Take a look at two of the best double handed backhands being hit at the moment in Australia at the Brisbane International, Nadal's and Simon's. What do you see ?
Personally I see a simple swing, straight back low with no loop.
Now take a look at many juniors who are being taught the loop backswing and you tell me what the difference is. Now to elaborate, watch the arms take the racket back on both Rafa and Simon's shot and see how simple it is.
Now watch a kid being taught this shot now days from a 'Zen Master' fresh outa coaching school who has been given a manual and a few lessons on how to teach the game with 'the latest methods'.
Now do the sums on who gets ready for the shot with a minimum of fuss and who is late to many shots due to the ridiculous nature of the complicated swing.
Tennis is a technical sport though it seems to be more technical now due to many teachers of the game taking simple things and making them harder to learn. Is that strictly a money making idea or a necessity ?
Why would you go past a backhand like Rafa's as far as simplicity is concerned ? Perhaps the great man's shot is not listed in the book of 'latest methods' ? Why ? Be way too simple to learn, less time on court, less dollars 'earned' by the 'Zen Masters' of today.
Do yourself a favour if you teach the sport and look at Rafa's backhand slow motion and also Simon's while you are at it, note how easy the swing is and how easy it is to teach unlike the forehand which has many more aspects to it.
The backhand should be the easiest shot to teach, it's why I teach it before the forehand.
Keep tennis simple, leave the complications to the over qualified.........
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