Difference between footwork and flat out speed?

Ballinbob

Ballinbob

Hall of Fame
I'm a 15 year old varsity track athlete for my school. I can run a 100m sprint in 11.9 seconds and a mile in 5:18 minutes. I have great endurance and speed, and this is one of my assets in tennis. My question is what is the difference between good footwork and raw speed/athleticism? Is there any difference? Footwork isn't the same as speed I don't think, so whats the difference? Being fast has obviously helped my game, but I have neglected working on footwork because I figured that I can run than 95% on the tennis players 16 and under, and even 18 and under.

Your thoughts on speed vs footwork?

lol i repeated myself like 10 times in that paragraph. Oh well you get the point
 
Wow, you're fast. I think that keeping your feet moving and executing your split-step would allow you to move around the court quickly. The footwork acts as a spring almost, and after you take off you can show off your blazing speed.
 
fast lol, no, not for my school. I don't know if I can consider myself a full fledge varsity track athlete for my school. Reqs for 100m is 11.5s and under and for mile its 5 minutes and under. I'm kinda of a backup I guess, but I do run in alot of the varsity meets. We've won state a couple times, should be more but people get injuries at the end of the season. This kid called Jeremy from our school set the record at 10.43s.

Anyway, you consider a split step part of footwork? I thought it was just a thing to keep yourself balanced or something.

Any other thoughts guys?
 
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The obvious difference is that footwork involves maintaining balance, quickly changing direction, and providing both a base and a kinetic chain for swinging a racquet.

Being quick certainly will help, but it isn't enough to have world class movement.

I'm impressed by your track results, you've got a good combination of speed and endurance. At the age of 15, I was starting to develop some speed, so I was faster over the 100m than you are, but I don't think I could have run a mile under 8 minutes.:)
 
WildVolley said:
The obvious difference is that footwork involves maintaining balance, quickly changing direction, and providing both a base and a kinetic chain for swinging a racquet.

Being quick certainly will help, but it isn't enough to have world class movement.

I'm impressed by your track results, you've got a good combination of speed and endurance. At the age of 15, I was starting to develop some speed, so I was faster over the 100m than you are, but I don't think I could have run a mile under 8 minutes.:)
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Your going to laugh at this but I practice my balance using my Wii fit game for nintendo wii lol. It has a board and you stand on it as still as possible and it tells you your center of balance. Then it gives you activities to work on balance... I know its not the traditional way to do balancing exercises, but its fun. Switching direction i guess is difficult, although people that can run can kinda cheat themselves out of that if you know what I mean. It's just the faster you are, you can still get to the ball without having the proper textbook footwork. You get to the ball with plenty of time, which will allow you time to balance and get your racket ready ect. I don't know, the two can substitute for each other. You can be slow but have excellent footwork I guess, and still get to the ball.

Yeah, I have a good balance of speed and endurance for my age. And its not surprising for sprinters to have low mile times, I'm kinda an exception for that i guess. there's this guy i know who has a 7 minute mile but a 10.9 100m, so its absolutely normal.
 
Flat out speed and quickness are complete different. That doesn't mean you have one and not the other, just a different type of movement.

However you can improve both. For Tennis (which uses a lot of quickness) I would work on my footwork running drills, including shuttle runs. Anything with lateral movement and backwards movement. In addition I would work hard on keeping my steps small, something that is exactly the opposite of a lot of track running which is long strides. Shorten your footwork, work on split steps and economy of movement, lateral movement and reading the ball off the racquet and reacting. You can have average movement but if you read the ball well you can get to a spot set up and be really efficient which is what you want.

hope that makes sense
 
Lejanius said:
Flat out speed and quickness are complete different. That doesn't mean you have one and not the other, just a different type of movement.

However you can improve both. For Tennis (which uses a lot of quickness) I would work on my footwork running drills, including shuttle runs. Anything with lateral movement and backwards movement. In addition I would work hard on keeping my steps small, something that is exactly the opposite of a lot of track running which is long strides. Shorten your footwork, work on split steps and economy of movement, lateral movement and reading the ball off the racquet and reacting. You can have average movement but if you read the ball well you can get to a spot set up and be really efficient which is what you want.

hope that makes sense
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yeah it makes sense now. Thanks for everyones help btw

I guess I'm cheating myself in the long run if I'm using just my speed to get to the ball. I'm lucky I run track, because if I didn't I highly doubt that I'd be at the level where I am today. Thank god for those ladder drills we do, those help alot with the small steps in tennis. It doesn't seem like footwork is all that important though. I mean, how hard can it be to master changing directions and shuffle steps? I could probably get it down in a week or less or hard training. I'm probably wrong saying that footwork isn't important, but thats just how I see it. Shuffle steps and changing direction to me is just a given not something you need to work on. You get enough practice changing direction just by playing. Why BB and others put such a great emphasis is something that ive always wondered about. It just doesn't seem that important. As long as your in decent shape and are willing to run then I think you'll be able to play fine. I know it is an advantage to be in great shape and be able to run fast, but even thinking from an average person's point of view moving to the ball and back to the middle doesn't seem to hard or something that should be emphasized as much it does. BB im not insulting you in any way. I respect your opinion and I know you have a crap load more knowledge to offer than me, and that I'm a nobody to you so don't take it the wrong way. The last thing I want is to have a bad rep on these forums... I am simply saying what I think, nothing more. Anyone is free to argue against me. This is what this thread is for isn't it?:)
 
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If your track team is that good, you should be familiar with the 7 or so phases of the 100m dash. Each phase has a particular function to help you get to top speed as effectively as possible.
It is the same with moving to the ball. The are several phases that allow you to get to a good position relative to a chosen contact point, and on balance with your stick prepared.
 
honestly, footwork is one of the most important things in tennis.

The better players you play the more this becomes evident. When your opponent can put himself to hit shots while set while you run all over creation barely returning shots back over the net it becomes obvious

You may be naturally quick and find footwork and movement comes easily to you but it is very important to learn the right way to move. In this I am also including angles, moving at the right angle or taking the correct path to the ball can take a long time to learn properly.
 
Ballinbob said:
yeah it makes sense now. Thanks for everyones help btw

I guess I'm cheating myself in the long run if I'm using just my speed to get to the ball. I'm lucky I run track, because if I didn't I highly doubt that I'd be at the level where I am today. Thank god for those ladder drills we do, those help alot with the small steps in tennis. It doesn't seem like footwork is all that important though. I mean, how hard can it be to master changing directions and shuffle steps? I could probably get it down in a week or less or hard training. I'm probably wrong saying that footwork isn't important, but thats just how I see it. Shuffle steps and changing direction to me is just a given not something you need to work on. You get enough practice changing direction just by playing. Why BB and others put such a great emphasis is something that ive always wondered about. It just doesn't seem that important. As long as your in decent shape and are willing to run then I think you'll be able to play fine. I know it is an advantage to be in great shape and be able to run fast, but even thinking from an average person's point of view moving to the ball and back to the middle doesn't seem to hard or something that should be emphasized as much it does. BB im not insulting you in any way. I respect your opinion and I know you have a crap load more knowledge to offer than me, and that I'm a nobody to you so don't take it the wrong way. The last thing I want is to have a bad rep on these forums... I am simply saying what I think, nothing more. Anyone is free to argue against me. This is what this thread is for isn't it?:)
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I think you've missunderstood BB. Some examples for you to try to see if you need footwork:

Try standing perfectly still and throw a punch. Now use a normal back foot to front foot weight transfer as you punch. Notice a bit of a difference?

Next time you go out on the court, keep your feet together and do not use your lower body at all when hitting the ball, just try to arm it. See how much pace and strength you just lost from not using your feet and legs? Maybe like a good 50% less power right? You don't even pay attention to proper footwork, so imagine how much more of a percentage increase you could get if you got your feet, legs, and core working all together with you shoulder and arms...

Theres one thing about having good footspeed, but if your feet are scrambling all over the place, you're not moving efficiently, and you're liable to be hitting on the run. With that, you're never going to get a chance to plant your feet and rip a winner. In order to get a perfect transfer of energy, from your body to the ball, you need to have good footwork to get there early and to anchor yourself to the ground for efficient energy transfer.

Tennis is about reaction time and proper footwork like split steps, step outs, etc... allow you to get a fraction of a second jump on the ball. This might not be a big deal in the 3.0 and lower players, but when you play against ppl who will blast balls at you, a fraction of a second is the difference between getting there and getting passed...

On a last note... saw you times. damn you're pretty fast... but flatout speed without footwork will only save you when you're at the net and got lobbed
 
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Footwork is about getting your feet set up so you can hit a shot properly, meaning you are set up at a "correct" distance to the ball so when you swing, you are at a proper distance to make that hit.

It is also the recovery you make after you hit the ball so you can be set up for the next shot, which may involve a change of direction.

For example, beginners often do not move their feet when the ball comes directly at them, instead of making small adjustments to move a little further away from the ball. Or sometimes, when the ball is a little out of reach, they stretch for it, rather than move their feet to get in a better position.

Beginners often backpedal on an overhead, which is slow. They could at least sidestep, or possibly turn around and run.

Flat out speed doesn't usually involve small adjustments as you get close to the ball, like which leg is positioned where, and how to recover to get back to the center of the court.

Watch a match on TV, and just pay attention to the feet and see what happens when they aren't running full speed. It's a useful exercise.
 
Yeah i know the 7 phases of the 100m dash, but that doesn't really apply here. Personally, I find it alot more beneficial to work on footspeed than footwork. Footspeed can substitute for good footwork, as well as keep you fit and allow you play other sports. Im pretty sure its better to have speed in baseball than good footwork, and the same goes for alot of other sports. I have a feeling I have pretty bad footwork, but I still get to the ball fine. I think Im just going to work on getting my 100m time up so I can just substitute that for footwork.
 
damn. you are fast. i just calculated your 100m average, at 18mph-ish. at age 15, you've done a lot of training.

footwork gives you balance, so you're more stable.
yea i guess you can say you can substitute footspeed for footwork. i can get to the ball fine for me. i know what you mean. haha.
 
i've been a runner all my life. Tennis is my main sport, but I do drills for my sprints everyday and when I'm bored of sprints ill do long distance.

I want to see what others say about substitution speed for footwork and I want to know if this will work and carry me to higher levels.
 
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As many posters have already alluded to, there's a huge difference between footwork and flat out speed. Speed and quickness can augment good footwork. But possessing the two absent good footwork is essentially worthless. I'm much rather be slow w/good footwork than the other way around.

Footwork not only influences how fast you get to the tennis ball, but also your groundstroke and net play mechanics. You can consider footwork "part of the shot" because it allows your body to move correctly as you swing.
 
Ballinbob said:
Yeah i know the 7 phases of the 100m dash, but that doesn't really apply here. Personally, I find it alot more beneficial to work on footspeed than footwork. Footspeed can substitute for good footwork, as well as keep you fit and allow you play other sports. Im pretty sure its better to have speed in baseball than good footwork, and the same goes for alot of other sports. I have a feeling I have pretty bad footwork, but I still get to the ball fine. I think Im just going to work on getting my 100m time up so I can just substitute that for footwork.
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You're getting away with this because of the level of competition you face.

Foot speed gets you to the ball. Foot work gets you setup to hit the ball correctly.

If you get to the ball but don't set up for it you're going to hit a sloppy ball. A ball that in the hands of an experienced player is going to result in their taking a point of you most times.

If you have great footwork but can't get to the ball you lose the point.

The two go hand in hand with each other and you need to develop your footwork now so that later in life it is habitual and natural. It is during that time that you are most likely to face your most difficult opponents.
 
You posted asking about the importance of footwork, every single poster says "correct footwork patterns are absolutely important", and you say "i think i shouldn't work on footwork I should just get faster".

Why bother posting this question at all if you just ignore the unanimous advice of every poster on here? The fact of the matter is that if you spend time honing the technique and effeciency of your feet you will improve more quickly than by focusing on anything else or trying to improve your sprinting times... Seriously, think about it: How often are you sprinting a 100m distance to get to a ball your opponent hit? A 100m dash is completely inapplicable to tennis. Let us know how improving a 100m dash by a fraction of a second helps you out.
 
mordecai said:
You posted asking about the importance of footwork, every single poster says "correct footwork patterns are absolutely important", and you say "i think i shouldn't work on footwork I should just get faster".

Why bother posting this question at all if you just ignore the unanimous advice of every poster on here? The fact of the matter is that if you spend time honing the technique and effeciency of your feet you will improve more quickly than by focusing on anything else or trying to improve your sprinting times... Seriously, think about it: How often are you sprinting a 100m distance to get to a ball your opponent hit? A 100m dash is completely inapplicable to tennis. Let us know how improving a 100m dash by a fraction of a second helps you out.
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I phrased what I said wrong. I just want people to see what they think about this. I know that footwork is important, and I will work on it.

And the comment about the 100m is stupid. I can still run a 25m faster than most people on this board, and running a 25m is applicable. If you could run anywhere close to what I run then you wouldn't say that working on your 100m is useless. The fact is that footwork is definitley important, but footspeed can be a substitute for it up to a certain level. Ive gotten to the low 4.0 mark and I need to start working on it obviously. Just wanted other peoples opinions.
 
Exceptional footwork is having well controlled feet and being able to get your feet in the correct position pretty subconsciously. You're feet are constantly moving, you're on the balls of your feet. You have the ability to change directions and stop/start rather easily.


Exceptional speed is moving from point a to b on the court. Obviously, speed and footwork should go hand in hand.


An easy way to see it is like this. One of the differences between most pushers and better players that move well is pushers are typically pretty good athletes, and have speed. But better players that move well and aren't pushers have good positioning, foot control, etc=good footwork.


Another example is in my opinion a big difference between Nadal and Federer. In my opinion, Federer has better footwork, but Nadal is more explosive, and hence, he is faster. However, this explosiveness and footwork that is not as smooth causes his knee problems.

A more extreme example is Monfils and Federer. Monfils is very fast, and exceptionally athletic, but Federer has better footwork.
 
Mansewerz said:
Exceptional footwork is having well controlled feet and being able to get your feet in the correct position pretty subconsciously. You're feet are constantly moving, you're on the balls of your feet. You have the ability to change directions and stop/start rather easily.


Exceptional speed is moving from point a to b on the court. Obviously, speed and footwork should go hand in hand.


An easy way to see it is like this. One of the differences between most pushers and better players that move well is pushers are typically pretty good athletes, and have speed. But better players that move well and aren't pushers have good positioning, foot control, etc=good footwork.


Another example is in my opinion a big difference between Nadal and Federer. In my opinion, Federer has better footwork, but Nadal is more explosive, and hence, he is faster. However, this explosiveness and footwork that is not as smooth causes his knee problems.

A more extreme example is Monfils and Federer. Monfils is very fast, and exceptionally athletic, but Federer has better footwork.
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Monfils is a ****ing beast. I dont have the links but there was a picture where he was 3 feet above the air with straight legs, hitting a forehand. But to get back on topic, like others said, speed is pretty useless once you get to the 3.5+ level if you dont have good footwork to back it up. Youre pretty fast though. I wish i had 1/5 of the dedication for running that you have lol. I get bored of running way too fast which is why i run a 13s 100m and a 6min mile.
 
Ballinbob said:
I'm a 15 year old varsity track athlete for my school. I can run a 100m sprint in 11.9 seconds and a mile in 5:18 minutes. I have great endurance and speed, and this is one of my assets in tennis. My question is what is the difference between good footwork and raw speed/athleticism? Is there any difference? Footwork isn't the same as speed I don't think, so whats the difference? Being fast has obviously helped my game, but I have neglected working on footwork because I figured that I can run than 95% on the tennis players 16 and under, and even 18 and under.

Your thoughts on speed vs footwork?

lol i repeated myself like 10 times in that paragraph. Oh well you get the point
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5guE8WOWdg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FKTL...eature=related

I saw these two links in another thread.

As we can see, the stlyes (or patterns) of moving to the ball are different, but they both get to the ball in time (or on time).

We might have knowledge of patterns of moving our feet, and we might be able to execute those patterns well after practices, but before the ball bounces twice, "speed" is what get us to the ball.

And, the faster the better.

I hope I can sprint to the ball just like that, regardless of styles…Aggassi, Federer, Nadal, … or OP style…lol.

As someone pointed out somewhere, drills (of particular pattern) may make you move faster, but on the other hand, drills can make you move slower too.

Speed, speed, speed. To me, it is an obivous common sense.
 
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Ballinbob said:
I'm a 15 year old varsity track athlete for my school. I can run a 100m sprint in 11.9 seconds and a mile in 5:18 minutes. I have great endurance and speed, and this is one of my assets in tennis. My question is what is the difference between good footwork and raw speed/athleticism? Is there any difference? Footwork isn't the same as speed I don't think, so whats the difference? Being fast has obviously helped my game, but I have neglected working on footwork because I figured that I can run than 95% on the tennis players 16 and under, and even 18 and under.

Your thoughts on speed vs footwork?

lol i repeated myself like 10 times in that paragraph. Oh well you get the point
Click to expand...

Footspeed can definetly help a player in tennis.

These are the following that contribute to good footwork:

1. Using the right footwork patterns to move around the court.

2. Footspeed

3. Leg strength

4. Foot quickness

Many times the term footwork is used synonymously with footwork patterns. Footwork patterns deal HOW you move your feet vs. how fast you move them.

So using split-steps, shuffles, gravity steps, etc...are footwork patterns. You can have fast feet but move the wrong foot first instead of the foot you should have moved.

Using your footspeed, leg strength, footquickness, and patterns together will help you cover the most amount of court efficiently and effectively.

For example, you could perform a crossover step and be fast when you should have elected to use a step-out or a drop step.

Training your feet to move in a certain is not natural nor do you "just learn it" through blinds movement. The reason is it requires timing which means the brain needs to tell the feet WHEN to perform a certain pattern. This is something that needs to be practiced.

Footwork can only be tested when you tax your movement with a tough drill. This forces the brain to have to think about something else (surviving) while a coach can see how your feet perform. With proper coaching and training, footwork patterns and your skill in using them can improve quickly.
 
ProfoundBasic said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5guE8WOWdg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FKTL...eature=related

I saw these two links in another thread.

As we can see, the stlyes (or patterns) of moving to the ball are different, but they both get to the ball in time (or on time).

We might have knowledge of patterns of moving our feet, and we might be able to execute those patterns well after practices, but before the ball bounces twice, "speed" is what get us to the ball.

And, the faster the better.

I hope I can sprint to the ball just like that, regardless of styles…Aggassi, Federer, Nadal, … or OP style…lol.

As someone pointed out somewhere, drills (of particular pattern) may make you move faster, but on the other hand, drills can make you move slower too.

Speed, speed, speed. To me, it is an obivous common sense.
Click to expand...


Agassi's style is good.
But, I like "mine" better.
 
look at Roger federer and james blake, epitome of footwork and pure speed. And when you can combine flat out speed and exceptional footwork, that's where Nadal comes into mind, tracking down shot like a cheetah and makes running forehnad or passing shot seems like a piece of cake.
 
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