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JOIN NOWHow to improve a backhand - with topspin and extension?
I have a student who use to hit the two hands backhand too close of the body and without extensión. She is 16 years old and a good junior player. Also she tend to hit her backhand flat and we are working to combine more with topspin. Do you know how she could improve these two aspects? Thanks,Victor.
Tennis CoachCoach
ANSWERS
LLaiRy Coach, Belgium
There is many ways to improve those very important aspects. I like to see this as an ongoing process. 1. Footwork drills focusing on bending the knees for using legs to create vertical movement. 2. Medicine ball exercice in order to develop proper use of core torsion. (These two should help for the spin.) 3. It is always usefull to remind students that a two hand backhand is the combination of a forehand with the distant hand (the left for a righty) combined with a traditional one hand backhand. One drill which brings this feeling is to make forehands with the "wrong" hand placed as it should be for a twohanded backhand. Also you can make your student do onehanded backhands. After all this, 4, make a feed drill of low backhand shots to force the student to go in front to reach the ball and give enough spin to the ball in order for it to stay in the court. Then, 5, when the student proves the she gets the feel you can make her drive short cross court and down the line backhands. In summary, it's all about hitting the ball enough in front, using hands in conjuntion, with active footwork allowing some weight to move up on the ball and letting the arms follow with it. Good luck and have fun!
