Would Thinking about it interfere with the actual return? I see that I naturally (without thinking) 'split step' when preparing to hit grounstrokes. So should it also happen when returning the serve?
Consciously until you do it unconsciously
better to split too early, than too late.
Split when racket starts to move upwards towards ball.
You will land right at ball contact
This is correct. Many experts do a lot of things unconsciously that are the result of earlier conscious practice.
It's a quite delicate balance. A tiny bit later than what you say, the ball is already crossing the net!You actually want to land after contact by enough time that allows you to figure out where the ball is going and therefore, where you need to go. Landing at ball contact is too early. The smaller the gap between contact and your split step when you can calculate the ball trajectory, the more efficient your split step.
It's a quite delicate balance. A tiny bit later than what you say, the ball is already crossing the net!
I'm not sure it matters whether you do it automatically or not as long as your attention is not distracted from watching the serve and anticipating what's coming
Now I wonder if waiting in the athletic bent knee position with heels off the ground could be good enough instead of split stepping on the return, if you really think about what’s the benefit of split step.I quit trying to split step on the serve not because it was too difficult, but because it really messed up my vision. I'm vision impaired as it is and the head movement associated with split stepping makes it so hard to see and read the ball. I'm far better off getting into a wide base and low COG and focusing on the ball.
Unless I'm facing a 100+ mph serve, I can get to most serves if I read it well and that makes more of a difference to my return game. If I try split stepping I frame way too many returns.
Now I wonder if waiting in the athletic bent knee position with heels off the ground could be good enough instead of split stepping on the return, if you really think about what’s the benefit of split step.
You can’t do that properly during a point as you’re not stationary.
I agree. Good enough sounds like as good as proper split step which is not correct for split stepping for groundstrokes but I thought return of serve is a little special in that you’re stationary and if you think about what you’re actually trying to achieve with split step ( to be on balls of your feet with bent knees right after the ball is hit so that you’re ready to ‘jump’ towards the ball) my point was that why not just wait/be in that position already, while the ball is being hit?"Good enough" is a different question than "what is optimal?". I think the traditional split step is optimal because A) that's what almost all high-level players do; and B) it sequences the lowering and springing into one motion. The gravity split segments the two, which I believe robs you of some of the fluidity.
Experiment; you might find that it is good enough. For most situations, I think that the extra bit of performance I get from doing the traditional split step is worth the investment of energy.
you are right if you are not the best at timing the split step it could work. Its also great if you just want to get the ball in play and play it safe. But where is the fun in that? For me at least a good split step and moving into the court can help be aggressive with the returns and if you face kickers I find it easier to take them more in the court than behind the baseline....I agree. Good enough sounds like as good as proper split step which is not correct for split stepping for groundstrokes but I thought return of serve is a little special in that you’re stationary and if you think about what you’re actually trying to achieve with split step ( to be on balls of your feet with bent knees right after the ball is hit so that you’re ready to ‘jump’ towards the ball) my point was that why not just wait/be in that position already, while the ball is being hit?
At least it can be a great option if your split timing is not that great.
Consciously until you do it unconsciously
What they saidThis is correct. Many experts do a lot of things unconsciously that are the result of earlier conscious practice.
Don’t need to wait on the balls of feet the whole time. Wait on your heels until the opponent starts upward swing at the ball, then move to the balls of your feet. ( but with bent knees the whole time)the problem with not split stepping and waiting for the serve "in the athletic position, on your toes" is it is very difficult to maintain, even for 5 seconds.
inevitably, your heels will drop back to the ground, your weight will settle back, and you will be REACTING and trying to get your weight moving forward during the few milliseconds that you have.
The higher level player you are, the more difficult a serve you will face, the more you need to split step.
Human nature plays into it too. IT is almost impossible not to go into the athletic position too soon, thereby inducing the above problem.
Don’t need to wait on the balls of feet the whole time. Wait on your heels until the opponent starts upward swing at the ball, then move to the balls of your feet. ( but with bent knees the whole time)
Two of the best returners of all time Agassi and Djokovic have a very subtle small hop, especially Agassi.
I try to split every time the opponent hits the ball. I thought return of serve is a little different since you wait initially in a stationary position. In that regard it should be easier to time the split but it’s usually not because of the speed of the ball being higher than other shots.Why try to find a short cut from what the pros do? As long as it isn't causing you physical pain then shoot for the real split step and yeah you may not get it every time but I guarantee you attempting to split every time will be more effective than not trying to.
Return of serve is rarely practiced in rec tennis, just like the overhead, hence so many suck at it badly.
Does split step really matter at and below NTRP 4.5?
All other things being equal, the split stepper at 3.5 or 4.0 will have a distinct advantage over those who do not employ such a timing action... an action that primes the muscles and takes advantage of the stretch-shortening cycle.Does split step really matter at and below NTRP 4.5?
better to split too early, than too late.
Split when racket starts to move upwards towards ball.
You will land right at ball contact
Not completely. I initiate the SS hop during the opponent's forward swing (groundstroke) or the upward swing (serve). At contact, I'm pretty close to the top of the hop and will land very shortly after contact.This is completely incorrect.
I initiate the SS hop during the opponent's forward swing (groundstroke) or the upward swing (serve). At contact, I'm pretty close to the top of the hop and will land very shortly after contact.
With this timing, I usually have a neutral two-footed landing. However, if I initiate the SS hop a split second later, I'll often land one-footed since I've already picked up the direction I'll be moving.