footwork drill vid--am I practicing it correctly?

[tonygao]

Hi Guys,

after receiving many comments from my last practice and match vids, I realized that footwork is really something I need to work on to improve my game signficantly. I have never practiced footwork particularly, nor taken any lesson on this topic. all I know is from FYB and other video lessons online. I have watched all I can find, bailey method, Jezgreen etc.

but untill yesterday night did I frist time spend an entire hour to practice nothing but footwork.

please check out this vid, I am wondering if I am doing the correct drill? am I doing it correctly? what should be my focus while doing this drill?

any comments are welcome, I really want to improve my game as fast as possible. thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YTjqzyvhmo

 

[dozu]

I like it..... the flow of the human racket is in sync with the gravitational pull... which allows you to be light on feet when you go wide.

put the same concept in live ball hitting and you be good

 

[danno123]

I'm no expert but I notice that after hitting the wide forehand you did one crossover step but after hitting the wide backhand you didn't. Why no crossover step after hitting the backhand?

 

[dozu]

^^

he actually did

in both cases the arm swing brings his core from closed to square (to the net), which brings the back leg around..... therefore running FH sees the right leg crossing over to the right, and wide BH sees the left leg going to the left while his arm is pulling the core to the right.

 

[danno123]

^^

he actually did

in both cases the arm swing brings his core from closed to square (to the net), which brings the back leg around..... therefore running FH sees the right leg crossing over to the right, and wide BH sees the left leg going to the left while his arm is pulling the core to the right.

He hits the forehand with right hand and then, to return to center court, his right leg crosses in front of his body once before getting into a side shuffle. When he hits his backhand, however, his left foot does NOT cross in front of his body for a crossover step before getting into a side shuffle. It crosses a little bit behind his body but that's not a crossover step and doesn't allow you to cover ground as quickly.

 

[LeeD]

That's the drill I often recommend, but use 8 cones so each run out wide is a different distance.
Then change the cones to include moving forwards to service line, to net position, then back crab walking to NML for overheads, and you have complete line drills like we had in football practice for linebackers in high school.

 

[wihamilton]

Hi Guys,

after receiving many comments from my last practice and match vids, I realized that footwork is really something I need to work on to improve my game signficantly. I have never practiced footwork particularly, nor taken any lesson on this topic. all I know is from FYB and other video lessons online. I have watched all I can find, bailey method, Jezgreen etc.

but untill yesterday night did I frist time spend an entire hour to practice nothing but footwork.

please check out this vid, I am wondering if I am doing the correct drill? am I doing it correctly? what should be my focus while doing this drill?

any comments are welcome, I really want to improve my game as fast as possible. thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YTjqzyvhmo

Nice creativity Tony! The ability to create and structure drills that focus on weaknesses in your game is HUGE. You can expect rapid improvement in 2011 if you keep up this trend!

 

[Jonny S&V]

Good drill, still REALLY heavy with the feet as far as I can tell. On your toes man, on your toes.

 

[LeeD]

Yeah, they practice the light feet drill by running thru a series of car tires nowadaze.
But once again, light or heavy feet, you gotta get there only in hitting position. We all move differently, so pick your own approach and play with it.
If you're built wide and thick, don't try to move like Bambi.
If you're Bambi, don't move like a defensive tackle.

 

[Jonny S&V]

Yeah, they practice the light feet drill by running thru a series of car tires nowadaze.
But once again, light or heavy feet, you gotta get there only in hitting position. We all move differently, so pick your own approach and play with it.
If you're built wide and thick, don't try to move like Bambi.
If you're Bambi, don't move like a defensive tackle.

It couldn't HURT to try and lighten up tho (and the OP looks like he's got working legs).

 

[LeeD]

Even the 350lbs Vikings DT practice on the tires.
But watch them actually PLAY in a game. They drag their feet in low altitude shuffle steps, and stuff the lightning quick running backs.

 

[dozu]

being light is not about excessive steps that waste energy.

being light means that with the correct release sequence, the feet have already unloaded energy while the arm is swinging into the ball.... hence the 'multi stage rocket' analogy.

OP is doing the sequence correctly..... can he be more diligent in a live ball situation? certainly.... but I think he is practicing correctly the MOST important factor in footwork, which is RHYTHM... (being in sync with the gravitational pull).

 

[LeeD]

Go watch a match between JimmyConnors and JohnMcEnroe.
Yes, Mac wins often, but they are from different generations ( AGE).
Connors runs with millions of choppy, little precise steps.
Mac runs with gliding, almost shuffled long steps.
Both have been known to play decent tennis with their own styles.

 

[Jonny S&V]

being light is not about excessive steps that waste energy.

being light means that with the correct release sequence, the feet have already unloaded energy while the arm is swinging into the ball.... hence the 'multi stage rocket' analogy.

OP is doing the sequence correctly..... can he be more diligent in a live ball situation? certainly.... but I think he is practicing correctly the MOST important factor in footwork, which is RHYTHM... (being in sync with the gravitational pull).

I never said that he needs more steps, I said he needed to be lighter, which means the correct activation in muscles to put the least strain on his body (most notably, the joints).

 

[dozu]

the correct activation in muscles to put the least strain on his body (most notably, the joints).

please explain.

 

[Jonny S&V]

please explain.

He tends to let his heels touch the ground on the split-steps, which means he needs to be on his toes more. Also, when he takes medium-paced runs at the ball, he is instead taking glide-steps (heel-to-toe), when he should take quick, explosive steps (using the ball of his foot) and then smaller adjustment steps (culminating in a glide-step when he's about to make contact, or load and release for an airborne forehand).

Now, my guess is that he's merely trying to perfect this drill, so this vid may not be the best representation of his movement.

 

[LeeD]

To his defense, he's just using that drill for like ONE day.
And he's using that drill period, meaning his movement WILL get better with time and practice.

 

[dozu]

^^ ok, then I think LeeD already put in a rebuttal which I agree - different folks different strokes..... people have different body types aka anatomy, so it's hard to judge these minute body part movements to be correct or not... only OP himself (his own central nervous system) can decide if these nuances are the best fit for his anatomy.

The only thing constant is gravity.

thru practice, his central nervous system will smooth out the rough edges when his body is smoothly tuned in with gravity.

 

[Jonny S&V]

To his defense, he's just using that drill for like ONE day.
And he's using that drill period, meaning his movement WILL get better with time and practice.

^^ ok, then I think LeeD already put in a rebuttal which I agree - different folks different strokes..... people have different body types aka anatomy, so it's hard to judge these minute body part movements to be correct or not... only OP himself (his own central nervous system) can decide if these nuances are the best fit for his anatomy.

The only thing constant is gravity.

thru practice, his central nervous system will smooth out the rough edges when his body is smoothly tuned in with gravity.

Now, my guess is that he's merely trying to perfect this drill, so this vid may not be the best representation of his movement.

*Whistling the theme from "Happy Days..."*

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

I think you're the first person I've ever seen post a footwork video, so congratulations are in order. Keep up the good work and listen to JonnyS&V.

 

[LeeD]

C'mon you guys.
You can't really expect any player, ever, to remain on his toes the whole time, not allowing a pushoff with his heels.
No way can you stay on your toes, not use your heels, for even 2 shots.

 

[tonygao]

Nice creativity Tony! The ability to create and structure drills that focus on weaknesses in your game is HUGE. You can expect rapid improvement in 2011 if you keep up this trend!

thanks Will, I am really trying to learn the spirit from FYB

 

[dozu]

C'mon you guys.
You can't really expect any player, ever, to remain on his toes the whole time, not allowing a pushoff with his heels.
No way can you stay on your toes, not use your heels, for even 2 shots.

right - 'being on ones toes' is really an expression describing the athletic position in tennis... it doesn't mean literally to be on ones toes.

this is tennis, aint ballet.

 

[tonygao]

one question. in my learning days of baddie, I improved my footwork and game by doing similar pattern drills. but it seems in tennis, there are lots of people who think otherwise. they suggest only do performance drill such as ladder drills, agility drills, but not recommend drills of specific patterns. they think once you have improved your agility(basically you have very quick feet), then your footwork will just automatically evolve while playing. is it true?

for myself, I am a firm believer of such pattern drills. in the beginning you fix a certain pattern to a certain type of incoming ball and practice it into intuition. after that, when you play, your feet will then adjust automatically based on these patterns. but if you never have practiced these patterns in the first place, unless you are extremely talented, no matter how fast you run, you will always look very rushed while playing a match.

 

[dozu]

i think it depends on person, some improve fast with 'structured repetitions' like footwork drills, ball machines.... I never did such drills, but just improved with 'random repetions' thru playing a lot..

but I think drills do help, so you feel how the gravity pulls your body and that swinging arm in these situations, so that you have some 'pre-programmed' experience to draw on when you hit live balls.

 

[tonygao]

i think it depends on person, some improve fast with 'structured repetitions' like footwork drills, ball machines.... I never did such drills, but just improved with 'random repetions' thru playing a lot..

but I think drills do help, so you feel how the gravity pulls your body and that swinging arm in these situations, so that you have some 'pre-programmed' experience to draw on when you hit live balls.

does it really depend? of course both ways can help you improve, but I tend to believe there is one way better than the other for everyone in the beginning. my thinking is, if you do this, you can achieve a certain level say, in one year. but if you only improve by playing a lot, you may need 2 years to reach the same level.

 

[tonygao]

just to add on my last post, I mean all other factors are equal, one way can help you improve much faster than the other.

 

[LeeD]

I can only cite the two completely different movement patterns of JimmyConnors and JohnMcEnroe. Connors moved with millions of practiced steps, all small and short, body crunched compact, almost ducking a punch.
McEnroe moved with gliding long low steps head held high proudly, staying smooth as silk, making the difficult look ridiculously easy.
They were the top of the heap in my day.
A practiced athlete might not need movement practice.
A bookworm would need it.

 

[tonygao]

I can only cite the two completely different movement patterns of JimmyConnors and JohnMcEnroe. Connors moved with millions of practiced steps, all small and short, body crunched compact, almost ducking a punch.
McEnroe moved with gliding long low steps head held high proudly, staying smooth as silk, making the difficult look ridiculously easy.
They were the top of the heap in my day.
A practiced athlete might not need movement practice.
A bookworm would need it.

hi LeeD, in your last sentence, what movement practice you meant for? pattern drills or agility drills? or both? sorry I didnt' catch your point. A practiced athelte might not need it, then did he practice in terms of movement?

 

[tonygao]

hi LeeD, in your last sentence, what movement practice you meant for? pattern drills or agility drills? or both? sorry I didnt' catch your point. A practiced athelte might not need it, then did he practice in terms of movement?

missing some words in my last sentence:

then what did he practice in terms of movement to become a practiced athelete?

 

[LeeD]

I'm not sure who you're referring to....
As for me, I played organized sports since 6th grade, played for my junior high 5 semesters, and for my highschool all 6 semesters. Was a college fencer and crosscountry runner also.
I was always the top 3 quickest thru the tires, on the football team. Basketball team, no contest, I could thread thru anyone like MonteEllis of the Warriors, but talking high schooler's here, not pros. Footwork has never been an issue in my game until I turned fat and lazy at 50.
I posted how shocked I was when I was playing in the 3 on 3 league in SanFrancisco, how the college kids just twirled and pushed me, punished my lack of quickness, when I was close to 40. Getting old is strange, the new slowness, the point of view, the ....everything.

 

[tonygao]

I'm not sure who you're referring to....
As for me, I played organized sports since 6th grade, played for my junior high 5 semesters, and for my highschool all 6 semesters. Was a college fencer and crosscountry runner also.
I was always the top 3 quickest thru the tires, on the football team. Basketball team, no contest, I could thread thru anyone like MonteEllis of the Warriors, but talking high schooler's here, not pros. Footwork has never been an issue in my game until I turned fat and lazy at 50.
I posted how shocked I was when I was playing in the 3 on 3 league in SanFrancisco, how the college kids just twirled and pushed me, punished my lack of quickness, when I was close to 40. Getting old is strange, the new slowness, the point of view, the ....everything.

Hi LeeD,

I see your point now. so let me rephraise my question. just take JimmyConnors and JohnMcEnroe as examples, can you share with me how you think they had developed their footwork in their early ages? did they ever practice those patterns? or just do porformance practice?

I just want to learn from their experience to create the best way of improving for myself.

 

[LeeD]

Jimmy was certainly a practiced athlete. His mom would oversee every practice and structure it in exactly what she thought was the right way. It shows in his precise footwork, his "tennis player" running style, and his eye/ball contact.
I think John was more a natural athlete who was strongminded enough to ignore all his coaches and parents. He did it his way. His mind overcame the flaws in his strokes, serve, and ideology. Like solving a puzzle, that's what tennis was like for John.

 

[tonygao]

Jimmy was certainly a practiced athlete. His mom would oversee every practice and structure it in exactly what she thought was the right way. It shows in his precise footwork, his "tennis player" running style, and his eye/ball contact.
I think John was more a natural athlete who was strongminded enough to ignore all his coaches and parents. He did it his way. His mind overcame the flaws in his strokes, serve, and ideology. Like solving a puzzle, that's what tennis was like for John.

Yes, John is more talented and strongminded. but just wondering if there is still pattern drills in "his way"?

 

[LeeD]

I don't think so. Patrick has certain trained pattern characteristics in his game, but he's not the talent in that family.
John was like a later day Nastase, or a Kriek, where convention goes out the window because the athlete is sooo good.
Ever see the classic matches between ChrissieEverts and EvonneGoolagong? Pure contrast in movement and style. One perfectly trained and taught, the other wildly athletic and natural. Both worked.

 

[tonygao]

so for us, mere mortals, I think trained patterns are still the way to go.....

 

[shindemac]

I was always pretty fast on my feet. Most of my speed came from other sports I played, namely basketball.

I've been debating how to get my speed back to the level I had a few short years ago. I'm by no means slow, but I know I can be much faster. I currently have a haphazard training program consisting of footwork drills, ladder drills, and sprints. For me, I'm working on raw agility and speed.

The biggest thing I notice about your video is the intensity level. If you want to move faster, you'll have to move near your peak level. Meaning, if you can run 10mph at max speed, you'll need to probably practice running at 8-9mph, and not 3mph.

Consider that it took you about 38s to hit 10 balls, or 3.8s per ball. Unless you play a moonballer, no one is going to give you that much time. If you start a fitness program, do a fitness test to assess your abilities and write the results in a spreadsheet. You can do a standard shuttle run. Another one is putting 5 balls around no mans land. Then start from the center hash mark on the baseline, and collect all the 5 balls one at a time. My best time is 14s.

 

[tonygao]

hi Shindemac,

yes indeed, I was running slowly. the main reason is that was my first time of practice patterns, so I was constantly thinking about which foot to move and where to move, etc. I was not familiar with the steps enough.

but at the end of that session, I did feel I can think less about my feet and was able to run without thinking.

also, this drill is really intense, I did it slowly for about one hour,and today I am feeling my whole body, not just the legs....