The COOLEST Shot In Pickleball | The Forehand vs. Backhand ERNE

Hey guys, this is James Ignatowich from Delray Beach, Fl. Today, we’re going to about when to go for a forehand Erne and when to go for a backhand Erne, and also the pros and cons of a forehand Erne versus a backhand Erne.

What is an Erne? Guide here.

Forehead Erne vs Backhand Erne: When to Use Each

I feel pretty comfortable with both of them. I think for me, I can get more power with a forehand Erne. In general, you’re going to be moving to your left, so you can really slap with a forehand Erne, and you can also reach more. So if I were to use a backhand Erne, it would be difficult to reach the right side of my right shoulder. But if I’m using a forehand Erne, I can use way more reach.

And that’s not because I’m tall—I mean, you’ve seen there’s a lot of players that can use a forehand Erne with a lot of success.

So I think the biggest pro of a forehand Erne is you can reach farther and you can cut off more court.

With a backhand Erne, though, the advantage there is I think you can actually meet it a little earlier. And if the ball is in the corner near the post—maybe a foot or two feet from the sideline—it’s easier to hit a backhand Erne there. Otherwise, you might get jammed up, especially if you try to take a big swing.

So when I’m on that side of the court, or if I see that it’s more of a reactionary Erne that’s very much close to the sideline, I’ll usually take it with a backhand. And then if I see that the ball is coming from the middle and I’m trying to Erne it, then I’ll use a forehand to get more reach.

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