One-handed topspin backhand shot

Topspin Backhand Grip

The topspin backhand can be effectively hit with the one handed backhand. To be able to execute a heavy one-handed topspin backhand, use the Western grip. In case you are not comfortable with this grip, you can also use the full or modified Eastern backhand grips. The full and the modified eastern backhand grips are the most popular grips used my many players to create topspin in their backhand shots. The continental grip is the least used grip because your hand will be in a weaker position to support your racket handle when your hit the topspin shot.

Ready position

The topspin backhand shot ready position begins with the initial split step when your body faces the net. Then hold and support your racket (at the throat) with your non-dominant hand. Stand with your knees slightly bent and your upper body slightly bent forward.

One Handed Topspin Backhand Backswing

Start your topspin backhand backswing by stepping forward to facilitate your forward motion and initiate the upwards push from the legs as you start your racket swing. Always focus your eyes to the ball. Then bring back your racket at your waist level with your non dominant hand still supporting it.

The one-handed topspin backhand generates its power from the linear forward and upward motion of your legs, body and your arm. Your racket position should be lower than the incoming ball. This is the most important aspect to consider in creating enough topspin in your one handed backhand shot.

Before contact

Just before contact and as you continue your forward swing, your racket head should be positioned below your hand. This means that your racket head should be dropped down towards the ground. Again this motion allows you to create more topspin as you brush up your racket as you hit the ball.

Point of Contact

If you are using the full or the modified Eastern backhand grip, you should meet the ball in front of your body to create enough topspin. To get the best results, the racket face should be parallel to the ground during contact, with your body in a sideways position and your eyes glued to the point of contact.

After contact

A split second after contact, the racket should move upward by 1 foot indicating the brushing effect of your racket face into the ball. The back foot should come forward. If you’ve been playing tennis for quite some time, this back foot sliding motion comes naturally. However, if you are a beginner, you should slide your foot intentionally to get use to it.

One Handed Backhand Topspin Follow through

The start of the follow through is when you lift your shoulder. The leg should straighten due to the upward movement and your back foot sliding forward. At the end of your stroke, your body should face towards the net.

Watch Roger Federer’s backhand as he uncoils his body to hit the ball. Notice how the topspin backhand follow through consists of Federer lifting his shoulder high to complete the follow through while maintaining a low to high brushing motion. This is an essential key of a world class one handed backhand.

Two Handed Topspin Backhand

Topspin Backhand Grip

The grips for the two handed topspin backhand can vary, but the most common grip is with the Continental on your top or right hand (if you are right handed player) and the Eastern grip continental grip on your bottom or left hand. These grips allow you to produce topspin in your two handed backhand shot.

Ready position

It’s important to assume a ready position while holding your racket as described above and point it towards the left net post. The feet should also point towards the net. As you anticipate a two handed backhand shot on your side, pivot your shoulder so that your shoulder is roughly perpendicular to the net and prepare to your movement towards the ball.

Two styles of the two handed topspin backhand backswing

The two handed topspin backhand backswing can be done in two ways – the compact backswing and the looping backswing. Here I’ll give a general overview of the compact topspin backhand backswing and the loop backswing:

Loop Backswing

Many professional players with great topspin backhands employ the loop backswing style. This type of backswing also creates topspin in your shot. A loop is a circular movement that starts with your racket head by forming a C shape as you swing your racket. Professional players have different techniques on how they execute this loop motion.

The loop starts with the bottom of your racket handle facing the ground then it ends as your swing forward with your racket bottom end pointing to the sky. This motion allows you to create power and spin on your topspin backhand shot.

Compact Backswing

To execute a full compact backswing, your racket head tip should point towards the back fence. At the point farthest back on your backswing, the tip of the racquet should point at the back fence. Then step forward with your inside foot or left foot into the court (if you are standing on the baseline). The spread between your legs should be a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. This will allow you to have a comfortable weight transfer (from your back foot to you front foot) as your swing forwards and hit the ball.

Height of Backswing to Contact Point

After executing your full backswing, start to swing your racket forward in preparation to hit the ball. One very important aspect to look into at this stage is your racket position in relation to the ball. See to it that your racket position is roughly 1 foot below the ball for you to be able to brush up the ball with your racket head and create topspin. The power you exert on your forward movement determines the amount of power you create on your topspin backhand shot. At this stage, your body weight should also be concentrated on your front or right leg to facilitate the forward motion.

If your opponent’s ball is low, a split second before you hit the ball, see to it that your racket head should be lower than the ball. This is very important if you want to create enough topspin on your shot. Ideally, the vertical distance between the ball and your racket should be eight inches. Again this will allow you to create topspin in your shot as your brush up the ball at contact. Then as your initiate the contact and as you are about to hit the ball, you have to move your racket in such a way that its long axis is positioned horizontally with the ground as you hit the ball.

Contact

In case of a low ball, hit the ball just a few inches in front of your knee (right if you are right handed player). If the ball is higher, you should hit the ball a bit farther wherever you are comfortable with. Do not forget to lock your eyes unto the ball.

In case of a higher ball, you don’t need to drop down your racket too low but the racket head should still be position lower than the ball. If you drop your racket head too much, your shot might be airborne. Just lower it enough for you to be able to produce enough topspin. Ideally, position your racket head at about eight inches below the ball.

Topspin Backhand Follow through

Your follow through should start with your racket moving forward with the racket face end point pointing towards the net. Your racket should also has risen from the lowest point it dropped (before contact) at about 3 feet. To accomplish this means that you created enough topspin and power on your topspin backhand shot.

The two handed topspin backhand stroke should finish with your racket farther over your shoulder. Professional players normally have a different follow through in this tennis shot with their racket more in front which signifies a more powerful shot.

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Most tennis players leave the backhand shot in the back burner, and most tennis beginners are taught the tennis backhand after they have learned the forehand, the tennis backhand is usually the weaker shot.

Tips for a powerful tennis backhand

These tennis backhand tips will give you some ideas on how to hit a powerful backhand. The best technique to hit a backhand is to hold your racket in such a way that the face of your racket is not open during the point of contact with the ball. To accomplish this, you have to hold the racket in such a way that your palm is holding the top part of the racket handle. Then support the racket with your left hand (for right handed players) by holding the throat of the racket.

Tennis backhand tip 1

The first tennis backhand tip is simple. Make sure your backhand shot gets an adequate warm-up and rather than trying to run around every backhand attempt to hit your backhand crosscourt. Getting into the habit of hitting too many inside-out forehands can exemplify the weakness on your backhand wing over time due to a lack of practice.

Racket Preparation for the backhand

Preparation is crucial for the tennis backhand, whether it’s the one handed or two handed tennis backhand, the principles are very much the same. Good preparation means recognizing the ball early, and getting a head start on the tennis ball’s flight path. This means that your eyes must recognize your opponents hit sooner so your body knows where to move. Understand that preparation is the first step that starts the tennis backhand, and lack of preparation will be detrimental to getting to the tennis ball on time and ready to execute the shot.

The preparation on the tennis backhand is very much the same on both the one handed and two handed tennis backhand. In both cases, the eyes recognizes the opponent’s point of contact, and as soon as that happens, you must initiate the preparation with the body first. Taking a wild backswing immediately after the opponent’s hit will not only cause you to mistimed the ball, but also you will not get the clean contact that you want on the tennis backhand.

Level of Intensity on Every Shot

Maintaining a moderate level of intensity is important on the tennis backhand. The backhand shot requires that you move your feet just as much as your tennis forehand. But in most cases, tennis players tend to move their feet less on their backhand, and their sluggish tennis footwork contributes to the lackluster results when compared to their forehand.

The level of tennis footwork required to move to the ball must be maintained, as movement to the tennis backhand is not just a walk in the park, it’s a legitimate tennis stroke that must be mastered and maintained just like the forehand. I frequently see tennis players treat the tennis backhand like a casual pitter patter shot and rather than try to execute the shot and commit to hitting the backhand, they just hit it anywhere hoping to hit a forehand on the next shot.

One should learn to build their plays around the tennis backhand and develop a game where the tennis backhand can play an active role in helping a tennis player win a point.

Develop an Aggressive Mentality

Developing an aggressive mentality is a key tennis backhand tip. The backhand doesn’t have to be a push shot. It’s not reserved for defensive play. Tennis players today are now using their backhand shot as a penetrating weapon just as much as the forehand, and the backhand shot must not be a liability. Too often, I find that tennis players resolve in hitting their tennis backhand as if it were a shot designated only for pushing the ball back somewhere on the court. This mentality will do nothing to improve the tennis backhand, and chances of playing better tennis this way is slim. To progress to higher levels, one must utilize the backhand shot just as much as one would for a tennis forehand.

Utilize the Kinetic Chain

An important tennis backhand tip is to use the entire body to hit the tennis backhand, and not just the arms. This means that you must get low, and in some cases very low to hit this backhand shot. The tennis backhand is usually hit with a neutral or closed stance, so the front foot will need to be the driver in the weight transfer.

I see tennis players often fail to get low on the backhand shot, and usually have little to no knee bend. The backhand shot becomes an “all arm” tennis backhand and the end result is a push. No wonder why so many tennis players complain of having a weak tennis backhand!

As a competitive tennis player, I was also guilty of using all arm on the tennis backhand. I fell into the classic trap of using all arm and making a last minute flick of the wrist to generate topspin to keep it in the court. It was a bad habit that kept my tennis backhand from being as powerful as I wanted it to be. It’s a habit that sticks with a person and is hard to escape from, just like the plague. It’s best to get started on the right path right away to avoid bad habits from lingering on the tennis backhand.

Set the Correct Mindset

Our final tennis backhand tip is mentality. Right away ask yourself, “Do I want my tennis backhand to be a powerful shot or a defensive shot? Chances are your current backhand may be operating around defense, and the backhand shot may not be what you want it to be. Having a clutch on the tennis backhand side not only opens that wing to attack, it gives your opponents confidence that they can exploit your weakness at will.

Take a look at how you hit the tennis backhand. Do you immediately try to attack aggressively on your backhand wing? Or do you try to shy away from the backhand by allowing the tennis ball to play you on the backhand side?

Next, are you hitting adequate topspin on the backhand side, or are you hitting flat pancakes that have about one in ten chances of going in? Are you participating in the correct tennis strategy to enhance your backhand shot? Or are you taking too many risks on the backhand and opening up the opportunity to attack.

If you can answer these questions, you may be able to uncover why and how you can improve your tennis backhand, and with these tennis backhand tips hopefully you can resonate with yourself on how you can proceed with a better backhand shot.

When to use the one handed backhand and two handed backhand shot?

It is not recommended to shift from the two handed backhand to the one handed backhand or vice versa unless you are used to making shots using both of these backhand techniques.

The two handed backhand is more advantageous than the one handed backhand if you want more power in your shot or you want to disguise your shot. There is also a disadvantage of the two handed backhand, which is its limited reach. To solve this problem, you have to have your racket already at your back with your shoulder turned when you start running towards the ball. Avoid running to the ball first before completing the shot preparation (turning the shoulder). Coiling your body as a unit allows you to attain more efficient movement.

Just be reminded that both of the backhand techniques (the two handed backhand and the one handed tennis handed) have their own advantages and disadvantages. In most cases, you don’t have to choose between the two. The most important thing is to use the technique that you feel you are more comfortable with.

Tennis Backhand Slice Tips

Follow these tennis backhand tips for you to be able to hit a backhand slice correctly. To prepare for a backhand slice shot, bend your racket arm. This bending motion is important because the efficiency of your slice backhand depends in the magnitude of your arm extension.

If you want to increase the effectiveness of your shot, adjust your shot by extending your arm a bit late or extend it just seconds before the point of contact.

What to do produce a slice backhand approach shot?

If you want to hit a low backhand approach shot perfectly, you have to follow the tennis backhand tips given here. An ideal way to keep the ball low is to use a backhand slice shot after the ball bounces. Remember to hit the ball from a high to low manner making sure that you don’t come down on the ball too much. Avoid chopping the ball.

How to hit a backhand slice effectively?

If you want to execute an effective backhand slice, the first step is for you to change your grip to the continental or backhand grip. You have to start the backhand with a split step while having your left hand (non-racket hand) supporting the throat of the racket. Position yourself sideways and aim the top of the ball with your racket and swing in a high to low direction. At this instance, your wrist should be kept firm. Bend your body as you hit the ball, and at the same time position your non racket arm behind you to keep your balance. The follow-through of the tennis backhand is towards the direction of the ball.

How to hit a high ball to your backhand

These tennis backhand tips will show you what shot to use when your opponent’s ball is high. It is difficult to hit backhand with topspin when the ball is high. In this situation, it is not easy to brush up the ball hence producing good topspin. Thus with a high ball to the backhand, you can choose to hit a slice. A backhand slice can be a better shot unless you have excellent timing and strength.

Another option other than a slice or topspin backhand, is to hit a flat backhand just making sure that you don’t hit the net.

How to prevent tennis backhand shots in the net

What will you do if your backhand shot always end up in the net despite the fact that your footwork and balance is good? There must be some explanation as to why this happens. You have to analyze your execution on possible mistakes. The first thing to consider is your point of contact. If you are using the two handed backhand shot, make sure that you prepare early. The point of contact should be in front of your body.

How to prevent backhand shots from going long

To avoid sending the ball up high when you execute the backhand shot, these are the tennis backhand tips you should not miss. First and foremost, is to check your grip because it is possible that there is a problem of the angle of your racket face during the point of contact.

How to hit a low bouncing ball with the two handed backhand

Due to the two handed backhand limitation on limited reach, it’s not easy to hit a low bouncing ball with this tennis backhand technique. Although it is not easy, the best way to deal this is to add a one-handed slice backhand to your repertoire.

Which stroke is better, the two handed backhand or the one handed tennis backhand?

These tennis backhand tips explain the differences between a two handed and a one handed backhand groundstroke. The two handed tennis backhand stroke involves body movements which must be coordinated between your legs, hips, trunks and arm.

Despite the two handed backhand popularity, it has also its own disadvantages. The first weakness of this tennis shot is its difficulty in producing slice. This can be a issue if you like to serve and volley. The other weakness is limited reach especially when the ball is short or wide, which means that you need more efficient movement to be able to reach the ball on time.

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The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

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Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

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Tennis Backhand Technique and Tips

Since the tennis backhand is the one of the least practiced tennis strokes, it is often weaker than the forehand. The technique on the tennis backhand must be improved through positive repetition and ample practice time. The proper tennis backhand technique will allow a player to improve their power, accuracy and ability to generate topspin. While most tennis player rely on the forehand as their main weapon, it is just as important to hone the skills of the tennis backhand technique so that the backhand shot can be a dependable under pressure in match situations.

The backhand technique is one of the main areas of focus in tennis. The backhand shot is used in baseline rallies and in approach shots. There are two different strokes in the backhand, one is the two handed backhand and the other on is the one handed backhand. Each backhand technique is described below.

Keys of The Tennis Backhand Technique

Key 1: Fluidity

Developing a fluid, continuous tennis backhand is one of the keys of the tennis backhand. A rigid backhand shot will limit the ability of the player to generate power as well as inhibit the necessary rotation needed to hit a powerful and heavy tennis backhand.

Key 2: Letting the Tennis Backhand Come Along for the Ride

The second key is letting the tennis backhand come along for the ride. This is one of the most important points. The body should help initiate the backswing on the backhand, and the hands and racket should do minimal work in taking the racket back. The only role of the hands and arm is to guide the racket back in a compact and simple motion.

The feet turning sideways on the preparation, helping to begin the coil on the tennis backhand should do most of the necessary work in taking the racket back.

Marat Safin’s tennis backhand technique.

The tennis backhand technique of Marat Safin is very clean, minimal and compact. He allows the racket to come back as a result of the overall body turn and coil. The racket itself is doing very little, and there is almost no swinging on the tennis backhand. Instead, Marat Safin focuses on coiling as much as possible in order to release that energy on contact. This is why Nalbandian’s tennis backhand technique is flawless and allows him the ability to hit the tennis ball with perfect tennis technique.

Key 3: Third Key of the Tennis Backhand Technique

The third and final key of the tennis backhand technique is to make clean contact and extend outwards with the arm and racket towards the intended direction of the ball. This is part of the follow through phase on the tennis backhand. The full extension of the arm and racket is key in order to maximize the line of the shot and create a full and fluid tennis backhand.

This extension happens quickly, but without good extension on the tennis backhand it will be difficult to maximize the depth and spin on the tennis backhand. All pro players with great tennis backhand technique will always have great extension in the follow through. It’s something that happens so fast on TV or in real-time that the human eye misses most of the smaller components of the tennis backhand technique.

Typically, lower level players who have in proper tennis backhand technique will fail to get the same full extension in the follow through of the tennis backhand before wrapping around the right shoulder (for a right handed tennis player) or the left shoulder (for a left handed tennis player) This is due to the swing itself, or an overly active wrist (e.g snapping the wrist at contact, rather than driving through with the backhand)

The Same is true for the one handed tennis backhand technique. Even with one hand on the racket, there needs to be full extension before finishing the tennis backhand.

Two handed backhand

One example of tennis backhand technique is the two handed backhand tennis stroke. This tennis stroke is popularly used by many players from beginners to professionals. It is one of the tennis strokes that are used by many tennis players as their winning weapon in tennis matches they play.

Grip

Players use different types of tennis grips when they execute the tennis backhand technique. If you are a right handed player, the most common grip to use in the two handed backhand are the Eastern forehand grip for your left hand (if you are right handed), while the continental grip is used for the right hand.

The initial body turn

At this stage, your body is facing the net with your feet doing the same (toes should be pointing towards the net). Then hold your racket with both hands. Grip can vary based on the player’s choice.

Backswing

In two handed backhand technique, professional players use either the compact backswing or a loop backswing. From the initial split step position, you have to bring the racket back, and then turn sideways and be prepared to step forward with your left foot.

Down Swing

After the height of the backswing, it’s critical to bring the racket down at about 1 foot below the ball. This movement causes the racket face to brush off the ball producing topspin. You body weight at this stage should be transferring to your front leg.

Point of Contact for the Two Handed Backhand

Less than a second before the point of contact, your racket should still be below the ball at around 8 inches. This is an important aspect of backhand technique to produce topspin. When the ball is short, ideally it is best to make contact with the ball a few inches in front of your knee. However if the ball is high, the contact point can be a bit farther back. When you make contact, make sure that your racket is positioned parallel to the ground, your body is facing sideways and your eyes glued to the ball.

One handed backhand technique

The other tennis backhand technique is the one handed backhand. Although in recent years, the one handed backhand is not popularly used by many players, some players still use this as one of their powerful strokes. Roger Federer’s one handed backhand, for example is one of his main weapons in winning matches.

Grip

In the one handed backhand technique, the tennis grip to be used depends on the execution you want to achieve. The eastern backhand is the ideal grip for generating topspin on the one handed backhand.

The initial body turn

At this stage, your body is facing the net with your feet doing the same (toes should be pointing towards the net). Then hold your racket with both hands. Grip can vary based on the player’s choice.

Backswing

From the ready position, your feet should be facing the net. Ideally, you should step forward using your right foot (remember this instruction is for right handed players) and try to meet the ball early for proper backhand execution. The movement of the foot in a forward direction allows you to generate pace and at the same time keep you in a sideways position. This allows you to move in a forward and upward direction with the use of your legs as you swing your racket.

Forward Swing

The one handed backhand technique, power is generating from the speed and velocity of the forward and upward movements of your arms, legs and body. At this stage of the stroke it is very important that that your eyes are focused where the ball is. If you see that the ball is coming towards you, quickly take out your left hand from supporting the racket and then swing forward your racket. If the return of your opponent is a short ball, you need to bend more to position your racket below the ball. This is to create the brushing effect as you hit the ball. The brushing movement produces the topspin you need. In addition to topspin, you can also add more power in your hit by exerting forward momentum as you swing your racket forward.

Seconds before contact

Before the point of contact (ball comes in contact with the racket face or racket strings), drop more the racket as low as your right knee (right handed player) if the ball is very low. However if the ball is high you don’t need to drop the ball, but still see to it that the brushing effect is still executed perfectly so as not to lose the topspin effect. As mentioned above, whether the ball is low or high, position the racket head as low as I foot below the ball. This gap should be enough to produce enough topspin.

Point of contact

At this stage of the one handed backhand technique, your eyes should be of total focus with the ball. In the one handed backhand, the point of contact differs depending on the grip you use. If you want to create topspin, do not use the continental grip unless you want to hit a slice backhand. If you are using the eastern backhand grip, you have to hit the ball in front of your body.
There are indications if your backhand technique was done correctly. For a topspin backhand, you will know if you were successful by the way your racket moves after you hit the ball. If you executed hit the backhand with the correct technique, your racket should move up at about 1 foot from the point of contact.

Backhand Follow-through

In this instance of the one handed backhand execution, you should have lifted your shoulder and straightened your right foot (if you are right handed). This movement will drive your body in an upward motion. At the same time, your left foot should slide forward.

Backhand technique and all the aspects concerning the tennis backhand is a time consuming process that a player must dedicate practice time to perfect the small components which make up the tennis technique. Although no two tennis backhand technique will be exactly a like, there are fundamental commonalities in the backhand tennis technique of the pros that can serve as great models for tennis players at all levels of the game.

Learn to Hit a Forehand Like Roger Federer

If you want to jumpstart your forehand and play like the PROS, check out my 70+ page Tennis Ebook that will immediately show you how you can take your forehand to the next level.

The Modern Forehand Domination Ebook is guaranteed to improve your tennis technique, and increase power, topspin and accuracy of your tennis forehand!

Modern Tennis Forehand Ebook
Learn How to Hit a Forehand Like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

The post Tennis Backhand Technique – Tips for the Backhand Tennis Shot appeared first on Tennis Instruction.

Professional tennis players make sure to practice tennis backhand exercises to work on their weaknesses so they can amplify their strengths. A good forehand shot is not complete if it isn’t backed by a solid backhand stroke.

The backhand is traditionally the weaker side for many players. At the club level, a lot of players have great forehands but close to non-existent backhands. There are players who only know how to slice their backhands.

Why You Need to Practice Tennis Backhand Exercises

Even the two most dominant professional players of the last 6 years, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, have forehands which are more potent than their backhands. Today they have both been passed in the rankings by Novak Djokovic who is equally strong from both sides.

His present advantage over his two rivals is that he doesn’t need to run around one side or the other to control the rallies. He therefore gives up less ground.

On the women’s tour, there are a lot of players who are stronger from the backhand than the forehand, including current number one Caroline Wozniacki and reigning French Open champion Li Na. Most players who are stronger from the backhand use two hands on their stroke.

However, there are some players who use one-handed backhands but are still very strong from this side. Developing a strong backhand is now just as important as any other shot in the game. Tennis backhand exercises help in this regard.

Tennis Backhand Exercises: Fitness and Strengthening

Like all shots in tennis, the backhand requires physical strength, power and proper technique. These three things are all interrelated and interdependent.

Strength allows a player to develop a faster swing in order to hit with greater power. At the same time, the best strokes are generally the most effortless and efficient.

The proper technique achieves this but it is easier to learn if you have built up a base level of physical strength and power. The first set of tennis backhand exercises are done with this requirement in mind. These strength-building exercises are done in the gym using free weights, machines or resistance cords.

• Reverse fly – this is an exercise that can be done while lying prone on a bench or, for stronger people, while standing up. If you do this standing up, you should bend knees slightly and bend your torso forward while keeping the abdominal muscles tight for support. With a dumbbell in each hand, lift up and out to your side and back down.
• Wide grip seated row – this tennis backhand exercise makes use of a cable machine. Grip the bar near the ends and pull on it as you would on a regular seated row.
• Close grip push ups – these are push ups done with the hands close together.
• Inverted row – this exercise makes use of a low bar and is like a pull up except that your body is diagonal with your feet supported by the ground.
• Cable backhand exercise – this is a very specific tennis backhand exercise that makes use of a cable machine. You stand with your dominant side away from the machine and pull the cable as you twist your body as if hitting a backhand. You can use one hand or two hands depending on the type of backhand that you use.
• Wrist abduction and adduction – hold a dumbbell and move your wrist as if you were hammering a nail.
• Forearm pronation and supination – hold a dumbbell bar at one end. You can choose to put a light weight at the other end. With your arm bent at the elbow and your forearm horizontal, simply turn your forearm back and forth, pronating and supinating it. Do this exercise for both arms, not just your dominant arm.
• Grips or ball squeezes

Tennis Backhand Exercises: Lower Body Strengthening

Lower body exercises like squats, lunges and calf raises are also useful as tennis backhand exercises, though they are not specific for developing this stroke. As with the other basic shots in tennis, the legs are greatly involved in the stroke mechanics of the backhand.

After building strength, you can do plyometric exercises to help develop muscular power. Some of these exercises can be considered as tennis backhand exercises.

Sideward medicine ball throws – throw the medicine ball forward from your non-dominant side to simulate the motion of hitting a backhand.

• Box jumps – jump up upon a bench about foot high and back down. Do this repeatedly.
• Jumping squats – this is similar to a basic squat except that you jump up as high as possible. Be sure to absorb your weight properly as you land by bending your knees.
• Jumping lunges – perform a move similar to a basic lunge except that you leap forward instead of merely stepping forward.
• Four ring jumps – set four adjacent rings on four corners of an imaginary square on the ground. Jump from one ring to the next in a clockwise manner and then in a counter-clockwise manner.

Tennis Backhand Exercises for Flexibility

Aside from strengthening exercises, flexibility exercises are just as vital in developing a stronger backhand. The wrists, arms, shoulders and trunk should all be stretched properly. The trunk should be stretched with twists as well as bends.

Your body should get used to the proper coiling and uncoiling movement that is required on the backhand side. For many people, this is a less natural movement than the coiling and uncoiling on the forehand side. This is one reason why many players are weaker from this side.

Tennis Backhand Exercises on Footwork and Movement

Sometimes, the weakness on the backhand side is not due to bad stroke mechanics but rather poor movement over to that side. Footwork exercises can be done to improve this. A very simple drill is to do side skipping moves back and forth along the baseline.

You can do a shadow swing at each corner or you can hit a ball that is fed to you. To isolate the backhand, begin at the centre of the baseline and have your coach feed balls over at your backhand corner.

You move over to hit the ball and then recover back to the centre of the baseline after every hit. This means that you have to repeatedly move over to the backhand to hit every ball.

Tennis Backhand Exercises for Improving Backhand Technique

If technique is the problem you are better off planning a hitting session of tennis backhand exercises. Before you start this, it is advisable that you warm up properly first by doing a few minutes of backhand shadow swings.

Keep your feet moving and try to loosen up your muscles. Do arm circles and trunk twists as well.

Ball Feeding Tennis Backhand Exercises

The best of the tennis backhand exercises is also the simplest. You are simply fed the ball over and over to this side and you try to hit as many backhands as you can. Try to hit both cross court and down the line. Try to hit various trajectories and spins if you already know how or use this opportunity to learn and improve your technique in hitting the different types of spins on the backhand side.

Alternatively, you can simply rally the ball exclusively with your backhand. Your hitting partner should aim every shot to your backhand. Practice hitting down the line and cross court. One of the most important shots today on the pro tour is the backhand down the line off the cross court.

This is a difficult shot to hit because you are trying to go over the high part of the net and through a shorter distance. Try this shot as well because it can be very useful against a player who likes to run around his backhand.

Tennis Backhand Exercises for Mental Toughness

Frequently, the problem is not technical or physical but mental. Some players are simply not confident with their backhands as they are with their forehands. To get over this, train yourself to believe in your backhand.

Get your mind to visualize hitting clean, beautifully-struck backhand winners. See yourself hitting with great variety, precision and power. Imagine getting attacked on this side by an aggressive opponent as you come up with a passing shot.

With constant practice, you will find yourself gaining more and more confidence with this shot. You will then be on your way to developing a game that is truly solid from all angles and you will be that much more difficult to beat.

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