with David Bailey,
Founder of The Bailey Method (a research-based, data driver tennis footwork & movement training program);
footwork & movement consultant and trainer to over 21 Grand Slam players;
over 30 years of coaching experience;
USPTA World Conference presenter, writer for TennisPro Magazine and tennisplayer.net
Footwork and movement are vital to success in tennis, yet they are often overlooked when it comes to player development. Many coaches spend too much time on teaching stroke fundamentals and not enough time on the movement necessary to execute them.
Using a five-step progression methodology, David Bailey demonstrates four groundstroke techniques in this video, including the front foot hop, rhythm step down, low spin, and run-around transfer. Coach Bailey provides in-depth technique breakdown during these steps, allowing you to see how fundamentals can be implemented in a medium-to-large group setting.
Five Stages of Footwork Training
You will learn how to use a progressive teaching methodology to break down advanced footwork techniques. Bailey explains the teaching points he emphasizes for each of the four groundstroke techniques:
- Shadow - Players shadow the movement of the coach, using a template.
- Shadow the Move - Players shadow the movement of the coach again, this time without a template.
- Move into Lines - Players move into lines and take turns practicing the moves with a ball thrown by the coach.
- Remain in Lines - Players remain in lines and take turns practicing the moves, this time with a self-feed.
- Split into Two Groups - Players split into two even groups and use the same self-drop, only this time they play out the point.
Four Groundstroke Techniques
Coach Bailey begins by teaching players how to use the template (two colored discs) to teach form for the split step - a step that is vital in the sport of tennis. The split step, along with the necessary `ready steps' are emphasized throughout the four groundstroke techniques. Using his five stages of footwork training, Bailey begins teaching the first groundstroke technique: the front foot hop. Using the template, he breaks down the appropriate hip, body, and foot movement necessary to execute proper forehand and backhand technique associated with the front foot hop. Throughout the five stages, Bailey emphasizes ready steps, split steps, and recovery position.
Practice progresses and cycles into the other three groundstroke techniques, all shown through the lens of the five stage progression. As a coach, you will not only get a sound feel for how to demonstrate these shots to your athletes, but you will also get to see how they can be incorporated to teach multiple players at the same time.
One of the more valuable components of this video comes from getting to see how players progress from shadow moves all the way to live ball situations. Throughout the entire video, Bailey uses positive, concise phrasing to reinforce these techniques and provides a stimulating, exciting environment from which the players can thrive.
You will clearly see that Bailey has dedicated his coaching life to mastering the art of teaching footwork and movement to his players. Tennis coaches of all levels will greatly benefit from this video, as you not only learn the intricacies of proper movement, but you learn how to teach them in a way that makes it easy and fun for a group!
45 minutes. 2019.