Intermediate

Backhand Grip

Also known as: grip de revés, eastern backhand grip padel

Definition

The Backhand Grip in padel is the Continental turned slightly toward an Eastern Backhand. Some players use it for more topspin and racket-face stability on backhand drives.

The Continental is adequate for backhand volleys and defensive shots. Still, some players rotate slightly toward the Eastern Backhand (base knuckle on bevel 1). They do it to close the face a little and allow brushed topspin drives from the baseline. This grip change is optional. Most padel coaches recommend mastering the Continental first and adding grip variation only once the fundamentals are solid. The risk of a modified backhand grip is slower transitions. Switching from a forehand Continental to a distinct backhand grip during fast net exchanges is unrealistic. So any grip change is limited to slower backcourt rallies.

Beginner tip

Master the Continental backhand volley first — once it feels reliable, you can experiment with a slight Eastern shift for backcourt topspin drives. But never let the change creep into your net game.

Advanced note

When using a modified backhand grip for topspin drives from the baseline, have a physical cue to return to Continental before advancing to the net — touching the throat of the racket with the non-dominant hand is a reliable reset trigger.

Example

From a settled baseline position, the player rotates to a slight Eastern Backhand grip before driving a two-handed topspin crosscourt — then returns to Continental for the following volley.

Why it matters

Excessive grip changes are a common source of timing errors at the intermediate level. Motion Lab does not measure the racket face, so film your backhand drives and volleys and compare the grip on each.

How it shows up on video

In video, watch for a re-gripping pause between a forehand and backhand on the same rally. This is the signature of a player who uses distinct grips and must transition between them. Compare the racket-face angle on your backhand drives versus your backhand volleys — if the volleys show a more open face than the drives, your grip may be shifting between shot types without you realising it.

Common mistakes

Using a distinct backhand grip in fast net exchanges where there is no time to grip-change, causing mis-hits on rapid forehand-backhand combinations.
Gripping so far toward the Eastern Backhand that the face over-closes on high volleys, sending them into the net.
Changing grip on every ball regardless of pace, introducing unnecessary variability into otherwise routine exchanges.
Confusing a grip problem with a contact-point problem — many backhand errors attributed to grip are actually caused by late preparation rather than the grip itself.

In SwingVantage Motion Lab

Motion Lab does not measure the racket face. On video, compare the face angle on your backhand drives with your backhand volleys from the same session. A significant difference between the two shot types (greater than 10 degrees) suggests a grip shift between ground-level and net-level backhand contacts.