Punch Your Volleys

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Instruction

Myth Busters:

PUNCH

YOUR VOLLEYS Final of a three-part series

By Joe Dinoffer

A few winters ago, hoping to get my daughter interested in playing tennis, I enrolled her in a group tennis class at a nearby club, which included a nice pro, same-aged kids, and indoor courts.

After a few lessons, the teaching pro ran a drill to introduce the volley. He lined up the group of young girls side-by-side about two feet from the net and told them to hold their racket straight in front of them like a stop sign. Then, as he tossed them easy balls that they couldn’t miss, he repeatedly instructed, “Punch the volley.” While the debate continues about exactly how to start new players, at the very least, let’s bust photo1 the long-standing myth to “punch the forehand volley.”

The theory of helping players make contact with the ball is sound, yet there is one major flaw in the “punch the volley” approach. The technique of hitting forehand volleys with a straight arm (as in a punch) is incorrect, causing players to learn incorrect volleying habits. Then, down the road, if they want to improve, they will have to go through a major grip and technique change, a frustrating challenge at best.

The other problem with the “stop sign” or “straight arm” instruction is that players end up using the wrong grip. Try holding a racket in front of you like a stop sign and you’ll see what

happens. You’ll end up with a western forehand or “frying pan” grip. Players using this grip at the net experience two limitations.

First, they have endless headaches from hitting low volleys into the net since the racket face is perpendicular to the ground. And, second, they have to switch grips when the volley comes to their backhand side.

To correctly hit a forehand volley in tennis, your arm should start slightly bent at the elbow (see photo 1) and finish bent as well (see photo 2).

Keep in mind that, since the ball has not bounced and slowed down, you are closer to your opponent and the ball is coming faster as compared to hitting groundstrokes. Your stroke motion should be short and compact, and you should meet the volley out in front of you.

Only on slower balls should you slightly lengthen the swing of your forehand volley to generate more power. For maximum control on all volleys, contact the ball out in front of you and finish with your racket strings pointing toward your target. And for extra “punch” step toward the ball, an important detail that will also help you catch more volleys above the height of the net.

Punching is a completely different motion. Boxers throw a punch starting with their arm bent and finishing with it straight (see photo 3). The forehand volley is different from a boxer’s

Correct start position with arm slightly bent at the elbow

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Since there is less time at the net to change grips for forehand and backhand volleys, using these two grips is not ideal.

One grip,the continental,or “hammer”grip works for both forehand and backhand volleys. punch in another important way as well. A boxer must generate all the energy to throw a punch, more similar to a pitcher in baseball winding up to throw a pitch or a basketball player shooting an outside shot. In tennis, the forehand volley uses the energy of the ball generated by the opponent and is merely redirecting that energy, not unlike a backboard rebounding a ball.

Since there is less time at the net to change grips for forehand and backhand volleys, using these two grips is not ideal. One grip,

er, more “punchy” motion. However innocent, this myth that a volley should be “punched” should be busted.

With my daughter, I am very happy to report that she immediately moved on from that “punch the volley” class to learn proper volleying technique with a bent arm. Two years later she is effectively putting away enough volleys to be one of the higher ranked kids in Texas.

A boxer can throw a punch, a comedian can tell a joke with a punch line, and someone can serve punch to drink at a party, but a punch is not a volley in tennis.

Correct finish position with arm bentand strings pointing in the direction of the target the continental, or “hammer,” grip works for both forehand and backhand volleys. This grip also will result in a slightly open racket face on both sides, making it easier to volley those challenging low balls over the net.

Of course, when tennis teachers instruct students to “Punch the volley,” there is no malicious intent on their part. Rather, the instructors are merely trying to get their students to adopt a short-

JOE DINOFFER

photo2 photo3

Incorrect finish position wrong with arm straight, more like a boxer throwing a punch Joe Dinoffer is a Master Professional in both the PTR and USPTA, a distinction awarded to only a handful in the tennis industry. He has published numerous books and videotapes and is a frequent speaker at tennis conferences around the world. For more information, visit www.oncourtoffcourt.com.

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