The player keeps tennis ball between the body and dominant elbow and the player imitates backhand stroke. The ball can't leave the body before the player “hits” backhand.
Being too far away from the ball is a common error on all levels of tennis performance. Players try to save the situation by reaching with the arms and racquet what results in weak and short responses. It is crucial to control our arms while working on backhand's technique.
This exercise focuses on the player arms' position. Tennis ball is tucked between the body and the elbow to help the player to “feel” the problem. If the player shadows and ball is released before point of contact, it simply means that arms are not in controlled position. The coach should explain to the player that he/she can't change arm's position during the stroke. After few attempts, coach should feed some balls to see the player's improvements with the ball.
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