Discussion: Variations on volley footwork

[W Cats]

I'm looking for a discussion on the question of crossover/forward step of outside leg vs. stepping out with the inside foot.

To be clear: forehand volley,right handed player, initally stepping with left foot as oppose to stepping out with the right foot.

Pros and Cons

Come on lets have it

 

[LeeD]

Intent on the volley can detemine exactly footwork used.
You can step out with your right foot to volley if you plan to drop volley, super angle, or just get it back to play another point.
You should step hard in with your left foot when you plan to put away that volley, hit it really forcing and deep, and dictate the outcome of that point.
You can volley with ANY footwork if the ball is speeding towards you faster than you can react. Just staying in the point in that situation is a plus.
Against good players, you often don't have time to move your feet, so upper body stability and shoulder turn is most important.

 

[wihamilton]

The footwork depends on the location of the ball. Which leg you step with first will be influenced by how far you have to move to get to the tennis ball.

 

[Nellie]

If you are playing doubles, you really need to practice taking a first jab step with the inside leg before crossing over with the outside leg to get to the middle to poach

 

[W Cats]

The footwork depends on the location of the ball. Which leg you step with first will be influenced by how far you have to move to get to the tennis ball.

I agree wiht your point but is there more to it than that, all things being equal. The following link was posted by BBill today. It's something that I came across previously awhile back ago and just watched again today. I find it interesting that he advocates stepping out at :55 and at 1:27 when he is demoing the compact swing he reverts to cross/forward on his forehand and stepout on his backhand when incoming ball placement in the example one could use either footwork pattern effectively.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obz6e...eature=related

 

[W Cats]

If you are playing doubles, you really need to practice taking a first jab step with the inside leg before crossing over with the outside leg to get to the middle to poach

Interesting. Why?

 

[LeeD]

"inside" foot gets you moving and leaning forwards. Once you momentum is forward, the step out wide still allows you to be moving forwards.

 

[W Cats]

Anyone else want to chime in on this one?

I had a pro tell me once that the step out keeps you from putting on the brakes too hard of which the outcome was dumping it in the net. It was his opinion that if you had room to continue to close the net after your volley that this would help you to continue to move through the ball and not brake.

 

[Slicendicer]

Anyone else want to chime in on this one?

I had a pro tell me once that the step out keeps you from putting on the brakes too hard of which the outcome was dumping it in the net. It was his opinion that if you had room to continue to close the net after your volley that this would help you to continue to move through the ball and not brake.

The cross-step is the correct 1st step for every volley... after the split-step. It's muscle memory... with enough footwork/volley practice, you don't think about it.

The purpose of the cross step is to promote upper body rotation to power the volley, raqcuet preparation, and busy feet.