The split step is a key component of on-court movement . Split step is
basically a little hop separating legs landing and moving to the ball. Why is it
so important? The split slip is going to allow us to move in any direction in
balance, exactly at the right time. What it does is loading the body so that I
can explode and move efficiently in any direction. There's two important
components to the split step: one is the physical split step, that means making
sure that I go wide separate my legs, that I'm lowering my center of gravity
and then I'm able to rebound in the direction of the shot. But the second
very important component is the timing. I need to make sure I split step exactly
at the right time in order not to waste time going to the
ball. I want to time my split steps and land as the ball comes out of the
opponent's racket. As I land I know where the ball is going and I can move
directly in that direction. If I am late with the split step that means the ball
is already coming to me...I split step, I'm gonna have the ball on me. I'm gonna have
very little time to move. If I am too early with the split step I'm going to
land before the opponent hits the ball and so I'm gonna not be able to move
from that position. I'm gonna have to wait and then move. So if I do that, I
might as well not do a split step. I'm losing all the elastic energy of my legs.
So the timing of the split step is key. We want to try to jump as the opponent
is starting to swing forward towards the ball, so that you land as they're making
contact. An easy exercise to work on the split step is verbalizing the split step
every time you do it ,every time you see the opponent's racquet moving to the
ball you're gonna yell "split" and do it. You should be able to land and move,
land and move. Let's take a look at this
split
split split
split
split split
So I want to make sure that a time it exactly and land as my partner makes
contact with the ball. Another great exercise to work on this timing of the
split step is while coming in to volley. So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna feed
my partner some balls and what she is gonna do is as soon as I toss the ball
up she's going to start running forward to the net. Ss soon as I swing she's
gonna split step and then she's gonna go and volley. This exercise, the idea is to
do the whole motion as fluidly as possible. If you're doing it right you're
gonna feel like you're landing and moving immediately fluidly. Let's take a
look!
The split step is really one of those things that most club players and hobby
players really forget about, but it really makes a huge huge difference in
the way that you move on the court . Give it a try,
work on your split step and your movement will get better and better