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Technique 01

The Backhand

The body leads the stroke; the racket follows.

The backhand is organised around one idea: the body starts the stroke and the racket comes with it. Where the forehand is built backward from the finish, this one is easiest to learn in the order it happens — turn, step, extend — because each part is caused by the one before it.

Illustrated overview of the two-handed backhand in three parts, subtitled: the body leads the stroke, the racket follows. One, load and turn — for a right-handed player the backhand begins by loading the weight onto the left foot; turn the body to the side and allow the racket to move with that turn, staying comfortably to the side with the racket head above the hands; the right leg becomes light, often resting on the toe, so it is free to move toward wherever the ball arrives. Turn the body, don't take the racket back. Two, step and swing — step toward the location of the ball with the right foot; as that step happens the racket head begins to drop in rhythm with the incoming ball while the hips and shoulders begin opening toward the shot; the sequence matters, the body begins moving and opening and the racket drops and follows behind; extend the left arm through the shot as the elbow straightens and the racket travels forward and upward through the path of the ball. Three, finish — the forward-and-upward movement continues into the finish and the racket finishes around shoulder height; the right arm remains organised with the elbow bent and out from the body while the left arm completes its movement around the opposite side; as the body finishes rotating and the weight moves forward the back foot may naturally trail behind, eventually coming forward as the player recovers.
Three parts, one order. Each is caused by the one before it rather than added to it.

How We Work On It

01

Load and turn

For a right-handed player, the backhand begins by loading the weight onto the left foot.

As soon as we recognize the backhand, we turn the body to the side and allow the racket to move with that turn. The racket isn't being pulled backward independently. It simply turns with the body and remains comfortably to the side, with the racket head above the hands.

The right leg becomes light, often resting primarily on the toe, so it's free to move toward wherever the ball arrives.

Turn the body. Don't take the racket back.

Illustration of a player turned side-on for a two-handed backhand, weight loaded onto the left foot with the right leg light on the toe, the racket carried round with the body and the racket head above the hands. Labelled: load.
The racket got there by the body turning, not by being pulled back.

02

Step and swing

Now we step toward the location of the ball with the right foot.

As that step happens, the racket head begins to drop in rhythm with the incoming ball. At the same time, the hips and shoulders begin opening toward the shot.

The sequence matters: the body begins moving and opening; the racket drops and follows behind.

From there, the left arm begins extending through the shot. The elbow straightens as the racket travels forward and upward through the path of the ball.

Imagine the ball travelling along a plane. We want the racket moving forward and up through that plane — not cutting diagonally across it.

Illustration of a player stepping into a two-handed backhand, the racket head dropped and travelling forward and upward through the ball while the hips and shoulders open toward the shot. Labelled: step and swing.
Forward and up through the ball's plane, not diagonally across it.

03

Finish

The forward-and-upward movement continues into the finish. The racket finishes around shoulder height.

The right arm remains organized with the elbow bent and out from the body, while the left arm completes its movement around the opposite side.

As the body finishes rotating and the weight moves forward, the back foot may naturally trail behind, eventually coming forward as the player recovers.

The finish isn't something we manufacture separately. It's where the step, rotation, and extension naturally take the stroke.

Illustration of a player at the end of a two-handed backhand, the racket finishing around shoulder height with the right elbow bent and out from the body and the weight moved forward. Labelled: finish.
Not a position to hit. A place the stroke arrives if the first two parts happened.
At speed the three parts stop being parts. The body starts it; the racket arrives after.

A short silent loop of a two-handed backhand at full speed: the body turning first with the racket coming round with it, a step toward the ball as the racket drops, and the arms extending forward and upward into a finish around shoulder height.

Want to work through this on court?

Lessons are private, so a step takes as long as it takes — nobody moves on before the one underneath it holds up.

Ask About Lessons→All backhand lessons
R1RallyWonDerek Kedigh · Dallas, TX