Step, Step, Rip !

By Michael Friedman

Picture this: you work the point and your opponent gives you the perfect short forehand. You move forward to put the ball away, but instead you put it into the net, the back fence, or three feet wide. And that happens more than you'd like to admit.

Is it a flaw in you swing--do you need a "new" short forehand? Or maybe it's a mental error?

I have a different answer. I believe that in many, if not most cases, the real problem is your feet! If we look closely at pro players like Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, or Maria Sharapova we can see a clear footwork pattern on the short ball. This is what I call the "Step, Step, Rip." Although it is common in professional tennis, the Step, Step Rip has never been identified or incorporated into teaching--until now.

This footwork pattern--not some change in your basic swing or your mental game--is what you need if you want to hit winners consistently on short balls. If you could routinely hit short balls for winners, would that make a difference in your results? Let me show you my system so you can develop the "Step, Step,Rip" for yourself.

A Matter of Timing

Basically it works like this. The "Step, Step, Rip" helps you develop the ability to time the ball in a new way. The rhythm in your feet is used as a timing device to trigger your swing, and to do this at the exact instant that maximizes pace and consistency.

There are two steps in the "Step, Step, Rip." A step with your right foot that judges your position relative to the ball. Then a step with the left foot that triggers the actual swing. The second step can be either into the ball, or more to the side in a semi-open stance. Timing these steps is the secret to triggering the swing at the right time.

The correct timing or rhythm is achieved by correlating the steps to the bounce of the ball. The rhythm follows this pattern: "Bounce," then immediately, "Step, Step, Hit." The first step comes a fraction of a second after the bounce. The way to develop this fundamental rhythmic pattern is by actually saying the words to yourself as you play: "Bounce, Step, Step, Hit." It may sound simple, but the result is very powerful. Coordinating the words inside your head with the bounce and steps makes the timing of the swing virtually automatic. I have more than one student who swear by it's magic power.

Say the word "bounce" exactly when the ball bounces. Then say "step" when you step with your right foot. Next say "step" again when you step with your left foot. Finally say "hit" in order to time your contact with the ball." Again, the whole pattern is "Bounce, Step, Step, Hit." Or better yet, "Bounce, Step, Step, Rip!"

A final point on the footwork pattern. After the hit, the back leg kicks back behind the body. This is to decelerate the rotation of the hips and the shoulders, allowing the arm and racket to accelerate through the ball. This means the right foot stays behind the body until you finish your swing. The right foot will then swing around and the player will continue towards the net, in the direction of the hit.

In the case of a very high ball, you will actually leave the ground with your last step, pushing off the court with your left foot, as you kick back with the right. This raises the level of your contact point so that you can use your full kinetic chain even when you are in the air. The landing is on your left front foot, before the back leg starts to swing around.

Once you develop the pattern, you'll be able to speed up the steps to increase your natural pace, and still keep the timing automatic. Visualize a shortstop picking up a ground ball. He does a "Step, Step" rhythm, starting with the right foot then the left, to release the energy from the ground. The faster the "Step, Step" the faster the throw. It's the same in tennis, the faster the "Step, Step," the faster the swing.

Federer is a great example. His steps are so fast, that they are actually difficult to follow with the naked eye. But the speed of his steps allows him to attack in a much wider variety of situations. Maria Sharapova is also quick with her feet, especially considering her age and height.

So now let's see how the whole pattern works, moving forward from the baseline. Let's see how the "Step, Step, Rip" is integrated with the larger, overall pattern of movement to the short ball. The player recognizes the short ball and starts to move forward. The last step prior to the "Step, Step Rip" is with the left foot. This happens when the left foot steps in front of the right foot towards the net.

Now the player is ready to initiate the "Step, Step, Rip." The next step with the right foot drives the weight forward. This leads to the final step into the ball and the hit. Watch the animation of Sharapova. You'll see the pattern in real time--can you follow the steps? Then it repeats in slow motion--you'll see the pattern emerge. A positioning step with the left foot, then, step, step, rip.

Depending on the bounce of the ball, the right foot can actually cross over in front of the left foot. This is called the Carioka Step. The Carioka Step can be extreme in an explosive pro player, as the Federer animation shows. It can also just as easily be a step that doesn't cross over and stays behind the left foot. If you don't need to move and are already in position the ball, this step can also be made in place to maintain your rhythm.

The final step is with the left foot. This last step is made with the left foot virtually flat on the court. The landing is heel first and then toe. This step triggers the rotation of the right knee towards the left knee and the hips, torso and shoulders follow in the kinetic chain.

To really rip the ball you have to make sure you make contact while the ball is still above the net. If it's a high ball, don't let it drop out of your contact zone. Swing "high" to "high" with the racket starting at the height of the ball keeping the ball above the net until it clears the net.

If you recognize the short ball early enough, you can also use the Step, Step, Rip to take the ball on the rise. Because a ball hit on the rise is traveling slightly faster, it's easier to create to pace. In addition, due to the earlier timing, hitting on the rise takes response time away from the opponent.

If you hit on the rise, the second step has to be earlier, actually before the bounce of the ball. In this case, say "Step, Step Hit," starting just before the bounce to speed up the timing and pull the trigger earlier.

Understand that good form equals power. Especially when you take the ball early, you don't need to swing harder, you just need good technique and good timing. So many players make the mistake of trying to completely change their form to take bigger swings when they try to put the ball away. Don't do it! Now you have the Step Step Rip instead.

The classic situation to use the Step Step Rip is on the slow second serve. In USTA league and tournament play, too many players get away with weak second serves. And these serves are usually hit to the forehand! Hitting these forehand returns for winners or forcing shots should be the difference against this type of opponent. Watch the pros and see how they use the step step pattern on the forehand return, even when the hit open stance

But it's an opportunity too many players squander. They believe it's an easy shot. The reality is it is a very difficult shot because the rhythm slows down so much, and the player has to generate his own pace. The universal tendency is to swing too early. This is because the returner usually doesn't usually have to move much to reach these slow balls, and this means the last step can trigger the swing too soon.

This is where executing the Step, Step, Rip can really pay off. The rhythm pattern puts the returner in perfect sync with the ball. The result is power AND consistency--the ability to exploit an obvious weakness on a regular basis. This can result in winning many more matches, especially matches you feel you should win, but may lose due to senseless unforced errors on slow balls.

Putting pressure on the second serve in this fashion can ultimately affect your opponent's first serve. Knowing that the returner is going to attack a weak second delivery, the server may have a tendency to take pace off the first ball, hoping to just get it in play. And you know what that means: the opportunity to hit even more returns for winners!

Although we are starting in this article by showing how the Step Step Hit rhythm works on the forehand, it also applies to the backhand, the volleys and the overheads. We'll show you how the top players use the Step Step Rip rhythm on the others shots in upcoming articles. Stay Tuned!