Reaction drills help players develop the ability to track the ball quickly and respond swiftly with their racket, as well as accurate, fast footwork – particularly at the net.
For this first volley or half volley drill, split step and keep your center of gravity low to get close to the net and practice timing and strength. It can be great fun!
1. First Volley Drill
Volleying is one of the core elements of tennis, yet many players don’t devote enough time and attention to this aspect of play. A good first volley can set you up perfectly for another shot in doubles or singles play – getting it deep, crisp, and controlled will put you in an advantageous position to take it!
You can practice volleying alone or with a partner with this great drill! Your partner stands in their service box and tosses a ball directly at you so it only bounces once. When attacking it mid-air using continental grip racket, try 10 forehand volleys first before moving onto 10 backhand volleys.
Goal of tennis volley: to approach as close to the net without stopping. Too often players back off when volleying, making it more difficult to react quickly to the ball and react in time when hitting it back over their shoulder. Stepping back can also allow the ball to drop beneath your waist making volleying more challenging.
This four-person tennis drill provides the ideal setting to develop various depths and depth of volleys as well as footwork and placement. Two people stand at the service line while their teammates sit on the baseline. Every time someone serves into Zone 1, their teammates in Zones 2, 3, or 4 run over to catch it, and either forehand or backhand volley depending on whether it was caught.
2. First Overhead Drill
At higher levels of tennis, shots become increasingly fast and complex, necessitating a swift reaction time from you. To prepare yourself for any situation that arises on court, the First Overhead Drill can be an invaluable way to develop hand-eye coordination and speed up reflexes.
In this drill, one player stands with their back to the net while another player lobs a ball over them and sprints after it as it bounces twice before trying to catch it before it bounces again. This drill provides an ideal way to develop footwork, communication skills, agility and teamwork while creating motivation and team spirit among teammates.
Target Practice drill is another enjoyable and efficient group tennis drill, in which players hit balls to various targets on the court – such as cones or hula hoops – using various movements. When their coach calls out various instructions such as “left,” “right,” or “back,” players need to respond quickly and accurately by hitting accurately back to them.
These engaging group tennis drills will equip you with all of the skills and techniques needed to become an unstoppable force at the net. Furthermore, these engaging drills are an excellent way to foster teamwork and camaraderie among teammates by challenging all to work together to complete them successfully. By including group tennis drills into your training sessions, you’ll be prepared for every situation and can advance your game further than ever.
3. Heavy Top Spin Lob Drill
An effective topspin lob shot can be an invaluable asset to doubles players and can keep the ball within the court for longer. Accuracy comes from practicing this shot properly with drills that focus on its technique; practicing will improve accuracy significantly.
Topspin lobs can be an effective way to force an opponent back from the net without risking a volley, giving more time for recovery and preparation before hitting your next shot. Learning to lob can also prevent opponents from coming too close into the net while giving you an alternative more powerful than dropshot.
One common misstep many players make when trying to hit a lob is leaning backwards, which will open up their racquet face and reveal their intention. To conceal your lobs more subtly, maintain the same body balance and footwork you would use with regular groundstrokes.
To achieve this goal, have your coach stand in front of the net and feed a ball to one corner. Your player then must move towards it and hit a backhand lob over his/her coach’s racquet – repeat this several times until your players master both proper posture for hitting topspin lobs as well as timing and power. This drill will help them develop these essential tennis skills.
4. First Backhand Drill
Players pair up and practice different net game scenarios in this drill. They hit volleys back and forth across the court while working on hitting consistent shots. Coaches may also call out specific targets like cones or hula hoops for players to hit at.
One handed backhanders should focus especially on this drill as its success depends on a good racket head preparation which may not always come easily for beginners. “One” drills may help teach this but should also be combined with more fluid “two” drills so the racquet stays on its right side naturally.
Engaging a partner to lift the ball to your backhand repeatedly is another effective drill, forcing your backhand to remain turned and track the ball as well as aiding with timing on first volley.
This drill can be played solo or with multiple people. Divided into two teams, players compete to score points by hitting their balls over a net into their opponent’s zone – winning three points wins the game! This activity provides great practice in speed and accuracy in net play as well as developing different spins.
5. Backhand/Forehand Drill
An effective and simple way to develop your backhand and forehand is through an interactive drill. Players take turns hitting backhand and forehand shots toward each other while focusing on proper grip and technique. Furthermore, this drill forces them to develop their basic return skills as each returning player must consistently hit the ball past their partner to continue the rally.
Deep Rally drill is another effective group tennis drill designed to get players used to hitting deeper balls that help maintain control over points. To run this drill, one player stands near or on the baseline while their partner serves serves. After receiving these serves, returning player must then hit back the ball while communicating effectively and moving effectively so as to continue the rally.
Finally, the Overhead Smash and Run Drill provides an effective means of honing footwork and technique necessary for an overhead smash that can break a long point. In this drill, one player starts at the net while their partner stands near or on the baseline on the opposite side of the net; their attacking player must use proper footwork and technique in order to deliver an overhead smash that wins them points.
Implementing these eye-catching net play and reflexes drills into your training regimen, you can elevate your game. From perfecting volleys to developing drop shots, these drills will allow you to dominate the net while leaving opponents speechless at your impressive abilities.
6. Three-Person Rally
Quick reflexes on court can make all the difference in whether or not an excellent shot is hit, which is why quick reaction training drills, such as agility exercises like ladder and cone drills, should be an integral part of player development. Acclimatizing yourself to such training drills will enable faster reactions when reacting to opponent drop shots as well as other situations requiring quick responses time.
Group tennis drills can be enjoyable and motivating for players, which makes them an excellent way to practice net play and reflexes drills. Group drills also create more comradery among teammates while making training sessions more likely enjoyable as everyone works as one team.
One of the most beloved group tennis drills is King of the Court. This exciting and competitive game can be enjoyed with two players or larger groups; those that win most points stay on while their opponent leaves; this drill provides an effective way to encourage aggressive play and transitions to the net – perfect for doubles teams!