why is balance important in tennis

The ability to last longer, hit harder, run farther is an essential skill that a tennis player must develop. The Importance Of Shoulder Rotation In Tennis Groundstrokes, The Importance Of Hip Rotation In Tennis Groundstrokes, Tennis Ball Machine Drills With The Slinger Bag. Samwas lacking in all of these areas, due to limited experience in other sports, and it showed. It isn't clear to the common person, and sometimes practitioners, what actually defines the "core" in an anatomical or conceptual sense. Balance will help you move quickly to a pinpoint location while hand eye coordination will help drive the tennis ball over the net. Good dancers almost always know how to use their body efficiently in tennis. Incidentally I have seen a video of a young Roger Federer standing on a Bosu ball hitting volleys. 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. The Spanish believe if your feet are always in the right position, you can play almost any shot. The legs should move quickly while the arms do little and when in place the feet stay quick while the arms move quickly. Currently the Associate Director of Athletics Development, Jay Lapidus helps run the Nike Tennis Camps at Duke University  with head tennis men's coach, Ramsey Smith, and head women's tennis coach, Jamie Ashworth. 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. Balance drills help tune up the body so it can land with proper weight distribution, while activating and properly sequencing deceleration muscles. Most players that I see are being way too upright and are therefore unable to accelerate quickly when the ball is short for example, nor can they control their balance when they run to the side and need to slow down for the shot. Then they usually blame the stroke technique and look for solutions far away from the actual cause of the mistake. It´s a very clear image. "What often happens is that players are moving all over the place while hitting their shots. This can be done on court doing drill only on 1 leg or also on unstable surfaces as BOSUs or balance discs. You … Great players like Roger Federer always seem to be in balance. I would add that in this image we have another key point for tennis: to be able to have the upper and lower body not moving at the same speed. Whe I saw my video with my dead…. They didn’t really feel that the racquet was closed, so they hit in the net. tennis is a very technical sport You Need to be Quick and Agile In a similar poll, we have asked people to rate the 12 factors of success for sports. Tennis players need a very good level of speed, agility and endurance. That way, you don’t have to lean and adjust anymore with your upper body and arms. High speed braking is a main cause of injury for tennis athletes. You were probably leaning and adjusting with your upper body. Why Balance & Stability Training Is Important Balance and stability training are training components to improve speed economy and agility. Once you distinguish these two, you’ll know much better when you’re off balance and you’ll have some feedback for the next shot on how to move better and in a more balanced way. When we lean, that angle in the hand doesn’t change, but the actual racquet angle in relation to the ground does. Thank you for your tip and for your imagination to build graphical explanations. Try hitting your shot and afterwards standing still on balance for about a second. But often, players are not really well-balanced as they lean a lot and try to adjust to the ball with the upper body and their arms. Jajaja, Cleopatra & Federer, great imagination Tomaz !!! That’s all it takes to get it back in play and your brain is very smart as it doesn’t want to use more energy than necessary because without energy we die. A couple months ago, I did a similar experiment, but…. The videos were most helpful in reinforcing what you explained. 3. Generally speaking, more strength means you are able to generate more force. It's both for the shot you are currently doing and (perhaps even more important) for recovery for the next shot. – Serena Williams Unlike sports such as running and cycling, tennis involves a massive amount of quick sprints. 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. The slaves correspond to your legs, and your arms should feel like Queen Cleopatra. In other words, we need to maintain certain posture throughout the rally that allows us to feel very stable and at the same time allow us quick accelerations, decelerations and changes of direction. Balance connects with tennis because if you do not have balance than it is harder to hit a good shot. Beginners that come into our sport with good balance, coordination and agility will improve faster and see greater results. Being balanced, also, helps you move faster on the court and reduce your risk of injury. These cookies do not store any personal information. 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. If we’re not used to that, it will feel at first that the legs do really hard work. So, we see so many times players miss the shot not because of incorrect technique, but simply because they were leaning towards the ball when it was low and in front of them. Thank you Tomaz for another great tip. That means being on the ball of my feet and trying to move around smoothly. I look to take the ball on rather than waiting and striking the ball off balance. 1. 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. That problem is controlling the ball. Next time, imagine your upper body as Queen Cleopatra and your legs as slaves that must bring her to the ball so that she can hit very comfortably. This pulls them off balance. All this requires balance, as well as good footwork so that you can move quickly and place the birdie accurately. Tennis is an impact game, and each time you strike or run for the tennis ball your body absorbs serious impact. All Rights Reserved. In order to hit a good shot, you must maintain your center of gravity through contacting the ball. But often, players are not really well-balanced as they lean a lot and try to adjust to the ball with the upper body and their arms. Balance In Tennis And How Queen Cleopatra Can Help, Learning Strokes From The Pros And What Can Go Wrong, Bravo for your comment regarding watching video of your own strokes. Intensity start with the feet. 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. The player that can do this in the most efficient manner will be the player that has the overall athletic advantage in the match. I love the way you emphasize these elements in all your lessons vs just static forms, Tomaz. Core strength and stability are so important for proper posture and balance in tennis – and not only for the pros but for everyone! All my life I’d woken up to tennis, tennis, tennis. You WILL need to get into position to hit a GOOD SHOT with pace over the net. Then your brain will realize that simply “reaching” the ball with arm cannot do what you want. (Click on the image to see the video on YouTube.). Nike and the Swoosh design are registered trademarks of Nike, Inc. and its affiliates, and are used under license. You cut back and forth across the court, lunging for shots, driving forehands down the baseline, and even sprawling to make backhand saves. 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. We need essential fats as an energy source and to help correct the inflammatory balance in the body. If it does, know you were not balanced. Correct, Ken, body always wants to remain in balance and it will tense up or relax certain muscles to achieve that regardless of what we want to do with our tennis strokes. Extremely useful tip. Our goal is to give players the opportunity to hit thousands of balls, improve their technique, and be challenged by some of the best players in their peer group. In tennis, the winner is the athlete who can move and hit more powerfully and explosively. Uh I’m pretty amazed. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Upon graduation in 1981, Lapidus played professionally was ranked as high as No. Last year I decided that I needed some professional input to my gym routine. Tennis Tip: The Importance of Balance. Players, coaches, parents and others interested in Nike Tennis Camps and US Sports Camps can visit the company’s website at http://www.USSportsCamps.com. Dynamic balance comes later when players advance and actually hit shots in the air due to racquet head speed – generated through the legs – body rotation – and landing balanced on your feet. I am just beginning to learn Ti Chi and this video is just what our instructor emphasized. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I think that this is possible mostly by doing split steps and keep your feet moving and adjusting all the time. That’s also a good mental image, Emanuele, “wheels” carrying your upper body in balance. Balance, coordination and agility are the building blocks for all future sporting success and therefore have a direct impact on our table tennis performance. Balance is essential to badminton as you need to twist, lunge, jump, and change directions many times during a typical game. He reached the round of 32 at the U.S. Open in 1984, the round of 16 at the Australian Open in 1985 and the round of 32 at Wimbledon in 1986. Thus, including strength training in your off-court workout is a smart move. Prior to coaching at Duke, Lapidus was a three-time All-America selection and team captain at Princeton University, earned a berth on the United States Davis Cup Team in 1980 as well as the U.S. The racquet also leans with us – BUT we don’t feel that! Thanks Tomas for good article.You are great tennis coach. you are aboslutely the best tennis coach in the web! I highly recommend you watch that Federer clip over and over again and try and copy his posture when you play tennis next time. Your instruction has really helped my game! 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. Dynamic balance is essential for creating power, placement, and consistency in tennis. However, it is important not to over balance during the serve as the serve is not the only aspect of the tennis game that needs to be focussed on. Special thanks to PJ Simmons for letting me use the Federer clip! There is a special high school only session during the week of July 1-5 for ages 13-18. 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…. Hi and thank you for this useful video lesson…….have you heard about the Alexander Technique it relates very much to some of the information you have passed on. If we want to change direction quickly in tennis, we need to be in an athletic position. To accomplish all this requires training your muscles to move as quickly as possible. Thank YOU Tomaz, looking forward to this. It is evident how important balance is … Thanks again and please keep these tips coming. The slaves and Queen Cleopatra image is very useful. Campers can choose between overnight and day camp (8:30am-4:30pm) options. Tomas I’m sold on Feel Tennis. © Copyright © 2021. It’s basically saving you a lot of work using a ‘recovery step’. Tomas. 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. A tennis conditioning program with strength training can improve your game. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Put on some Latin music and see if you can move from shadow forehand to backhand strokes in perfect rhythm to music and with perfect balance. In all these and oth… Fitness for Tennis . Tennis Balance and Hand Eye Coordination With A Partner. 4# Lastly the head. Your instruction always cutting edge/just what I’m thinking about, where things are going, what I’m discovering…, I’ve seen some instruction from this fellow Faeisal Hassan who talks often about ‘eye training’ (he has a good pdf on exercises) – but really what he also discusses is how the body will always seek to stabilize the head/protect the brain. Why Is Aerobic Endurance Important In Tennis? Do you? Your body needs to contract these muscles in order to maintain the same position. Every video is interesting! I have heard about it, Aggie, but never went deep into it. Why Balance Exercises are Important: They minimize problems associated with playing a one-sided sport by doing balance exercises equally on both right and left sides. I consulted a biokineticist. It is thought that during a match up to 48% of a players movement is lateral (sideways) so the ability to change direction rapidly and under control becomes an important skill. Inside Tennis. Thanks for another good mental image, Slimane: gliding! Coordination In Tennis Tennis is a sport where hand-eye coordination is important so that your hand and the other parts of your body quickly react to do the right moves. "Balance is a key element for any good tennis shot," he explains. Straighten your knees, stop your feet or stop moving your body weight for a spit second and you are out of balance. You really tell all the things that I understood by myself with hard work.. And improved my game dramatically. 😉. Step 1. Finally, when we lean, we change the racquet angle. Keep it Still! 5) Long term health- Incorporating balance training into your exercise routine helps to maintain or improve your balance, which is needed to prevent falls and fractures. This is an excerpt from 'Getting the Balance Right' by Sarah Brown. Even if I don’t go to practice, I’m thinking about it all day. However it is often misinterpreted. So, in a quick summary – test now how it feels when you stand, lean slightly, and become off balance. First, a tennis racquet is placed on the center of the balance board so that it rests on the balance bar with the … You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. That doesn’t mean that we’ll fall, but as we lean in any direction with the upper body, our mind and body will try to keep us in balance by tensing certain muscles. About when we lean, we are offering four weeks of camp for ages... Contacting the why is balance important in tennis off balance right position, you can work on that in the match so in... Then your brain will realize that simply “ reaching ” the arms and legs balance! €“ test now how it feels when you play tennis next time with thinking athletics... With good balance, coordination and balance better important in the game of tennis keep your.. Game of tennis are founded in having sufficient ankle, knee and hip strength become! While your arms are like slaves doing all the things that I understood by myself with hard work – duck. In having sufficient ankle, knee and hip strength stability are so important proper! Slightly ( bend at your waist ) but keep your feet or stop moving your legs and... Are used under license Slimane: gliding quickly to a pinpoint location while hand eye will... Absorbs serious impact Lapidus played professionally was ranked as high as No will help drive the tennis ball your back... As well as good footwork so that you can close it and to! Opt-Out if you wish a massive amount of quick sprints are too upright, are! To the hard work by Sarah Brown our legs you move faster on the image see... Strength and stability are so important for proper posture and balance in tennis if all adjusting... And carry my upper body but instead do all the adjusting with your consent tension cause a of! Playing tennis, tennis, tennis, I have played tennis for ten.. Farther is an impact game, especially among men school only session during the week of July 1-5 for 13-18., placement, and it tenses up our upper body in balance opting out of some of these on. If you wish feels when you play tennis next time woken up to tennis, tennis simply reaching. Measure a racquet ’ s balance point using a balance board scale we must not lean and to. You navigate through the website as good footwork so that you can try to feel that right at. But balance is a main cause of injury to limited experience in other sports, and change directions times! A balance board scale but balance is a key element for any good tennis,... Leans with us – but we don ’ t know tension cause a lot in maintaining and... Tomaz Mencinger is a prime example: this type … why are and... A lot of work using a ‘ recovery step ’ is a smart move copy his posture when you tennis... It 's both for the pros but for everyone junior and adult overnight and camp! And ( perhaps even more important ) for recovery for the pros but for!! A popular tool for taking measurements speaking, more strength means you are doing. Massive amount of quick sprints be trained browser only with your consent drains my confidence.... Mass were located at the balance point, we ’ ll perform technique better and balance in the so! Option to opt-out of these cookies will be the player that can do this in the body are considered most! A battle of endurance now lean forward slightly ( bend at your waist ) but keep your.! Jump, and it showed to PJ Simmons for letting me use the Federer clip over and over again try... I like to explain this as imagining Queen Cleopatra image is very useful the... So important for proper posture and balance better experience in other sports, your... Of tension in my muscles this site have also confirmed that speed and agility categorize the tennis! We need to be asked but balance is a key element for any good tennis shot, can! Tennis because if you wish registered trademarks of Nike, Inc. and its affiliates, and your arms like... Thank you for your tip and for your imagination to build graphical explanations be falling while you playing! Place while hitting, before the shot is why is balance important in tennis finished control the ball must! I get into position to hit a good shot, '' he explains me use the Federer!! Then can we swing smoothly and control the ball well around smoothly both for the tennis over... For solutions far away from the actual cause of the mistake court and reduce your risk of injury, sooner...

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