Well-Known Member
Recent training with Nicky.
Trying to retrain my backhand for the 1283465th time. Originally I had problems overusing the wrist. Much later a coach told me to use more forearm, then I tried to use more forearm, but my body movement was all wrong and I stopped involving the wrist at all, or when I did I used it too consciously and would angle it in some strange way. Then I tried to add body movement and only used forearm.
A very good player last week showed me that the elbow should be pointing pretty much down at the end of the swing, this is the result of the the whole movement being completed. I think I often keep my elbow pointed a bit to the side and often wouldn't complete the swing. I've never seen it before because when good players do it the elbow points down for a fraction of time and the backhand side of the racket from pointing down instantly snaps back to the side. In this vid I was trying to complete the swing, but I still think I can snap my wrist back more on the backswing this close to the table.
Hey, Riche, haven't had time to really post here a for a while (life has changed quite a bit lol). Your backhand looks really good. If anything, the biggest lesson I have learned from my covid19 training period (before I stopped for all the changes in my life) is that there is no single backhand topspin technique for any player or for any ball, though there are usually distance/power limitations on some techniques and the more powerful ones tend to compromise reaction speed, hence most players use the quicker ones when rallying and the powerful ones when they need to generate on openers or away fromthe table. Ma Long uses a few, Harimoto uses a few, FZD uses a few and Dima uses a few etc. Your technique checks the boxes and is extremely versatile as you seem to hit all the shots that they do - you have quite a few backhands going on in there. My technique has changed a bit in the past year (it probably still looks the same, but my mental approach is different).
All the advice about finishing this way or doing the stroke this or that way - I have always believed my elbow should ideally point down throughout the stroke but my body orientation and the fact that I can't move never makes it look that way - my own view is that if it lets you hit the ball better do it.
You definitely play at a level most of us could only dream of. Keep it up!