Secrets of Spanish Tennis: Footwork and Balance

[chrislewit]

Stotty brings up very good points about the impetus in American teaching models, and how that's hurt us (i believe) in developing well rounded players.

I think we're finding the whole "first strike", hold your ground philosophy to be a bit short sighted. One would be hard pressed to identify one American player who is truly great on both the offensive and defensive side.

There's no doubt that defensive skills are improved by, for instance, learning to move backwards to play shots...Ironically, though, I believe OFFENSIVE skills are also improved as one understands that while even moving backwards, if the axis is in a good position, and hips and torso can rotate, a player can apply full RHS and crush the ball. As a result, many of these players have behind the baseline offensive capabilities, and better defensive to offensive opportunities.

Hell, these guys are getting so good at this, it's difficult to tell (if you just watched the ball only) WHICH direction they were moving prior to the shot.

As long as the baseline game is in vogue, a player must be able to play both offense and defense. Spain is smart, and so is Chris.

Good article.

Thanks guys. If anyone has any questions, just post them and I'll answer them.

Best
Chris

[hockeyscout]

Listen to this guy. Plus, they add peds from soccer, tour de france biking, and some are using xenon gas now. Like epo.

Unfortunately I have to agree with you Geoff. It's sad. How it's been covered up is a disgrace as well.

Unfortunately people out their will do EVERYTHING to win, and create shortcuts.

This steroid epidemic is a result insecurity. Coaches, who should not be mentoring athletes in the first place, attempting to take shortcuts in the athletic developmental process because they do not understand how to properly run, lift, jump and set up long term neurology pathways. Athletes who are lazy and do not want to put in their time like professionals.

You know Geoff, that is why I like so much what you do. You're an artist, and that takes work. Unfortunately when you take steroids you become a machine, and your body stops manufacturing elements you need to be an artist.

I had a friend once tell me he lost badly at the Olympics, he wasn't on the steroids, however years later his friend who did take them and won said he went on the podium to accept his metal, and instead of feeling beautiful and filled with positive emotions like say when your first born arrives, or you bed a beautiful girl for the first time as a teenager, he felt empty.

It's rather obvious the athletes who are putting in the hard work over the long haul, as opposed to those who used drugs, get to the top and then fade away because they do not understand the boundaries of good scientific training principals.

Who'd want to live a life wondering, when will I get caught on a drug test?

This steroid epidemic we see in sports is as a result of coaches not understanding how to use food properly as a recovery tool as well in my opinion.

I really believe in having a great plan at the dinner table. And you know what, eating great food is the best, especially when you take the time to cook.

NHL teams got very smart a few years back. They understood they were losing tons of money with their players being injured all the time. So, the players would arrive to the rink in the morning, and boom, food would be ready. They'd practice, and boom, meal again. They'd go do their weight training. Boom, meal again. They'd go have their team meeting. Boom, meal again. Players then go home, boom, three to four ready to go meals ready in a packet to pick up going out the door.

The big question is, why isn't every parent in the world (athletes and non athletes) doing this with their children? And the second question is, how good could have these NHL players (and students) have been in the first place if they ate properly? I'd imagine a lot was left on the table, unnecessary injuries occurred and durability became a factor as they got older because its impossible to achieve maximum potential when your body is being forced to deal with all the crap that is proliferating the marketplace these days.

We're seeing a bigger, faster and stronger version of the NHL these days because coaches understand nutritionists we're full of shit all these years, everything you eat in the grocery store is shit for the most part and you've got to have a real plan, and the education to seek out, order and locate the best food you can for your athlete.

Even if my child did not play tennis, I'd still invest in the food department. That's the basis for child development. It takes time, money, people and a hell of a lot of organization to do it right, however, it'll make all the difference and be the # 1 thing that sets a child for life. So much of this crime we are seeing in the streets, and children not learning in school has been a result of governments not stepping in and saying enough is enough with this sugar, flour, caffeine and all the rest. Its got to a point where it is driving society bankrupt, driving people mad and causing an epidemic of obese individuals who are being manipulated by companies with food labels that are a joke.

Those who plan to come out on top in any field don't get their because they were talented. Everyone has talent, and it can be developed through a perfect storm which needs to be athlete driven. Talent comes from passion. Passion turns into fanatical enjoyment. Enjoyment turns into more reps than the next person. Love turns into winning. Winning results in positive emotions, and endorphins! And then, you have an athlete who develops a sports soul, and is one with the game. Its becomes automatic, and then it naturally flows like a waterfall. That is the point everyone says, "Talented individuals and so smooth." Well, that wasn't an accident.

Now, the issue with steroids. It robs the soul, and it creates emptiness. And, you'll probably die. Its just not worth it to have the regret, as it'll stick with you until the day you die.

[10splayer]

Upon further review, i agree with you two..It's not a system or methodology at all. It's all culture, food and family. I got to believe there success has something to do with Pailla.

[GeoffWilliams]

There isn't much to it: Spanish kids have solid, reliable weather, and the infrastructure isn't expensive. The majority have lots of uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters who've played a wide variety of sports. They see those cousins every day as families are VERY close, and not often seperated. A good young Spanish athlete will get a lot of help and interest from family, and nothing develops talent better than family, and of course community spirit (everyone helps each other, much like Canada hockey). Spanish teachers, players, parents, aunts and uncles have all played soccer, most at a VERY good level. They naturally understand footwork from good soccer. Its very important to have instructors, coaches, mentors and parents who are multi talented athletes, involved and willing to step in and help for nothing, and that is what Spain has over a lot of other countries.

Listen to this guy. Plus, they add peds from soccer, tour de france biking, and some are using xenon gas now. Like epo.

[hockeyscout]

There isn't much to it: Spanish kids have solid, reliable weather, and the infrastructure isn't expensive. The majority have lots of uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters who've played a wide variety of sports. They see those cousins every day as families are VERY close, and not often seperated. A good young Spanish athlete will get a lot of help and interest from family, and nothing develops talent better than family, and of course community spirit (everyone helps each other, much like Canada hockey). Spanish teachers, players, parents, aunts and uncles have all played soccer, most at a VERY good level. They naturally understand footwork from good soccer. Its very important to have instructors, coaches, mentors and parents who are multi talented athletes, involved and willing to step in and help for nothing, and that is what Spain has over a lot of other countries.

[10splayer]

Stotty brings up very good points about the impetus in American teaching models, and how that's hurt us (i believe) in developing well rounded players.

I think we're finding the whole "first strike", hold your ground philosophy to be a bit short sighted. One would be hard pressed to identify one American player who is truly great on both the offensive and defensive side.

There's no doubt that defensive skills are improved by, for instance, learning to move backwards to play shots...Ironically, though, I believe OFFENSIVE skills are also improved as one understands that while even moving backwards, if the axis is in a good position, and hips and torso can rotate, a player can apply full RHS and crush the ball. As a result, many of these players have "behind the baseline" offensive capabilities, and better defensive to offensive opportunities.

Hell, these guys are getting so good at this, it's difficult to tell (if you just watched the ball only) WHICH direction they were moving prior to the shot.

As long as the baseline game is in vogue, a player must be able to play both offense and defense. Spain is smart, and so is Chris.

Good article.

[stotty]

Another good article from Chris.

Footwork is an area where both the Brit and American juniors fall down in my book. I go to many tournaments over here in the UK and lot of the errors kids make can be put down to positioning, positioning in terms setting up to play shots. I watched an American junior tournament over there by an Internet link recently and witnessed much the same. Also, of all the foreign juniors I have seen, the Americans have the most players with quirky technique...odd swing paths and what look to be fundamental flaws.

Sergio Casal delivered an excellent course here in the UK where he taught us how to build and improve footwork through hand fed basket drills. He was also big on building stamina using flow drills...drills that are continuos and never stop until the basket is finished.

The Spanish kids certainly, overall, have the best footwork and positioning. I have witnessed it for myself.

Here is a lovely clip of Verdasco I took a few years ago at Wimbledon. He has just hit a big serve to Haase who manages to float it back deep down the middle. Verdasco does around seven micro steps to get in position and then slams a clean winner. Quite a bit of precision footwork going on there...and that's for a ball coming right to him. Now that’s how to set up.

https://vimeo.com/113718180

Ironically, the Brits and Americans have some really good movers. It’s just they don’t set up well when they reach the ball. And they are too lackadaisical with their footwork on easy balls.

I tend to view footwork these days as a department all of its own. By that I mean it something that can be worked on without even having a racket in your hand. I have a girl who trains partly in Spain, and she works and hour a day purely on footwork, using ladders and cones, etc.

[klacr]

So the foundation for Spanish tennis success is Balance? And the foundation for Welby Van Horn's teaching system is balance? Funny how it all begins with the basics isn'yt it. You can't do the big things until you do the little things.

Always enjoy articles from Chris. Epitomizes the Spanish system by his willingness to share with other coaches. Walk the walk and talk the talk. That says a lot about his confidence in the system as well as his interest and passion for the advancement of our sport and its teachers. Great stuff.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[johnyandell]

Let's discuss Chris Lewit's article, "Secrets of Spanish Tennis: Footwork and Balance"