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Tennis Lessons / 1H Backhand / Step 1

Pivot and Shoulder Turn (PST)

How To :

1. Pivot with your outside foot and get the heel of your inside foot up. Your outside foot is on the same side as your non-dominant hitting arm. For example, if you are right handed your LEFT foot is your outside foot. Your inside foot is your other foot -- the one opposite your non-dominant hitting arm.

2. Transfer your weight to your outside foot.

3. Turn your shoulders sideways.

Figure 1: Oliver pivoting and turning his shoulders

Coming out of the split step, Oliver pivots with his outside foot and transfers his weight to that foot, gets his heel up and turns his shoulders sideways. The entire motion happens at the same time. The footwork – pivoting with the outside foot and getting the heel of the inside foot up – opens Oliver’s hips up, allowing him to turn his shoulders more easily.

The PST is also how Oliver starts to take his racket back. The racket is coming back because his body is turning sideways, NOT because he is using his arms to take the racket back. In fact, using your arms to take the racket back during this step is a mistake (see below).

Oliver also pivots and turns as soon as he realizes he is hitting a backhand. Doing this immediately lets you do two things. First, it gives you plenty of time to complete your backhand motion without rushing. Second, it allows you to move to the ball as fast as possible. Turning the body sideways allows you to run laterally to the tennis ball.

Common Errors:

Using your arms to take the racket back .

This makes your backswing inconsistent, which in turn makes it difficult to develop rhythm and timing.

Not pivoting and turning your shoulders immediately .

This can have several negative consequences: 1) preparing late can disrupt your mechanics if you are forced to rush to catch up to the ball; and 2) it can make you a step (or two) slow to a wide ball.

Read 1H Backhand Step 2 »