I was shocked to recently read that junior athletes in all sports have a 41% chance of experiencing at least one injury related to their sport. In tennis, primary injuries are from the lower extremities, with feet, ankles, and knees leading the list.

Yes, we all know that hard courts can be a big culprit, but to lower the risk of injury is it also possible to be extra light on your feet with fewer steps and also be quick? So many pros and coaches teach footwork intensity but how many are teaching young players to be extra light on their feet? Watch how some players on the pro tour move with grace and apparent relaxation, while others seem almost frenetic in their bounciness. They almost look like jackhammers chipping away at concrete; in this case,  pounding away knee cartilage with every bounce. 

Do any of you remember Andre Agassi’s change in movement when he came back for his last effort on the men’s tour in 2006? After each groundstroke, he would recover, and then literally stand still and appear flat-footed waiting for his opponent to hit the next shot. Clearly, he was trying to avoid stress and strain on his back by being economical with his steps. However, he was also getting to his shots very well and didn’t appear handicapped by this approach. In fact, he played very well.

Another great little story happened at a tennis teacher convention in Phoenix nearly 10 years ago. 12-time Grand Slam Champion Roy Emerson was playing a doubles exhibition with some top-playing and much younger teaching pros. Emerson must have been in his mid to late 60s at the time, with admittedly worn out knees from decades of competition. Sadly, like so many of us, he really could not run. He didn’t even appear to try. No split step whatsoever. BUT… he got to every ball early and outplayed those top ranked Arizona pros who could have been his grandkids. His secret? He had very good balance and was leaning on his heels at the wrong time. Obviously he also has well-developed anticipation skills.

Now, Agassi and Emerson were moving less because of injury and age. But how about moving less to avoid injury? And, moving smarter to play your best at the same time. After all, it’s absolutely true that effective movement and balance are essential to play tennis well. Learning forwards into a good playing height will take players off their heels and get them moving better. Here’s a fun and effective tool to get players off their heels and moving better in a matter of seconds.