Do You Know The Right Time To Split Step? (Tennis Footwork Explained)

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Do You Know The Right Split Step Timing? (Tennis Footwork Explained)
1. Jump before your opponent hits
2. Be in the air AS they hit
3. When you land push in the direction you need to move
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Thank you 12kgp-Tennis for allowing me to use this video: • Felix Auger Aliassime ...
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You got this!

[@2MinuteTennis]

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[@degiedj]

Nicely done and pointed out. I am thinking the trick is when one should start to move up before the ball is hit and land after 0.2 sec, any timing measurement for this movement? Of course it depends on many variables like opponents preparation, speed, etc., of stroke.

[@MrProstaff61]

A very concise video. Thanks!

[@2MinuteTennis]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@pakchu2]

I feel like this is spot on for higher level play. The problem is, particularly for serves on a lower rec level, the split step offers very little benefit (it's many times even a hinderance), and the body adapts to this realization after hundreds of points! So you end up either naturally not split stepping or feeling like the split step is forced. Do your students experience this?

[@SuperG11123]

@pakchu2 There's two split steps:
1. Up / down one (shown here) - no forward motion
2. Step forward then jump (done returning serves aggressively)
No.1 is fairly easy to learn as can use it for all shots.
No. 2 takes a bit more skill / practice as you have to do it a fraction of a second earlier than shown in this video and the fact your moving forward adds more difficulty.

[@morrisvanderlinden3549]

This the proper way. Excellent video!

[@AMstringing]

Great use of the timer to illustrate your point!

[@oliveroshea5765]

Excellent video - many thanks for making it!

[@ericthranduillvargaspenafl4011]

Gold! Thanks coach

[@2MinuteTennis]

Thanks so much Eric!

[@peterdrury5627]

Great Video. Re: the .2(5) second visual reaction time, I have an observation and a suggestion for further investigation. I have noticed that some martial artists appear to be using averted vision in their sparing, and their reaction times seem to be much shorter than the 0.2 seconds observed on the tennis court.
Averted vision uses different receptors in the eye which are much coarser--less fine detail to process, less time to process? Something to think about?

[@cameronbasil8663]

Thanks

[@registrationsOne]

Nice video!! Thanks for sharing

[@behrangpazhouhi7527]

Thanks man ... very very important subject that I still can`t do it always correctly ...... I (try to😅) get this 😄.

[@TanbingYan]

you also have to factor in the ball speed on average rec player is way slower than pros ... you might be able to split step even later

[@2MinuteTennis]

Split step timing has nothing to do with ball speed. Split step timing should be the same no matter what level player is or how fast/slow the ball is.

[@yili9725]

Nice video. However the observation is on top professional players. I don't think the same timing would be good for amateur players, even college players.

[@2MinuteTennis]

Can you elaborate?

[@yili9725]

@@2MinuteTennis the theory of split step is that right at the moment you finish the jump, you know which direction to run and you can sprint toward that quickly. given that assumption, we, the super majority of amateur players and even sub WTA/ATP players, have some difference from those players we see on TV: ball speed, reaction speed (including visual recognition and processing, etc). let's first talk about ball speed. i don't have a number of APT player ball speed, 80 mph shouldn't be used here because that's the speed right off pro's racquet. the actual travel time from baseline to baseline is slower than 80 mph. maybe you can find that out. anyway, for amateur players, they have more time to spend. Given amateur players are less kin to recognize ball, it's often to say that, if you can start to run when the incoming ball is over the net. In your video, the pro probably need to start to run when the ball is at the opponent side service line. in another words, amateur player should jump later than pro. maybe they should start when opponent hit the ball. i would appropriate you do some video analysis on a 4.0 match.

[@ajollypanda4175]

I think what you mean is the same timing may not be needed for some amateur players…but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t help them…most amateurs want to increase their level/improve anyways. Its like saying lower skilled players don’t need to prepare their unit turn early because their opponents’ ball is coming slow enough for them to get away with preparing late.

[@yili9725]

@@ajollypanda4175 do amateur players need split steps? i don't know. i saw a 4.0 national match and they don't use split steps. what about 4.5 and higher? would modified split steps be helpful to 4.0 and under player? i don't know that either. i think you may want to video tape your game and see what's the best for you. but regardless, the bottom line to how to run fast to the hitting position. i haven't seen any coach on youtube discuss split step for amateur players. maybe no incentives.

[@Dasato123]

@@2MinuteTennis judging from some of these comments I think another split step vid is in order. I’d emphasize that a split step has nothing to do with the speed of your opponent’s shot in terms of its importance. Also it’s not just left and right situations but also short, deep and over (lobs) situations that it is invaluable with. I’d also spend time explaining the stretch/contraction reflex benefit that a split step gives you, especially compared to a flat footed start.

[@jacobhewitt2201]

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