit your forehand overhead with such an abbreviated swing, just as far back behind your shoulder, it would be just as much of a touch shot as your bh oh is.

 

[TennisAsAlways]

Let's not get too cocky now. Do you know how stupid it makes people look when they act that way. Let's take it down a notch and settle down a bit.

Good day now. 8)

 

[brucie]

Must snap wrist powerfully for a powerful shot. How often do you bury the forehand overhead? Same shot, same technique, with contact point two feet further in front, with far greater power, speed, wrist snap than normally taught. Think about it. OVER THE BACK FENCE. Have you ever seen anyone do it ever? Be honest now.

Wrist snap, If its a high volley and i dont want to hit a drive volley with two hands or just hit my normal one handed slice volley and place it which is the best thing to do really isn't it I insted play the shot similar to a backhand clear in badminton but with an altered grip- only when I'm messin about you should never take a massive swing at a volley.
Instead get tright foot forward and play normal volley.