Professional Volley Technique Explained | Volley Tennis Lesson
Summary
TLDRIn this tennis tutorial, John Craig from Performance Plus Tennis demonstrates how to hit volleys with professional quality technique, focusing on using underspin for control. He explains the importance of a continental grip, starting with the racket above the hand and finishing level, and maintaining an open racket face. Tips for both forehand and backhand volleys are provided, emphasizing the need for a one-handed backhand and avoiding a straight arm for versatility.
Takeaways
- 🎾 The video focuses on teaching professional-quality volley techniques in tennis.
- 🔄 Contrary to some coaching advice, advanced and professional players rarely hit flat volleys; they use volleys with underspin for better control.
- 🤚 To achieve underspin, players should use a continental grip rather than a forehand grip, which naturally positions the racket for better ball control and spin.
- 📏 The racket should start above the hand and finish level with the hand, creating a descending motion that helps apply underspin.
- 👋 The wrist should not release the racket; the motion should come from the shoulder to avoid awkward play.
- 💨 Implementing underspin allows for better control of the ball's trajectory, whether the ball is high or low.
- 👀 An open racket face is crucial for applying delicate touch and underspin to the ball.
- 📐 The trajectory of the ball is influenced by both the path the racket takes and the angle at which it makes contact with the ball.
- 🤳 For the backhand volley, maintain a one-handed approach with a continental grip for consistency and versatility.
- 🔄 The backhand volley should start with the racket above the hand and finish alongside it, with a slight flex in the arm for adaptability.
- 🔗 The principles of volleying apply to both forehand and backhand, emphasizing the importance of grip, racket angle, and underspin.
Q & A
What is the main focus of today's tennis lesson?
-The main focus of today's tennis lesson is to teach how to play the volley with professional quality technique, emphasizing the importance of underspin in controlling the ball.
Why is it not recommended to hit flat volleys according to the video?
-Flat volleys are not recommended because they lack control. Advanced and professional players typically hit volleys with an element of underspin, which provides better control.
What grip is suggested for hitting volleys?
-A continental grip is suggested for hitting volleys as it allows for an open racket face, enabling players to put delicate touch and underspin on the ball.
How should the racket position change during a forehand volley?
-During a forehand volley, the racket should start above the hand and drop in to finish level with the hand, creating an angle that allows for better control and underspin.
What is the significance of the racket's angle and path in determining the ball's trajectory?
-The trajectory of the ball is a blend of the path the racket takes and the angle the racket is on when it makes contact. This combination allows players to control the ball's direction and spin.
How does the continental grip help in achieving underspin on the ball?
-The continental grip naturally positions the racket face open, allowing players to clip through the ball and create underspin, which helps in controlling the ball's bounce and trajectory.
What is the recommended technique for a one-handed backhand volley?
-For a one-handed backhand volley, players should maintain a continental grip, start with the racket above the hand, and finish with the racket alongside the hand, ensuring a consistent angle and underspin.
Why is it important to avoid a straight arm in volleys?
-A straight arm in volleys reduces versatility. A flex in the arm allows for more adaptability and control, making it easier to adjust to different ball heights and speeds.
How can practicing volleys alone help a player?
-Practicing volleys alone allows a player to focus on the feel of the racket's angle and path, helping to develop control and precision in volleying.
What additional resources are offered for those interested in improving their volley skills?
-Additional resources include a video analysis program where players can send in their videos for personalized instruction, as well as links to more information in the video description.
Outlines
🎾 Mastering Volley Techniques with Underspin
In this paragraph, John Craig from Performance Plus Tennis introduces the video's focus on volley techniques, specifically addressing the misconception that professional players hit flat volleys. He emphasizes that advanced players typically use volleys with underspin for better control. Craig demonstrates the continental grip, which allows for an open racket face and the ability to impart underspin on the ball. He explains the importance of the racket's starting position above the hand and finishing level with the hand, as well as the technique of 'clipping' the ball to achieve underspin. The paragraph concludes with the notion that the trajectory of the volley is influenced by both the path of the racket and the angle at which it contacts the ball.
🏃♂️ Developing Versatility in Forehand and Backhand Volleys
This paragraph continues the discussion on volley techniques, highlighting the importance of maintaining a consistent continental grip for both forehand and backhand volleys to ensure versatility and comfort. Craig illustrates the correct setup for the backhand volley, noting that the racket should start above the hand and finish alongside it, and emphasizes the avoidance of a locked straight arm for better adaptability to different ball heights. He also demonstrates how to adjust the racket face for varying ball heights, whether it's low or high, to maintain control and underspin. The paragraph ends with a reminder to practice these principles to develop professional-quality volley skills, and an invitation for viewers to learn more and potentially receive personalized video analysis.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Volleys
💡Professional Quality Technique
💡Underspin
💡Forehand Grip
💡Continental Grip
💡Racket Angle
💡Backhand Volley
💡Open Racket Face
💡Trajectory
💡Video Analysis Program
💡Practice
Highlights
Introduction to the video focusing on volleys and professional quality technique.
Discussion on the misconception of hitting flat volleys and the importance of underspin for control.
Explanation of the incorrect technique of using a forehand grip for flat volleys.
Advocacy for a continental grip to achieve control and underspin in volleys.
Demonstration of how the racket should start above the hand and finish level for optimal control.
Emphasis on the importance of not releasing the racket at the wrist to maintain control.
Illustration of how to achieve underspin by clipping or knifing the ball.
Clarification that the racket face should be open to facilitate underspin and control.
Explanation of the relationship between the racket's angle and the ball's trajectory.
Demonstration of how to adjust the racket's angle and path to achieve desired ball trajectory.
Introduction to the backhand volley and the importance of a one-handed approach.
Advice on maintaining a continental grip for consistency between forehand and backhand volleys.
Instruction on how to set the racket for a backhand volley and the importance of not locking the arm.
Demonstration of how to blend underspin with a jab to control the ball's height and distance.
Emphasis on the need for practice to develop a feel for volleys and achieve professional quality.
Invitation to learn more and get personalized instruction through a video analysis program.
Encouragement to subscribe to the channel and engage with the community for further tennis improvement.
Transcripts
hello everybody John Craig here with
Performance Plus tennis welcome to
today's video where we're going to work
on volleys and I'm going to show you how
to play the volley with professional
quality technique and there is some
coaching going on here on the YouTube
channel that's advocating hitting flat
volleys but if you watch most advanced
players and professional players they
rarely hit volleys that are flat they're
hitting volleys that have an element of
underspin on them the underspin gives
control to the ball I'm going to show
you how to implement that technique on
your volley and teach you how to volley
like a pro in today's lesson so in order
to hit flat volleys on the forehand you
have to be more towards a forehand grip
and you have to racket up and be doing
something along the lines of this where
the racket stays up even if the ball
comes low I'd keep my racket up at the
same height that it starts like this and
this is that's weird I could never hit a
volley like that with this
grip so awkward right so you don't want
to be in a forehand grip you want to be
in a continental grip and what happens
is that automatically places the racket
in an angle where you can achieve
control of the ball trajectory spin
speed everything so now when I set this
up the racket is still going to be above
my hand but the racket is out on a 45°
angle from my torso with a forehand grip
I'm going to be more in front of me like
this punching at the ball extending from
the shoulder so get a continental grip
and when you get a continental grip
there's so many advantages one is that
you're naturally going to have an open
racket face that you can actually put
some delicate touch on the ball and you
can hit UND spin you can clip through
the ball make the the ball stay low on
the bounce and you can adapt to
different heights very very comfortably
so the racket's still going to start
above the hand the so the racket is
still going to start above the hand but
it's not going to stay above the hand so
I'll play when where I keep my racket
above my hand and it just is awkward so
what happens is the racket starts above
the hand but it drops in and it finishes
level with the hand it's above now it's
level okay do it again above
level above level and that is the
technique now when you're doing this you
got to make sure that the racket doesn't
go from above your hand to level with
your hand by releasing at the wrist it's
just an action from the shoulder that
drops the racket in from above to down
and you want to start with your racket
just slightly above the ball and then
come down slightly through it and feel
like you're kind of clipping it or
knifing it and that'll put the back spin
on the ball and give you control whether
the ball's up high or low it doesn't
matter if it's up a little higher I
still put under spin on it if it's
low okay if it's low I just open the
face up and look at it pop up and
there's the open recet face this grip
enables that to happen but if I'm trying
to hit flat volleys from there like if I
try to hit this volley flat it's low I'm
going to sail it way out will not work
look I have no feel and no control on
that where if I if I know I'm going to
put a little unders spin on it it's easy
I can just touch it over with the open
wrecked face and control the ball so you
you've got to make sure you have a
continental grip and you have to have
the intention of having an open racket
face and putting UND spin on the ball
and you might be thinking John if my
racket face is open isn't the ball going
to go up and just remember that the
trajectory of the ball off your racket
is a blend of the path the racket takes
and the angle the racket's on so give
you an example if my racket is on a 45
degree angle and my and it travels on a
level plane and makes contact with the
ball we know the ball is going to leave
the racket strings on a 45 degree angle
right if I start below the ball and have
a 45° angle the ball's probably even
going to get up higher but what happens
if my Rec's on a 45 degree angle but it
descends slightly into contact Watch
What Happens
now there's your trajectory so when you
get out in practice even by yourself as
I'm demonstrating here you can set the
ball and get the feel of having that 45
degree angle slightly descending and you
can control your trajectory and get the
ball to scoot down on the court and make
it really difficult to hit tossing shots
so remember the trajectory of the ball
is a combination or a blend of the path
the racket takes and the angle the
racket is on when it makes contact so
you might be thinking does these same
principles hold true in the backhand and
they definitely do so a couple things on
the backhand volley make sure first of
all that you're a one-handed backhand
volley but your left hand is very
involved there's only been a handful of
great two-handed backhand volleys in the
history of all tennis because it's so
awkward and weird to do and be
comfortable and be versatile so try to
really be a one hit and back in vol make
sure you keep the same grip keep that
Continental grip so you don't have to
make a grip change and what happens is
you can see that naturally when I go to
my forehand the wets at an angle that's
approximately the same as my forearm if
I keep the same grip and I go to this
side look how it just matches again so
you really don't have to make any grip
changes which makes voling so much
easier okay so the same thing when I set
the racket up here if I voled like this
and I kept my racket up it would be the
weirdest thing for me to keep my racket
up I can't I don't even know how to do
it because you just you're just kind of
pushing and it's weird so there's no way
you can volley like that so watch how
the racket will start above but will
finish alongside the hand here we go
ready right so it drops
in
from the shoulder and I can pop that
ball now I popped that ball through the
court and it only got that high because
I blended that UND Spin and just jabbed
it and it just sat right down on the
court and Scoot it through and that's
how you get feel on the backhand volley
see that and if the ball gets low you
can open your face more and you can be
delicate with it see that that or if
it's up high I can still hit UND Spin
and I can hit a little more crisp than
that but see the UND spin on it now
again the key thing is that you got to
practice is that this angle doesn't
change you you set this and you pull it
through from the shoulder and this is
still intact and that's a key thing to
to really get on the backand volley
because often times we feel like like we
release it and hinge at the wrist you
can't do that okay the feeling you want
to have is that you set and the pull is
from the shoulder okay now the other
thing you'll notice about my backhand
volley too is that my arm is not
straight and oftentimes you'll see
players that have very straight arms
we've even seen professionals not in
recent years but there have been
Professionals in the past that had a
very straight arm well that takes the
versatility out of the volley so my arm
is Comfortably extended but it has a
Flex in it so it can be versatile from
the shoulder and you can see that it's
not locked straight you that
okay and there it is so those are the
key principles you really want to
develop on your volleys and the feeling
you want to have and these are key
checkpoints the start the finish the
angle the open racket face and the in
part of the UND spin on the ball those
are the things you want to work on the
checkpoints you want to be looking out
for as you develop professional quality
vol thanks so much for watching today's
lesson on the volleys and I hope that
you will take these concepts of the
court and work on your volley skills and
really develop professional quality
volleys and if you'd like to learn more
and get more information click on the
link description down below and learn
the five key principles you need to
master to achieve your potential with
your volley skills and also if you'd
like me to take a look at your volleys I
also have a very um productive and
valuable video analysis program that so
many people benefit from by sending in
their videos to me and having me
evaluate them and giving them
personalized instruction so the link
down below is for that also check that
out subscribe to the channel if you've
not done so already leave your comments
down below give us a like stick around
we've got a lot more coming here at
Performance Plus tennis and we'll see
you in the next lesson
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