When you have wrist extension on the take back do you bring it back to neutral when hitting towards the ball or suppose to keep it extended? I notice that when I try to keep it extended it’s a little harder to aim.
So the theoretical answer is that on easy balls the wrist comes into neutral and even into adduction (wrist towards pinky finger). If the incoming ball and situation are more difficult then the wrist just stays firm in extension.
The reason I say “theoretical” is because you won’t be able to make a conscious choice what exactly to do with a wrist while playing.
So this answer is first more for a peace of mind so that you know what is going on.
The only real way to consciously practice this is to receive first nice balls from basket or ball machine and hit 30-50 volleys by consciously allowing the wrist / hand to extend into neutral and see how that feels and what kind of ball control you have.
Then you receive 30-50 faster and more difficult balls and you control the wrist more and see how that works.
But in reality these minute differences in wrist action need to develop subconsciously through drills.
Hi Tomaz, when I received a heavy slice ball with my backhand volley, most of time I hit the ball into the net. I suppose this is due to the heavy back spin on a slice ball. What should I do to avoid the problem?
Good questions, this is one of the topics I plan to record in the future.
The short answer is that you need to apply a lot of slice yourself on the volley when you receive a slice incoming ball.
And you need to watch the ball really well because it has a slightly different trajectory than a flatter or a topspin incoming ball as you may hit the frame many times if you don’t really pay attention.
how exactly looks like continental grip on forehand and backhand volleys? I am asking because on the internet You can find some different opinions, for example that its a normal continental or that its not continental and the index knucle finger is not on the bevel 2 but somewhere between bevel 2 and 3 and thats how best volley players are playing… Can You please help me?
Getting used to the Continental grip takes long time whether you play a volley or a slice or a drop shot or you serve. In the process of getting used to the grip players prefer to hit forehand volleys with a slight shift towards a forehand grip.
Backhand volleys feel comfortable early on with a pure Continental grip.
As the player gets more used to the grip (after several months or even years) they have no problem volleying forehand volleys with a pure Continental grip, meaning that there is no change between forehand and backhand volley.
Every high level tennis coach will always demand of their players to learn to volley with a pure Continental grip both volleys.
When playing singles, some players will SUBCONSCIOUSLY shift their grip by a millimeter from a pure Continental grip in the direction of the forehand grip.
This is not something we teach because the shift is minimal and happens only when the player has enough time to make a shift – which is only on the first volley after the approach shot.
After that there will not be time to shift the grip as the next passing shot is coming very fast in singles OR in doubles you get into volley vs volley situation where you need very quick hands and need to volley without any grip changes.
So the idea that all pros volley with different grips based on their volley is BS.
You will only find clickbait sensationalistic ideas on Youtube from various coaches who think that after 50 years of modern tennis development and coaching seminars they have figured something revolutionary, something that no one else has noticed, only their super-intelligent brain managed to do it.
You see how arrogant that sounds once I put it that way? But that’s how they are presenting it, as something “wow” that you didn’t know and you must know now.
I suggest you run as far as you can from such self-centered arrogant online coaches…
So to answer your question – you need to learn to volley both forehand and backhand volley with the same Continental grip. It’s the same grip you use for the serve, there is nothing special about it.
But while you are not comfortable fully with the Continental grip, your grip might shift slightly in the direction of the forehand grip on forehand volleys.
Realize that in that grip position the backhand volley is now going to be heavily compromised because your wrist will not be stable with the slight forehand shifted Continental grip.
So will you have the time to shift back to pure Continental grip from the slight forehand shifted grip? I don’t think so.
And that’s why every higher performance tennis player is being taught that they must learn to volley with only one grip.
Will there be some variations of how the players hold the racket among hundreds of tennis players on ATP and WTA tour? Definitely, just like you have variations in how they hold their forehand and backhand grips.
But the Continental grip variations are very very small and again an individual thing, not something we should teach.
Thank You. This answer is far more that i was expecting to get! Very interesting informations.
My case is that i dont have any problems with using continental grip on the volleys. Its fine for me and i feel good using it. Maybe during practice i feel that there is a slight “change” by about maybe 1mm of the grip between my backhand and forehand volleys but i dont control it. Somehow its going by itself and was wondering if i am not doing bad habbits in technique.
Starting to question my self when i read on the internet that volleys are not pure continental but something between bevel 2 and 3 and needed guidance here.
I am listening and learning only from Your courses and i am happy with it, just was curious why coaches on the internet are saying something different.
9 Comments
Anonymous
October 11, 2023When you have wrist extension on the take back do you bring it back to neutral when hitting towards the ball or suppose to keep it extended? I notice that when I try to keep it extended it’s a little harder to aim.
Tomaz
October 11, 2023So the theoretical answer is that on easy balls the wrist comes into neutral and even into adduction (wrist towards pinky finger). If the incoming ball and situation are more difficult then the wrist just stays firm in extension.
The reason I say “theoretical” is because you won’t be able to make a conscious choice what exactly to do with a wrist while playing.
So this answer is first more for a peace of mind so that you know what is going on.
The only real way to consciously practice this is to receive first nice balls from basket or ball machine and hit 30-50 volleys by consciously allowing the wrist / hand to extend into neutral and see how that feels and what kind of ball control you have.
Then you receive 30-50 faster and more difficult balls and you control the wrist more and see how that works.
But in reality these minute differences in wrist action need to develop subconsciously through drills.
James Vo
October 20, 2023I understand. Thank you
Tai Chan
December 14, 2023Hi Tomaz, when I received a heavy slice ball with my backhand volley, most of time I hit the ball into the net. I suppose this is due to the heavy back spin on a slice ball. What should I do to avoid the problem?
Tomaz
December 14, 2023Hi Tai,
Good questions, this is one of the topics I plan to record in the future.
The short answer is that you need to apply a lot of slice yourself on the volley when you receive a slice incoming ball.
And you need to watch the ball really well because it has a slightly different trajectory than a flatter or a topspin incoming ball as you may hit the frame many times if you don’t really pay attention.
Tai Chan
December 16, 2023Thanks Tomaz. Will take your advice and practice it.
Patrik Aleksandrow
April 24, 2024Hi Tomaz,
how exactly looks like continental grip on forehand and backhand volleys? I am asking because on the internet You can find some different opinions, for example that its a normal continental or that its not continental and the index knucle finger is not on the bevel 2 but somewhere between bevel 2 and 3 and thats how best volley players are playing… Can You please help me?
Tomaz
April 24, 2024Getting used to the Continental grip takes long time whether you play a volley or a slice or a drop shot or you serve. In the process of getting used to the grip players prefer to hit forehand volleys with a slight shift towards a forehand grip.
Backhand volleys feel comfortable early on with a pure Continental grip.
As the player gets more used to the grip (after several months or even years) they have no problem volleying forehand volleys with a pure Continental grip, meaning that there is no change between forehand and backhand volley.
Every high level tennis coach will always demand of their players to learn to volley with a pure Continental grip both volleys.
When playing singles, some players will SUBCONSCIOUSLY shift their grip by a millimeter from a pure Continental grip in the direction of the forehand grip.
This is not something we teach because the shift is minimal and happens only when the player has enough time to make a shift – which is only on the first volley after the approach shot.
After that there will not be time to shift the grip as the next passing shot is coming very fast in singles OR in doubles you get into volley vs volley situation where you need very quick hands and need to volley without any grip changes.
So the idea that all pros volley with different grips based on their volley is BS.
You will only find clickbait sensationalistic ideas on Youtube from various coaches who think that after 50 years of modern tennis development and coaching seminars they have figured something revolutionary, something that no one else has noticed, only their super-intelligent brain managed to do it.
You see how arrogant that sounds once I put it that way? But that’s how they are presenting it, as something “wow” that you didn’t know and you must know now.
I suggest you run as far as you can from such self-centered arrogant online coaches…
So to answer your question – you need to learn to volley both forehand and backhand volley with the same Continental grip. It’s the same grip you use for the serve, there is nothing special about it.
But while you are not comfortable fully with the Continental grip, your grip might shift slightly in the direction of the forehand grip on forehand volleys.
Realize that in that grip position the backhand volley is now going to be heavily compromised because your wrist will not be stable with the slight forehand shifted Continental grip.
So will you have the time to shift back to pure Continental grip from the slight forehand shifted grip? I don’t think so.
And that’s why every higher performance tennis player is being taught that they must learn to volley with only one grip.
Will there be some variations of how the players hold the racket among hundreds of tennis players on ATP and WTA tour? Definitely, just like you have variations in how they hold their forehand and backhand grips.
But the Continental grip variations are very very small and again an individual thing, not something we should teach.
Patrik Aleksandrow
April 25, 2024Thank You. This answer is far more that i was expecting to get! Very interesting informations.
My case is that i dont have any problems with using continental grip on the volleys. Its fine for me and i feel good using it. Maybe during practice i feel that there is a slight “change” by about maybe 1mm of the grip between my backhand and forehand volleys but i dont control it. Somehow its going by itself and was wondering if i am not doing bad habbits in technique.
Starting to question my self when i read on the internet that volleys are not pure continental but something between bevel 2 and 3 and needed guidance here.
I am listening and learning only from Your courses and i am happy with it, just was curious why coaches on the internet are saying something different.
Thank You once more!