Fix Your One-Handed Backhand In 5 Steps

Tennis Doctor
6 Mar 202409:10
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script offers five key tips to improve the one-handed backhand in tennis. It advises against the common coaching advice of rolling the wrist, which can lead to weak contact. Instead, it emphasizes keeping the wrist up for better leverage and power. The script also recommends staying sideways at contact, stepping across the body for better positioning, and using the non-hitting arm for balance. It advises swinging through the ball with a focus on extending the swing's radius for more power. Additionally, it highlights the importance of staying down on the legs for better control and having straight arms at contact point to ensure a clean strike. These principles aim to enhance the viewer's tennis game and encourage them to experiment with these techniques on the court.

Takeaways
  • 🚫 Avoid rolling your wrist on the one-handed backhand as it leads to weak contact; instead, keep the wrist up for better leverage.
  • 📐 Get into the 'L' position for leverage, ensuring the racket head doesn't drop below the hand at contact point.
  • 🚶‍♂️ Stay sideways during the one-handed backhand to maintain balance and generate power through the shot.
  • 🔄 Use your non-hitting arm to counterbalance and maintain a sideways position during the swing.
  • 🌀 Swing through the ball rather than focusing on going up right away to avoid skimming and to increase the power and radius of the swing.
  • 🦵 Keep your legs down and avoid popping up during the swing to maintain control and prevent the ball from flying long.
  • 🔼 Shift body weight from back to front, not from the ground to the sky, to ensure the ball stays level and penetrates the court.
  • 💪 Have straight arms at contact point to strike through the ball cleanly and avoid pushing or arming the shot.
  • 🔄 Practice these principles to see immediate improvements in your one-handed backhand performance on the court.
  • 📚 Consider taking an online course for a complete system to enhance your tennis skills and enjoyment of the game.
Q & A

  • What is the first thing that should be avoided in a one-handed backhand according to the script?

    -The first thing to avoid is rolling the wrist on the one-handed backhand, as it can lead to a flimsy and weak contact point.

  • Why is keeping the wrist up important during the one-handed backhand?

    -Keeping the wrist up is important because it allows for better leverage and prevents the racket head from dropping below the hand, which can lead to weak shots.

  • What position should a player aim for to improve their one-handed backhand?

    -A player should aim for the 'L' position for leverage, which involves getting the wrist up and fixed right away as soon as the unit turn starts.

  • Why is it beneficial to stay sideways during the one-handed backhand contact point?

    -Staying sideways during the contact point allows a player to get through the ball with better leverage and control, rather than just spraying the ball.

  • What can stepping across the body do to help a player stay sideways during their one-handed backhand?

    -Stepping across the body makes it easier to get into a sideways position, which helps in getting through the shot with more power and control.

  • How can using the non-hitting arm help with balance during the one-handed backhand?

    -Using the non-hitting arm to 'spread the wings' helps counterbalance the body, making it easier to stay sideways and maintain proper form throughout the shot.

  • What is the recommended swing path for a one-handed backhand according to the script?

    -The recommended swing path is more like a hula hoop going around the body, with the intention to go out and away from the body for as long as possible before coming up.

  • Why is it a mistake to pop up before the contact point in a one-handed backhand?

    -Popping up before the contact point can cause the ball to fly long or lack control, as it disrupts the downward pressure and stability needed for a solid shot.

  • How should a player's legs be positioned during the one-handed backhand to ensure better control?

    -The player's legs should stay down through the swing and only start to come up after the ball has left the strings, maintaining a forward shift of body weight.

  • What is the recommended arm position at contact point for a one-handed backhand?

    -At contact point, the arm should be straight to ensure clean striking through the ball and to avoid pushing or arming the shot.

  • What does the script suggest for players to do after learning these principles?

    -The script encourages players to apply these principles to their one-handed backhand and to consider taking an online course for a complete system to enjoy tennis for the rest of their life.

Outlines
00:00
🎾 Improving the One-Handed Backhand Technique

The speaker addresses common issues with the one-handed backhand in tennis, emphasizing the importance of avoiding the habit of rolling the wrist, which often leads to weak contact. Instead, they recommend keeping the wrist up for better leverage and power. The video offers five key tips to improve the backhand: maintaining an 'L' position for leverage, staying sideways at contact point, stepping across the body for better balance, using the non-hitting arm for counterbalance, and focusing on swinging through the ball rather than lifting it. These tips are aimed at helping players avoid common mistakes and build a strong foundation for their one-handed backhand.

05:01
🚀 Enhancing Power and Control in One-Handed Backhand

This paragraph delves deeper into the technical aspects of executing a powerful and controlled one-handed backhand. It advises against the tendency to skim or scrape the ball by emphasizing the need to swing out and away from the body before lifting the racket. The speaker illustrates the ideal swing path as more of a hula hoop motion around the body rather than a simple 'C' shape. Additionally, they highlight the importance of maintaining a low stance and not 'bobbing up and down' during the swing to ensure the ball stays level and penetrating. Lastly, they caution against hitting with a bent elbow, advocating for straight arms at contact point to strike the ball cleanly and avoid injury, while also maximizing power and potential.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡One-Handed Backhand
The one-handed backhand is a tennis stroke played with a single hand on the racket handle, typically used by players to hit the ball when it is on the opposite side of their body. In the video, the speaker discusses common mistakes and provides tips to improve this stroke, emphasizing the importance of technique over mere repetition of the motion.
💡Rolling the Wrist
Rolling the wrist refers to the movement where the wrist is turned over during the follow-through of a stroke. The video script mentions that this is a counterproductive habit for the one-handed backhand, especially for beginners, as it leads to weak contact with the ball. The speaker advises keeping the wrist up to avoid this issue.
💡L for Leverage Position
The 'L' shape is a body position that tennis players aim to achieve during their strokes to maximize leverage and power. In the context of the video, the 'L for leverage position' is a key posture that the speaker recommends for the one-handed backhand, suggesting that it helps maintain a strong contact point with the ball.
💡Contact Point
The contact point in tennis is the exact spot where the ball meets the strings of the racket. The video emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high contact point with the racket head not dropping below the hand to avoid weak shots. This is crucial for generating power and control in the one-handed backhand.
💡Fanning Over the Ball
Fanning over the ball is a term used to describe an incorrect technique where the racket face does not close properly, causing the ball to be scraped rather than struck solidly. The video script warns against this by advocating for keeping the wrist up to prevent the racket from dropping and to ensure clean contact.
💡Sideways Position
Staying sideways on the one-handed backhand means aligning the body parallel to the net at the point of contact. The video script explains that many players mistakenly swing across their body, but staying sideways allows for better leverage and shot power. This position is contrasted with the recovery phase, where the body opens up.
💡Stepping Across
Stepping across involves moving laterally towards the ball to hit a shot, as opposed to stepping straight ahead. The video suggests stepping across as a method to achieve a more effective sideways position for the one-handed backhand, which facilitates better balance and leverage.
💡Non-Hitting Arm
The non-hitting arm plays a crucial role in balance and body positioning during a tennis stroke. In the video, the speaker advises using the non-hitting arm to counterbalance the body, forming a triangle shape with both arms extended, which helps maintain a sideways position and prevents the body from turning prematurely.
💡Swing Through the Ball
Swing through the ball is a technique where the player continues their racket swing in an outward and upward motion after making contact with the ball. The video emphasizes the importance of swinging out and away from the body to maximize the swing's radius and generate power, rather than immediately lifting the racket upwards.
💡Staying Down with Legs
Staying down with the legs refers to maintaining a low center of gravity during the stroke to ensure stability and control. The video script points out a common mistake of 'popping up' before contact, which can lead to loss of control and power. Keeping the legs stable and low helps the ball stay down and allows for better shot penetration.
💡Straight Arms at Contact Point
Having straight arms at the contact point means extending the arms fully to strike the ball cleanly. In the video, the speaker warns against hitting with a bent elbow, as it can lead to pushing the ball and reducing shot power. Straightening the arms during the swing allows for better extension and a cleaner hit.
Highlights

Avoid rolling the wrist on the one-handed backhand as it causes weak contact.

Keep the wrist up for a strong contact point and leverage.

Achieve the 'L' position for leverage in the one-handed backhand.

Stay sideways during contact for better ball penetration.

Step across the body to facilitate a sideways stance.

Use the non-hitting arm to balance and maintain a sideways stance.

Swing through the ball rather than focusing on going up right away.

Maintain a level hitting zone before coming up at the end of the swing.

Increase the swing radius for more power.

Avoid popping up before contact point to prevent the ball from flying long.

Keep legs down through the swing for better control and penetration.

Shift body weight from back to front, not from the ground to the sky.

Have straight arms at contact point for clean striking and extension.

Bent elbow at the beginning of the swing, straighten as you explode through the ball.

Avoid pushing the ball with a bent arm, which can lead to injury and weaker shots.

Experiment with these principles to see immediate results on the court.

Consider an online course for a complete system to improve your tennis game.

Transcripts

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Tennis TechniquesBackhand AdviceSports CoachingWrist PositionRacket LeverageBody MechanicsTennis StrategyGame ImprovementSports TrainingTennis Tips