8. Footwork Patterns.
Like many sports, movement on a tennis court or eye foot coordination as it's sometimes called, consists largely of three step movement patterns. Such as you see here on the baseline. In fact, almost the entire baseline area can be covered with the three steps we are now demonstrating.
Even at the net, many top players also use this footwork pattern on wide volleys for optimal court coverage. The key is starting with what is called the Step-out pattern; it calls for the first step to be with the foot, closest to the ball. One more recent footwork development is called the double rhythm. One example is on short balls, when a players moves in to push off with the front foot, and then lands on that same front foot again. Yet another example of the double rhythm is on wide balls, to help a player more quickly recover for the next shot. A very consistent feed is essential to most easily practiced footwork patterns, since it allows a player to clearly focus on the footwork issues, and not worry about variations in the incoming balls.
The next footwork pattern of Millennium Tennis is called the Jab-step, which is used primarily for running forwards or backwards. Here we see our baseline player responding to a drop shot. Notice that in order to push off in the direction of the ball as quickly as possible; the first step is actually backwards. Now the same player is at the net, and has to run back for a lob. Again the Jab-step is essential for a quick response. The first step is now forward to build up the elastic energy in the leg to push off powerfully.
The next logical exercise to practice the Jab-step in a more random type of drill is to alternate feeding lobs and drop shots. Notice that when the coach is free from feeding to instruct the players, the drill can be stopped in an instant with a simpler remote control unit. Then after a brief tip from the coach, they can resume quickly without any loss of focus or concentration. The final footwork exercise deals with the principle of closing in towards the net. One analogy of the movement is for the player to think of moving up a funnel. We are placed row down lines, to guide player movement on angles towards the net. This successfully gets them to take the ball earlier, thus giving their opponents less time to react, and it also cuts down on their own movements, since they would get to the ball sooner, as compared to moving parallel to the baseline. In this situation our players are alternating ground strokes. They moved into position at the bottom of the funnel with the split step, and then closing towards the net to hit the shot.
In addition to regular ground strokes this funnel principle, can be used for first volleys as we see here, and finally the funnel principle can also be used for returning serves as our players are now demonstrating. This new alum-a-lift sure makes it fun and easy.
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