Understanding The Backhand Grips - kerry mitchell

[maahou]

hi,

in "
Private Lessons:Understanding The Backhand Grips
By Kerry Mitchell"

Kerry mitchell says that Visualizing the racquet head above the wrist is essential to controlling the eastern backhand. (talking about the contact point)

I don't understand this, because when we look at the stroke archive, on the topspin backhand the wrist is almost always at the same level (or above) of the racquet head .

Is there something i have missed ?

Thank you,
Maahou .

[kerrymitchell]

topspin backhand

Maahou,
I took another look at some of video archive (specifically Roger Federer) and I agree with you that the racket head at contact is most times even with the wrist position, but on higher balls there are plenty of examples of the racket head above the wrist at contact. If the racket head is below the wrist position too often in the swing errors will occur. When the racket head is below the wrist at contact the racket face has a tendency to be open causing errors.
The main point I was trying to make is that the head of the racket has a certain timing aspect just like the rest of the swing. In the archives if you watch and freeze the image at contact or just after you will find that the racket head will be above the wrist if not at contact, but just after. The racket head raises as it passes through the ball. If not, especially at the speed of the ball at the pro level, there would be a lot of balls flying out. The intermediate player can get away with a slight racket head delay (in timing) because neither the incoming ball nor the out going ball has enough speed to cause the error.
Plus for me, and John doesn't agree with me on this, there is a certain amount of mental exaggeration of positions to achieve the right physical response. For example if you try to make contact on the drive with the racket head above the wrist especially on low and high balls then the ball will drop faster into the court. In reality you still may see a parallel racket head, but the feel of the shot and the reaction of the ball will be a lot different. This allows a more aggressive swing and a creates less fear in hitting higher over the net. Unfortunately there is a double edge sword to this thinking. Yes, you can hit higher and harder, but it will also require better use of your legs (bending more and staying down longer). If you don't use your legs better then you will make a lot more errors into the net. Also the faster the swing speed (to maintain the racket head timing) the faster the racket head will rise though the ball. Good luck!
Thanks,
Kerry Mitchell.

[maahou]

Thanks for the reply,

Yes it's true on higher backhand the racket is above the hand, i didn't realised it . This is maybe why i have problems for this kind of strokes .

Don't forget to write new interesting articles !

Maahou

[maahou]

Hi,

in your article , you don't talk about when the hand really tightens the racket.

I usually do it on the beginning of the forward movement, but i've tried to tighten in the preparation phase and the power generated was more powerful ; but it was more difficult for me to control .

What would be your advice about it ? thank you, maahou .