Footwork revisited

[Quikj]

I've always had solid footwork on my backhand. It's my more consistent wing, I have the same mechanics from when I was thirteen and I'm geared more towards the left side of my body anyway. I play right-handed, btw.

My forehand has always been my more inconsistent side, more winners, however many more errors. This was attributed to my poor footwork patterns moving to my right.

There lies the rub. I hit my forehand fairly cleanly and consistently, from my backhand corner or while moving to my left. Maybe i feel more comfortable taking the ball later in my strike zone, maybe I've developed a greater sense of the court from that angle off of both wings or maybe it's a combination of those factors et cetera. Whatever the reason, my feet move so naturally to my left and feel so cumbersomely clumsy moving to my right.

Stick around folks there's a question coming sooner rather than later.

Recently, I've been cleaning up my awing path on my forehand and voilà the added confidence in my forehand technique has led to better footwork in my forehand corner, as well as a wider, more stable hitting platform. I know that LeeD and BB will appreciate that fact.

I didn't learn the footwork first, but it came pretty naturally after my technique was revamped. Tricky, you'd appreciate the initiation of my forehand via a step-out, something I didn't even know how to do, on that wing. I gravity stepped for almost every ball on my forehand previously. Will Hamilton explained that footwork should come to you similarly to the way it has come to me, while others have argued otherwise.

So which is it? Should we focus first on the swing or on the feet? I have a feeling that both are appropriate given unique circumstances. If that's the case, should people with varying levels of athletic ability learn how to play differntly?

[LeeD]

?????????????????????
What the hel. kind of question is that ????
You learn the way that works for you on that particular stroke, is the answer. There is no ONE way to learn anything.
You focus on RESULTS. You use whatever method comes first, and if it works, do it. If it doesn't work, try something else.
Learning anything is NOT .... A to B to C to D....
Learning is trying it....not just thinking about it.

[user92626]

If I were to teach a child (man, do I want to teach my newphews tennis), I would first teach him the stances and swing. It's easy to swing a ball when you're in a correct stance. Then, teach him footwork to get into such stances. Easy as a b c.

[LeeD]

Are you calling Quickj a "child"... ????????

[yellowoctopus]

Originally Posted by Quikj

I have a feeling that both are appropriate given unique circumstances.

You, sir, know more than you realize. If affirmation is what you need, you have one from me.

Originally Posted by Quikj

If that's the case, should people with varying levels of athletic ability learn how to play differntly?

I also think you already have an answer to this question.

Be well, and appreciate what you know.

[Quikj]

I started this thread, hoping to discuss the initiation of proper footwork patterns. I have my own thinly veiled opinion, but I'm sure that not everyone agrees with me.

[tricky]

So which is it? Should we focus first on the swing or on the feet? I have a feeling that both are appropriate given unique circumstances. If that's the case, should people with varying levels of athletic ability learn how to play differntly?

I start with the feet. If you learn the feet, the groundstroke basics become very easy. Also, when you start with the feet, you naturally start thinking about point construction and tennis geometry, because they makes your movement patterns better.

In the beginning, you can try catch and movements drills based on two principles:
1) Trunk is always open to (i.e. parallel with) the net
2) Feet should be "light"

This seems pretty simple, but it's actually tough for most people, because the natural habit is to cross over.

A visualization may help. During a movement drill, visualize that you have to deflect the ball back, as if you were playing Pong and your torso was the paddle. One way to stimulate this is to hold the racquet lengthwise, one hand on the racquet head, the other on the grip. And then just punch the ball back. You can even shadow your movements with this as a visualization and see what your feet do

[LeeD]

See, this is where your answers go haywire and bounce all over the map.
OK, what does hitting a tennis ball require really? We know you gotta get the racket back in the proper grip. We know you gotta swing forwards and hit solid centerish on the strings.
Feet don't matter. What matters is..... shoulders in relation to arms. It's the "turret" of the tank. Don't matter what the rest is doing, the shoulders and the arms have to aligned for the stroke.

[julian]

Originally Posted by tricky

I start with the feet. If you learn the feet, the groundstroke basics become very easy. Also, when you start with the feet, you naturally start thinking about point construction and tennis geometry, because they makes your movement patterns better.

In the beginning, you can try catch and movements drills based on two principles:
1) Trunk is always open to (i.e. parallel with) the net
2) Feet should be "light"

This seems pretty simple, but it's actually tough for most people, because the natural habit is to cross over.

A visualization may help. During a movement drill, visualize that you have to deflect the ball back, as if you were playing Pong and your torso was the paddle. One way to stimulate this is to hold the racquet lengthwise, one hand on the racquet head, the other on the grip. And then just punch the ball back. You can even shadow your movements with this as a visualization and see what your feet do

There are cases when #1 is NOT valid
example inside-out forehand

[tricky]

There are cases when #1 is NOT valid
example inside-out forehand

Agreed, but this is just for basic movement drills, and it doesn't include the unit turn. The trunk restriction helps a person discover basic step order as well as some footwork patterns. Also, it forces them to use hips more than they're used to.

Again, it's the primer stuff. When they get to actual stroke production, then there's other stuff.

[Kick_It]

I'd work with a decent instructor and get them to help you with a couple things based on where you said you are at:

1) What position should your feet be in at the beginning and end of a decent forehand that will work for you.

2) What is the proper swing path for that stroke - for consistency purposes.

I'm concurring with user92626.

Once you understand 1 and are familiar with it, you get to move onto what I suspect will be harder for you - to basically always be able to get into that position before you initiate your forehand. However if you aren't properly positioned in the first place - you will be more prone to error.

To answer OP's original question - I think you need to nail 1) before you worry about refining 2) - though 2 will influence how you do 1 - e.g. setup position for a WW fh is different from a continental fh.

If you have hit with an old less than successful stroke and are used to setting up for it in a less than optimal fashion, I suspect it will take you a while to get used to the new mechanics. Basically you need to be able to always override your old instincts and that can be hard.

Then you can get into footwork patterns and properly positioning yourself before the shots. It all depends on how committed you are to this and how much history you need to override.

I think a couple lessons with an instructor will get you further faster than reading the material. Maybe you can pick it up by reading on the internet or watching videos though it will be hard for you to recognize what you are actually doing and getting the feedback on that without a video recording or someone knowledgeable to give you feedback from watching you.

Hope that helps! K_I