Technique Under 10: Groundstrokes

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Technique Under 10 Groundstrokes
The use of Progressions in Teaching Tennis
Technique
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Smaller Kids Smaller courts
When working with Under 10s developing the
correct techniques is a priority With young
players who have no or little previous experience
of the game it is possible to develop sound,
repeatable, effective technique through
progressions in court size, equipment and task
minimising the need for formal teaching
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Red court

• Simple preparation
• Simple follow through
• Allows lots of movement
• Establish a well organised routine of ready
  move hit recover
• Encourage energy and alertness

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Red court FH and BH Progression 1

• Starting position
• Close to net hitting back to feeder
• In the hitting position
• Grip
• FH Eastern
• BH Bottom hand continental if 2 handed top
  hand comfortable and just touching
• Preparation
• Starting Position semi open stance with racket
  right behind contact point
• Hitting zone
• Contact point at hip height, to the racket side
  of the body and in front of the front foot
• Racket face wrist height on contact point
• Arm slightly bent comfortable hitting position
• Push upwards from ready position
• Follow through
• No follow through
• Key words, cues, tips
• Push the ball upwards

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Red court FH and BH Progression 2

• Starting position
• Slightly further back still hitting back for
  consistency and accuracy
• In the hitting position
• Grip
• FH Eastern
• BH Bottom hand continental if 2 handed top
  hand comfortable and just touching
• Preparation
• Starting Position semi open stance with racket
  right behind contact point
• Hitting zone
• Contact point at hip height, to the racket side
  of the body and in front of the front foot
• Racket face at wrist height on contact point
• Arm slightly bent comfortably to the side
• Step forwards and hit
• Trunk turns towards net through hit
• Follow through
• Towards target
• Finish in tip stance
• Balanced
• Key words, cues, tips

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Red court FH and BH Progression 3

• Starting position
• Ready position (forehand grip in ready position)
• Towards the back of the court start to
  encourage cross court targets
• Grip
• FH Semi continental
• BH 1 handed Slight backhand grip
• BH 2 handed Bottom hand continental, top hand
  eastern, hands just touching
• Preparation
• Splitstep
• Early preparation by unit turn to start position
• Open hip and turn shoulders at the same time
• Hitting zone
• Contact point at hip height, to the racket side
  of the body and in front of the front foot
• Racket face wrist height on contact point
• Arm slightly bent comfortable hitting position
• Step forwards and hit
• Trunk turns towards net through hit
• Follow through
• In stroke direction up till left eye height

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Red court FH and BH Progression 4

• Starting position
• Ready position (forehand grip in ready position)
• At the back of the court player should be
  starting to hit to a variety of target areas
• Grip
• Eastern forehand
• Preparation
• Split step
• Unit turn to start side movement
• Direct, compact preparation
• Back foot behind the ball
• Turn trunk until facing stroke direction
• Hitting zone
• Step in the stroke direction to initialize
  hitting phase
• Start to accelerate upwards to contact point
• Arm slightly bent at contact comfortable
  hitting position
• Contact point at hip height, to the racket side
  of the body and in front of the front foot
• Follow through
• Guide in stroke direction up till eye height
• Elbow finishes towards target

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Orange and Green Progressions - Groundstrokes

• In the orange and green court there are no
  prescriptive progressions - but there are general
  development guidelines based on tactical
  requirements as the game progresses onto a bigger
  court

Tactical Development in orange and green Technical development in orange and green Exercises that will help this develop What youre aiming for
Send balls further on the bigger court Swing a longer, heavier racket and hit a heavier ball Exploit space and take away time with more spin and speed Create and reply to angles Cope with being moved more by their opponent they must be able to move and hit then move again Using greater leg drive (pushing into the ground often loading back leg and transferring through ball) Adding rotation (bigger unit turn, separation of hip and shoulder to create more pre-stretch, semi-open and open stances) Greater range of motion and more body segments (bigger preparation, longer follow through, more legs, trunk rotation) Reacting quickly and moving efficiently to the incoming ball, then through good dynamic balance transferring energy into ball Coordination and movement exercises Orange FH - PPP 6/7 (link to video clips)
Send balls further on the bigger court Swing a longer, heavier racket and hit a heavier ball Exploit space and take away time with more spin and speed Create and reply to angles Cope with being moved more by their opponent they must be able to move and hit then move again Using greater leg drive (pushing into the ground often loading back leg and transferring through ball) Adding rotation (bigger unit turn, separation of hip and shoulder to create more pre-stretch, semi-open and open stances) Greater range of motion and more body segments (bigger preparation, longer follow through, more legs, trunk rotation) Reacting quickly and moving efficiently to the incoming ball, then through good dynamic balance transferring energy into ball Hitting and moving Orange BH PPP 6/7
Send balls further on the bigger court Swing a longer, heavier racket and hit a heavier ball Exploit space and take away time with more spin and speed Create and reply to angles Cope with being moved more by their opponent they must be able to move and hit then move again Using greater leg drive (pushing into the ground often loading back leg and transferring through ball) Adding rotation (bigger unit turn, separation of hip and shoulder to create more pre-stretch, semi-open and open stances) Greater range of motion and more body segments (bigger preparation, longer follow through, more legs, trunk rotation) Reacting quickly and moving efficiently to the incoming ball, then through good dynamic balance transferring energy into ball Situational pattern drills Green FH PPP 6/7
Send balls further on the bigger court Swing a longer, heavier racket and hit a heavier ball Exploit space and take away time with more spin and speed Create and reply to angles Cope with being moved more by their opponent they must be able to move and hit then move again Using greater leg drive (pushing into the ground often loading back leg and transferring through ball) Adding rotation (bigger unit turn, separation of hip and shoulder to create more pre-stretch, semi-open and open stances) Greater range of motion and more body segments (bigger preparation, longer follow through, more legs, trunk rotation) Reacting quickly and moving efficiently to the incoming ball, then through good dynamic balance transferring energy into ball Situational pattern drills Green BH PPP 6/7
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Coordination and movement exercises

• Throw and catch tennis
• Football throws
• Catch / move / throw
• Move / catch / throw
• Tramline spins
• Walking spins
• Shadow move and pop
• Back to table

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Hitting and moving

• Hitting up to volleyer in service box
• Up and back groundies
• Spanish x
• Out the court in the court
• Run around
• Small to big hitting
• Back to table

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Situational pattern drills

• Cross court to targets
• Inside out wide and deep inside out wide
  and short
• 2 Cross 1 line
• Finish build finish build
• Inside out deep cross inside in deep cross
• Back to table