Sliding/Skidding on hardcourt

[Undrayon]

I've always had a problem with sliding across the court, I thought it was my shoes so I bought a pair with better traction but now I litterally skid (as in my foot hits the ground, comes off a bit, hits again, comes off, etc). Obviously, you practice things like quick direction changes when you do things like line drills so I tried just pushing my foot down harder but I have to push it down so hard its kinda ridiculous.

Any thoughts?

(btw, it only does this on my forehand. Either both feet slide or my right (outside) foot skids. My left foot always slides.)

Edit: My first thread so sorry for the lack of order, this all happens when I sprint for a wide forehand

 

[Bodacious DVT]

you're probably taking too big of steps. take big steps to get to the ball, but take little adjustment steps when you actually get there.

 

[Undrayon]

Wow! Thanks for the quick reply. I see what you're saying, but my steps are actually quite small. (I know because I came to tennis from playing 10 years of basketball and people were horrified at my giant steps. I quickly changed them)

 

[dave333]

Are they tennis shoes? That or you footwork has some probs

 

[Undrayon]

Yes, they are tennis shoes. I am currently ranked as a champ in Texas (I don't say this to brag, heck, champ isn't even that impressive...I say it to show I have fundamentals). In fact, I am told my footwork is very clean.

I may have been misleading when I said this happens alot. I meant it happens alot when I am forced to spring for a wide forehand.

Perhaps it is the result of me not slowing down soon enough? I.e. trying to stop a dead spring in a single step

Btw, obviously something is wrong with my footwork. In no way am I saying there isn't. I was just saying I know basic footwork and for some reason this shot messes me up.

 

[Bodacious DVT]

i actually do this on purpose sometimes. so did kim clijsters. its called a squash shot. you get pulled off wide on your FH, switch to a continental grip, and hack down at the ball while completely stretched out and sliding.

except i dont think thats what you're going for. how far do you slide? when you stop, are you flatfooted? my shoes skid sometimes because they have plastic on the side of the shoes.

 

[dave333]

Maybe practicing can help: Do various (lateral, forwards, backwards) suicides on a tennis court and find a way not to slide?

 

[Teh_pwnerer]

i cant freaken slide on HCs how do u slide on hcss?

 

[Undrayon]

That's the odd part, I do fine on suicides.

I don't slide far, maybe 3 inches? Sliding isn't anywhere near as annoying as skidding because that throws off my rhythm.

I guess I'll do more suicides and just practice on trying to copy the feel of when I stop some more.

 

[counterfeit25]

I don't understand what's so bad about sliding on hard courts? I slide on hard courts too, not intentionally, and it seems to work fine. If I remember right, Djokovic, Nadal, and James Blake slide on hard courts for their running wide forehands, don't they?

 

[Bagumbawalla]

How much do you weigh? If you are light and fast and the surface is a bit slick or dusty and your weight is evenly divided between feet, then you may simply not have enough traction.

I would continue to search for a very soft soled shoe. I have had good luck with the Wilson Scramjets. Not to expensive, good traction, light weight.

B

 

[topspin_17]

you really shouldnt... it does a great deal of damage to the outside of your shoes, and it makes your recovery step slower...

 

[skuludo]

Your suppose to get one foot on to the side. From there you will be burning the side of your shoe and not the sole. I guess the other foot can be flat footed.

 

[kingdaddy41788]

If you can master it (if there's one thing in tennis I've mastered, it's the hard-court-sliding-forehand) it can be really useful. You can time it so that you actually recover faster. I even do it with brand new barricades...