Don’t you hate it when you’re loading up to hit a great shot (…from the baseline or a finishing shot up at net) and you drill the ball right into the net – Or worse whiff it altogether? 
We’ve all done that at least a few times. So, we all know how bad and annoying it feels. Right? Oh yea, there is almost nothing worse haha.
Well, the problem is your contact. And, if this has happened to you recently (…or keeps happening), don’t worry. The simple drill below can help you fix it to make sure you have great contact each and every time. (see below)
Grab and Strike:
Positioning: The player is positioned slightly behind the baseline, alert and in the ready position. That means there’s a slight bend in the knees, and the racket is held up by the chest, tilted outward towards the court. This does NOT mean swaying back and forth down by your ankles like I see a lot of players doing these days. If you do that, you’ll be late.
Footwork: You should be on the balls of your feet; shuffling quickly from side to side so you’re ready explode. NOT FLAT-FOOTED. If you’re not moving, you’re losing. Remember that.
Coach’s Job: The coach will be standing about 3 to 4 feet in front of the player but off the right side. The coach will feed the ball (…softly and with the palm facing up). You’re not launching a fast ball like you’re Kershaw, starting pitcher for the LA Dodgers.
You want it soft and gentle so the player participating in the drill will have easy access and won’t get a bruise just from trying to get better 8-) .
WARNING: YOU’RE NOT USING THE RACKET HERE COACH. YOU’RE TOO CLOSE FOR THAT. USE YOUR HANDS. NO INJURIES HAHA. NOT TODAY!
The ball will bounce once and when it rises, it’ll be directly in what would normally be the player’s strike zone. The player is going to step up with their front foot, grab the ball with his/her free hand, and then immediately swing with a full follow through with the racket as if he/she was hitting the actual shot in a real match.
Background On Bad Contact: One of the major reasons why you end up hitting the ball somewhat off target is because you’re reaching. Why? You end up reaching for the ball because your mind and body get lazy (…fatigued or otherwise) and ultimately “lunge” outward with that big first step, and leave that back foot behind, by itself on an island. That messes up your base, leaving you way off center. Then, what happens? Exactly. You lean in too far forward – heavily compromising your technique and your form.
That being said, you want to be sure to follow it up with the back foot. If you do that, you’re going to notice a world of difference on your shots. You repeat this tennis drill over and over again until there are no more balls in the basket.
And get this, it works even better when you’re tired. Because when you’re tired, that’s when your timing and contact is skewed the most. This could be just the reinforcement your mind and body need to get the win.
This drill is great for three main reasons, it…
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1. Improves your positioning The biggest mistake I see players make is that they stop too short. They end up waiting for the ball to come “TO” them instead of going to get it! 2. Gets your contact point locked in: When you’re forced to grab the ball with your off hand, it tells your brain and your feet to come in closer and that will help produce much better contact. That way, you’re not lunging and catching the ball too high on the racket face. That keeps you from coming down too far on top of the ball and sending it to the bottom of the net. 3. Strengthens your footwork. It helps you calculate the right amount of steps you need to take to get a good crack and follow through and of course obtain great timing when you make your strike. NOTE: If you don’t take enough steps, you lunge and reach. If you take a half step too many, you’ve just overran it . This drill will help you get it just right. |
Have a great day and an even BETTER game!
Take care,
Brian
