This is one of the strokes of paddle tennis, although on many occasions it can be difficult to execute. That is why we are going to explain what you should know in order to start mastering it from the beginning.
Movement phases for the backhand stroke in paddle
When it comes to knowing how to do a backhand stroke in paddle tennis, it is important to keep in mind that we find four phases of movement, which are the following:
waiting position
In the first place, we must have the waiting position, in which we place our feet parallel in line with our shoulders and with the racket resting on our left hand. The legs should be slightly bent. This is the position to be in before executing any type of shot, regardless of whether we are at the bottom of the court or the net.
Arming phase
Starting from the waiting position, you have to reach the arming phase. In it you have to turn your shoulders, making your right shoulder point towards the ball. In this stroke, both hands remain in contact with the paddle blade, and the blade is raised backwards without changing its position. The feet are placed on the side, with the right foot in front and the weight of the body being slightly on the rear foot.
Point of impact
Regarding the point of impact of the ball, in the backhand hit the impact should be carried out at waist height, at a distance of approximately one palm in front of the hip. In this case, at the moment of making the hit, the left arm moves backwards.
Completion or accompaniment
To finish with the backhand hit you have to keep in mind the accompaniment or termination. To do this, the movement is finished with the shovel pointing at the net and the other arm towards the wall, continuing to the side, with the shoulders without turning. This is necessary in order to maintain control in the movement.
Frequent mistakes when hitting the backhand
If you want to know how to make a well-executed backhand stroke in paddle tennis, you need to take into account some of the mistakes that occur most frequently when making this stroke. They are:
Excessive rotation of the shoulders
The first of the common mistakes is to turn your shoulders excessively once the ball has hit, causing the finisher to end up head-on. This has to do with leaving the left arm dead. It must be kept in mind that the shovel arm is directed forward and the other backwards without turning the shoulders. In the backhand stroke, the stroke starts and ends on the side.
wrist flexion
Another common mistake is to flex the wrist at the moment of impact. You have to be aware that the wrist must be kept firm throughout the blow. Otherwise, with push-ups, you could suffer problems in the form of injury.
Other faults
Other common failures when making a backhand stroke in paddle tennis are the following:
- Do not follow the movement with the body without making a turn in the shoulders.
- Strike from the front instead of from the side.
- Keep your right shoulder raised when executing the blow.
- Hitting too far back. It is very important to take into account the place of the point of impact so as not to make errors in positioning that affect when impacting the blade with the blade.
- Getting too close to the racket to hit the backhand, which is not comfortable or effective for getting a good hit.
- Leaving the wrist loose or unsteady when hitting, which affects the way in which the bag is fired from the paddle racket.
- Make a short finish down or with the blade too high.
- Not stopping when hitting, which makes it likely that the hit will not be good, by not achieving the ideal impact point of the racket to make a good hit.
- Make a termination down or very up. It should be done forward, at the same time that the other hand goes backwards.
