Certified USTA High Performance Coach;
Certified Etcheberry Trainer;
Was a nationally ranked junior and No.1 player at Cornell University;
Competed on USTA and ITF professional circuit;
Studied under Lluis Bruguera (former Spanish Davis Cup coach), Pato Alvarez (former top 10 player and Spanish coach) and Gilad Bloom (former Israeli ATP player and elite Junior coach)In this instructional tennis video by USTA high-performance coach Chris Lewit, you will get a first-hand look at hitting great volleys.
To teach the art of hitting and maintaining exceptional volleys, Coach Lewit breaks down his teaching process for volleys while emphasizing proper technique in practice or during a competitive match into three parts: Footwork, Handwork and Drills/Exercises.
Volley Footwork
Coach Lewit begins the instructional session examining footwork and necessary steps players need to take during volleys. He initially talks about sprinting and rising when hitting approach shots to come into the net during volley and stresses the importance of the split-step prior to striking the ball.
Going over the different footwork that one can use to hit the volley, Coach Lewit then covers the footwork you need to utilize during a volley that is dependent on two different factors – the match situation and the skill level of the player who is hitting the ball.
The footwork portion of the video is a critically important section, as it is the single most-important aspect that players need to master to improve their ability to maintain a competitive, superior volley technique.
Racquet Grip During Volleys
Coach Lewit then moves into another important section when discussing the ability to improve a player’s ability to volley at a high level – the appropriate way to hold the racket during a volley. He favors the Continental Grip and more or an open-racket face to create more of a slice volley.
Being heavily trained and influenced by the Spanish-style of tennis, Coach Lewit explains how and why this is their preferred method for hitting a volley. He proceeds to teach the essentials for hitting a low volley by maintaining a stable base and a high volley which is reliant on cutting through the ball and utilizing more of a downward motion.
This section of the video is especially important because players need to be taught how to hit the volley while utilizing proper handwork and timing.
Coach Lewit then stresses the importance of maintaining contact point and follow through, while making sure that a player extends through their shot and maintains a firm wrist while hitting the ball before planting the lead foot into the ground.
Volley Drills & Exercises
To finish the on-court teaching lesson, Coach Lewit shares some of his favorite drills and exercises to help players improve and master the volley. He begins with hand feeding which can be done as a warmup or an initial drill to perform while a player is still learning volleying technique or for how to hit a drop shot.
The next progression is racket feeding and then lastly, Coach Lewit shows drill work that utilizes a partner during a live-ball drill. He then highlights several of his favorite live-ball drills which players of all skill-level and ability can perform.
This video is for players who are learning the techniques for hitting volleys, as well as for those who want to improve their volleys or for players who are looking to improve their footwork and technique during volleys.
Coach Lewit demonstrates his tremendous expertise and experience and does a great job breaking down the different parts of the volley, the footwork to use during volleys, volley handwork and how and when to use the volley to your advantage.
98 minutes. 2023.