Basic Techniques – the High Backhand

Have you just started playing Bailongball or do you feel your playing technique is not as smooth as you like? In our series of videos “Basic Techniques – …”, we show you six moves that enable you to return almost any ball.

The high backhand enables you return balls that fly over you, coming from your “racket side”. As with all balls, you “copy” the trajectory to receive the ball. When swinging, imagine you are looking at a big clock right in front of you. Your racket moves along the clock.

This is how you hold your racket

• Imagine you are looking at a frying pan
• Now, take the pan at its handle
• Your thumb rests on the handle, while the ofther fingers encompass it
• The racket stays in your hand like this while you are swinging

This is how you stand when receiving the ball:

• Your “racket shoulder” faces your partner
• ou are right-handed? Receive the ball “around 11 o’clock”
  You are left-handed? Receive the ball “around 1 o’clock”
• No need to move your feet when swinging. Keep them apart so you stand is comfortable and stable

This is how you swing and pass the ball:

• Your racket “moves along the clock”
• If you are right-handed, you swing your racket counter-clockwise to release the ball “around 4 o’clock”
  If you are left-handed, you swing your racket clockwise to release the ball “around 8 o’clock”
• When releasing the ball, make sure not to “flick your wrist”

That is all there is to it – another twist to your gamel 🙂

Xiaofei Sui
Bailongball Instructor

Mike Ritz
Bailongball Trainer