How to do Opposite Shot Drilling in Tennis

Now, let's move to a higher level exercise called Opposite Shot Drilling. In this sample, the player has to hit all balls on the forehand side with the backhand and all balls on the backhand side with the forehand. The purpose, simple, get their intensity up, then after the drill have them play normally but emphasize that they maintain the same intensity, that the extra movement just demanded. In other words keep raising the standards of movement and footwork to ensure a player's continue to improvement and success.

So I'll hit a back down with this shot and then, ready DJ, now hit a forehand with this one. We are moving her around, give opposite shot. Is it normal to run around a forehand and a backhand? Not really but some people get nervous with their forehand having trouble, they need to actually get that footwork or how about returning serve? When the volley doubles, it's serve into their body; we have to move around it. It's going to be a backhand return rather than a forehand return. So, let's do a couple of more, backhand and forehand, that will make it toss, backhand, forehand, alright. Basic drill, no need to spend a lot of time on it.

To finish this tape, I want to share a comment from our leading tennis coach in the United States. To emphasize the need for intense on court movement, he said that footwork is called just that, foot work not as he joked foot joy. But I want to disagree with him to make an important point. I would argue, that good movement should actually become a joy, a standard that is maintained with pleasure by players who enjoy running and moving well. I hope that's some of the ideas and exercises we just shared, help you and your's students, find more pleasure in moving well and therefore playing better tennis.

This brings us to the end of this volume of our creative tennis series. The basis of this tape is to share innovative ways to quickly and effectively improve your tennis experience through improving footwork and movement skills. However, at the highest competitive levels, I recognize the players need even more. For that group of elite athletes we produce the separate three part video series called Explosive Power Training. An extremely comprehensive set of tapes produced specifically for the most elite players. For 99% of us, the video you just watched should do wonders to improve your game. I hope you have as much fun trying these exercises as we did.


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