Tennis Instruction - Two-Handed Backhand Tip For Left Arm

As you know, people are either right- or left-handed (though some are ambidextrous). We naturally have more feel and coordination with our dominant arm.

So, we use this arm mainly in doing things like opening doors, writing, eating, cutting bread and so on.

Consequently, when you play a two-handed backhand, you naturally use your dominant arm more.

Right-handers tend to pull more with the right arm than they push with the left arm.

This causes you to pull the racquet in a circular motion, since the racquet starts on the left side of the body and you are pulling with the right arm to the right side of the body.

The result is that you don't transfer all the energy straight ahead, into the ball, just a fraction of it. Furthermore, your racquet doesn't stay on the ball long enough, so you feel it as a poorly struck ball.

Often, feeling that you didn't hit the ball well, you try harder... using your right arm the more. Which only makes things worse.

The solution is to use left arm as the dominant one when hitting a two-handed backhand. How much you should use the left arm to power the shot depends on the player somewhat, but most players with good two-handed backhands say that their left arm does from 60-80% of the work.

Your left arm can guide the racquet in a straight line for that short moment of impact, resulting in a clean, powerful shot.

Here is a simple drill you can do to "remind" your left arm to work harder and that it's finally her turn to be the dominant one. ;)

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