Hitting on the Run

Nicole Vaidisova lunges and transfers her weight in a semi-open stance. Hitting effortlessly and powerfully on the run is one of the hallmarks of tennis greatness. Slow reactions, sluggish recoveries, and moving with the center of gravity too high, can make the quickest athletes appear slow. On the other hand, when your intensity and pulse rate is at performance levels and your movement is synced with the tempo of play, the strokes flow seamlessly with the movement. In this article we will take a look at how you can develop this same ability for yourself. To do this we will explore several techniques for moving through the strokes and also building recovery footwork into the follow through of your strokes. Natural patterns of movement will emerge when you are firing on all cylinders and working hard to maintain the qualities of your Athletic Foundation. (Click Here to read more about this fundamental concept.) These techniques provide explosiveness both in reaction and recovery, and keep you smooth and fluid as you shift between stroke and movement. My thinking about hitting on the run and recovery started to evolve when I first started watching Nicole Vaidisova play at the IMG/Bolletieri Academy when...