WPH Press, 12/8/20
The WPH Coaching Center has discussed Coaching, How to See a “Fast Ball,” The Six Walls, The Most Important Shot, The Diet, What Separates Paul Brady, The 3-Wall Power Serve and much more. The WPH Coaching Center will continue to examine the various strategies and shots that will make you a better handball player, as this week’s WPH Coaching Center will analyze the fist to the ceiling.
Throughout history, the game’s greatest players have all possessed sensational underhand fist shots to the ceiling, making them capable of neutralizing the best serves. Paul Haber, Jimmy Jacobs, Freddy Lewis, Vern Roberts, David Chapman, Paul Brady, and Killian Carroll won multiple championships utilizing the underhand fist to the ceiling, pushing opponents into the deep court into a defensive position. This game-changing shot enabled these great champions to prevent momentum swings and prevent opponents from scoring points in bunches.
The WPH Coaching panel of handball legends David Chapman and Fred Lewis and former R48 Elite 8 invitee Anthony “TTH” Selestow will teach us how, when, and why to hit the underhand fist to the ceiling.
How
The underhand fist to the ceiling requires a low-to-high swing, similar to a golf swing. The underhand fist to the ceiling stroke traces a “Reverse C,” requiring the fist to drop under the ball and finishing with the fist above the contact point.
9-Time National Pro Singles Champion David Chapman
In the Dave Chapman Instructional Video II HERE, Chapman stated that when you are returning serve you want to be on defense, unless you have a huge setup off the return of serve. When you are returning a power serve, the best return is the fist to the ceiling, which requires you to get behind the ball and lift. Dave added that when facing a hard server you may not have time to turn sideways (although turning sideways is ideal), so use your legs to really push the ball to the ceiling. You really want to move forward into the ball, getting under the ball and shifting my bodyweight.
From the Dave Chapman Instructional Video I – The Famous Warm up HERE, Chapman states that to learn and self-practice the underhand fist to the ceiling, you must bounce the ball in front of yourself, step in, the hitting arm is going back and forward like a pendulum, knees are bent, and the follow through is all the way over the left shoulder. The weight starts on the back foot and transfers to the front foot.
6-Time National Champion Fred Lewis
- Clench fist tightly
- Turn sideways so that your body is facing the sidewall
- Stride toward the ball with your front foot with knee bent.
- Take a good backswing so that your hitting arm is as high as your head before you bring it forward
- Strike the ball with your fist so that you make contact with the underside of the ball.
- Push off the back leg so that you drive your body upward toward the ceiling as you follow through
- Use your free arm to lead toward the ceiling. Don’t dangle it at your side.
Former Elite 8 Invitee and Giant Killer Anthony “TTH” Selestow
I try to catch the ball a little bit more in front of me and snap my wrist a little bit faster so the ball jumps to the ceiling
When
As we have learned in previous Coaching Centers, the when is nearly as important as the how. The underhand fist to the ceiling should be used from the back court in 4-Wall (although can be used as a rally-ender from the front court in 3-Wall). The underhand fist to the ceiling is best used when your opponent is in front of you, preferably on the return of a power serve.
9-Time National Pro Singles Champion David Chapman
From the Dave Chapman Instructional Video II, Chapman stated that even if my opponent serves to my strong hand, I am still going to play defense to get a better shot to end the rally. Thus, using the underhand fist to the ceiling is an ideal shot off any power serve that does not come off the back wall.
6-Time National Champion Fred Lewis
- This is a defensive shot to keep you out of trouble.
- Use mainly with offhand but also can be used with strong hand
- Use when the ball can be contacted waist high or below.
- Use to defend power serves, drive shots, and passing shots.
- Use mainly in the back 15 feet of the court
- Don’t use at the short-line or close to the front wall
Former Elite 8 Invitee and Giant Killer Anthony “TTH” Selestow
I use the fist shot to the ceiling to keep my opponent off-balance or uncertain on what shot is coming because depending on the angle or how you snap your wrist will dictate the direction of the ball
Why
The why to use the underhand fist to the ceiling is explained to some degree in the how and when, but the strategy behind the shot is critical to understand. The goal of the return of serve is to push your opponent out of the front court, preventing a first strike opportunity, and giving yourself the opportunity to take center court position. The underhand fist to the ceiling accomplishes all of these goals.
9-Time National Pro Singles Champion David Chapman
From the Dave Chapman Instructional Video II, Chapman stated that his goal when returning serve is to get his opponent in the back court and get into the front court to take good center court position to enable him to go from defense to offense in just two shots.
Former Elite 8 Invitee and Giant Killer Anthony “TTH” Selestow
If you can get the return of serve to the ceiling (using the underhand fist shot), it forces your opponent back and possibly gives you a chance to cut the next ball off. When I use the underhand fist during the rally, it’s more to isolate the player back and get yourself back in position. Most guys are not expecting this shot during the rally. This shot can also serve as an offensive shot, as you can disguise the shot, making it look like you are going to the ceiling but taking the ball down low. You have to let the ball come back into you a little bit further and put your fist down more instead of snapping your wrist up (like you would for an underhand fist to the ceiling).
Thank you to our esteemed WPH Coaching Panel of David Chapman, Fred Lewis, and Anthony Selestow for breaking down the how, when, and why to hit the underhand fist to the ceiling. Now you can add this game-neutralizer to your arsenal!
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer