Split step: land on balls of your feet or feet flat to the ground?

firstblud · 07-29-2009, 10:28 PM

just wanted to be clear about this...

i know in the ready position, you're on the balls of your feet.

when you go from ready position to split step, are you still on the balls of your feet?

masterxfob · 07-29-2009, 10:35 PM

i usually land on the balls of my feet so that i can turn quicker.

federer_15 · 07-29-2009, 10:39 PM

It might just be me but I land on my toes

masterxfob · 07-29-2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by federer_15

It might just be me but I land on my toes

really? like this?

Raid · 07-30-2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masterxfob

really? like this?

that gotta hurt

bulldawg · 07-30-2009, 04:21 AM

balls of the feet

goran_ace · 07-30-2009, 06:02 AM

Split step on the balls of your feet. No weight on the heels since it is not an actual stop, but just resetting your feet so you push off in either direction.

Nellie · 07-30-2009, 06:50 AM

I actually do not leave the ground, but instead unweight the feet so that I don't have inertia in any direct. So I am mostly on the balls of my feet, but still tough the ground with my heels.

pabletion · 07-30-2009, 11:03 AM

whoa.... you freaked me out as I was reading "land on balls......" scary picture! hehe.

I guess the rule of thumb for any sport is never be flat footed, its a natural athletic stance to be on your "toes", not literaly, but on the balls of your feet so you can explode toward where you wanna go. If youre moving and you flatten your feet, your momentum will go a bit backwards, as youre standin on the ground, and thats what leaves you "flat footed".
Theres where the term of "moving like a ballerina" comes from, from moving around on the balls of your feet, its quicker.

SystemicAnomaly · 07-30-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nellie

I actually do not leave the ground, but instead unweight the feet so that I don't have inertia in any direct. So I am mostly on the balls of my feet, but still tough the ground with my heels.

Many badminton players will do this as well -- unweight rather than hop. Badminton split-step hops are usually subtler than tennis split-steps on average anyway.

Kevo · 07-30-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nellie

I actually do not leave the ground, but instead unweight the feet so that I don't have inertia in any direct. So I am mostly on the balls of my feet, but still tough the ground with my heels.

I can see how that might be a bit more efficient at times, but against better players, I think this would not work as well as an actual hop. The ability to actually have one foot land wide and the other underneath your center of gravity can be a noticeable advantage when you need to cover a lot of ground.

If you're feet are actually touching the ground then it would seem like you would still have to pick that leg up to make as big a move to one side or the other. I could be wrong though since I haven't tried this or compared both side by side.

SystemicAnomaly · 07-30-2009, 11:49 PM

^ Often. I'll employ a neutral (or nearly neutral) landing on the split-step. If I execute the split step a split second later, I'll land as you suggest -- biased to move in a specific direction.

07-29-2009, 10:28 PM	#1
firstblud Professional Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 894	Split step: land on balls of your feet or feet flat to the ground? just wanted to be clear about this... i know in the ready position, you're on the balls of your feet. when you go from ready position to split step, are you still on the balls of your feet?

07-30-2009, 04:21 AM	#6
bulldawg New User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 92	balls of the feet __________________ 3 x BLX Blade 98 / 2 x PK Redondo 98 / Gamma 5003 6 pt.

07-30-2009, 11:03 AM	#9
pabletion Professional Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Court No. 1 (or No. 5, when not available) Posts: 971	whoa.... you freaked me out as I was reading "land on balls......" scary picture! hehe. I guess the rule of thumb for any sport is never be flat footed, its a natural athletic stance to be on your "toes", not literaly, but on the balls of your feet so you can explode toward where you wanna go. If youre moving and you flatten your feet, your momentum will go a bit backwards, as youre standin on the ground, and thats what leaves you "flat footed". Theres where the term of "moving like a ballerina" comes from, from moving around on the balls of your feet, its quicker. __________________ "I agree with you in theory. In theory communism works..., in THEORY" - H. J. Simpson

07-30-2009, 11:49 PM	#12
SystemicAnomaly Legend Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Stuck in the Matrix somewhere in Santa Clara CA Posts: 7,748	^ Often. I'll employ a neutral (or nearly neutral) landing on the split-step. If I execute the split step a split second later, I'll land as you suggest -- biased to move in a specific direction. __________________ . Every tool is a weapon -- if you hold it right. (~Ani DiFranco)

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