June 8, 2006
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Waiting and Using Your Weight? Jim McLennan I think we may have all experienced the following disconnect. When watching the professionals they rarely, if ever, appear to hurry when playing. But when you and I go back on court, often we feel rushed. The professionals do not exactly “get the racquet back early,” but rather quickly turn to the side with their weight balanced on the back foot, and truly make this thing look so darn easy. But we, in order to resolve this hurriedness thing, prepare too soon, and in this attempt, also wind up stepping way too soon. I suspect were 20 people asked to describe the single most important aspect of their games, the typical answer would be, “I try to prepare early.” But to my eye that thought is translated physically into stepping early. Interestingly, it is just the opposite that will give you more dividends. Turn early, then wait for the ball, and when starting the swing, then and only then get your weight into the shot. As a student with Tom Stow (and I was learning both as a player and as a teacher) he often began a series of lessons with a new student by asking, “Show me your turn. What is your first move to the forehand (or backhand) side? No matter what was performed, he could, and in fact always did, find fault. He expected the simplest of turns to the side, but, with an uncanny attention to detail, he expected all the weight to shift on balance to the back foot. He expected that the backswing had not really begun, posture perfect, head and eyes still and still looking forward. And whatever flaw occurred within this initial demonstration became the focus of the first few lessons. As a teacher carrying on with my version of Tom’s material, I find myself often spelling “wait” and “weight.” Meaning, the preparatory turn must be early, but then, for rhythm, the player must wait to start the swing. Then and only then does the player shift the “weight” to initiate the swing. The same is done when throwing, where the pitcher places the back foot on the rubber, and the shift towards the plate initiates the throwing motion (see The Dynamics of throwing a ball and hitting the serve and forehand).
Consider the varying speeds you face with differing opponents. Generally we all like to play against “hitters” who give us pace (though not too much pace). But the trouble occurs when playing “pushers” who float the ball. In the latter scenario, the difficulty occurs when we are unable to wait. The ball crosses the net in a lazy arc, we prepare way too early, racquet back too far and too soon, we step in way too early, then wait in this awkward position for the ball to arrive. Across nearly all recreational levels, players with an inability to wait are driven crazy by pushers. There is a solution. The following footwork drill helps in discovering the feel of the waiting and weighting rhythm. Initially, with arms folded and facing the net, turn to the backhand, take a few small, quick steps, and then stop precisely on the back foot (left foot for a right hander moving to the backhand), then hesitate the slightest amount to achieve the waiting. Next step exactly forward and finish with a simple turn into the hit. Now to the forehand. Again, with arms folded and facing the net, turn to the forehand side, take a few small and quick steps, then stop precisely on the back foot (in this case the right foot), hesitate the slightest amount to again achieve the waiting, then step exactly forward and finish with a simple turn into the hit.
But in practice with adults and juniors alike, I find this dance step actually quite hard to achieve. Some players begin with a hopping step to the side, shuffling, meaning they do not habitually feel the initial turn of the hips toward the ball. Others move relatively well but routinely stop on the front foot, and in this scenario we see players who do not feel the waiting or the weight of the shot. With repetition, as little as five minutes a day in the backyard or on court before or after your game, I guarantee you will feel a difference. Tom Stow encouraged me and many others to practice this routine, and over time the steps became simple. And I can still see him admonishing me, “Jim, if you can’t make this look graceful without a ball, how in the devil can you expect to do it when the ball is in play.” And as usual, there was no useful reply. Thanks Tom. (Click link to purchase Jim's McLennan's Secrets of World Class Footwork Video.) As always, we would love to hear from you! Questions, comments, personal experiences all create helpful dialogue for everyone! Please click here to send us your email.
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