Two-handed backhand with one-handed release: oddity

ferrari_827

Professional
My most versatile shot is the backhand, and what is unusual is that I use two hands on the backswing and let the *non-dominant hand go upon ball contact*. Sometimes when I'm late or out of position, I will use the nondominant hand to provide power and support like a true two-handed backhand.

I think there are some well-known players who hit this way, including Carling Bassett. What about Borg ?

This type of backhand provides better support and racket acceleration than a true one-handed backhand, but also gives more freedom of movement than a true two-handed backhand, so you get the best of both worlds.

How this evolved I don't know, but people have commented on the versatility of my backhand.

I've tried playing just purely one-handed or two-handed but found this "hybrid" the most comfortable.
 

VictorS.

Professional
I've done a number of threads regarding Borg's backhand. I'm constantly tinkering with my backhand (for better or for worse). And I've tried this style backhand with mixed results. My topspin and clearance on the shot are tremendous. However it's a different stroke (than the conventional twohand backhand)...and I think would take some time to really master. It really involves much more wrist action....but if you can get the timing right...it's an almost effortless shot.

I honestly can't think of any players on tour with this style backhand. But I seriously think it could work in today's game under the right circumstances.
 

papa

Hall of Fame
Not sure I understand this post - if you are right-handed are you referring to your left hand as the "non-dominant" hand? It seems to me that the left hand is the power (actually the dominant hand) in a two handed backhand. Are we talking about the new thing (actually not that new) in baseball where one lets go of the bat during the swing?

I'm going to have to give this a try and see what happens.
 

Rickson

G.O.A.T.
I used to use this kind of backhand on occasion when I used to use a 2hbh. This left hand released backhand(for righties) is definitely more of a 2hbh than a 1hbh in terms of form because the right elbow bends and the followthrough is finished above the right shoulder where with a true 1hbh, the elbow is often extended all the way and although some people like Federer have a slight elbow bend on the followthrough(not all the time), more times than not, there is no bend in the elbow at all.
 

raftermania

Banned
Most people generate power on the 2hbh by driving with the non-dominant hand.

In your case it seems like you are simply hitting a 1hbh and your non-dominant hand is just coming along for the ride.
 

ferrari_827

Professional
By the way I am left-handed. As someone mentioned, it appears that this type of backhand is more one-handed, and it is true that the dominant hand carries most of the load, but the non-dominant hand provides support and extra acceleration. In a true two-handed backhand, the non-dominant hand provides an equal if not greater role, the reverse.

I am currently using the Yonex RDX500 mid, which is well-suited for a 2handed backhand.
 

ext2hander

Rookie
E2hbh

By the way I am left-handed. As someone mentioned, it appears that this type of backhand is more one-handed, and it is true that the dominant hand carries most of the load, but the non-dominant hand provides support and extra acceleration. In a true two-handed backhand, the non-dominant hand provides an equal if not greater role, the reverse.

A little semantics in question. By definition, "non-dominant" implies lesser role, not greater, and "dominant" implies greater role.

Check Mauro Marcos two-hand backhand video, which describes (for right-handers) the left-hand is dominant and right-hand less so, i.e. 70/30, 60/40.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=IGlkvPal99A

and a second Marcos video with Coach Kyril, which describes the role of the dominant arm in two-handed backhand ("left-hand is clearly dominant for right-handers").
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sN1F5_3TtI

The non-dominant is the "Stabilizer", which maintains the racquet face alignment for proper stroke and follow through.

I used the two-hander for tennis elbow. It was never satisfying, and required high muscular effort to achieve any power, and lacking the whip one gets with a good one-hand backhand. Without thinking about hand dominance, I began playing around with the grip. In stages, I moved the left-hand (for righty's) toward the racquet butt. Obviously, some right-hand fingers would drop off the butt. I'd just tuck them into the palm.

Once left with only the right-hand thumb and index fingers on the racquet, I achieved my ideal stroke for power and control. In this condition, the two right-hand fingers are a true "Stabilizer", and allows swinging away with confidence. Most if not all coaches and top players will pooh-pooh the concept, but it really works.

Hence, my left_hand is perhaps 98%, and right-hand 2%

I've posted last year on this forum, with the usual doubters saying they could knock the racquet out of my hand. Absolutely not true! Its become my go to shot, or killer shot for max power and control, baseline or approach. Since my elbow finally healed, I mix in one-hand backhands depending on the approaching ball trajectory, or ball spin or pace I wish to achieve.

Why does this work? Longer moment arm (left-hand to sweet spot), combined with longer stroke and follow-through, results in much higher racquet face velocity at impact. Muscular effort is used only to achieve max swing speed, not to muscle the ball at impact. Its essentially a left-hand forehand with usual modified eastern forehand grip (ignoring the right-hand two fingers for the moment, which you can even drop on the run for left-hand topspin returns). Grip change can be extremely quick, instinctive after awhile.

I call is the Extended Two-Hand Backhand (E2HBH).

E2HBH Web Page

The site gets ~30-40 hits a month from around the world for last several years, literally everywhere. Three years ago, one 30-something player in Texas tried the stroke and noticed his stroke seemed so much smoother and started to improve -- and thanked heartily. Since then, he has honed the stroke and coincidentally moved up from 4.0 to 4.5, so the E2HBH is not limited to mobility/flexibility impaired >40 crowd (like I used to say). I'm well beyond that point, and still improving the shot. Age seems no limit. :cool:
 
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PhrygianDominant

Hall of Fame
I sometimes release the top hand (non-dominant, hitting arm, lefthand as I am a righty) in some strange situations. I don't practice it.

If your hitting arm grip is such that the fingers are barely involved, and most of the pressure is in the palm of the hand and the index knuckle, it can be easy to grip in a way that the fingers are really passive. In those cases, the hands can naturally separate after contact, especially if you are off balance and need to spread your hands to stabilize yourself.

Söderling and Agassi do this rarely. I think it is a good sign, sometimes, because it shows that you are relaxed in the hands and using your body to swing.

That has been my experience. Nowadays I do it less because I have a more conservative grip on my hitting arm and my follow through is more out towards the target.
 

Cup8489

G.O.A.T.
A little semantics in question. By definition, "non-dominant" implies lesser role, not greater, and "dominant" implies greater role.

Check Mauro Marcos two-hand backhand video, which describes (for right-handers) the left-hand is dominant and right-hand less so, i.e. 70/30, 60/40.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=IGlkvPal99A

and a second Marcos video with Coach Kyril, which describes the role of the dominant arm in two-handed backhand ("left-hand is clearly dominant for right-handers").
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sN1F5_3TtI

The non-dominant is the "Stabilizer", which maintains the racquet face alignment for proper stroke and follow through.

I used the two-hander for tennis elbow. It was never satisfying, and required high muscular effort to achieve any power, and lacking the whip one gets with a good one-hand backhand. Without thinking about hand dominance, I began playing around with the grip. In stages, I moved the left-hand (for righty's) toward the racquet butt. Obviously, some right-hand fingers would drop off the butt. I'd just tuck them into the palm.

Once left with only the right-hand thumb and index fingers on the racquet, I achieved my ideal stroke for power and control. In this condition, the two right-hand fingers are a true "Stabilizer", and allows swinging away with confidence. Most if not all coaches and top players will pooh-pooh the concept, but it really works.

Hence, my left_hand is perhaps 98%, and right-hand 2%

I've posted last year on this forum, with the usual doubters saying they could knock the racquet out of my hand. Absolutely not true! Its become my go to shot, or killer shot for max power and control, baseline or approach. Since my elbow finally healed, I mix in one-hand backhands depending on the approaching ball trajectory, or ball spin or pace I wish to achieve.

Why does this work? Longer moment arm (left-hand to sweet spot), combined with longer stroke and follow-through, results in much higher racquet face velocity at impact. Muscular effort is used only to achieve max swing speed, not to muscle the ball at impact. Its essentially a left-hand forehand with usual modified eastern forehand grip (ignoring the right-hand two fingers for the moment, which you can even drop on the run for left-hand topspin returns). Grip change can be extremely quick, instinctive after awhile.

I call is the Extended Two-Hand Backhand (E2HBH).

E2HBH Web Page

The site gets ~30-40 hits a month from around the world for last several years, literally everywhere. Three years ago, one 30-something player in Texas tried the stroke and noticed his stroke seemed so much smoother and started to improve -- and thanked heartily. Since then, he has honed the stroke and coincidentally moved up from 4.0 to 4.5, so the E2HBH is not limited to mobility/flexibility impaired >40 crowd (like I used to say). I'm well beyond that point, and still improving the shot. Age seems no limit. :cool:

generally speaking dominant non-dominant refers to handedness, not which hand is doing more work in any given point.
 

ext2hander

Rookie
Youzhny has such a 2hbh. In 2hbh everyone can have the two hands contribute differently.
That's very true. There are those who learned to grip 50/50 between hands, and even those who hold the so-called dominant hand (closed to butt) tighter. Anything is possible, just a matter of what works best for you.
 

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
I have a student who first learned a two hand backhand, and later a one hand backhand. Shortly after learning the one hander, she evolved to the style the OP describes on her own. It gets the best results from that wing, so I just let her run with it.
 

TennisCJC

Legend
Borg and Wilander both released non-dominant hand. I don't think it is the best way but it obviously can work. Fognini will sometimes do it among modern players. I use both hands - non-dominant takes over during contact and finish while dominant hand pulls into contact.
 
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rkelley

Hall of Fame
Dominant hand is the one you serve with, hit your fh with, etc. It is not the hand that does most of the work on a particular shot like a 2hbh. If we can't agree on this convention then the we just shouldn't use the term at all because the meaning of the term changes depending on the person.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
My most versatile shot is the backhand, and what is unusual is that I use two hands on the backswing and let the *non-dominant hand go upon ball contact*. Sometimes when I'm late or out of position, I will use the nondominant hand to provide power and support like a true two-handed backhand.

I think there are some well-known players who hit this way, including Carling Bassett. What about Borg ?

This type of backhand provides better support and racket acceleration than a true one-handed backhand, but also gives more freedom of movement than a true two-handed backhand, so you get the best of both worlds.

How this evolved I don't know, but people have commented on the versatility of my backhand.

I've tried playing just purely one-handed or two-handed but found this "hybrid" the most comfortable.
I’ve been seriously thinking about this and am glad that it worked at least for some people who tried it. Too bad the OP was last seen here 11 years ago. I really like the turn and take back on two handed backhand but don’t like the rest. So this hybrid might be the solution.
 

ballmachineguy

Hall of Fame
I’ve been seriously thinking about this and am glad that it worked at least for some people who tried it. Too bad the OP was last seen here 11 years ago. I really like the turn and take back on two handed backhand but don’t like the rest. So this hybrid might be the solution.
At some point you are going to have to pick something, commit to it and dial it in. You don’t have that much time to be changing course every other court session. Father Time is tapping the face of his watch.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
I’ve been seriously thinking about this and am glad that it worked at least for some people who tried it. Too bad the OP was last seen here 11 years ago. I really like the turn and take back on two handed backhand but don’t like the rest. So this hybrid might be the solution.
167090697.jpg


You mean like this?
 

Dragy

Legend
Sort of. Start more like a two hander( more compact), finish one hander.
Imagine little more compact take back than what I did here.

I think compact on 2-handed works because you can immediately deliver the “pull” from dominant arm as you start, and then you pass it to a “push” with non-dominant arm. It’s entering way faster and easier compared 1HBH graceful “release”.

Single-hander works just opposite: off-arm may help at initial stage, while dominant arm acts to deliver the impact. It’s crucial to pick up swing speed earlier to glide through impact, while on 2-hander you can accelerate into impact much easier.

At least how it feels to me.
 

Curious

G.O.A.T.
I think compact on 2-handed works because you can immediately deliver the “pull” from dominant arm as you start, and then you pass it to a “push” with non-dominant arm. It’s entering way faster and easier compared 1HBH graceful “release”.

Single-hander works just opposite: off-arm may help at initial stage, while dominant arm acts to deliver the impact. It’s crucial to pick up swing speed earlier to glide through impact, while on 2-hander you can accelerate into impact much easier.

At least how it feels to me.
I tried it for the first time tonight. Again the idea is turn and take back like a two hander and finish like a one hander. I want a more compact take back with more shoulder turn though.

 

zill

Legend
I tried it for the first time tonight. Again the idea is turn and take back like a two hander and finish like a one hander. I want a more compact take back with more shoulder turn though.


The trouble is when and after you release the left hand.
 
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