Couple of questions about Footwork on the running FH

[ubercat]

I know a lot of you guys here rate Jeff.

And firstly full credit to him. He's obviously helping thousands of players. And It Takes Guts to post technical coaching tips on the internet where everybody thinks they are an expert.

So I'm not second guessing Jeff I just wanted to clarify a couple of things in my mind.

Firstly he says you have to make a powerful first move and shows a crossover step but from quite a high stance.. if I had time I would take a wide low stance and then tuck my right leg under ie a drop step to power the crossover step. Am i wrong or is Jeff jassuming that you got caught and don't have time and just have to go

Second question is about the footwork at the end. I would think that which footwork you used depends on the ball position when you get there. You have to provide enough spacing to hit the shot. So sometimes you would arrive and hit an open stance forehand. And sometimes it would be as Jeff shows in the video. To reach the ball you would have to take another Step across with your left leg.

Is that correct?

 

[Deleted member 23235]

if I had time I would take a wide low stance and then tuck my right leg under ie a drop step to power the crossover step. Am i wrong or is Jeff jassuming that you got caught and don't have time and just have to go

what you described is what i'd do with or without time... the drop step IMO is the fastest first move... but sometimes it's not an obvious "lift and tuck" as it is just an "unweight the outside leg"... my guess is he's combining moves

Second question is about the footwork at the end. I would think that which footwork you used depends on the ball position when you get there. You have to provide enough spacing to hit the shot. So sometimes you would arrive and hit an open stance forehand. And sometimes it would be as Jeff shows in the video. To reach the ball you would have to take another Step across with your left leg.

Is that correct?

imo, the "open stance fh" is for a "semi-wide" ball.
the "cross over fh" is for a "very wide" ball (ie. open stance would send you lunging to reach... so better to stay in bal and step across)

if you can arrive with enough time the open stance fh is ideal, as you save the recovery step... but sometimes your opponent has something to say about that.

 

[ubercat]

Related question. Ok so drop step is best for quick take off.

But then I've also seen here many times that you shouldn't be running parallel to the baseline. And instead be moving on an x pattern on attack and defence.

So if the guys hit a fast ball out wide.

How the heck do you drop step and run behind you on a 45 degree diagonal.

 

[FiReFTW]

@nytennisaddict is right, the drop step is the quickest possible way to move from A to B.
But its not always needed, if the ball is not so far away, you don't need to use it, only if the ball is fast enough and wide enough that you really need to move fast.


@ubercat here is a good video about footwork:

 

[Deleted member 23235]

Related question. Ok so drop step is best for quick take off.

But then I've also seen here many times that you shouldn't be running parallel to the baseline. And instead be moving on an x pattern on attack and defence.

So if the guys hit a fast ball out wide.

How the heck do you drop step and run behind you on a 45 degree diagonal.

the main goal, is that when you're hitting, you need to have your weight moving foward on contact....
running parallel to baseline means your weight is likely gonna be moving sideways (not forward).
regarding the backwards X... the patch is actually more like "C"... so that when you arrive your weight is still moving forward on a defensive shot...

regarding how to drop step and move backward... well that's where the split step, aka hop step, comes in... if you do a tiny hop, it's easy to start pivoting in the air, so you can "drop step backwards"... if you don't hop, then it's stuff, as you need to pivot on the ball of your foot (friction slows the turn, etc...)

 

[ubercat]

Thanks. Would u mind explaining in more detail. I don't get the C reference.

 

[ubercat]

In fact does anyone have a video on how to move diagonally backwards. Ideally with a slow motion section but I'd settle for anything.

All the coaches seem to show moving parallel to the baseline on wide balls.

If you are late taking off to a fast wide ball or your opponent sends a nice Cross Court roller into the corner you will have to move diagonally backwards to make the shot.

 

[ubercat]

I think moving forward and hitting shots as a low volley is one answer. But that's not always going to work for wide balls. So I feel like this is a hole in my defence right now.

 

[ubercat]

I've tried watching the Pros in slow motion to work this out. But their anticipation is so good they always seem to be moving in the right direction with fast small steps before the ball crosses the net. I ain't going to achieve that.

So nobody knows the right Footwork to move diagonally backwards. Really?

 

[FiReFTW]

What do you mean?
You run with crossover steps same as any other movement where you want to run somewhere fast.

 

[ubercat]

So you ve split stepped and your feet r parallel to BL. What s the first movement so you end up pointed diagonally?

 

[FiReFTW]

Step back with your leg.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

I've tried watching the Pros in slow motion to work this out. But their anticipation is so good they always seem to be moving in the right direction with fast small steps before the ball crosses the net. I ain't going to achieve that.

So nobody knows the right Footwork to move diagonally backwards. Really?

If your moving back for fh, and you start with a unit turn, makes sense to do left foot in front crossovers. If your moving back for bh, and do unit turn first, makes sense to do right foot in front crossovers. You can practice these moves at home while watching Kiki, Spain and USA on TV.(sorry Belgium, Germany and Gorges.)

 

[ubercat]

Thanks Hmgraphite1 that makes sense.

I was getting a bit of hung-up on the footwork.

But it makes sense that you would turn as you saw it was coming to the forehand side and then realise it was deeper than you thought

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Yeah I'm not sure how I used to move probably just shuffle steps, hops but now I'm trying to move smarter in hopes of having more time to set up.

 

[ubercat]

Watched a few vids. It looks like itke a U. So you drop your leg back on your hittng side and then crossover to back up quick. Then run across and step in to hit.

I'd assume you only have time enough for this on a deep slow ball.

If it's a fast corner shot you're going to have to drop step sprint across and try and cut it off. Which means you're going to be heading across the ball but since it's already got plenty of speed weight coming forward doesn't matter and your really just redirecting probably into a high cross-court Looper if you can