The Athletic Foundation

The athletic foundation is often the missing link in developing into a professional player. As the biomechanics specialist at the BollettieriTennis Academy, for two decades I've worked to help young players develop into tour professionals. When I compare the top pros to aspiring young players at our academy, the junior players tend to share grips, swings, footwork patterns, and stances with the pros. The missing link for most juniors is a strong, disciplined athletic foundation. The evolution from junior to professional is a process of evolving from player into athlete. I have found that the ability to establish and defend a strong athletic foundation is the measure of a great tennis athlete. In my view, most instructors and coaches don't tend to focus enough on developing this vital athletic component in young players. Training in the AP Belt can make a huge difference in improving court movement for players at all levels. In my new series for Tennisplayer, I hope to help players and coaches understand the athletic foundation and develop more efficient movement techniques. In Part 1, I'll explain the physical qualities of the athletic foundation and the importance of being able to establish, maintain and defend it during...