Okay previously we talked about the flow step and that means we're
landing on one foot so that the other leg can be pushed away. Now that
is for when you're anticipating the shot and you see the ball early. A lot of
times that's not possible! A lot of times in tennis you're gonna have to
run! Okay so when you're running, it involves a 'drop step'. So
we're talking about the very first reaction. When I need to run somewhere I
need to do this kind of move...watch! I go into a wide base. So
the wider my base the less I can do this kind of thing that I showed you before.
So when do you go to a wider base? Of course if you're anticipating being
attacked, if you make a weak shot then naturally you should go into a very, very
wide base because you're anticipating getting attacked if your shot is weak
you're gonna get challenged or attacked. Okay so you naturally go into a very
wide base and that base is going to allow you to be very explosive either to
the right or to the left. Now watch me carefully when I land in a wide base,
I'm landing almost with my feet double shoulder width apart. Then this foot is
gonna drop. So this foot just gonna drop under my body, it's gonna do
this kind of thing. So I'm going to do a drop step, I drop step and then I explode!
Using both arms! So we cannot do this kind of thing that we see a lot of
times at recreational level. Standing with the feet almost together and then
trying to sprint to the ball but with both hands on the racquet or with the
arms not really working. You cannot be explosive like that. You
have to get into a very low center of gravity and execute that lower move, the
drop step is like creating a little platform a little pushing device. I
drop and then I drive alright. So how do we practice it? The ladder drills are great!
Alright so I'm gonna bring Subash in. Okay so watch! I'm just gonna have him
stand like this...so he's gonna put his feet apart like this and we're gonna use
the little box to practice the drop step. Watch carefully! So he's gonna
go into a base so I'm gonna ask you to bring the right
foot into the box. Okay drop step, hold it! Good! Don't
push yet I just want them to see the drop step. So you use a ladder like this
and you use a square here to practice the first move, so the first reaction
when I'm running to the ball is to bring the right foot under the body see very
different from what we did before where I was anticipating already where the
balls going and I wasn't being attacked. So I was just rallying and I was
anticipating by doing the flow step. Now I'm being attacked so watch
carefully! This is a drop step for me. Drop your foot in, Stop! Don't cross over yet
just drop it in. Drop your foot in. Stop! Okay see that
move, that creates a beautiful little platform here he's on the ball of
his foot, this heel is up and now that platform is gonna allow him to push this
foot across and be very explosive! Push it for the cross! Very good.
Now do it slowly and I want you to do this progression about this slow. So
we're gonna do a split step first. We're gonna do a split step over the ladder.
We split step over the ladder, drop and push! Do it that slow.
Okay split step, split...drop...push! Very good! One more time.
Split...drop...push! Very good. Now we just do it a little bit faster
So now you do a couple of steps. So you go split...drop...push! Okay and
get off the mark! You don't have to do a full sprint. Ready? Split....drop....
push! Very good! One more time. That looks very good. Split...drop...push! Very good!
Alright now once I feel I can do that once it becomes confident at that, I'm
gonna have him do the jump rope again.. The ready steps, jump roping is just
like doing ready steps in tennis on the balls of your feet. So he's gonna do
ready steps, then I'm gonna tell him to split...drop...push! Right, ready step...split...
drop...push! Alright so I'm gonna give him the command watch! Ready steps and
split...drop...push! Very good! One more time.
Ready steps! Split...drop...push! Very
good. Now hopefully by the end of all that if
we do that enough, I'm gonna be able to take the ladder away and he's gonna be
able to execute that on his own. So stand there just to the left of center okay.
Go into ready steps! And split...Boom boom boom! That's pretty good
right there!