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Animated Tour of Tennis Footwork Exercises

By , About.com Guide

9 of 9

Split and Sprint
Split and Sprint (C)2007 Jeff Cooper licensed to About.com, Inc.
If you want to maximize your quickness around the court, you should do a split-step each time your opponent starts to swing at the ball. As you see the ball coming off her strings, you'll start leaning toward the direction the ball is taking on your way down from the peak of the split-step, and you'll get off to a quick, sprinting start toward the ball. If you're doing this drill all by yourself or with plenty of room away from the next person, you can do a realistic simulation by sprinting to the right or left.

In a more crowded group, we'll have to stay in our own imaginary lanes. I'll have you do an unpredictable number of bounces in place before saying "GO," on which signal you'll sprint as fast as you can until I say "HOLD," on which signal you'll bounce in place until the next "GO." If I say "BACK" you'll sprint in the opposite direction from what you were facing during the bounces.

On all of the earlier exercises, it's best not to race, but on the last sprint of the Split and Sprint, go ahead and try to outrun everyone if you wish.

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