Adjust Footwork according to the incoming ball

FailBetter

Semi-Pro
I am theoretically :) a good mover, fast athletically etc.
But often I just do not adjust correctly to the incoming ball.
I dont know whats the issue here. Sometimes footwork is almost automatically, doing the right stuff but most of the time not.

How can one improve footwork according to the incoming ball? Should i focus more on split step? Any drills?
 
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nyta2

Legend
for me, i had to practice a variety of specific movement patterns, like scales on a piano...
so that i could just do them when the right situation came up.
i started becoming aware of my footwork patter deficiencies, when i came across "baily 12 footwork patterns"... and started practicing all the f/w patterns.
it used to be free (detailed explanations), but now it's behind a paywall. the patterns are scattered throughout yt under various names
 

Dakota C

Rookie
I am theoretically :) a good mover, fast athletically etc.
But often I just do not adjust correctly to the incoming ball.
I dont know whats the issue here. Sometimes footwork is almost automatically, doing the right stuff but most of the time not.

How can one improve footwork according to the incoming ball? Should i focus more on split step? Any drills?
Can only give general advice without seeing some video; your intensity could be too low, you might not have tennis footwork patterns, split stepping (correctly) makes a big difference.
 

johnmccabe

Hall of Fame
for me, i had to practice a variety of specific movement patterns, like scales on a piano...
so that i could just do them when the right situation came up.
i started becoming aware of my footwork patter deficiencies, when i came across "baily 12 footwork patterns"... and started practicing all the f/w patterns.
it used to be free (detailed explanations), but now it's behind a paywall. the patterns are scattered throughout yt under various names
I don't understand the one foot pivot. What's that for?
 

nyta2

Legend
I don't understand the one foot pivot. What's that for?
where in the vid?
off the top of my head (i don't have the names memorized and/or i call it something else), the first thought is that it refers to the footwork where you're moving backwards (eg. vs a deep heavy ball), and don't have enough time to set your back leg and drive forward (on in general, any time i need to take the ball deeper in my strikezone)...
 
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ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
I am theoretically :) a good mover, fast athletically etc.
But often I just do not adjust correctly to the incoming ball.
I dont know whats the issue here. Sometimes footwork is almost automatically, doing the right stuff but most of the time not.

How can one improve footwork according to the incoming ball? Should i focus more on split step? Any drills?

As NYTA had up, I have been a big fan of the drills and techniques from Bailey. You can see a bunch on the channel - https://www.youtube.com/@BaileyTennisFootwork

That said, once you practice some of these, one of my favorite things to do is focus strictly on this during coop rally hitting. Focus on early movement and prep and getting rhythm to the movement and set up to the variety of incoming balls. Definitely helps me and worth trying.
 

johnmccabe

Hall of Fame
where in the vid?
off the top of my head (i don't have the names memorized and/or i call it something else), the first thought is that it refers to the footwork where you're moving backwards (eg. vs a deep heavy ball), and don't have enough time to set your back leg and drive forward (on in general, any time i need to take the ball deeper in my strikezone)...
0:13 1:20 I get it for moving back, although I prefer a different one. but he's showing moving to the side maybe slightly back.
 
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