So, I’m willing to bet BIG money that you think a lot about the technique of how to play your transitional volley or 1/2 volley right after your serve in doubles, BUT, you don’t do a lick of fitness training for that specific shot.
If you’re in the minority of players who does this drill I’m about to show you, then in addition to my apologies, let me say – well done!
I’ve got two videos for you in this post.
The 2nd video is one of our Visual Learning videos where we get to watch and absorb how senior legendary player Brian Cheney plays his backhand 1/2 volley.
Brian Cheney – Backhand 1/2 Volley Visual Learning
Want to get 30 minutes of
1 on 1 private coaching time with me,
plus get any one of my instructional courses of your choice,
AND physically feel a whole lot better?I’ve got a no-brainer offer for you … check this out.
Here’s what Life Shotz has done for me,
Tony, Erika, Hugh, Mike, Mai, and a bunch of
other fellow tennis players, what it might do for you,
and why I’m fully endorsing it —> click
Very nice idea, linkage of fitness and training, without needing a partner or a ball machine or equipment.
Three observations jumped out: steps taken between each movement (1-2 then 3, 1-2 then 3), lunges, short blocking strokes.
Looks like the leg movement is opposite in the last sequences, so good to practice both, as well as the footwork.
Noticed the amount of shoulder turn for the forehand is less than for the backhand. I have to believe this will also be good for my one-handed backhand.
Yep, practiced the 3 sequences this morning…on my list.
Yesterday I played against a low pace hitter who likes to aim his serves to the backhand side. I applied a footwork tip I really liked, which was to move around my backhand to hit his serves to improve my footwork. He mentioned he was amazed how I handled his serve which is normally quite effective at the 3.5 level.
So, these days, as I work out regularly at the gym, I’m even more tuned into my footwork and training such as you have provided in this lesson. I’m jumping rope quite a bit as well and running up stairs. As you know, I’m a big fan of lunges for tennis.
I usually turn off the sound when I review your movements and Cheney’s. I think this is better than the Brian Brothers dance step.
Glad you liked this one Rodger.
We don’t do enough match play situational fitness training.
Think about those top 3 common situations you find yourself in matches that are a challenge in your game, and then devise a fitness drill that mimics that situation.
The drill in the video above is something we ALL should do because 99% of all tennis players are really challenged with their transitional shots.
Brent
I’m feeling lonely in post land this morning. Made some kick serve magic happen yesterday in a singles 4.0 match. An am demoing the new wilson spin devil racquet as soon as it arrives.
Morning RS.
The email broadcast to the WebTennis folks doesn’t go out until Tuesday morning.
Check back then for the usual suspects
Mai and I arrived in Palm Springs yesterday afternoon.
Will practice on the grass courts today in preparation of our first round match tomorrow at noon at the Mission Hills CC in Rancho Mirage.
Brent
Great stuff Brent.
Thank U
I’ll work this in to daily routine
Morning Joe.
Good to hear you’ll add this simple drill to your DAILY routine!
Love it …
Brent
Hi Brent,
Great video as always. Just a general comment. When your doing your exercise of shadow volleying it may be helpful for your viewers to work on the two step volley. That is for a forehand volley you want to step out first with your right foot before coming forward with the left foot and on BH side come out a little bit forward with left foot before coming in with the right. That way you can penetrate the court more with your volleys as you move forward..Have a great day of practice. Rich
Hey Rich.
Thanks for your additional input with this drill.
The bottom line is this folks – do small drills like this that mimic very specific match play situations.
You get a chance to rehearse to the technique, but just as importantly, you train the fitness required for that match play situation.
Brent
Great training video for players at all levels.
I also like to do another version… which is to step into a split then shadow the 1/2 volley from the left side then step up into another split and 1/2 volley from the right
(start at the base line and finish at the net….put em all together and get a great 15 minute workout!!!
good luck Brent!
Hey Eric.
Right. Good addition to the drill.
Have a great one out there today …
Brent
I think it’s *much* more than just specific fitness training. Getting into the habit of using yer feet like that and turning for these volleys/half volleys has to be hugely valuable – for normal folks.
I, on the other hand am way too lazy to do such things, so merely practice serve and volley and chip and charge cross court with a willing partner. I *still* get out of breath with all the reps, but I also get to see a variety of balls and situations (including bad bounces).
As to Brian’s half volley example in the video, had I used a shot like that this past weekend, my partner (or I) would have had a fuzz sandwich. With Larry Turville chipping and charging and with both he and Tom Smith “hovering” over my shot options, I wisely elected to miss those half volleys into the net.
Well, I *might* have made a shot or two, as they *did* allow me to hold my serve once. . . 
KB – do not sell yourself short with your ability to 1/2 volley against the Turvilles out there.
When you go into that cross court half volley technique, totally commit and trust that the opening will be there.
Any hesitation, and right, the chances go up you’ll be putting yourself and partner in harm’s way …
Brent
Excellent training idea!! Will start incorporating immediately. Thank you.
Just a question from the video. With the return being low, shouldn’t the returner’s partner been moving forward to cut off the half volley shot?
Morning Brian.
Absolutely. Moving forward and showing at least a fake poach to try and draw the ball to him…
Brent
I do this as part of my cardio classes. I also use the image we are doing it with a ceiling over our heads that is 6 inches shorter that we are and there is a book balanced on our heads.The only difference is I stress that all volleys start with a step out. So on the first one it is step out then step across and the ball is hit between the steps. My feeling is to many step across right away and the weight stops moving well before the ball arrives.
Hey Mike.
Excellent addition to your normal cardio class.
Love the book on the head image for maintaining balance.
Brent
Brian looks like he ran through a good split step after his serve and thus not as prepared as he could of been for the return of serve?
i agree
SRC – it could be in this case that with some opponents they become predictable enough so that you can pretty well guess where they’ll be hitting their return of serve.
I would never suggest that Brian Cheney should do anything different than what he’s done over one of the all-time great senior tennis careers.
However, just like watching most of the pros on tour these days, just because they do it doesn’t necessarily mean we should …
Good observation – stick to your fundamentals.
Brent
Hi Brent, a year ago I asked you to compare Ken Rosewall’s method of hitting the slice backhand with the method every modern instructor (including you) teaches today. Ken stressed hitting through the ball on a level plane with a slightly open face. His line of force produced power and penetration with some underspin. Today, everyone everyone is preaching hitting down and forward to produce a skidding ball which is fine for approach shots. Considering Ken Rosewall supposedly had THE best slice backhand why is his method not taught? Your previous response to me was you can do no better than emulate Mr. Rosewall. Please revisit my question of why Ken Rosewall’s method has been cast aside. Thank you Brent Abel.
Hi Vic, thanks for writing this post. I woke up early this morning at 3:30 and decided to do a bit of research.
Easily found this article: “The Chop and the Slice,” http://madeinatlant.powweb.com/tennis/chop_slice.htm.
“Swing the racquet head directly into the ball from slightly above it, and let it travel on through to the end of its swing, aided by a loosened wrist that carries the racquet slightly under the ball and imparts a backspin to it. Be sure to follow through completely, and do not attempt to use too much wrist or the ball will float.”
Sounds kinda like Rosewall to me and I remember Jim M. also saying roughly the same thing to me. So, I think I will go back to work on my tennis and emulate Rosewall as Brent suggested.
Just my 2 cents. Now if players want to hit a penetrating ball they hit top. Ken never had that so his was a flat driven slice. I had a similar slice back in the day and rarely came over the ball and used what we use now and Kens flat slice. I still use that flat slice if I am a little late setting up but early enough to drive, but if I want to hit it it’s top. By the way the opponents that knew my stayed away from my backhand side. My doubles partner called me Ken Jr. Unfortunately I never grew into Ken Sr.
Just my nonsense, I placed my ball machine about 3 feet in from the sideline in the add court and had it place the ball down the line. I practiced hitting crosscourt using a variety of shots. I like hitting the low slice drive, its a fun shot. I think an observer would have said it was somewhat Rosewall style.
I’m still waiting to earn my 2 cents worth of pro winnings.
Morning Ken.
If I want to hit a penetrating backhand which means the ball will move through the bounce, I’m going with my slice drive because it stays low and moves through the bounce way better than a topspin backhand.
The pros on tour? For sure, they can generate so much pace that their topspin backhand gets through the bounce much better than ours.
Let’s be realistic, our topspin backhand is a great choice for a passing shot, but if you need to get the ball to move quickly through the ball, go with your strong slice drive backhand.
Brent
Morning Vic. Thanks for your mention of the great Ken Rosewall.
I disagree with your statement that I teach to hit down on the ball for a slice backhand.
In fact, I stress a forward swing with a slightly open racket face from the continental grip.
Be that as it may, and as insane as it was how Rosewall made his backhand look so easy, it’s not.
I do agree with you that his backhand should be the model we use to teach for the slice backhand.
Brent
hey brent , nice job once again. Always a challenge to get my players to get over that fear of “no man’s land” a term I stopped using years ago. Thanks for calling it what is is, transition zone.
The receiver’s partner should have watched your video last week about moving forward when the return is a sgood as this one at Brian’s feet. He is still on the service line!!
Thanks, Bob
Morning Bob.
Good call on ridding ourselves of the no man’s land term from any teaching.
It is a transition zone, that’s all, and we can all learn to play our shots safely from within that zone.
I agree, and Mr. Wulf would also agree, he should’ve stepped up a couple of steps after Bill’s nasty return of serve.
Brent
I’m going to give this drill a try.
Thanks,
Richard
PS. Have you thought of posting a video of a doubles set with these great 60+ players with your commentary and analysis on their play? That would be a real treat and tremendously educational.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RSy4AOCqYs
And, I think there’s a “part 2″. Great stuff, too. . .
Hi Richard.
Posting a set where I comment on each point?
Live or as a post match analysis video?
Thanks for the good suggestion.
Brent
Great video Brent, great visual lesson to watch the seniors and then a practice for that stroke(s) and cardio combined. Nice work.
See you at the BNP, I live 5 minutes away.
Mike
Hey Mike.
No question – we can do some great work off-court by simply rehearsing the exact same footwork patterns we experience on the court when we play.
Brent
Yes, nice drill to work on posture, balance, and fitness. Just have to mention though, how the returners partner needs to be flogged for just standing at the svc line after that rtn put the server in a jam. By following the ball and closing net, he would have likely been able to intercept that half volley to spoil your video here!
Morning Chuck.
I’ll do some flogging when I see Paul next month at the national 60s hardcourts here in Palm Springs!
Can’t wait …
Brent
Excellent for Singles Serve and Volley. Thanks for the great drill!
Hey Russ.
Absolutely a great drill for singles serve and volley.
Once a day my man – 5 minutes. I pity your opponents
Brent
9 of 10 I like to just hit winner on that dhit unless I try toile slow out of shape guy run