Favorite tennis drill

[HookEmJeff]

I've recently become a part-time tennis coach at a local college where I live, and I've been looking to make my practices very physical and fill the time with quick-moving, but skill-building drills.
Many of my players are still honing their skills and need a LOT of work to smooth out bad habits. I've really emphasized a lot of repetition in these drills, but I want to mix it up. I've tried to do a lot of work on specific shots-type drills as well as a lot of footwork drills.
My question here is ...what are you guys favorite drills and why? If you wouldn't mind, elaborate a bit, and explain the drills you like to me. Any suggestions you can offer in regards to drills and how to run a practice would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

 

[USCfan]

We usually start our practices with mini-tennis.

Our coach then hits us feeds to volley up at net, reminding us about technique. If he doesn't like what we're doing, the feeds get harder and harder until we're just trying to stay alive up at net. It's a good drill, but don't get crazy like that. Otherwise, like our coach found out, you better watch out when you're feeding lobs.

We also have a side to side drill, from one corner to another. It's a real killer, but I think it's effective, as long as you start off slowly. Our coach hits medium balls to us, but if we don't move our feet, get the racquet back early, etc, then he lets you know it and the balls get blasted at you. Again, it's seems harsh, but if you hit hard balls at them, it forces a quick shoulder turn and takeback.

Please don't be as sarcastic and belittling to your players as... someone I know. I hope this helps.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Check:

What's your favorite tennis drill?
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=28601

Team Drills
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=40425

 

[grip-N-rip]

early in practice i like volley-volley: 2 players start at service line hitting volleys to each other with good pace and work into the net, if you get a weak ball put it away and start over.

two on one: two players at the net one at the base line, the base line player trys to pass the net players (singles only) and the net players volley the ball such that the baseliner has to move for the shot but can get to it (no winner)--work the baseliner side to side

two players hitting: one player can only hit crosscourt the other only down the line; the person hitting down the line should have to cover more ground and work harder--thus imparting an important lesson for match play: crosscourt, crosscourt, crosscourt...

and the five ball drill: feed balls to the player--forehand, backhand (alternate), short ball (for the approach down the line-alternate), volley, overhead.

a few i like

 

[matchpoints]

Marius is Dr. Research on board here. Anyhow, I'll share what we do during the changeovers when I make you run like a dog (btw, just kidding about that) Regardless, do you ever do the butterfly drill?

 

[TommyGun]

Welcome to the world of underpaid, hard workin' college coaches. As one myself, I will tell you that you have your work cut out for you.

I was at the JUCO level, so I can understand what you are working with. You have to remember you are a COACH, not a teaching pro. If you spend tooo much time trying to straighten out their "flaws" you will wind up hating the season, not really helping them much and then when its all over you will spend oodles of time sipping Guiness wondering what happened! (maybe I'm remembering my first season!)


Seriously, though, I cannot stress enough that you don't have much time to get rid of the "bad habits". You need to coach them in how to think, how to use what they have, and how to WIN!

With that, my favorite drills:

1. Buy some Speedminton Speeders. They are like heavy duty badminton shuttlecocks. Players must hit crosscourt shots, speeder cannot touch the ground. If they do, whole team does a punishment (usually 10 push-ups and 10 crunches). Speedminton Speeders are great for indoor practice in a gym as well. (Oops, now my secret is out.)

2. Shuttle drills of all kinds. I like to place the balls at the intersection of the service and center lines. 5 balls. Player starts at baseline hash. Runs, picks up ball, takes to any of the 4 corners on his side. Then back to middle, another ball, another corner. when 4 balls are placed, back to center, pick up ball 5, race to baseline. Hand off ball to next player. Next player runs to center, places ball, goes to one corner, retrieves ball, back to center, you get it. Race against a team on the other side, each player goes twice. Losing team does punishment.

3. You play feeder. Side to side, one forhand, one back hand, one forehand, one backhand, short ball anywhere, lob, then they must run to net and hit winning volley. Punishment if they hit the volley out.

There are plenty of variations.

I would concentrate on teaching them about covering angles, how to come to the net, how to play dubs properly (maybe the most bang for a coaches buck) and how to keep their heads.

I had very under-talented teams, and never finished lower then second in the conference and never lower then third in the region. My 2003 women's team finished runner-up in the conference despite having three players who NEVER played tennis before playing for me.

One thing you MUST make sure they understand is how to "split the service box in half" when setting up to return serve. Too many players do not understand that and then often wind up getting aced or have a poor time returning serve.

Also, teach your players how to come to the net and cover angles. I don't know when it started, but somewhere in the USPTA or PTR manuals there must be something written that tells kids when they come to the net to run to the center of the court. WRONG! Make sure they understand how to follow a shot in, and how to cover the angles by making the triangle between the ball on his side and the possible widest returns.

Again, good luck coach! It can be very rewarding, and a lot of fun as well if you have a good group of kids.

If you need any help or just want advice, either keep posting here or email me at coachtom@tennis.com.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

I've recently become a part-time tennis coach at a local college where I live, and I've been looking to make my practices very physical and fill the time with quick-moving, but skill-building drills.
Many of my players are still honing their skills and need a LOT of work to smooth out bad habits. I've really emphasized a lot of repetition in these drills, but I want to mix it up. I've tried to do a lot of work on specific shots-type drills as well as a lot of footwork drills.
My question here is ...what are you guys favorite drills and why? If you wouldn't mind, elaborate a bit, and explain the drills you like to me. Any suggestions you can offer in regards to drills and how to run a practice would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff

From what I have found it is hard to break bad habits while your drilling hard. I dont know what you mean by that but I did not use physically demanding drills to break a bad habit. When the brain is rushed and time is critical, the brain will normally fall back on what it knows and how it fires muscles. If a bad habit is in the mix it will usually remain because the brain is overloaded with other information it has to process.

I usually seperate physical drills from technical drills and use moderate or combo drills (physical/technical) for ingraining good habits.

One of my favorite combo drills is to have one player hit to a certain spot on the court for all balls hit to him. The other player can hit anywhere on the court but is not allowed to hit winners. He is only allowed to hit at slightly less then rally pace so the player covering the whole court can feasibly get to every ball and hit it back with good form. This drill promotes several things:

1. Placement

2. Consistency

3. Conditioning

4. Technique

Once the player covering the whole court is tired, the players switch turns until they have hit to both corners alternating who covers the court.

I use the hard physical drills to build a players endurance and stamina more then their technique. You can see quickly which players strokes breakdown after a several fed balls making them move. Also, when drilling hard, make sure you remind the tiring player to keep bending their knees. DOnt be afraid to say "lower" etc. to overload the quads.

During this time, I will have them hit to a target and I will feed balls to a corner of the court. As they hit and recover towards the center, I send another ball. By about 20 - 50 balls, I will mix in a drop shot and then an overhead. They dont quite know when the drop shot is going to happen.

One of my favorite volley/drop shot drills is to stand close to the net and hit balls that clear the net but are dropping fast below the net and are relatively close to the net. I will alternate to the backhand side then the forehand side. I will spread the ball feed out so they have to use their legs to get the dropping ball. They are not allowed to let the ball hit the ground and they can not run up and take the ball in the air higher then the net (of course I dont give them the chance).

After alternating back and forth, I will mix in a couple on the same side they just hit from - they usually will cheat and will be wrong footed. At that time I will say "come on" get em. They have to get low to get these balls and volley them up lightly back over the net. Do this over and over until they physically cant do it. Encourage them as they put the effort in. be sure to move them around on this drill.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

From what I have found it is hard to break bad habits while your drilling hard. I dont know what you mean by that but I did not use physically demanding drills to break a bad habit. When the brain is rushed and time is critical, the brain will normally fall back on what it knows and how it fires muscles. If a bad habit is in the mix it will usually remain because the brain is overloaded with other information it has to process.

Yes, this is very true and important in coaching.

You can't correct something at high speed, until it doesn't work at low speed. Get things to work first at tai chi speed, then gradually speed up.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Everybody plays the ball

Two teams of 2-6 players each.

Playing only in the combined service areas on each side (i.e. between the net and the service line).

Players are standing in a line/queue behing the center service line on each side, ready to play their shot.

They are allowed to play the ball in any part of the opponent's court as defined in the above.

A team must run through all its players one after another.
The play is not of hard shots, but placements.

Thus one player from a team serves underhand anywhere in the other court, someone from the other side returns the ball. Now ANOTHER player from the first team must continue.

It builds a lot of leg power and footwork speed, I'll tell you, because the placements force the other team run all over the place.

Also anticipation.

Say play first team to 11 points wins.

 

[NoBadMojo]

i think it depends on how many players are in your practice and how many courts you have access to, but i would skew my practices more towards match play simulations that would help them in competiton rather than a bunch of drills. there are a number of keeping score type of 'drills' that help when you are competiton, but they require only 2 or 3 on each court. i see many many drilled tennis players who can hit the ball well in drills, but who break down during competitive play. not that drilling isnt good.. a few drills to start the practice sesion off might work, and then go to the competitive drills...i can tell you a few if you have enough courts to accomodate

 

[HookEmJeff]

Yeah, I've been incorporating some drop hitting in this week, so that I can better observe and correct flaws. This was how *I( learned to play. I lived in a town that seemed to be tennis dead, so, when I practiced by myself, I was always drop hitting.

I've brough hoola hoops out to the court for target practice, and set them up on various courts. Used the old, hit the tennis can drill for serves. Since I am the only coach and there about 12, it's imperative that they all learn how to feed. That's been something that has been the most frustrating to me. I want them all to know how to feed with their "palms up." they all want to feed everything with topspin and I don't like that.
Most of them are terrible at it, so, our practices are going to suffer until they can learn that. I feed as much as I can and I go to each court during each drill. But, I am emphasizing that they all become better feeders.
On serves, most common problem is the low ball toss and hitting too close to their head. Second, is the frying pan grip.
Volleys, slow preparation after contact and lazy feet seem to be the main probs. Other probs are too big of takebacks. I've done drills just to emphasize keeping it play for an extended period of time and controlling it at a low speed to their partner, but many can't even do that. It's been frustrating but fun I'd say for all of us. I try to keep it light and get the players to be supportive of each other, espeically in target practice drills. I usually try to make the targets hard to hit, and if they can, they only have to do half the running drills.

They seem to like the 20-ball suicides and they like the lateral ball rolling drill I do (roll the ball to the side, shuffle over to it, back to center, then otehr side, then repeat, repeat and mix up). Kills their glutes and hams.

I have a game called Surivor:Overhead Island that they all like, too. High feed for overhead and enough winning shots off an opponent's overhead moves them to this zone I set up with Gatorade and Bananas. They have to hit five winners out of 20 overheads hit at them to get there. Only one boy made it the other day, and they were all so jealous it was funny.

Jeff