Tennis anyone:speed differences between a forehand and backhand

[omg]

I thought looking at the differences between a forehand and a backhand might shed some light on the top hand/bottom hand debate. I know a tennis player is using their dominant arm for both but it still would be interesting. The one I found via google concluded that ball velocity, but not necessarily accuracy, was the same for both a backhand and a forehand by a particular player ("SPEED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FOREHAND AND BACKHAND IN INTERMEDIATE ..."). If anybody as any more info on this notion then please post it.

[SimiBaseball]

While I believe the whole top hand vs. bottom hand debate is rather pointless (kind of like debating which hand is more important to clapping), I think a more relavent comparison would be one-handed hitting off of a tee.

[omg]

While I believe the whole top hand vs. bottom hand debate is rather pointless (kind of like debating which hand is more important to clapping), I think a more relavent comparison would be one-handed hitting off of a tee.

Sorry, I'm a switch hitter and am just obsessed with all of the right-left differences I have experienced. There is just too much serious discussion from people like Williams,Lau,etc. to dismiss the topic. But you do bring up an excellent idea about the one-handed golf. There are many one-handed golfers (I played with one) and some go backhand and some go forehand. The one I played with started out backhand and switched to forehand. He said he experienced more success/accuracy forehand. He was about a 12 handicap.

[Ursa Major]

All I can say is that all the learning I've been doing on hitting over the last few years has helped my backhand tremendously. It's not that I hit the ball that much harder, but all of my power is generated through my hips, torso and shoulders, so the arm and wrist just have to worry about fine tuning the location. There's not so much picking on my backhand by my opponents now.

With my forehand, I'm just more conscious of foot position and hip loading/unloading. Again, a little more power with a lot less effort. And that -- according to a tennis teaching pro buddy of mine -- is the secret to success in tennis.

[dominik]

I do play tennis. Normally the forehand is harder than the backhand. Best forehands reach 140 km/h. Backhands are usually slower, but there are players who can whach it really hard(I think maybe over 120).

But the main difference is that you don't rotate on a backhand(try to stay sideways) while you rotate violently on your forehand(as much as in a baseball swing).

If you would just use the arm I guess that a forehand would be slower than a backhand, but the roation gives usually the edge for the forehand.

[omg]

I do play tennis. Normally the forehand is harder than the backhand. Best forehands reach 140 km/h. Backhands are usually slower, but there are players who can whach it really hard(I think maybe over 120).

But the main difference is that you don't rotate on a backhand(try to stay sideways) while you rotate violently on your forehand(as much as in a baseball swing).

If you would just use the arm I guess that a forehand would be slower than a backhand, but the roation gives usually the edge for the forehand.

Thanks. I kinda figured a forehand was more powerful. Why is there no rotation in a topspin backhand? Seems to me it would be violent just the same.

[bob_r]

I do play tennis. Normally the forehand is harder than the backhand. Best forehands reach 140 km/h. Backhands are usually slower, but there are players who can whach it really hard(I think maybe over 120).

But the main difference is that you don't rotate on a backhand(try to stay sideways) while you rotate violently on your forehand(as much as in a baseball swing).

If you would just use the arm I guess that a forehand would be slower than a backhand, but the roation gives usually the edge for the forehand.


Isn't using a back hand similar to batting lefty if your right handed?

[dominik]

Yes if you are playing a two handed backhand. But there's also a one handed backhand(the classic way to hit).


Here's federer. You can see there is some rotation, but basically you are supposed to be sideways to the net when you make contact(unlike baseball and a 2 handed bh).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9az5qWcLOTk&feature=related

This allows you to hit more through the ball. If you rotate there comes a point where the arm is pulled backwards, because the shoulder goes backward. You don't want that in a backhand.

I think this is also what they call lead side deceleration. I guess no world class hitter actively decelerates his lead side. But the rotation causes the motion at some point not being directed forward anymore, which is perceived as deceleration.

In baseball you want that because it allows the back hand to take over at contact but in tennis you don't have a second hand, so you must swing through.