Developing an ATP Style Two-Handed Backhand: Part 2

[johnyandell]

Let's get your thoughts on Rick Macci's "Developing an ATP Style Two-Handed Backhand: Part 2"

[stotty]

The arms

Let's get your thoughts on Rick Macci's "Developing an ATP Style Two-Handed Backhand: Part 2"

Are both arms supposed to be working equally on a two-hander or should one arm be more dominant than the other? When we pull with the right hand (right hander) does it mean the left arm is along for the ride until reaching the left-handed forehand phase?

I am a one-hander. When I try to hit two-handed my arms feel like they are fighting each other, and the end result is hopeless. I cannot hit two-handed for the life of me.

When I quiz players who hit two-handed they mostly say their arms feel like they are working with equal force. There are others who say their left arm is doing most of the work, while and some say their right arm is.

What's the drill here? Should the arms feel like they are working with equal force or should one be more dominant than the other at certain phases during the stroke?

[johnyandell]

Stotty,

I'll try to get an answer from Rick but in the meantime I think this is the way to look at it. Remember that the stroke from ready to contact takes less than a second at the prolevel. And actually even at the club level well less than two.

What I think you feel with this model is just initiating with the pull followed almost immediately by push. Like Rick says pull/push.

I can't hit a two-hander either. A final thought a lot of people who hit shots well say a lot of stuff about how they do it...and some of it is helpful.

[drolfe]

On the video Rick Macci looks like he is opening up the racquet face quite a bit during the "flip" phase. How can you hit a topspin 2 hander with an open racquet face like Macci is showing? It looks like all the pros close the face and in fact in the first video in the series Macci talks about closing the face and shows it closed at least on the prep phase. What's the deal with opening the racquet face?

[stotty]

Open racket face...

On the video Rick Macci looks like he is opening up the racquet face quite a bit during the "flip" phase. How can you hit a topspin 2 hander with an open racquet face like Macci is showing? It looks like all the pros close the face and in fact in the first video in the series Macci talks about closing the face and shows it closed at least on the prep phase. What's the deal with opening the racquet face?

The racket face should be on edge or even slightly closed. Having the racket face open isn't good because it will have to close anyway prior to contact (assuming hitting flat or topspin), and under duress a player might be unable to close in time. That said some players have had an open face and got away with it. Malisse had an open face in his younger days, though changed to a more closed face in his later years. Malisse is also unusual in that his hands are very separated on the grip whereas as most two-handers have their hands more knitted together, side by side.

Rick is demonstrating the shot in segments, and if he is opening the face of the racket it is when he is emphasizing what NOT to do...as in the bubble loop. He tries to dramatically imply what happens in the flip phase and you shouldn't read too much into this in term of the shot as a whole.

Rick is a good front man to deliver this kind of stuff. He has charisma and comes across well.

Thankfully most of my students were flipping on their backhands anyway. It must be a more natural thing to do on the backhand than on the forehand. I had numerous students who were not flipping on their forehands but very few who weren't flipping on the backhand.

I notice their is no magic bullet teaching tool to encourage the flip on the backhand as there was on the video of the ATP forehand (outside backswing). I have so far noticed that getting students to raise of the left arm (right hander) is tricky to teach. Most students are very unaware of what their left arm is doing... let alone being able to visualize the height of it.

Coaching non-flippers to flip is tricky. But it's early days and I am hoping to get better at it.

[drolfe]

[QUOTE=johnyandell;23021]Let's get your thoughts on Rick Macci's "Developing an ATP Style Two-Handed Backhand: Part 2"s;

Thanks, that helps

[rkh3544]

Pulling with bottom hand.

Hello guys.

First I'd like to say this is a really great website. My question is about the pulling with the bottom hand. Is it a pull towards the ball or is it more of an angular pull around the torso?

Thanks,
rkh3544.