Tuesday Tennis Tip: Movement

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting tennis tips from the beginning of a stroke through the end. That means we'll start with getting prepared to take up the proper court position, all the way through the swing and follow-through and ending with getting prepared for the next shot. This is a way for me to learn, as I have to look up all these things, and then you can come along for the ride... I hope you learn something!

Tip #1 - Anticipation

Once you have anticipated the path of your opponent's shot, you are ready to move to that shot. Movement is critical in varsity level tennis. Our Sectional championship team committed to having the best footwork and movement that they possibly could, and it benefited us immensely. Remember how effortlessly Jared Schwartzentruber moved around the tennis court. Truth is, he had to put in lots of mental effort and practice on his split-step and constant movement in between shots.

So it will take some concentration. But it is worth it. The only way to compete with powerful players, talented players, the best players, is to get to their shots in time to put the pressure back on them. So movement is important.

So what are the basics of movement? Here are the key elements.

1. Ready Position - Mentally you are intense and focused, balanced on both feet with racquet head up. Your movement is relaxed but you are moving! Usually players will balance and move with a gentle bounce on the balls of both feet. If you only practice the ready position between your shots, your game will improve tremendously.

2. First Step to the Ball - Fast and strong, or as I like to say, explode. This is why we practice the sideways cone drill and explode forward. This step is made with the foot closest to where the ball is going.

3. Adjustment Steps - The goal in tennis is to hit every forehand with the same form, every backhand with the same form, etc... including where your feet are in relation to the ball. Adjustment steps are the small, quick steps you make when arriving near the point of contact that set your feet into the proper stance for hitting the shot. These are short steps, almost like shuffles, slowing you down and moving momentum into the shot.

4. Recovery Position - The end of the swing should bring a player back into the balanced and ready position.

5. First Step of the Recovery - A strong crossover step should be used to get back and cover the open court. This strong step leads to the final shuffle steps and getting back into ready position. If you have not moved much from the center of the court, then you would move right into shuffle steps.

6. Shuffle Steps - These final steps slow your momentum and restore your balance. Mentally you stay alert and ready to move to the next shot during these steps, in case you can't recover all the way to the middle of the court. They are quick, balanced slides back into ready position.

These are six steps that I think most serious tennis players know. What separates good from average is our ability to convince ourselves to do them. Of course, each of us will have different blessings from God in the areas of speed, strength, and conditioning. But using and concentrating on proper footwork will increase all of these.

What do you think about movement? Is it difficult for you to concentrate on? Is it difficult to motivate yourself to practice? Do you remember any players that were exceptional movers, and therefore were difficult to play?