The Backhand: One-handed vs. Two-handed

[don_budge]

Sherlock Holmes...

I'll keep the footage coming. Rally footage of forehand and backhand (one and two) on the way soon. Yes, the two-hander is not fluid like the serve...yet. And I think it would be unreasonable to expect such. I would estimate I have put in only 8-10 weeks experimenting/playing with the two-handed backhand -- the stroke has quite a bit of room and time to grow. Also keep in mind that I throw right handed very well, much better than I throw left handed, and used to play with a right handed forehand. Would it not be a waste to not bring the right side into my strokes, the side that I have superior weight transfer on?

Additionally, on the effectiveness of the backhand: I found quite the contrary to be true. The two-hander allowed me to return serve from the backhand side without needing to block-return with a slice. The two-hander kept me in the match in a way my one-hander was often unable to, allowing my serve and forehand to take over.

I am only kidding about the wife and you., kid...I think you are listening and I only jokingly refer to you as kid. I know that in reality you are a young man. Keep in mind that I am 57 years old...born in 1954...sounds ancient to you doesn't it? Yet I have no problem relating to the "kids" (8 yrs. to 99 yrs.) in my program and that is in spite of the fact that their first language is not English. Did I mention that I have taught golf as a professional as well? Language is not the most important aspect of teaching communication...it seems. Perhaps the ability to understand and comprehend is. It helps to have a sense of humor...and sense of irony, as well.

Tennis players and tennis coaches (this goes for golfers too) have to be detectives...ala Sherlock Holmes, when they are pursuing excellence at their craft. One thing invariably leads to another. Go ask bottle...when he’s ten feet tall. Coaches are to help in this regard but a good student can many times go it alone...I am largely self taught, but that being said I definitely had a lot of help along the way. Plus I am well read...in many subjects.

Deductive reasoning comes very much into play when making important decisions (quantity and quality of information is key here) as I mentioned decisions in an earlier post, this particular decision is not as simple as saying that you throw right-handed so you want to use two hands on the right hand side in order that you can take advantage of your ability to transfer your weight. Throwing right-handed has nothing to do with this decision. Serving left-handed does though.

So let's play Sherlock Holmes here...a couple of questions about you:

Which hand(s) do you use to...

1. Throw...right handed.
2. Bat (as in baseball)...?
3. Play golf...?
3. Shoot free throws...?
4. Write...?
5. Eat...?
6. Bowl...?
7. Throw darts...?
8. Shoot a gun...?
9. Shoot an arrow...?
11. How long have have you been playing tennis...?
12. How old are you...?
13. Dominant eye...?
14. What sports are you best performing at and what hand do you use...?

To find your dominant eye...place the tips of both index fingers and both thumbs together and then put both hands together with the opposite tips of your fingers and thumbs meeting to form a "diamond" shaped opening that you can look through. Now look at my sign-in name here..."don_budge"... through the little diamond that you formed with your finger and thumb tips, with both eyes open. Now close your left eye...does my name disappear from your view in the diamond? I am guessing it does. Now find my name again with both eyes open then close your right eye. Is my name still in view in the diamond? If it is...then your left eye is your dominant eye.

This in itself, is not the answer to your dilemma...but it is worth knowing, it may give you an idea about which side of your brain is dominant. Which may give you some insight as to how your decision making process works...which may enable you to think outside of the box...and so on and so forth.

Btw...at your level of play what is wrong with blocking the return of serve back with slice? Did you think that you would magically start pounding returns back with topspin? Eight weeks?...try eight months to get any kind of results. It’s going to be eight years of work before you are attaining the kind of excellence that you may aspire to. That being said the two handed backhand is easier to learn...which may be a leading factor in why more players are playing with two handed backhands these days. It’s easier...take the path of least resistance. Not necessarily the path of substance. If you are smart...you can turn that eight years into four years, by listening to me...and going to work.

To answer your question about superior weight transfer...think of it this way. If you are more natural at transferring your weight on the right side of your body...doesn’t it make sense to use the technique that allows you to swing more freely? You shouldn't need the extra hand throughout the whole swing if this is the case. One handed backhand? Remember my question about the possibility of using two forehands? I wonder if such a player is on the horizon in the modern game of tennis. If it is going to be played almost 100 percent from the backcourt, why not? You seem like you might be such a candidate.

See what I mean about the Sherlock Holmes thing? Your brain just happens to be your biggest asset here, so in the meantime...send the videos, westcoast777. And listen closely to everything that I write, and the other Don too, and think deeply about the questions that I ask...and more importantly...listen attentively to the answers that you give to the questions that I ask. Soon you will realize that you are using both sides of your brain more than "normal" people do.

[westcoast777]

So let's play Sherlock Holmes here...a couple of questions about you:

Which hand(s) do you use to...

1. Throw...right handed.
2. Bat (as in baseball)...? Left
3. Play golf...? Both, not much of a regular golfer, whatever clubs a friend will lend me. Drives and putts are better on the left side, mid-range/irons/chips better on the right.
3. Shoot free throws...? Left
4. Write...? Left
5. Eat...? Left
6. Bowl...? Right
7. Throw darts...? Right
8. Shoot a gun...? Left
9. Shoot an arrow...? Right
11. How long have have you been playing tennis...? Off and on at a young age (<10y/o) playing right handed. Roughly 16 months playing left-handed, only the last 10 of which I would consider "regular" playing ~2-3 times a week, and the last 2 months of increasing frequency of play -- playing at least four times a week for an hour+ each session.
12. How old are you...? 15
13. Dominant eye...? Left
14. What sports are you best performing at and what hand do you use...? My best sports have been swimming and water polo, both of which prize balance and the ability to switch hands. A close second would be basketball...though not because of a dominant hand, but because of my height, movement and ability to make inside shots with both hands consistently. Perhaps I could have been a good soccer player, before I stopped I was quite good at age 8. No confusion between the feet, my left is dominant.

.

[don_budge]

This isn't Brain Surgery...or Rocket Science, but...

.

...it's interesting.

Here's me;

1. Throw...right
2. Bat...left
3. Golf...right
4. Write...left
5. Eat...left
6. Bowl...right
7. Throw darts...right
8. Shoot a gun...left
9. Shoot an arrow...left
11. How long playing tennis...forever
12. How old...ancient
13. Dominant eye...left
14. Best sports...right handed pitcher and catcher in baseball (no jokes please), favorite sport in youth was basketball (real ball hog), scratch golfer
15. What do I want to be when i grow up...unsure

When I first went out to the tennis court with my parents just to fool around I would switch my racquet hand to play with two forehands. After I began taking some coaching from good old Sherm Collins, he asked me to serve. I will never forget that we were in the gym at the community college and for some reason I served against the wall with my left hand. Seeing as I did most of the athletics, such as throwing, right handed up to this point this was a bit of an anomaly.

I sympathize with you...just kidding. You may be extremely talented...just so you know. Always work harder than the other guys to maximize the blessings of your talent. Your age has nothing to do with your potential as a tennis player by the way. Some will say that you are too old, or not young enough. I say phooey to that. The way is forward and what you are going to do...if you set your mind on something, it can be done. It is only you that will set the limits to what you will accomplish in life. It is never too late...up to a certain point. I wouldn't waste any time at this point, though.

After this little "Sherlock Holmes" exercise I did some investigating about eye, hand and brain dominance on the web. Without drawing any conclusions I have decided that this is an area where I will be doing more investigating. You might decide to also...some knowledge about how you are processing things may help you in your studies and future endeavors. I, on the other hand, can only speculate to how it is I got to the point that I am at. See how one thing leads to another? Be a detective throughout your life...don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. Prove it...to yourself.

Here are a couple of things that you may consider as occupational possibilities...tennis player, boxer, martial arts or detective work. Read "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Most guys your age these days don't read books anymore...it's all cyber space stuff. Also, "How to Play Better Tennis (a complete guide to technique and tactics)" by Bill Tilden. The tactics discussions in this book are particularly good...these days all the talk is about technique but tactics is where the men are separating from the boys. Winners from the losers.

All of this has nothing to do with your dilemma...or maybe everything, but it doesn't hurt to branch out when the occasion is fit. You are young. The world is your oyster...whatever that means. 90% of the population is apparently right handed. That leaves the other 10% to be left handed... and a small percentage of that to be like you and I, confused. Oh, let's say special.

OK...westcoast777, now we are waiting on your video. Let's not waste any time now.