Punch Your Volleys

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TL JUN06 41-64

4/20/06

tennislife

6:54 PM

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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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tennislifemagazine

june

2006


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