New 1H Backhand Article

[forehand]

John,

First off:

I'm grateful that you are getting around to doing a series on the 1HBH. You got off to a good start, beautiful videos in there.

But one thing; you mention Schnyder as a one-hander. I was sure that she's a 2-hander even though she's got great touch at the net and uses the slice well.

Anyhow, keep up the good work. Looking forward to the next installment.

Fred.

[gzhpcu]

Yes, thanks John. There is so much written on the forehand, and not so much on the one handed backhand. Great article, also awaiting part 2...

Thanks also to Trey. We mustn't forget the slice drive. Great to use Roswall as a model.

[davehagler]

trigger finger

John - I've looked at a fair amount of footage - maybe 1/10,000 of what you have but it is still a lot. Any comments on the fact that most modern topspin backhands (especially those hit by the players with more extreme grips) are hit with almost no space between the index and third finger? This seems less true on slice, and there are players who hit some (even topspin) backhands with their fingers bunched and others with a trigger finger? My thoughts are that the trigger finger adds stability but slightly reduces mobility so it is less of an issue in modern topspin backhands. Any thoughts on this?

Dave

[johnyandell]

Yeah I've been looking at that too. The whole spread the fingers thing is supposed to add stability and control etc, but you don't see it much in top players. Myabe it just doesn't matter and is more a preference thing.

[johnyandell]

By the way apparently I hallucinated how Patty S. hits her backhand. Thanks to a few people for pointing that out...

[shootermcmarc0]

Reading this article made me more conscious of the grip I'm hitting with on my backhand. During a hitting session today I realized that my base knuckle is between 1 and 8 and the heel pad is on top of 1, so a 8 1/2 / 1 using your notation. I looked at my grip after almost all of my finishes and saw it there. When I first started hitting a 1 hander, like when you analyzed my stroke for the october issue, I remember my knuckle being on top of 1. Over time I guess it migrated over 1/2 a bevel Maybe for a short player like myself, (5'5") a more extreme grip would work better, what do you think?

[johnyandell]

Maybe. Depends on the structure of the stroke. But my feeling in general is that the milder classical grips are going to be better for most lower level players.

It's similar to the forehands--ball heights and spin increase by levels making the more extreme grips more applicable.

[shootermcmarc0]

I just wanted to add one more question. I've read in a few articles that when preparing for the one hander, you should clasp the throat of the racquet with your non dominant hand and at the same time, pull the racquet out of your hand (while resisting with the opposite). The result is that when you release the racquet from your non dominant hand it will accelerate into the ball more quickly (if I made any sense at all, hehe). Did you find that pros did this?

[johnyandell]

I'll get into all that in the other articles. Not necessarily true the way you describe it though.

[vmiller]

Ever since noticing that Gasquet uses more of a hammer grip (no trigger finger), I've been experimenting with it. More specifically, my heel pad also went further back on the grip as a result which led to a 1 - 8 grip. Originally, with the trigger finger, I think I was about a 1 - 8 1/2 (heel pad between 8 and 1).

Based on my experience, this grip allows for more arm rotation that can be translated into more racket rotation in the horizontal and/or vertical plane. In other words, you can rotate the racket head further back during the back swing, or rotate the racket head up the back of the ball for more topspin. In general, I think it leads to a slightly more whippy stroke.

I've been working on this for about three weeks and it has definitely helped me put more topspin on my backhand and have more control of it.

[terri d]

John,
Thanks for the article on the one-handed Backhand. It is very thorough regarding the grips. I am really looking forward to the next segment. By the way, from the research you've already done and duly noting that there are several factors involved, which grip seems to produce the most topspin consistently?
Terri

[johnyandell]

Not sure it's a strict function of grip because we haven't measured that for extreme versus classical players, Federer can spin the hell out of his backhand when he wants to. My opinion is that the extreme grips have a steeper swing plane naturally, which would mean more spin--assuming that is a good thing, which as we'll see, may be an open question.

[acik24]

One handed backhand

Hi John

I hope you can clear up a point for me. In your article the heel pad and index knuckle line up on the same bevel.
One reply has their knuckle on bevel 1 and heel pad on bevel 7.

I was always aware of the affects of knuckle poition but not of the heel pad. For example if I played single handed I would have my knuckle on bevel 1 and heel pad on bevel 7.

My question is, does it make a difference? and why?

Many thanks

Louis

[shootermcmarc0]

Part 2 is awesome John. I didn't realize that even the extreme grip players start at a neutral grip. I found another good clip of federer transitioning from FH grip, to neutral, and back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1bKZLwTpV4&NR

[marty]

I use continental grip for my neutral grip.