300 Series: Skills & Drills Lab
Returns & Drives with Power
Takeaways & Training Tasks
Keep the momentum rolling with these quick steps:
- Refresh your memory with the 2 skills, 2 drills, and training video.
- Knock out the drills 2ā€“3x before we meet again.
- Each time you play, pick one skill and make it your mission to useĀ it often and on purpose.
Return of Serve
- Contact Point: Focus on contact point out in front
- Weight Transfer: Load and Rotate. Extending forward through the ball. This
creates depth which is key for return of serve. - Hands: Reach out with non paddle hand on forehands. Separate hands
when hitting a 1 handed backhand. - Swing: Short Backswing. Swing plane to the side to initiate kinetic chain.
Serves 21
- Set up cones to divide the service box into 3 depths from NVZ to baseline.
- Players set up cross court from each other on the baselines.
- 1 player serves and 1 player returns, both with depth emphasis.
- Points: 3 points deepest zone, 2 points middle zone, 1 point shallow zone, -1
for in the net or out. - First player to 21 wins!
- Play 1 round then switchĀ server and returner. Perform on both odd and even sides of the court.
3rd Shot Drive
- Grip: Eastern Forehand or Backhand
- Stance: Semi Open pushing through the shot
- Paddle Prep: 3/4 back swing with a low to high swing plane
- Contact Point: In front of the body and off to the side, transfer weight forward through the shot
- Follow Through: out in front to the opposite shoulder with non dominant
hand acting as counter balance
Self Feed Off Chair
- Set up a bench or chair on court
- Players sit on chair in semi open stance with hips
- Self feed a ball - Forehand or Backhand and stand up through front leg as
they hit the ball.
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