How do you get fast? I want to become de Minaur of 4.0s!
- Thread starter megamind
- Start date
megamind
Legend
don't see how that would help
i'm definitely healthier than average, my endurance is pretty good (good 3 setter record because i don't tire much, and my opponents do seem to feel more tired)
just need to speed up my max velocity
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
You're looking to increase acceleration, not velocity. You'll need to work on your fast twitch muscle with plyometrics and other explosive exercises: spider drill, ladder drill, footwork, balance, etc. Don't ignore flexibility: you're going to be putting increasing strain on your body and need to make sure it's ready to handle it.
You might also need to learn how to slide on a hard court; are you willing to do that [watch how De Minaur comes to a stop: it's not a gentle process]?
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Of course it’s not just about speed but the ability to do it over and over again. Recovery and endurance can’t be ignored. I can hit hard serves but it becomes a lot harder after I’ve chased down three tough balls on the previous point.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
I would suggest by doing some simple exercises to strengthen the calf muscles. Since these are the muscles that activate the heel and get you on your toes this should help you with your first step and such. Then do three cone drills and up and back drills. If you can have someone feed you balls to hit that would help. Start slow and make sure you stretch. Do this For twenty minutes twice a week and you will see an increase in your explosiveness. Do some cardio like running to add endurance.
megamind
Legend
I feel like my strokes are already pretty good for 4.0s, I'm trying to work on things I'm not as good at: speed
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Fair enough. However, a lot of people do exercises more optimized towards endurance [ie treadmill] than acceleration [ie sprinting].
Also, don't forget that most injuries occur during the deceleration phase: the faster you're going, the more energy it takes to stop in a balanced manner.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Build up leg strength by doing leg presses and barbell lifts with your legs.
KineticChain
Hall of Fame
my favorite approach to gaining lots of speed is to be born with a genetic predisposition to having lots of fast twitch muscle fibers
As above, speed is generally something you are born with and if you're not, it's really hard work doing court sprints, lifting weights and adding flexibility.
What you can do as a hacker is improve your balance and anticipation so that you take the first step much earlier and get up to speed quicker.
For most, that will make a bigger difference throughout a set than simply adding outright speed.
What you can do as a hacker is improve your balance and anticipation so that you take the first step much earlier and get up to speed quicker.
For most, that will make a bigger difference throughout a set than simply adding outright speed.
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
You can only max out with the DNA you were born with. I'm guessing you could gain about 5-10% in speed, but you'll never be Carl Lewis.
Interestingly, if the sprints were shorter distances, Lewis would be an also-ran [pun intended]. Watch his races in the 100m and observe how he's slow out of the blocks but somewhere near the 50-60m mark, he shifts into overdrive and dusts everyone.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
If you can find a way to get 10 lbs leaner, it will make a noticeable difference in your court coverage.
No one here's mentioned yet, but a lot of what separates "speeds" of upper level tennis players is how soon they react to where the ball will be going. Hip and stance positioning when setting up shots rather than arc of the ball for example. Review pro practice sessions and look at the difference when they hit down the line vs cross court. Watch in frame by frame and full speed and try to track the differences as soon as possible.
Explosive exercises such as box jumps can help your explosive first step. Sprint and footwork drills will help with fast twitch and top speed, also with the ability to get in position once you've run where you want.
Explosive exercises such as box jumps can help your explosive first step. Sprint and footwork drills will help with fast twitch and top speed, also with the ability to get in position once you've run where you want.
Mr.Lob
G.O.A.T.
Yep. I remember when he ran. Lewis had that other gear. Great jumper too.
Your strokes are lacking if you need speed to win.
megamind
Legend
who says im losing? I've got a 6 match winning streak at the moment, but always hoping to get better! I know I could win more easily if I was faster, there are points I play, where I'd win if I was faster
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Yes, but I do not recommend doing a lot of plyometics unless you are not overweight and already have a decent strength base, because the maximum forces your knees and joints will face from doing plyos is quite high.
Curious
G.O.A.T.
Are you overweight? Are you doing any fitness training?
megamind
Legend
S&V-not_dead_yet
Talk Tennis Guru
Do what this guy does [kudos to NYTA for originally posting it]:
Curious
G.O.A.T.
Don’t tell me that those ladder drill footages are not sped up!!
Rosstour
G.O.A.T.
Well...
This.
Dominic Thiem has commented on this, that you're either born with 'explosiveness' or you aren't. And he sounds like a guy who understands that he wasn't (and his game reflects that).
I'm 38 and I don't work out...and I sit in a horrible chair for 50+ hrs a week at work. My feet, legs and hips are so weak that I sometimes shake and have problems balancing while simply standing up.
Yet, my hitting partner (28 former DIII college player) always compliments my movement. I'm slowing down a bit from all the inactivity and age, but when I'm on the court it seems to not matter.
My Dad just turned 70 and moves like a 40-year-old. He doesn't work out either and has literally never done a hamstring stretch in his life. It's mostly genetic.
Everyone does something very well. So if your strokes and your endurance are the foundation of your game, just work with that. I may be a speed demon at Federer's age, but I'd probably lose to you in spite of that.
C
Chadalina
Guest
One of the best drills ive seen is where you have someone behind you tossing balls in front of you. You have to get them on one bounce.
Coach can make them come from different sides, speeds and heights. Its a great reactive one.
Pretty sure it has a name or someone has a video.
Running around cones isnt going to help you on the tennis court, its a static pattern. The mind has to be faster than the feet or they never get the order.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
I totally disagree.
Work on your weaknesses because your opponents are going to target them.
Sure, we are all born with certain athletic attributes/strengths/weaknesses, but we can always push to improve.
Definitely work on it, but don't kid yourself that you're going to become a speed machine. Swartzman can work on his serve all he wants, he'll never be the next Isner. Same as Wawrinka will never be a de Minaur and Djokovic will never have a net game. Those guys realise that and play to their strengths.
As above, definitely work on balance, anticipation and speed of that first step. It will make more difference to most low level players than a pile of outright speed.
Absolutely it is. In fact, I'd also say it has improved quite dramatically recently too. At his height, he should have a good serve.
I spent years and years doing court sprints, skipping, ladder drills and all kinds of things to improve my speed. I spent countless hours doing the drill above where you chase a ball thrown from behind and also used to do it rebounded off a basketball backboard. I was just about as fast as I could have been, but still a complete slug compared to some guys who did zero work, just had natural speed.
The thing isn't to avoid working on your weaknesses, it's to improve them as much as possible and find ways to cover for them. For me, that was anticipation and early movement. People thought I looked slow but was fast. I was slow, I just tried to get a head start. That worked well, until my eyes went
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
What if someone is slow and has slow anticipation and starts their swing after the ball bounces?
Bender
G.O.A.T.
Then that person secretly has bullet time but isn't telling you
I guess it's time to work on your hearing thenAbsolutely it is. In fact, I'd also say it has improved quite dramatically recently too. At his height, he should have a good serve.
I spent years and years doing court sprints, skipping, ladder drills and all kinds of things to improve my speed. I spent countless hours doing the drill above where you chase a ball thrown from behind and also used to do it rebounded off a basketball backboard. I was just about as fast as I could have been, but still a complete slug compared to some guys who did zero work, just had natural speed.
The thing isn't to avoid working on your weaknesses, it's to improve them as much as possible and find ways to cover for them. For me, that was anticipation and early movement. People thought I looked slow but was fast. I was slow, I just tried to get a head start. That worked well, until my eyes went
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Ok so you’re either born with speed or your not. You’re also born with good hand eye or your not. But practice will improve any skill. The OP is not looking to join the tour just up his speed. All these pros practice footwork too so there is obviously some value to it.
golden chicken
Hall of Fame
This.
But I'd also add that many players get lazy in two ways that hurt their time to the next ball:
1: They don't split step on every ball.
Standing tall and sort of falling towards the direction you want to go is not efficient, so be sure you split step to get that low center of gravity, wide base, and primed muscles so you can push off the instant you recognize the next ball.
2: They don't move after they've hit the ball.
There's a decent amount of time after you've hit your ball before your opponent can do anything about it (unless they are coming in for a volley) and rec players don't take advantage of the time in order to reposition themselves during that time.
Sometimes, they even sort of drift and follow the ball crosscourt when they should drift away to cover the wide angle return.
You can also work on positioning yourself to draw certain shots from your opponent.
For example, if you approach crosscourt, you can be half a step late and appear to have the crosscourt shot covered, forcing your opponent to hit down the line, but you're still moving that direction so lunging to cover down the line is natural.
heninfan99
Talk Tennis Guru
you have to be born with it
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Of course that’s why people are usually taught to approach DTL or chip and charge.
i was very fast then I hit 40
megamind
Legend
im not very fast now, so maybe i'll become very fast when i hit 40
Unfortunately , the arrows of entropy only go in a single river flow
my coach said “ you people are not very athletic “ but you don’t quit and have da $$$$
megamind
Legend
i would like to see u become the hulk hogan of ufc
