footwork when receiving a serve

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by giant_q_tip, May 10, 2009.

  1. giant_q_tip

    giant_q_tip Regular Member

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    im having problems with my footwork when I receive serves.. well I guess that means my footwork overall is floppy, but im mostly uncomfortable with being a receiver. I'm right handed. Now when someone does the flick serve to me, I explode backwards with my right foot (yess explode :D, ok not really). Is this the correct way to receive a flick serve?

    should I move back starting with my left foot, or jump back left foot first?
    Oh and im talking about the flick to my backhand corner and in most cases I do an overhead drop,clear or smash... but my floppy footwork renders me to clear most of the time.

    help anyone :crying:
     
  2. Maxphi5

    Maxphi5 Regular Member

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    Left or right... depends on how it feels. Like you can be right handed but feel your left leg feels better going back or it can be your right. It's how confortable you feel.
     
  3. charwaster

    charwaster Regular Member

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    First of all, when recieiving serves in singles, you should be not in the middle of the service zone--if we divide the doubles service zone into 3*3 rectangles, your left foot should be rougly on the right front corner of the middle rectangle.(hope you can understand my bad english...)
    Second, your left foot should be slightly lunged and pointing toward your opponent when receiving serves so that your body is pointing diagnolly. Your right foot is behind your left leg, and only toes touch the ground.
    To recieive flick serves, use your split step to give yourself a momentum toward the back of the court. Move your left leg next to or slightly behind the right leg, but not with a big step, and then start scissors jump; move your right leg quickly behind your left leg, jump off, switch your legs, and land with a big left leg step. Your body tends to be bent toward the back if you do this step.
    To receive unexpected flick serves, you should wholly turn your body toward the back court, follow the shuttle, and hit backhand (probably backhand clear). You don't have to be in a hurry--as long as you do a huge lunge for the last step, your backhand will cover enough distance, and let you have time to recover.
     
  4. Nuetronist

    Nuetronist Regular Member

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    Well if you look at how you're going to return the srvice, your right foot wil be behind with your left foot facing the net. It would make sense then, to have your ready position with your left foot forward, with most of your weight on it. This way you will be ready to leap forwards on the low serve, and if they do a flick serve, you will be able leap backwards and travel to the back of the court, without having to get back there, switch foot positions, and then line up for the shot, becuase the more time you have to wait for the shutle, the greater options there are available to you and likely your shot will have an overall better quality.
     
  5. bradmyster

    bradmyster Regular Member

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    As i have said before, go to youtube and watch a professional match. STudy the player recieving and take notes with a pen and paper.

    The most effective way to learn is too see the very best playing and study their footwork and reactions step by step. Trying to distinguish what is the best technique from a page of different and confusing views wont get you very far. You need to see for yourself.
     
  6. giant_q_tip

    giant_q_tip Regular Member

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    i do watch them, but i just can't tell if theyre putting more emphasis on their left or right leg. i mean im no pro so i dont want to assume by just watching :)

    but chawmasters advice to me to stand on my toes, not the soles is something new, so i look forward to putting that into effect next time i play
     
  7. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

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    just take 1 quick step and smack it down. Reflex is important. ;)
     
  8. wristworks

    wristworks Regular Member

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    As a right handed receiver, you should be putting your weight on your left leg, leaning forward. If they serve low, you push off with your left leg, which is the natural lunging motion. If they serve high, you push off with your left leg, which is the natural side-stepping motion you use to move back.
     
  9. giant_q_tip

    giant_q_tip Regular Member

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    thank you so much! thats helpful!
     

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