Tennis-Backhand Ground Strokes

Frankie Dell: Hey, I am Frankie Dell. I am a Professional Tennis Instructor. You are watching ground strokes. Next, I am going to show you how to hit a proper backhand. So the first thing we should look at when hitting a backhand is learning how to grip the racquet, because you are going to use a different grip for the backhand than you use for the forehand. So let's look at it.

To grip the racquet on a backhand, just hold the racquet in front of you and place your hand right on top, so that your wrist is straight. So you don't want this because see now it's bend. You don't want that because it's bend. Here just place it on top and your wrist is straight or you can put the racquet underneath your arm and do the same thing. Just grip it or keeping your wrist straight. That's your backhand grip.

Now, you say what if I have a two-handed backhand. Still going to grip it this way, but for two hander you are going to put the other hand right here so that the hands are slightly touching. You don't want to gap and you also don't want to overlap, like this. Stay right here just slightly touching. If you look at it from this angle you will see how my V is over on the way over on the left edge and for a two hander, it comes right over on top, slightly touching. So, now we know how to grip the racquet for a backhand, let's move on.

Now, we are in our Ready Position. We are waiting for the ball to be hit from our opponent. Racquet is in front, I am on the balls of my feet and I am ready to move to the right or the left, whichever way the ball comes. Racquet up, we would rather see the racquet up than down because then when the ball comes you have to raise your racquet and then turn into the shot either way. It takes too much time. So have your racquet up.

Now stances, either going use for the backhand a Neutral Stance or an Open Stance. Let's go over with the Neutral Stance if you are using a one-handed backhand. You are going to pivot and step into the court. Pivot and step in. Now if it's in Open Stance, you might use this if you don't have enough time. The ball is arriving too quickly for you and pivot and swing with this foot open. Pivot swing, swing.

Let's look at the two hander. We are now in Ready Position. Pivot, neutral swinging out. Pivot, neutral stepping out. Now for an Open, pivot stepping out, pivot stepping out to the side. That's your stances and your preparation. So now we are ready to prepare.

So I am going to show you how to prepare for a two-handed backhand first. First, as we see the ball it's going to be backhand, first thing is we pivot and we turn our shoulders. Pivot and turn your shoulders. Think of it more as turning your shoulders rather than pivoting and taking your racquet back. So it's more like pivot and turn your shoulders, that's it and then I am going to show to the Neutral Stance stepping out. Pivot, turn your shoulders, step out. I would like you to be in this position by the time the ball bounces on your side of the net. So the ball is hit, we see it traveling across the net, we turned and we step.

Now for one hander. Going to use your off hand to hold the racquet up at the throw, going to pivot and turn your shoulders. Again, it's turning your shoulders, it's not taking the racquet back. Pivot, turn your shoulders and you are ready to step. Pivot, turn your shoulders and you are ready to step and that's how you prepare.

1