Tennis Training Theme #2 – Depth and Direction

Objective

With specific purposeful training and match play application, master the ability to control and vary depth and direction for all strokes including the serve, groundstrokes, volleys and overhead. Demonstrate the ability to control and vary depth and direction to execute patterns for both singles and doubles.

Manage the factors influencing depth and directional control – swing path and speed, angle of racquet at point of contact, launch angle, initial ball velocity off the racquet, net clearance, spin, drag (air resistance), climatic conditions (wind, humidity, air temperature and air pressure), quality of tennis balls and gravity. Learn how to make adjustments as playing conditions and situations change.
Develop the ability to hit identified targets and target zones (both short and deep) particularly the two deep corner and two short angle targets for the groundstrokes and volleys and the three identified targets for the serve (middle T, at the body and out wide). Work on maintaining depth in an extended rally. Acquire the skill to hit consistently within 18 feet from the baseline (past the service line) and then incrementally within nine, six and three feet from the baseline.
Develop the ability to hit identified cross-court and down-the-line patterns. Establish and maintain with control of depth and direction (and other variables such as net clearance, trajectory, pace and spin) a groundstroke crosscourt exchange with your outside stroke (forehand and backhand sides). Establish and maintain with control of the same variables with your inside stroke (inside/out). Establish and maintain with control of the same variables a down-the-line groundstroke exchange with your outside stroke (forehand and backhand sides). Establish and maintain with control of same variables a down-the-line groundstroke exchange with inside stroke (inside/in). Accomplish the same objectives with crosscourt and down-the-line groundstroke to volley and volley to volley exchanges. Follow a cross-court exchange with redirection down-the-line. Follow a down-the-line exchange with a cross-court angle redirection. Establish and maintain with control of variables an extended cross-court down-the-line exchange. Execute short and deep patterns (such as drop shot/lob and deep to the corner/short angle to the opposite side patterns). Establish consistency for all patterns through repetition. Increase difficulty by upping the tempo, pace and spin.
Learn how to hit with consistency by using spin to establish margin, hitting with high net clearance and depth, hitting to the middle two-thirds of the court, and maintaining the direction of the ball. Demonstrate a high shot tolerance (willingness to hit as many shots as required to win the point) in working through rally patterns of 9⁺ shots. The goal is to wear down your opponent through attrition (while also being opportunistic when provided with an opportunity to attack).
Learn how to hit with controlled aggression by control of depth and direction and execution of directional patterns. Controlled aggression requires hitting with acceleration and length, hitting with heavy spin as necessary for margin, hitting to big primarily cross-court targets and hitting over the middle of the net. It requires maintaining the direction of the ball until presented with the right opportunity to change direction and when given the right opportunity to change direction, attacking with conviction by hitting through the court with pace. Controlled aggression requires taking the ball early from a position on or inside the baseline to take time away from your opponent. It requires recognition of when and how to close into the net to finish the point with a volley or overhead. It requires working the point with a high shot tolerance. It requires looking to maintain advantage by systematic, sustained pressure rather than looking to win each point with an outright winner.
Work on hitting the three service targets with a high percentage of success. Execute first-strike patterns for serves hit out wide, serves hit at the body and serves hit down the middle T with the second shot following the serve hit to one of four target zones either to the open court (as created by the serve) or behind the serve returner.
Work to first neutralize the server with the serve return and then learn how to use the serve return to gain positional advantage and force your opponent(s) into a weak reply. Work on hitting your targets with the return and subsequent shots and shot patterns following the return. Develop confidence in returning serves from different return positions. Learn how to use this ability to vary your return position to disrupt and alter the sightline and timing of the server.
Learn how to vary depth and direction to disrupt the timing of your opponent by placing the ball outside the strike zone of your opponent, not allowing your opponent to establish a consistent rhythm and making it difficult for your opponent to get to the ball and judge where and how to take the bounce.
Learn how to respond to balls hit short and deep, capitalizing by attacking balls hit short and defending to establish or reestablish court position in response to balls hit deep. Develop the ability to effectively respond to balls hit to different targets on the court and from different directional paths and angles. Work on countering specific patterns and well-placed shots. Work on hitting and recovering out of the corners. Dig out balls hit short. Move and kick back to intercept deep lobs out of the air with overheads or track, run down and return lobs on the bounce. Drive back to return deep, penetrating balls hit with heavy topspin. Recognize best shot options based on court position and your position in relation to the ball. Develop a situational awareness of best shot options when taking the ball in, above or below your strike zone. Learn best shot options when you are in a strong position to hit the ball with ideal spacing and alternatively when your spacing is compromised and you are not in an ideal hitting position, Develop the knowledge of what shot options you have when taking the ball on the rise and when taking the ball as it is dropping? Learn when to take the ball before the bounce with a volley or overhead and when to take to the ball after the bounce. For all these situations, recognize how your response changes when hitting from the backcourt, mid court or forecourt, hitting from an advantageous or disadvantageous court position and/or hitting on different playing surfaces.
Develop control over depth, direction and directional patterns with repetition in practice. Demonstrate control in practice with execution of progressively more difficult and complex shot and shot response requirements and patterns. Play point situations with defined pattern and shot requirements to further establish ability to control all required variables. Develop skill by playing matches versus opponents with different styles, strengths and weaknesses. Test skill, control, ability to make adjustments, and resiliency under pressure by playing competitive events.

Tennis Training Theme Series

I have identified some basic themes for tennis training beginning with an overview of the things you need to work on to master control over net clearance, trajectory and bounce. The training themes focus on the things you can control with the ball such as spin, pace, direction, trajectory, net clearance, your position in relation to the ball and your position on the court. There will be overlaps in terms of things covered with each theme which is understandable since factors such as spin, pace and trajectory work in conjunction with each other. The training themes will in simple terms look at the two basic things you need to do to effectively “work the point” to your advantage. One, each theme will review the different things you need to do with the ball to dictate, and control play and to disrupt the rhythm of your opponent. Two, each theme will review the things you must be able to do to counter and exploit the different things your opponent may be able to do with the ball in response.

Tennis Training Theme #1 – Net Clearance, Trajectory and Bounce

Objective

With specific purposeful training and match play application, master the ability to control and vary net clearance (height over the net) and trajectory (flight path, vertical and horizontal movement and arc of the ball) for all strokes including the serve, groundstrokes, volleys and overhead. Demonstrate the ability to control and vary net clearance and trajectory to execute patterns for both singles and doubles.

Manage the factors influencing trajectory and clearance – swing path and speed, angle of racquet at point of contact, launch angle, initial ball velocity off the racquet, spin, drag (air resistance), climatic conditions (wind, humidity, air temperature and air pressure), quality of tennis balls and gravity. Learn how to adjust as playing conditions and situations change.
Learn how to vary net clearance and trajectory (as well as spin and pace) to effectuate the angle of incidence in which the ball strikes the court and the height and projection of the bounce. Get the ball to sit up and not carry into the court. Get the ball to bounce up with forward projection above the strike zone of your opponent. Get the ball to stay low requiring an opponent to take the ball below the strike zone. Get the ball to bounce horizontally in a left or right direction to potentially jam or stretch an opponent into difficult spacing. Get the ball to drive through the court with pace. Learn how and when to vary the path and height of the bounce, how to disguise your intent and how to make adjustments for different playing surfaces.
Judge and control the depth of your shots (short and deep) and your ability to hit specific targets using net clearance as your primary target reference and then managing spin, pace and the other variables influencing ball flight and direction for margin. Develop the ability to not only pinpoint the location and depth of your shots but also the ability to create the appropriate trajectory, spin and pace to make it difficult for your opponent to defend. As an example, demonstrate the ability to place the ball at the feet of your opponent (when your opponent is positioned inside the baseline) with a trajectory, spin and pace that affords your opponent little opportunity to adjust either forward, back, left or right in response.
Develop the ability to execute an offensive lob over the extended reach of your opponent. Disguise your intent and utilize a low margin of clearance and spin to make the lob difficult first, to recognize and then second, to run down and return. Also learn how to hit a defensive lob with sufficient height to recover, buy time and extend the rally.
Learn how to create sharp angles such as with slice serves hit out wide and cross court angled passing shots. Learn how to get the ball to curve back into the court, as required in executing a down-the-line passing shot with only a narrow window by which to clear the extended reach of your opponent.
Learn how to utilize and vary net clearance and trajectory to disrupt the timing of your opponent by slowing or increasing the pace of the rally, placing the ball outside the strike zone of your opponent, not allowing your opponent to establish a consistent rhythm and making it difficult for your opponent to judge where and how to take the bounce.
Learn how to raise the height and arc of the ball to recover when hitting from a difficult court position and how to lower net clearance and flatten the arc of trajectory to attack and drive through the court when hitting from an ideal court position and body position in relation to the ball and bounce.
Learn how to match the height and trajectory of incoming balls and how to change the height and trajectory of incoming balls.
Develop the ability to effectively respond to balls hit with different flight trajectories and clearances over the net and the subsequent variations in bounce and projection. Recognize best shot options based on court position and your position in relation to the ball. Develop a situational awareness of best shot options when taking the ball in, above or below your strike zone. Learn best shot options when you are in a strong position to hit the ball with ideal spacing and alternatively when your spacing is compromised and you are not in an ideal hitting position, Develop the knowledge of what shot options you have when taking the ball on the rise and when taking the ball as it is dropping? Learn under what circumstances and situations it is best to take the ball before the bounce with a volley or overhead and under what circumstances it is best to take to the ball after the bounce. For all these situations, recognize how your response changes when hitting from the backcourt, mid court or forecourt, hitting from an advantageous or disadvantageous court position and/or hitting on different playing surfaces.
Develop control over net clearance, trajectory and the subsequent play on the ball following the bounce with repeated success of specific shots, shot sequences and patterns. Demonstrate control in practice with execution of progressively more difficult and complex shot and shot response requirements and patterns. Play point situations with defined pattern and shot requirements to further establish ability to control all required variables. Develop skill by playing matches versus opponents with different styles, strengths and weaknesses. Test skill, control, ability to make adjustments, and resiliency under pressure by playing competitive events.

Benefits of Yoga for Tennis

Having recently received certification to teach Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga, I have grown to appreciate the benefits of Yoga to benefit tennis performance not just on the court but in preparation prior to going on the court and in reflection and analysis following play.

Yoga through mindful movement, challenging alignment asanas or poses and breathwork enhances the mind-body connection (or awareness and control of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations). It improves proprioception (body awareness in movement) and interoception (awareness of internal bodily sensations). This combined benefit leads to better on-court presence and awareness of factors governing play and outcome (including your strengths and weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, environmental playing conditions, etc.).
Pranayama, the controlled intake and outflow of breath has a particular advantage for tennis players. Through pranayama, players can learn to control and slow down breathing during recovery between points and changeovers to lower heart rate, calm the nervous system and clear and focus the mind in preparation for the next point. Yoga exercises to better master control breathing and breathing patterns include Ujjayi, Three-Part and Alternate Nostril breathing. Ujjayi breathing begins with a big inhale through the nostrils and a gentle constriction of the throat. Feel the breath move through the throat. Exhale through the mouth with a quiet audible sigh or “ah”. Three-Part breathing begins with a big inhale in through the nose to fill up first your belly first with air, then the ribcage, and finally the chest. Pause and hold the breath for a second or two longer. Then exhale out through the nose, allowing the air to release down from your chest first, then the ribcage, and finally the belly. For Alternate Nostril breathing, alternately close off one nostril at a time with your thumb for 5 – 10 cycles.
Though not a substitute for strength training with resistance and progressive overload, Yoga can serve as a complimentary mode of exercise to improve foundational strength and stability for tennis. The Yoga process of establishing and holding a pose with alignment and balance and the Yoga process of transitioning through a sequence of progressively more exacting and demanding poses improves both structural integrity, the synergistic capacity of musculoskeletal chains to operate in balance for effective force transfer and movement efficiency and structural tolerance, the ability to resist fatigue, maintain form and technique and sustain ground-force based power through the duration of a long and physically demanding match or a series of successive tournament matches.
Yoga can be used to strengthen and stabilize all the major muscle groups. Specifically for tennis, Yoga can be used to stabilize and strengthen the shoulder and the glide and ball-and-socket functions of the shoulder. One sequence of asanas or poses to stabilize and strengthen the shoulders that I work with begins with a Standing Mountain Pose (with Arms Extended) followed by a Standing Forward Fold and then progressing in sequence to a Plank Pose, Side Plank, back to a Plank Pose, Half Plank (Chaturanga), Upward Facing Dog, Downward Facing Dog and then repeat plank, side plank (left side/right side), plank, half plank, upward facing dog, downward facing dog poses for several rotations before walking it back up to a standing forward fold and standing mountain pose with arms extended. Vertical-based Yoga poses and sequences offer specific advantages for tennis by improving ground force reaction and drive, multidirectional movement, length with the groundstrokes and reach (the ability to respond to balls outside your strike zone with strength and stability). One vertical-based sequence with applications for tennis includes Warrior I, Warrior II, Warrior III, Humble Warrior asanas intermixed with Half Moon, Extended Side Angle, Star and Standing Wide-Angle Forward Fold asanas. These more tennis-specific sequences can be varied by how long you hold each pose (which in Yoga is often defined by the number of breaths with each breath lasting 6 – 8 seconds). You can hold all or some of the poses for a longer number of breaths (3, 4, 5 or more breaths) or you can work through each pose in more of a Vinyasa flow with each pose held for 1 – 2 breaths.
Similarly, Yoga can serve to improve both static and dynamic balance, postural alignment and the ability to maintain an optimal center of gravity and support throughout all phases of stroke production and movement. Yoga helps to identify and address body misalignments, develops core strength and improves flexibility through a full range of motion, all essential to maintaining a neutral spine and ideal performance-based balance and posture. Standing, balance and posture poses begin with a ground up Pada Bandha focus. Pada Bandha is based on establishing a solid foundation with your feet. To achieve this Bandha, spread your toes and press down evenly through the ball and heel of the feet. This movement allows the inner arches of the feet to naturally lift. It also balances your body weight in your legs, feet, and ankles. To establish a solid foundation and alignment, Yoga next emphasizes the importance of engaging the core muscles and drawing the shoulders down away from the ears. Standing, balance-based asanas include Mountain, Warrior I, Warrior II, Warrior III, Goddess, Pyramid, Eagle, High Lunge, Triangle. Half Moon, Tree and Chair.
The Hatha Yoga process of slowly and deliberately getting into and holding a pose through a full range of motion and the Vinyasa Yoga process of flowing and transitioning through a sequence of poses can lead to tremendous gains in flexibility. With a regular commitment to Yoga, muscle spindles, connective tissues (ligaments, tendons and fascia) and skeleton geometry adapt and respond to greater demands for length and become more elastic and flexible. For tennis, greater flexibility means fewer injuries (or less chance of getting injured) and facilitates faster recovery after a demanding match or series of tournament matches. It improves efficiency in movement, dynamic balance and court coverage (most notably when stretched wide to dig balls out of the corners and when pressed forward to reach a drop shot or short angled shot).
Yoga meditation can teach players how to quiet the mind, calm the central nervous system, release emotional and energetic blockages in the body, increase self-awareness and control emotions. These same practices can be applied to visually experience point construction, stroke execution and your response to different playing scenarios and situations with mental rehearsal and purposeful imagery. The first step for meditation is to find a comfortable, aligned (upright and straight spine) seated position on a floor or mat. You can use blocks, blanket or bolster to take stress off your joints (as necessary). Initially the focus should be on breathing to quiet your mind, lower your heart rate and block out all external stimuli to achieve inner peace and better self-awareness before venturing into purposeful imagery. There are techniques to assist in the process of meditation. There is a “One Breath” technique where the focus is solely one breath at a time (each inhale and exhale). You can use a Mantra (repeating a sacred word, phrase or sound). There is a simple “Counting” technique where you count each inhale and exhale. You can focus on each of the Chakras (the seven identified energy centers throughout your body). There is a “Mala” technique where you move beads through your fingertips and a “Light” technique where you visualize light descending and expanding into your body. There are also Mudra hand and finger gestures and positions to stimulate different emotions and energy centers.
Yoga and the regular practice of performing challenging and demanding poses builds self-discipline and mental fortitude. The concept of Tapas (or discipline) is one of the ethical standards inherent in Yoga. Working through discomfort, persevering without distraction, and accepting pain as a potential byproduct when pushing through limitations are some of the tenets of a Tapas-oriented approach to Yoga. The self-discipline developed by Yoga translates to better composure, shot tolerance and resiliency on and off the court.
The mindful, deliberate and purposeful practice of Yoga with attention to form, precision and detail in movement and positioning serves as a model for how to approach training for tennis. It reinforces the need to be thorough, deliberate and specific in practice. It also reinforces the importance of technique and efficiency in movement and stroke execution.
In conclusion, Yoga is a beneficial tool for improving tennis performance. It builds strength and stability. It improves balance, posture, and body awareness. It helps to improve focus, concentration, and resiliency. It can help to reduce injury. It also has a spiritual component which for many people is transformative. Most importantly, it is engaging and fun. There are many opportunities to experience Yoga for all levels of ability with online and solo sessions plus group in-person classes which offer a fun, social and community connection.