how to grow the habit of more adjustment steps?

T

tonygao

Rookie
in my vid you can clearly see the lack of adjustment steps, this is really frustrating.

I have been practicing with agility ladder, jumping rope etc, but when I start playing matching, I just can't find myself doing adjustment steps.

is there any particular drills or just have someone to feed me balls and constantly remind me to make small steps before hitting?
 
tonygao said:
in my vid you can clearly see the lack of adjustment steps, this is really frustrating.

I have been practicing with agility ladder, jumping rope etc, but when I start playing matching, I just can't find myself doing adjustment steps.

is there any particular drills or just have someone to feed me balls and constantly remind me to make small steps before hitting?
Click to expand...

I hope you get some good answers, but for me, it's about being focused on
working on position for a great contact point.
Not just getting close enough to strike the ball, but to work for position
to have that ball right where you like it or as close as you can.
I never think about the feet, but they do what I need to get there
on balance.
 
5263 said:
I hope you get some good answers, but for me, it's about being focused on
working on position for a great contact point.
Not just getting close enough to strike the ball, but to work for position
to have that ball right where you like it or as close as you can.
I never think about the feet, but they do what I need to get there
on balance.
Click to expand...

that makes sense. so I just do normal drills with focus on positioning and point of contact instead of my feet, right?
 
do some shuffle with the feet angled as in V. side to side, circle, and figure 8 etc. and whatever shape you want. you simply need some correct muscles strengthened before you feel light on your feet. powerful jumping up and down some repition on the ball of your feet will strengthen your feet muscle as well.
 
I forget the name, but isn't there this funky-shaped rubber ball that bounces unpredictably which athletes use to train their reaction skills? I've seen vids of it, and you definitely gotta work on footwork as you adjust to the crazy bounces. Maybe that's a good drill...
 
Incorporate the adjustment steps to, not only your regular training regimen but also, your practice hits. You have to ingrain the thought of prepping and striking the ball to more feet movement. It takes a conscious effort since you say it's not part of your norm. Give it some time. :)
 
1: Split step at opponents point of contact
2: Get into position early then the small steps should take you forward to contact point.
3: Really focus hard and be intense early with the footwork. It will give you more time.
Works for me.
 
I read a past article that in Russia (possibly a place that used to be part Russia) they put something hard in under the heel of the sole. That way the kids were forced to constantly stay on their toes.
 
I am told that pros train specifically for the first step towards the ball to be big and explosive.

And no, just having the intent to be positioned properly wrt the ball is not enough. There are efficient and inefficient ways. Go to any place where high-level players are actually being produced - and see how many specific footwork drills they do.
 
sureshs said:
And no, just having the intent to be positioned properly wrt the ball is not enough. There are efficient and inefficient ways.
Click to expand...

Notice the way this to post above is so poorly stated and contrast to mine
below-

"I hope you get some good answers, but for me, it's about being focused on
working on position for a great contact point."- 5263

See how I share with you with what works for me and my students from experience
and say it may be helpful for you, understanding that your experience may vary.
But see how even though he has no teaching experience, he wants to say
something "proven to work, isn't enough" and proceed to tell you what you
what does work. He attempts to judge something he has no experience with
and replace it with another he has little to no experience with. Interesting
mindset and hopefully that alone gives you some insight into the usefulness of
his advice.
 
^^^ I was talking about high-level players like pros based on what I read and see on Tennis Channel. They do specific footwork drills. Once they showed Sharapova doing the plyometric thing or whatever it is called - when stretched out wide, land in such a way that the recovery movement starts immediately, as if you have bounced off a wall. I don't think she won a Career Slam by just thinking where she wants to be.
 
sureshs said:
I don't think she won a Career Slam by just thinking where she wants to be.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but that is pure speculation and your opinion and is quite different than
what was suggested. Maybe the mis-info on your part is why you can't see it.
I didn't suggest to "merely think about where to be" as you say, but "it's about
being focused on working on position for a great contact point". If you can't
realize the difference in those statements, it can explain why you don't see
how it can work.
 
and by the way...look what he has already been doing-

"I have been practicing with agility ladder, jumping rope etc, but when I start playing matching, I just can't find myself doing adjustment steps."

So it's not always what you think is the stock answer, but what is he missing,
and is that a mental approach or just needing more drills?
 
The need for Adjustment steps means your not travelling efficiently. Increasing efficiently by drills (to better understand how your own body moves) and fitness (to better enable your body to move)

If you do drills to move forward and backwards, side to side, changing direction etc. your body will become more efficient at moving and as 5263 has said you will improve your positioning to strike that little round yellow ball...
 
I once saw an instructor feeding balls to a player who had to catch the ball in hand and had his elbow pinned to his side. The only way this was possible was great footwork with precise adjustment steps.
 
KenC said:
I once saw an instructor feeding balls to a player who had to catch the ball in hand and had his elbow pinned to his side. The only way this was possible was great footwork with precise adjustment steps.
Click to expand...

This is much like a drill I do to help student work on getting great position for
contact.
 
5263 said:
I hope you get some good answers, but for me, it's about being focused on
working on position for a great contact point.
Not just getting close enough to strike the ball, but to work for position
to have that ball right where you like it or as close as you can.
I never think about the feet, but they do what I need to get there
on balance.
Click to expand...

+1

10chars
 
5263 said:
This is much like a drill I do to help student work on getting great position for
contact.
Click to expand...

actually i also did this drill in the past, but just a few times and stopped.

it was a hand-fed drill, right? should I continue to do it with someone feed me off a racquet to increase the difficulty and make it more effective?
 
Cardio, diet, and weight loss. the biggest difference between me and the opponents who eat me alive is this. their footwork never disappears because they never get tired. even after five sets they still look fresh as we were just doing warm up
 
KenC said:
I once saw an instructor feeding balls to a player who had to catch the ball in hand and had his elbow pinned to his side. The only way this was possible was great footwork with precise adjustment steps.
Click to expand...

only the problem with this drill is that arms and legs don't move independently at the subconscious level. restricting an arm will restrict leg movements and practicing like that will confuse some muscle sense.

a better one would be catch the ball with the chest or pelvis allowing the limbs to move freely.
 
I found this video helpful... the first post below the video has the time stamps to the actual steps/video if you want to get right to the steps.


http://youtu.be/R5CWAwtijVI

6:34 The Walking Step

10:00 Dynamic Steps and Hopping Steps

14:00 The Cross Step

16:46 The Pivot Step

19:10 The Inside Step

20:20 The Karaoke Step
 
Tennisguy3000 said:
I found this video helpful... the first post below the video has the time stamps to the actual steps/video if you want to get right to the steps.


http://youtu.be/R5CWAwtijVI

6:34 The Walking Step

10:00 Dynamic Steps and Hopping Steps

14:00 The Cross Step

16:46 The Pivot Step

19:10 The Inside Step

20:20 The Karaoke Step
Click to expand...

I should also add that I use/used a PracticeHit tennis trainer to work on footwork & strokes in my garage/backyard in between matches & lessons to work them into my natural response (muscle memory). Here are some vids of it being used: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD_mmprJVS5pNMT6XiC5tc0vXij1tuZuC
 
Wide open stance. Sit and lift on forehand. Don't step in. This will give you eons of time before the ball actually comes.
 
tonygao said:
actually i also did this drill in the past, but just a few times and stopped.

it was a hand-fed drill, right? should I continue to do it with someone feed me off a racquet to increase the difficulty and make it more effective?
Click to expand...

yes, and switch back and forth between the catching drill trying to simulate
a great contact point and some actual hitting with the focus on timing and
contact pt. Do 5-6 catching, then 5-6 timing hits with focus on contact, and
keep repeating 3 or 4 times at the beginning of a few practices, then let us
know what you see and learn.

Switching back and forth helps you notice little things that will help you as keys
to consistent execution. It may take a couple of practices, but I expect you will
note some things that really help and part of that is how it feels.
 
Catch the ball with elbow pinned to body while maintaining proper hitting posture AND feetstance.
 
LeeD said:
Catch the ball with elbow pinned to body while maintaining proper hitting posture AND feetstance.
Click to expand...

My version is to catch with both hands, slightly outside and out front of the hip
on that side from some type of open stance with good balance if able.
Not leaning and reaching.
Using 2 hands helps to keep things a bit closer with more shoulder turn
sort of simulating right before the hand separates on the backswing.
 
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