Tips for the backhand loop technique

[schrodingerskoalabear]

Resurrecting this thread as it fits here.

So my issue is the elbow moving upwards, which brings the shoulder in the shot. I have tried shadow training with the correct form, tried holding my elbow stable when hitting during practice but eventually, the instability returns. I have been doing single ball BHs with the right form but in game, it all goes away.

I guess my question is for those who coach or who have fixed this elbow moving upwards issues during shot issue, how do/did you stabilize it? Any particular drills, etc.?

 

[dingyibvs]

Resurrecting this thread as it fits here.

So my issue is the elbow moving upwards, which brings the shoulder in the shot. I have tried shadow training with the correct form, tried holding my elbow stable when hitting during practice but eventually, the instability returns. I have been doing single ball BHs with the right form but in game, it all goes away.

I guess my question is for those who coach or who have fixed this elbow moving upwards issues during shot issue, how do/did you stabilize it? Any particular drills, etc.?

The main way to change form is more training, and less playing, especially playing right after training.

To expand on this, you first need to train in as realistic of a setting as you can with the singular focus on what you need to change. It sounds like you're trying to fix just one thing so that should be fairly simple, just do a lot of BH shots, from multiple positions, FH then BH, push then BH, work on each one.

Next you need volume. You are presumably an adult with life stuff, so you can't train 8 hours a day. What you can do is to train in your mind, think about your training, as if you're actually hitting a ball. This helps to rewire your "muscle memory" just as much as doing actual training does.

Lastly, if possible you need to play less matches when you're going through this. Every time you play a shot with the wrong form it slows down your progress. Your "muscle memory" is most susceptible to disruption within the first few hours of building it, so playing matches right after training, assuming you're playing to win and not singularly focused on executing the new form, you'd be really slowing down your progress. For most of us this last thing not a very realistic thing to do, so focus on the first two.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Resurrecting this thread as it fits here.

So my issue is the elbow moving upwards, which brings the shoulder in the shot. I have tried shadow training with the correct form, tried holding my elbow stable when hitting during practice but eventually, the instability returns. I have been doing single ball BHs with the right form but in game, it all goes away.

I guess my question is for those who coach or who have fixed this elbow moving upwards issues during shot issue, how do/did you stabilize it? Any particular drills, etc.?

Which direction is your elbow pointing when you start the stroke?

 

[schrodingerskoalabear]

Which direction is your elbow pointing when you start the stroke?

So my elbow is pointing towards the right. Kind of like 9 PM if you were to watch me from the front

 

[ThePongCommenter]

So my elbow is pointing towards the right. Kind of like 9 PM if you were to watch me from the front

And is it directly to your side or slightly in front of your body?

 

[schrodingerskoalabear]

And is it directly to your side or slightly in front of your body?

So to the side and very slightly in front

 

[ThePongCommenter]

View attachment 36582
So to the side and very slightly in front

Try taking it a bit more in front of the body as that will limit how much the elbow can move forward and potentially help timing, video would be more helpful than screen caps though

 

[schrodingerskoalabear]

Try taking it a bit more in front of the body as that will limit how much the elbow can move forward and potentially help timing, video would be more helpful than screen caps though

Yeah agreed video definitely helps more; one of these days, I'll get over my put-face-on-internet phobia loll.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Yeah agreed video definitely helps more; one of these days, I'll get over my put-face-on-internet phobia loll.

Thanks for the advice!

Oh I totally get it and wouldn't recommend to put video out if you don't want to - but I'd start with that and see how it works, apart from that, you will just have to mentally cue yourself to turn at the elbow rather than pushing forward with it.