How to move faster on the court

Hi everyone,
is there any books on how to move faster on the court or dvds and is there a coach where I can improve my foot work. please help...

if you have ever watched the tennis channel, you will have likely seen some of these. http://www.tennischannel.com/omc/index.aspx

i think they're full of great tips including footwork.

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Originally Posted by tennis789

Hi everyone,
is there any books on how to move faster on the court or dvds and is there a coach where I can improve my foot work. please help...

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Perfect timing! This DVD just came out at the USPTA World Conference on September 24th and is being enthusiastically received. It directly addresses your questions, and the answers will surprise and amaze you with their efficacy:

TENNIS INTO THE FUTURE Volume II "Modern Footwork" available at www.tennisteacher.com

For an overview of the revolutionary methodology on which "Modern Footwork" is based view Volume I "The Basics", the first in the TENNIS INTO THE FUTURE SERIES.

You will also benefit from the book "Play Better Tennis In 2 Hours" which is loaded with time-tested techniques and drills, and from the Classic and Bonus Sets of DVDs by the sme author. All the above materials are currently available in a single package price, or individually.

There are hundreds of coaches worldwide certified in this method. For a complete listing and to find a coach in your area go to www.moderntenniscoches.com.

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Originally Posted by Lawn Tennis

if you have ever watched the tennis channel, you will have likely seen some of these. http://www.tennischannel.com/omc/index.aspx

i think they're full of great tips including footwork.

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Hi Lawn and thanks for the link, but I would suggest readers watch these one minute tips with caution. As many sources have pointed out, some of these tips are questionable and even downright incorrect or dangerous. The wrist snap serve tip in particular has received much cricitism. Others suggest that you should tie your legs down, prepare early, hit out toward the target and other ideas that can actually be injurious let alone detrimental to one's playing ability. One suggestion has been that more thorough investigation than a one minute tip is necessary to keep from confusing people...a well-known coach wrote on his own forum earlier this year,"the sport is complex and you need more than a minute to really understand any of the many many complex issues.". However, the same writer then stated "I think it's less the length of the information than the quality. A while back we did a bunch of one minute clinics for tc using our high speed footage and I think they were pretty good".

For some short video tips (and more complee written data as well) go to the link below for the source that influenced millions of players and coaches throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America in the '90's Fortunately, these tips, which are the foundation for much of the way the top pros play today are finally catching on in the US:
http://www.tennisteacher.com/members/book/Chapter7.html

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Originally Posted by tennis789

Hi everyone,
is there any books on how to move faster on the court or dvds and is there a coach where I can improve my foot work. please help...

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My opinion? Don't bother with books or DVD's. You will read and watch them once and then they will be collecting dust forever. Sitting on your butt reading or watching a DVD doesn't get the job done. Save your money for some new shoes.

There's tons of free instruction on the internet. Google it.

I do lots of drills on my own when the courts are not in use. I do both speed drills and footwork drills. A half hour of me doing drills is better than five sets of singles.

Here's a couple that I do. They may or may not be good for you.

A good speed and endurance drill: From the doubles alley baseline, and with your racket held out in front, run to the net and touch it with you racket, then sidestep along the length of the net to the opposite doubles line, touch the net and then back-step along the doubles line to the baseline and then sidestep along the baseline back to your starting point. Then without stopping, do another lap. You should be facing the net at all times. Your racket should be out in front at all times. Do the laps as fast as you can but make sure, and this is important, that your movements are controlled and purposeful. I always use a stopwatch to time myself. When I do my third and fourth laps I try to improve on my first two laps. It's important to compete against yourself in order to progress. Do at least 15 laps broken up into as many segments as you want. Do this regularly and you will definitely see speed, endurance and footwork improvements.

Footwork: Place balls along the baseline in a zig-zag pattern. Facing the net, with your racket held out in front, move up and back between the balls as fast as you can making sure your movements are controlled and purposeful. Do several laps and use the stopwatch to monitor your progress.

Jump rope. All great athletes in all sports do it (maybe not golf and bowling) so it must work.

Bottom line is, don't spend any money when you can use your imagination to create all kinds of drills. Work hard, train often and push yourself to do better each time and you will be surprised how quickly your on court movement will improve.

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Originally Posted by desertgeezer

My opinion? Don't bother with books or DVD's. You will read and watch them once and then they will be collecting dust forever. Sitting on your butt reading or watching a DVD doesn't get the job done. Save your money for some new shoes.

There's tons of free instruction on the internet. Google it.

I do lots of drills on my own when the courts are not in use. I do both speed drills and footwork drills. A half hour of me doing drills is better than five sets of singles.

Here's a couple that I do. They may or may not be good for you.

A good speed and endurance drill: From the doubles alley baseline, and with your racket held out in front, run to the net and touch it with you racket, then sidestep along the length of the net to the opposite doubles line, touch the net and then back-step along the doubles line to the baseline and then sidestep along the baseline back to your starting point. Then without stopping, do another lap. You should be facing the net at all times. Your racket should be out in front at all times. Do the laps as fast as you can but make sure, and this is important, that your movements are controlled and purposeful. I always use a stopwatch to time myself. When I do my third and fourth laps I try to improve on my first two laps. It's important to compete against yourself in order to progress. Do at least 15 laps broken up into as many segments as you want. Do this regularly and you will definitely see speed, endurance and footwork improvements.

Footwork: Place balls along the baseline in a zig-zag pattern. Facing the net, with your racket held out in front, move up and back between the balls as fast as you can making sure your movements are controlled and purposeful. Do several laps and use the stopwatch to monitor your progress.

Jump rope. All great athletes in all sports do it (maybe not golf and bowling) so it must work.

Bottom line is, don't spend any money when you can use your imagination to create all kinds of drills. Work hard, train often and push yourself to do better each time and you will be surprised how quickly your on court movement will improve.

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I have to disaagree wtih you about dvds and books collecting dust. I have watched my tennis instructional dvds hundreds of times, finding something new and interesting every time, and I take those things out on the court with me. I also jump rope, run laps, tap the net and side step, work out in the gym, on the racketball court, the pool, bicycle, play ping pong, rollerblade, show ski and many other activities that are good for speed, agility, endurance and conditioning. But if I imposed those activities that you mention (an obvious self-motivator) my tennis students would quit paying me as a coach. I make my lessons a creative, educational, healthful and most of all fun experience. People don't pay me to tell them to jump rope. They pay me to demonstrate the techniques developed by one of the world's leading tennis teaching authorities to help them play better tennis and enjoy doing it. I guarantee that te book and DVDs available at www.tennisteacher.com will get repeated use and are worth every penny. Many devotees mention that they still have (and use) the original videotape versions of our instructional materials. The original 1989 version of our book is no longer in print but well-worn copies, although rare, fetch a high price at acution, and the current edition is a bargain at $18.95 at all major bookstores. So, play tag with the net, skip rope, but grab a friend and try out the book and DVD drills as well! PS - In my previous post I gave the link to FREE book and video clips as well. Enjoy!

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Originally Posted by Tennis Angel

Hi Lawn and thanks for the link, but I would suggest readers watch these one minute tips with caution. As many sources have pointed out, some of these tips are questionable and even downright incorrect or dangerous. The wrist snap serve tip in particular has received much cricitism. Others suggest that you should tie your legs down, prepare early, hit out toward the target and other ideas that can actually be injurious let alone detrimental to one's playing ability. One suggestion has been that more thorough investigation than a one minute tip is necessary to keep from confusing people...a well-known coach wrote on his own forum earlier this year,"the sport is complex and you need more than a minute to really understand any of the many many complex issues.". However, the same writer then stated "I think it's less the length of the information than the quality. A while back we did a bunch of one minute clinics for tc using our high speed footage and I think they were pretty good".

For some short video tips (and more complee written data as well) go to the link below for the source that influenced millions of players and coaches throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America in the '90's Fortunately, these tips, which are the foundation for much of the way the top pros play today are finally catching on in the US:
http://www.tennisteacher.com/members/book/Chapter7.html

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okay, thanks. i'll check it out.

I don't know what exactly jump rope would imply here. I have been told to skip as much as possible. One another thing I learnt is shadow as distinguished from Shadow Tennis but you require a partner to do that. You can request somebody who is quick enough to move around the court and you follow him in a synchronised movement. This improves agility and mental alertness. That apart, hopping one foot at a time between shots after hitting the ball and the split step when the other guy hits the ball are helpful.

In doubles one has to train oneself for fast lateral(sideways) movement with the player when both are on the net apart from the obvious one of moving towards the other side when one player goes to one side.

Movement is one aspect of tennis that is underrated. If one is in the right place at the right time, it places so much pressure on the opponent. One pro whom I believe wins many points from simply being in the right part of the court is Andy Murray. He proves the commentators wrong when they say stuff like "he guessed the right side". Those kind of comments give movement an unskilled rep.