*Zone 1 is from your feet to your knees
*Zone 2 is from your knees to your shoulders
*Zone 3 is from your shoulders & up
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| Zone 1-2-3 Tennis |
The Zone 1-2-3 Methodology changes for players as they move vertically through the court. Our goal is to build players skills in all 3 zones plus all three areas of the court. We see so many players today that are very comfortable in the back-court, but struggle in the mid-court and/or front court areas.
Our methodology on stances vary based on where you are in the court. We teach that a student should definitely utilize an "Open Stance" for wide balls in the back-court to save time and distance and incorporate more spin on the ball. However, our students typically use more of a closed stance when they are centered in the court and as they move forward toward the net.
Our preferred grip for the forehand is semi-western, and we typically start our students out with a 2 Handed Backhand. As they move forward, we prefer the continental grip for traditional volleys and overheads.*Swinging volleys differ*
(*We use the 10andUnderTennis.com Balls, Equipment, & Courts for the appropriate ages prior to moving them on to the regular sized court, racquets, and balls... See my blog "Ten & Under Tennis Is Fun").
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| Emilio Sanchez Demonstrating the Hand-Toss Feed |
THE BACK-COURT
A. Zone 1 shots, which are shots below the knees, require a short backswing close to our hips, typically using a neutral to closed stance with a lunge step for balance and control as we accelerate through the ball from our low center of gravity. A big loopy backswing would be very hard to accomplish in this position, as well as, hard to control the contact and follow through. We utilize a toss feed from the same side of the court as the student from the service "T" to teach our students the footwork, stroke preparation, and muscle memory for a Zone 1 FH & a Zone 1 BH.
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| Roger Federer taking the ball on the rise |
B. Zone 2 - Knees to Shoulders. These shots can be closed or open stance with a longer backswing and longer follow-through. Zone 2 is our ideal hitting zone which allows us the greatest margin of error and offers us a variety of spins and drives from low-to-high and also from high-to-low as we move inside the baseline. We prefer for our students to take as many shots as possible in Zone 2, but we must teach them how to hit both offensive and defensive shots from all zones and all areas of the court. We utilize both "Dead Ball" Drills with toss feeds and racquet feeds, as well as, "Live Ball" Drills that reinforce both Closed & Open Stances, proper racquet preparation, and proper muscle memory.
THE MID-COURT
This is a transition area where we may hit any variety of Shots, Zones, and Stances as we look to move in and take control of the net, or be forced to defend. Our goal with Mid-Court Shots is to set ourselve's up to finish the point. We always teach a 2 or 3 Shot Finish in a Offensive Position and a 2 or 3 Shot Pass in a Neutral or Defensive Position.
Short, Low (Zone 1) - Mid-Court balls should go down the line. If our opponent is in that position, then use a Change-of-Direction Tactic and go into the open court 'Cross-Court'. However if the short ball is in Zone 2, we want to take on it on the rise and hit to the open court to take time and position away from our opponent. If the ball is in Zone 3, we may hit high-to-low (Using the Hop-Step - See Federer picture), or take it in the air as a traditional or swinging volley and follow our shot.
*Change of Direction Shots & Tactics are important shots/tactics/plays we practice with racquet fed drills and Live Ball Drills. For example: A Change of Direction Drill might be a Down-line-Feed from my backhand and my student has to run over and hit a cross-court forehand. Cross-court Change-of-Directions should be used 80% of the time, because the net is the lowest in the middle of the court and the cross-court angle is the greater length of the court, thus making it the safest shot that can pay big dividends if executed correctly by opening up the court with a short reply and plenty of vacated space by our opponent. However, the top athletes must also practice and learn how to execute the Down-the-Line Change of Direction, which should only be used when in position, balanced, and set. We say that this shot should only be used approximately 20% of the time.
THE NET or 'THE FRONT-COURT'
We teach with toss feeds and racquet fed "Dead Ball" & "Live Ball" Drills.
*As players advance we also introduce the Swinging Volley as an option in Zone 2 & Zone 3 as they are closing the net.
We ask students to get into trophy or throwing position with their non-dominant hand pointing up for the shoulder tilt and for tracking the ball, keep their head up as they reach up and utilize a snap and under arm tuck swing with their head and eyes up at contact. We also ask our students to use an imaginary clock in their mind to their dominant contact side... imagining themselves making contact out in front of the 12 o'clock position with a Downward Snap and follow-through. This often practiced in racquet fed drills. *We also like to teach our students how to hit the inside-out overhead and the cross-court overhead.
FEET & MIND
We play tennis with our FEET and our MIND, so we need to learn efficient footwork and positioning skillsets, as well as tactical (strategy) skillsets. We teach our students to become "Students of the Game" by developing Note-cards, videos, match-play notes, reading books, and watching tennis. We learn quickest by using three criteria: 1. Hearing, 2. Seeing, & 3. Writing/Reading. We find that those who study the game improve more rapidly and achieve greater standards in the game. See our Big 3's listed below.
- OUR BIG 3's:
A. Zone 1-2-3
B. 1. The Back-court, 2. The Mid-court, 3. The Front-court
C. 3 Types of Spins: 1. Topsin, 2. Slice or underspin, 3. Flat
D. 3 Types of Shots: 1. Offensive, 2. Defensive, 3. Neutral
C. 3 Way's to Become a Better Student: 1. Move your feet, 2. Play the Ball, 3. Have FUN
D. The 3 Most Important Shots: 1. Serves, 2. Return of Serves, 3. The Forehand
E. 3 Way's to Pass the Test: 1. Figure out your opponent's weaknesses & strengths... make mental & even written notes on change-overs, 2. Develop a Game-plan in the early stages of the match, 3. Maintain a positive test-taking mindset, asking yourself positive "How to" Questions in order to implement the proper tactical plans... (Try to Think like a side-line coach).
F. 3 Keys to a Great Serve by Definition are: 1. Routine, 2. Rhythm, 3. Smart Decisions
G. 3 Off-Court Keys to Great Tennis: 1. Sleep, 2. Nutrition, 3. Fitness
THE SERVE - is a shot that we should work hard to make our biggest weapon, because we get the first strike. The serve is made up of location, tempo, and spins.
If we can master our flat, slice, and topsin-kick serve, to all 3 areas of the deuce & ad box, then all we have to do is break our opponents' once per set. We recommend that a player practice their serve, take notes, and watch video on the serve several times a week. Serving buckets of balls at targets is just as important as a baseball pitcher practicing his pitches.
We usually start a player with a continental to eastern-backhand grip for the serve. As they build their serve they may slightly change their grip for different spins, locations, sides, and to accommodate for the wind.
We teach that you must have 3 Keys to have a great serve: 1. ROUTINE - (Nick Bollettieri -"says all great players have a Service Routine" ...to prevent from rushing & to keep them calm under pressure). 2. RHYTHM - Like the beat of a drum... Our serve should flow, as we start with our weight forward and say Down together, up together, hit. We also must keep our head up as we make contact and finish with the snap and under arm tuck, which we also use in the overhead smash. The difference between the overhead smash and the serve is the following: We want our feet about shoulder width apart for the serve and use our knees as we push off and uncoil. On the overhead smash, we want to use a wider stance for balance as we snap downward more aggressively than the serve, On the serve we accelerate up and out through the ball, prior to the downward wrist-snap. -And 3. SMART DECISIONS ... which is two fold: Develop a strategy of where to serve and don't waste your serves by hitting bad tosses... we can toss it as many times as needed.
*Purchase some cones in any Sports Section and practice serving at targets on your own or with a partner several times a week.
Andy Roddick made millions by developing a great serve.
THE RETURN OF SERVE
The Return of Serve is the Second Most Important Shot in Tennis, because like Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and many other tennis greats, they neutralize a great server by their superior return game. We practice our returns in lessons by the Inside-Out & Cross-Court Return Drill. You can also practice your return game with a partner, against the wall, with a Ball Machine, and by Live Ball Practice Points & Sets. We teach to move toward the serve using a short backswing and a long follow-through. Practice your returns several times a week too and watch how quickly you improve your game.
*Our Zone 1-2-3 Methodology is critical to apply to service returns, as we will experience low wide serves, defensive returns, as well as, high kicking serves we must learn to take on the rise and drive from high-to-low.
Not only can a server practice serving at targets, but a returner can also practice returning at the 3 Targets: Cross-court, Middle, & Down-the-line
Find you a partner who will do this with you for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week.
Our 15 Components of Becoming a Better Tennis Player:
1. Take Private Lessons
2. Get involved in Group Drills
3. Hit off the Wall - (Play the wall matches by setting a number of balls rallied before missing or bouncing twice to claim the point, otherwise it's the walls point)
4. Serve & Return
5. Use the Ball Machine
6. Develop a Nutrition & Fitness Plan
7. Play practice matches
8. Sets some written goals with your coach
9. Develop a Tournament & League Plan with your coach (Play both Singles & Doubles every chance you get)
10. Become a student of the game... Keep Learning & Growing, & Learning more from your losses than your victories.
11. Acknowledge the other players' good shot(s) & be a good sport whether it's your day or not
12. Develop yourself a set of note-cards with key points to remember & tactical plays, just like a football or basketball coach would have on the field with them
13. Come prepared with everything you might need during a match. Water, snacks, electrolytes, band-aids, tape, ibuprofen, icy-hot wraps, grips, cap/visor, change of clothes, towel, sunscreen, extra racquets that are strung...
14. Never Give Up... The finish line is often closer then you think, so Press On! & Finish the Race.
15, Have Fun!!! Enjoy the journey, because Tennis is the sport of a lifetime.
*Key terminology to take away from this article & do more research on:
1. Zone 1-2-3
2. Palm Down vs. Palm Out
3. Change-of-Direction Shots
4. Closed Stance, Open Stance, Semi-Open Stance
*REMEMBER, WATCH THE BALL... -AND FOLLOW THE BALL... -AND PLAY THE BALL... -NOT YOU'RE OPPONENT, nor the court... it's not going anywhere.
Please pass our blog on to others that you think might benefit from our teaching.
Good luck on this awesome journey you've embarked on... See you on the Courts, Coach Craig
Revised 3.31.16 ... Revised again 4.29.19
