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Today we will continue to talk about footwork during the game. 😉
Foot performance during the match 💪🏼
Playing tennis you need a certain ability to move quickly in different directions.
You need to move quickly and in different directions, and the decision about which direction to move in must be made almost instantly, instinctively and at the subconscious level.
Looking how pros are doing it, you can notice that each of them performs one or another shot in his/her own way.
In general, the technique of performing a shot is individual in many ways, but as for the technique of footwork, it is practically the same for all.
DURING THE SHOTS
As soon as the player has reached the desired place (before the ball reaches it), the player needs to steadily put his/her back foot and step "into the ball" to transfer his/her body weight forward and perform a balanced shot.
An excellent way to know if your body is balanced is to try to freeze after hitting (but not while playing with the score).
If the player is confident in maintaining their body position, then they are balanced. If the player is presented with their hind leg "twisted" or his/her body is falling back, then they are not.
At the amateur level, when the game involves throwing of the ball from the back line, footwork during the execution of shots is very important: when hitting from the right, the left foot is closest to the ball, and when hitting from the left, the right foot, with the bodyweight transferred from the far leg to the near while bringing the racket forward.
However, in the game of advanced tennis players, the ability to use the classic foot position is minimised. This primarily applies to the reception of the first serve and shots on the move.
The essence of shots on the move is that while running, the player puts a foot similar to the shot to the ball and performs the shot, continuing the natural movement of running, simultaneously with the push of this leg, but without placing the other on the ground.
The moment of contact the racket with the ball falls on the unsupported phase when the player combines the blow with the next running step or jump. Good coordination of joint movements of arms and legs is necessary here.
EXITING THE SHOT
The main task is to get out of the shot as quickly as possible and move as close as possible to a tactically expedient position. Most often, the direction of the ball does not coincide with the direction to the new position.
When striking with the classical setting of the legs on an opposite leg ("unlike" means that when hitting to the right, this is the left leg, and when hitting from the left - the right one), the bodyweight is first transferred, and then the same name (hind) leg is brought out and, with a turn of the body, is placed to the side opposite to the direction of the upcoming movement.
Such a displacement of the leg of the same name to the side creates the necessary angle of repulsion for movement in the opposite direction, and the kinetic energy of the body (arising from the depreciation of the leg at the end of the unsupported phase) contributes to an increase in the impulse of force when the player is pushed off the surface of the court.
After the tennis player unfolds the torso, the opposite leg also begins to interact with the support and imparts additional acceleration to the body. That is, the tennis player begins to move with an additional step, which in the future can change to another mode of movement.
When taking a new position, the player must always remain facing the opponent so as not to lose sight of his actions, except when the player who is at the net is thrown with a deep lob (high shot).
EXERCISES:
Good footwork is achieved with specific exercises. And most of them should mimic real-life movements on the court - short, sprint. Some of these exercises should develop speed, strength, and some should develop endurance. But keep in mind that static physical exercise is useless for a tennis player.
To start training (when the leg muscles are not loaded), the player needs to do exercises aimed at the speed and agility of the legs.
A good training attribute for this is a training rope ladder, which is laid out on the floor and called a "speedy ladder" (ladder agility, training ladder).
For the former, the tiptoe lift is a good exercise. It's very simple: rise on your toes, maintain this position for 2-3 seconds, then lower yourself to a normal position. The cycle is 15-20 lifts, you need to perform 2-3 cycles.
A more effective exercise is jumping rope. In addition, such jumps develop breathing abilities. Exercises with a jumping rope force you to be on your toes all the time. Using it, you will very soon feel that it will be more natural for you to stay on your toes while playing the balls.
Good footwork is not only about movement technique, but also good physical fitness. It is well known that fatigue leads to more mistakes, and the legs are the first to get tired.
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