Beginner Tennis Volleys: Half the Work of a Powerful Punch!
#Readyposition
Ready for a change of scenery? It’s time we move you from the baseline where you’ve been hitting groundstrokes (forehand & backhands) to the net where you’ll hit balls out of the air, called volleys. A place that feels more intense because your closer to the action, literally. You’ll have less time to react, no time to swing. You’ll want to end points quickly at the net. Using nothing more than the sensation of high 5’ing someone with gusto! And you’ll use THE CONTINENTAL grip on your forehand & backhand volley.
A beginner tennis volley is a ball hit out of the air on your forehand or backhand side. The grip used on a forehand or backhand volley is the continental grip. Stand 3ft. or more back from the net in your ready position with your racket perched above the net. Contact is made out in front of you with a soft shoulder turn using only the force of giving someone a spirited high-5.
The Ready Position at Net
Remember! There’s a ready position for every shot.
At first you’ll have slow soft balls being fed to you in a lesson or a clinic with a coach. They’ll pace the feed to you so you’re comfortable at first. Standing more or less 3 ft, back from net a ready position should be ok for you. Your racket should be poised in front of you and sit above the net. {Like you see me in the photo above}.
I’d also ask you to be on your toes at net. You have less reaction time here so being on alert is a good thing.
After you’ve hit your volley, immediately retreat back into your ready position.
Pro tip: ⚖️
Adult tennis camps by playing level & travel destination for Summer 2023 check here.
Beginner Volley Grip: The continental grip
The grip used on both your forehand and backhand volleys is the continental grip. The continental grip is soooo important to your beginner and advanced game you can’t imagine. It positions the face of the strings ever-so open. At net this’ll help you get the ball over the when you’re so close to it.
This continental grip is skipped by most people starting out. The problem is that without it it will be hard to improve at the intermediate level. Adults without the right grips get stuck & frustrated early in the intermediate level. Without this continental grip you’ll hit a lot of balls in the net. That’ll limit let your confidence at net.
Why is that bad? Because sooo much of adult tennis is doubles. In doubles you have to be able to volley.
This continental grip is used around the world and in some countries referred to as, THE HAMMER GRIP, shown above. You’ll know your hitting hand is in the right place if it feels like you could hammer a nail with your racket.
Weird, right? That’s why so many adults blow off learning this grip. But consider the continental grip your lightsaber at net.
Beginner Forehand Volley Technique: A ball hit out of the air
Beginner volley tips - forehand volley
When I teach beginners how to play tennis it can feel uncomfortable for players who've spent the last 6 weeks in a clinic getting use to standing at the baseline hitting balls off a bounce and taking a full swing at the ball.
Volleys at any playing level are hit with a quarter the effort of a spirited high 5 with someone! 🙌🏻
Your tennis volleys compared to your ground strokes on your forehand & backhand will feel very different. Because you won´t take your racket back very much at all. In fact you´ll only take it back as far as you can see it in your peripheral vision. From the corner of your eye off to the side. Try not to take it back past your hitting shoulder side.
Beginner Volley: Eagle-eyed vision
Seriously! volleys or being at net shorten your reaction time, so it’s important to be paying attention!
Protip: ✨
Seeing the ball early - come off your coach or opponents tennis racket is half the battle. Be on your toes hungry to move in the direction of the incoming ball.
The psychology at net is that you want every ball you can get your hands on.
But people have fear at net. Why? Well, without hawk eyed vision and being on your toes, sometimes you’ll get hit. If a ball is coming to you and you’re timing is off - out goes your racket but the ball hits the side of your tennis frame, misses the sweet spot and smacks you in the head or face.
No one wants this. No one wants the shock or embarrassment of feeling that. It’s very common, but most of you won’t want to come back to the net again after that.
Adopt this attitude …
“What’s mine is mine. What’s yours is mine too.”
Hopefully wherever you begin learning tennis, your coach will use a sponge or decompressed ball to get you started in volleys. You can work up to the heavy hand of a regular tennis ball later.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie then you’ll love do well at net. You’ll do great in doubles and enjoy the power up there of being able to end the point in your favor, quickly. Believe me you’re intimidating when you volley well.
You´ll volley in singles also, but doubles you can’t avoid volleys.
Tennis Volleys: When to apply some pressure
As you stand in ready position at the net - in your continental grip and you’re alert looking for a ball? Relax your hand on the racket handle.
As the ball approaches and you’re going to hit the ball - give that racket handle a nice squeeze. The ball will come in and feel heavy against your strings. If you’re holding the handle loosely you could lose control of the racket and where the ball is going FAST!
Squeeze the racket on contact and when the ball leaves your strings … relax your hand again.
As the next ball comes? Squeeze the handle and relax as the ball leaves your strings. This part will come with practice.
You’ll be stabilizing the racket the force and the direction of your volley.
Tennis Volleys: Focus on your wrist position
Keep the position of your wrist in an L shape. Your wrist will be poised upwards not hanging down in a neutral position. Remember you’re standing right in front of the net! We need to help guide that ball OVER the net. Your wrist will help.
Your elbow is bent AND close to the side of your body as you move to and cuddle up to the ball. If you extend the elbow to reach to soon you’ll lose power and control. You’ll likely dump a ball in the net. And you’ll be off balance.
You’ll naturally release the elbow and extend your wrist on contact to guide the strings and ball in the direction you want the ball to go. But this will come instinctual. I promise.
It’s important not to be TOOO wristy up there! Use your body at net (we’ll talk shoulder turn next) not just your wrist & racket to slap at the ball.
Forehand Volley for Beginners: Slight shoulder turn
There’s a shoulder turn for everything in tennis. The volley has one too.
Try zoning out for a minute on the video above to see how subtle my shoulder turn is. This won’t be a shoulder turn like you do on your forehand.
At the very beginning when you’re learning, take the racket back as far as the shoulder and no more. Later when you’re comfortable you can pull it back a little more for extra power.
If the ball is coming to your forehand side and your hips are parallel to the net in ready position - it’s time to turn slightly to the right (for right handed players). You’re turning in the direction of the ball. Place your racket back as far as your right shoulder.
This is where the continental grip is a rock star! The face (strings) are ever so slightly open. With that forward movement to the ball, the wrist in an upward position and your slight shoulder turn … you’ve set your volley shot up with power.
How? By using your body and not just your arm and racket.
Protip:✨
Using The Continental grip on your beginner volleys will give you successful deep volleys as you advance. Most intermediate adults get stuck here because they hit their volleys in a forehand grip which causes the ball to go into the net.
I see intermediate players using the wrong grip (eastern) all the time at net. Blasting balls into the net over & over. Utterly frustrated they can’t get this volley thing down! It’s a big deal because they want to be good at doubles.
Make sure whoever you´re learning from is teaching you to volley using the continental grip in your beginner tennis lessons.
Beginner Volley Footwork
You’ll develop volleys over time. Back in the day when I was a kid the ball moved slower and racket materials and strings didn’t impact the ball as much.
Today the ball is moving really fast. But at the beginner level it’ll still be slow enough to feel your feet up at net.
Let’s keep it simple as always …
If the ball is out of reach on your forehand volley … step your left foot across your body to step into the ball and reach it easier. This takes care of your shoulder turn automatically. No need to think about the body turn. It’s done using that the cross-step. Cross-step is the tennis technical name for this movement.
If the ball is coming right to you and there’s no need to move and step anywhere … use small steps to get your shoulder turn into position with the feet open or next to each other. This is a more challenging volley.
I’m using the cross-step in the video above.
Beginner Forehand Volley: Where should you aim?
At the beginning of the learning process you’ll aim your volleys over the net & anywhere inside the court.
As you develop and improve your forehand volley & get more comfortable at net, practice aiming the ball cross court & down the line.
Have someone feed you soft balls to your forehand side. First get to the ball with your racket above the net and wrist upright. Manually position your racket strings directly where you want your ball to go. To help you even more… line your left shoulder with where you want to hit. Point your strings there too and WHALLA!
You want deep balls on your volley. Why? A deep volley from you keeps the other player off of the net. You don’t want too many players at net. It gets dicey up there!
You´re in the position of power at net! Hold onto that. Believe me, you’re intimidating at net.
How to improve your beginner forehand volley?
I like setting up targets for players to practice hitting down on tennis holidays
a target set up to hit a cross-court shot angle.
a target in the middle of the court.
a target to hit down the line.
Set your targets up deep, past the service line to make sure you´re aiming deep. Each target will force you to adjust the shoulder turn. Practice hitting each cone or target. And practice this drill all the time. It’s hypnotic I swear. Everyone loves this one - it’s a fun challenge. I love it and practice this one as much as possible for the workout alone!!
Protip:✨
See the white tape on the net in the photo above? Do your best to practice with it in mind. Keep the racket head above the white tape as much as possible. Contact the ball above the white tape on the net if you can and try not to let your racket head drop below the white tape on the net, as you finish your shot!
If you’re on your own and just need some volley reaction fun. Go find a high enough wall (smooth if possible) - literally draw a line across it as the net, or visually mark a position to hit.
The ball will come back really fast but eventually you’ll catch the rhythm. The good thing is the ball always comes back.
I swear to this day my volleys are my strong game because of that childhood wall I had down the street from my house.
ALL SUMMER LONG I’d hit volleys against that wall. You will too if you find a good wall!
Looking for a great beginner tennis racket head here.
If you’re new to the game and want to know how to play tennis, click here.
With love from Mallorca~