Every sport whether indoor or outdoor involves foot movement but tennis is a sport that involves extensive foot movement and if a person who is new to tennis does not work well with the court movements, he/she will never be able to play at the professional level. This is the reason every tennis coaching in Dubai works extensively on foot movements from the very basic level itself so that the movements are imbibed from an early age and become natural to the player in future. From beginners to professionals, there comes a time when the player struggles with the footwork and finds it difficult to cover all corners of the court. There are few key points which must be worked upon to improve footwork in tennis and we will discuss those in this article.
1) Posture
Players who adopt good posture may move from a solid base, have greater tennis balance, and keep control of their stroke. The majority of players are aware of what the “Ready position” is, but what happens next requires them to move, turn, or halt. This principle focuses on developing posture through movement and maintaining stance when striking. This is the point where most players find themselves stuck but a good coach can definitely improve it with court drills
2) Coordination
Tennis players frequently lack enough coordination training. Enhancing the neuromuscular system’s connectivity in children is essential for developing hand-eye/foot-eye coordination, ball tracking, and movement response time (reaction). The capacity of a player to make preparations or adjustments is one area where it could be the most advantageous if worked properly. Players frequently take either sluggish, tiny steps or big, powerful steps. To be in the ideal position to make contact with the ball, one must be able to move with tiny, controlled steps while maintaining a broad base. By improving fundamentals, this coordination could be improved a lot
3) Stopping oneself
The aspect of on-court fitness that is most under-trained is definitely this concept. There are several drills that are aimed at helping people move more quickly since everyone wants to. However, being able to halt quickly and absorb load via the appropriate chain (joints and muscles) is essential in many aspects, including injury prevention, improved positioning for ball contact, balance, and creating a solid foundation for transitions. The number of injuries that players can sustain can be decreased by strengthening this area. Improving on deceleration could do wonders for the player on the tennis court so make sure that your coach works on it.
4) Improving Reaction
It has been noted that when a player’s reaction speed increases, so does his anticipation. This is because highly reactive and coordinated players are able to focus on things other than the ball, improve their ability to interpret body language, and seem to have more time overall (think being in the moment and everything seems like slow motion). To increase a player’s response speed, it may be quite beneficial to push reactive training beyond what they are capable of.
5) Agility
Tennis agility training and direction change are extremely important skills to improve footwork. When you move in a sequence where you are aware of what you are doing and where you are going, you are said to be changing directions. Agility is more reaction-based movement; it incorporates information. Coaches concentrate on certain movement sequences and methods by using change of direction exercises. Tennis agility workouts are used to concentrate on precise movement on the court and competitive play. Using their chosen locations as focal points, coaches may then urge players to move using this method.
India
