February 2003 -- Question: I have read so much about movement and how important it is to playing tennis effectively, but every time someone mentions balance, it is not discussed in depth. Would you please discuss the issue of balance as it relates to playing better tennis?
Answer: In one word, balance is
critical. Without balance, there is very little “game” that a player can create. Yes, you can hit shots “off-balance,” but you don’t want your game to depend on off-balance mechanics.
In my opinion, there are two types of balance that are necessary to understand: static and dynamic. Static balance means that little movement is taking place, while dynamic balance may be defined as bodily control during movement. To give you an idea of static balance, think of the body being a lot of parts centralized around a certain location; in our case, this is our center of gravity (COG). When you are standing still, the COG must be above your feet (your base of support). If the COG falls outside the base of support, you would start to fall. Stand straight up near a wall and begin to lean forward. You can feel yourself becoming unstable to the point that, if you continue leaning, you will have to catch yourself against the wall.
If your feet are close together, the base of support is small and, as you widen your stance, the base becomes larger. When standing on one foot, the COG must fall within the foot’s base of support or you will fall. The question now becomes this: How does static balance affect tennis? The answer is that it is fundamental to tennis. Try this experiment. With your eyes open, stand on one foot for one minute. Most of us can do this without a problem. Now, close your eyes and stand on one foot. I would bet that most of us start to fall within about 15 seconds. The reason is that you are receiving no visual cues from the environment and your body will begin swaying slightly. And, you can’t control any motion of the COG because you don’t have visual references. I believe this is a possible reason why it is usually easier to make the transition from outdoor tennis to indoor tennis and harder to make the opposite transition. On an indoor court, everything is fixed – the ceiling, the backdrops, the walls, etc. On an outdoor court, the wind moves the ball, the sun goes in and out from behind the clouds, the clouds are moving, the trees are swaying, cars are passing, and so on. As another example of the importance of visual cues, overheads are generally easier to hit on a cloudy day than on a clear, sunny day. The clouds create visual reference points.
To understand dynamic balance, think of the last time you hit an awesome shot while on the run. How did you do it? Your lower body is moving like mad and, somehow, you must keep your upper body in control enough to strike the ball effectively. This requires tremendous body control to do this on a regular basis. Watch the great players when they hit on the run or when they swing so hard at the ball that their bodies are pulled off the ground. Their shoulders are usually level, and not angled or out of alignment. Lesser-skilled players tend to “pull out of the shot,” lifting one shoulder excessively, or they might overhit and then the shoulders get out of alignment. These are the players who you see opening up too quickly on the forehand or lifting the front shoulder too quickly on the one-handed backhand.
So, how can players practice and improve their balance? Beginners need to understand that body control dictates how well they will hit the ball. How they move into a shot, how they initiate forward momentum, and how hard they try to swing will all affect the balance and control they bring to the stroke in question. I believe this is a critical area for novice tennis players to examine: How well do you control your COG over your base of support as you swing? If the COG moves over the base of support smoothly during the shot, balance can be achieved. Balance is not being achieved if the COG is out of control, causing the player’s body to be out of control.
More skilled players need to drill and practice to improve balance. Since tennis is a game of emergencies, in which you are always reacting and responding to the opponent’s actions, on-court practice must involve specific actions that cause the player to become out of control. The only way to improve one’s capacity for better balance is to practice the things that cause a person to be out of balance. Drills in which the player must hit on the run but finish the point are typical (passing-shot drills). This can place the individual under stress to strike the ball very effectively and, with time and the proper instruction, the player will learn to hit on the run with tremendous balance. If players struggle with this or just need to improve their capacity for better balance, there are many drills that can be employed without hitting balls. Hexagon drills, alley lunges and spider runs are typical drills that can be brought into practice sessions that will help dynamic balance and coordination.
The key point about balance is that it can be developed, but the development should be planned through appropriate practice sessions. Tests can be administered that will set a baseline for where players are, and then a practice plan can be created to achieve their goals. When players realize the importance of balance and how it affects their overall game, they will usually work to improve.
Send questions to jgroppel@LGEPerformance.com.
