The Two-Handed Backhand: Preparation and Backswing

What does Rafael Nadal’s backhand share with other top players?

In the first two articles, we’ve looked at some of the mysteries and complexities that high speed video reveals about the two-handed backhand. We found that what many coaches–including myself–believed to be one of the simplest technical shots turned out to be one of the most complex.

We saw surprising variety in the hitting arm positions, and also, how the hands and arms rotate through the motion. We found that there are actually 4 versions of the two hander, and that they can be hit with a variety of grip combinations. (Click Here.) We also found that hand and arm rotation was an independent variable that players could incorporate to different degrees into any of the 4 versions. (Click Here.)

Commonalities

Now let’s shift and look at some of the commonalities across all these variations. In this article, let’s look at the preparation, including the backswing. Again we are going to see some surprising things in relation to common beliefs about the two-hander. Then in upcoming articles we’ll look at the hitting stances, the body rotation, the contact, the finish, and the wrap.

What does high speed video show about…