Add strength training to your arsenal. This is an excerpt from 'Getting the Balance Right' by Sarah Brown. That problem is controlling the ball. Every video is interesting! I didn’t know tension cause a lot of problem. Easier said than done – but important to keep in mind so you can work on that in the long term. Incidentally I have seen a video of a young Roger Federer standing on a Bosu ball hitting volleys. According to Caroline DeGroot, a physical therapist and the vestibular program manager at Athletico Physical Therapy, balance is an important aspect in carrying out both simple and complex movements. This tension causes a lot of problems when you play: First, it prevents smooth movement and soft deceleration when you’re setting up for the shot. Work on joint sense (proprioception). Interviews. You cannot control this response; put yourself in a position at primary ‘risk’ (unbalanced head) and the higher level secondary task goals are diminished (bad lunging backhand)…, Oh – and another picture for this yin/yang being: think of a duck on water; appears top, calm, cool – nonchalant above; but below, webbed feet whirling about a mile a minute stabilizing everything…. We need essential fats as an energy source and to help correct the inflammatory balance in the body. Polls on this site have also confirmed that speed and agility are considered the most important for success in tennis. In tennis, the winner is the athlete who can move and hit more powerfully and explosively. You … That’s why we must not get into this off-balance position in the first place so that mind / body don’t tense up any part of the body which would prevent a smooth movement and a smooth stroke. And thanks, another good mental image for being in balance and having the legs do the hard work – the duck! First, a tennis racquet is placed on the center of the balance board so that it rests on the balance bar with the … Finally, when we lean, we change the racquet angle. (Click on the image to see the video on YouTube.). If you watch carefully, you will see that he maintains the upper body “tilt” even when he prepares for his shots – and from this side we can see that best when he prepares for his backhands. Because they are too upright, they are “thrown” in the direction of their movement and need a long time to recover. If we’re not used to that, it will feel at first that the legs do really hard work. "Ideally you want your upper body to remain rather straight, your head very still, and then you rotate around this axis which does not move." Nike is the title sponsor of the camps and has no control over the operation of the camps or the acts or omissions of US Sports Camps. Best regards. 😉. Being balanced while playing tennis is extremely important as only then can we swing smoothly and control the ball well. Tomas. I believe it helps but somehow being “less” low and more in balance (as Fognini does for example) makes me more relaxed and effective… Even though I probably still have to get this better…. You can try to feel that right now at home: stand up straight and check how you feel in your legs. One common mistake is to actually be moving your body back to the middle while hitting, before the shot is actually finished. How can I get into position faster, or sooner? Thank you Tomaz for another great tip. On the one hand speed economy improvements assure that minimal excess energy is expended (wasted) to perform the athletic movement and on the other hand agility improvements allow the athlete to change direction more effectively. June 12, 2012:  Nike Tennis Camps sits down with Jay Lapidus, former head men's tennis coach at Duke University to discuss the importance of balance while hitting the ball. The Spanish believe if your feet are always in the right position, you can play almost any shot. I wonder if the opposite holds true too? Hand eye coordination and balance is very important in the game of tennis. Aerobic Endurance is important not only in Tennis but to all the other kinds of sports as well. Makes so much sense. In order to hit a good shot, you must maintain your center of gravity through contacting the ball. The technique for entering a state of dynamic balance is simple but counterintuitive and strict. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You will feel tension arise in your legs. Then, when you rally with your partner, pay attention to determine if that feeling of tension in your legs that signals being off balance returns. Good question, Q, so very important to point out something: “Just get the ball back in play” tells your brain you only need to reach it. But what you show reminds me of watching Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire dance with incredible core balance while the lower parts of their bodies moved with such complex grace. Dynamic Balance is the ability to maintain your center of gravity while moving your legs and arms in many different directions. Over and over players move to a ball and hit while slightly off-balance, and never realize it - but this subtle lack of balance leads to variations in their stroke and thereby a loss of control as well as power. The legs should move quickly while the arms do little and when in place the feet stay quick while the arms move quickly. Safe landing and effective braking mechanics are founded in having sufficient ankle, knee and hip strength. A couple months ago, I did a similar experiment, but…. It is important to ensure that the server can remain stable and not over balance as this could affect how quickly and easily to move to reach to the next ball that is returned over the net. While I agree that to be smooth and not “jumpy” on the court and allow your legs to give you the strong foundation that you (and Roger) need to hit the ball on balance, but some of the time I am reacting to something the “other guy” did with the ball and I’m just trying to get the ball back in play. Great players like Roger Federer always seem to be in balance. Roger Federer maintains this posture throughout the rally. Balance boards are a popular tool for taking measurements. Visitors to this site have rated each of these factors for the sport of tennis, and the most important according to them are: speed, followed by agility and balance/coordination. Special thanks to PJ Simmons for letting me use the Federer clip! 😉. If it does, know you were not balanced. It is evident how important balance is … Upon graduation in 1981, Lapidus played professionally was ranked as high as No. In all these and oth… Recognise the importance of the fundamentals and make sure you find a way to incorporate them into your weekly trai… When my feet move well I usually enjoy my game, especially when I’m split stepping. Best regards, How To Be At Peace With Mistakes In Tennis, Tennis Illusions – Roger Federer’s Forehand Technique, The Modern Forehand Drop & Wrist Lag Techniques Comparison.