For years, I thought movement problems were effort problems.

Missed a shot? Must’ve been lazy.
Didn’t split step? Must not be focused.
Feet not working fast enough? Push harder.

So I shouted louder. Split step. Move. Quicker. Balance.

It felt like coaching.
It felt like I was helping.

But it didn’t work.

My players moved faster—but often in the wrong direction, or at the wrong time.
They didn’t look balanced.
They looked rushed.

And over time, I realized something important:

Movement in tennis isn’t driven by effort. It’s driven by information.

That shift changed how I coach footwork.
And it’s what I want to share with you today.

Lesson 1: Movement Is a Response, Not a Routine

Most coaches shout the split step as a cue—right before the opponent hits the ball.
Or maybe just after. Or sometimes on instinct.

But yelling it doesn’t make it stick.

Players don’t move in matches because of commands.
They move because of what they see and feel.
That’s perception-action coupling—movement triggered by information.

If you train players to move only on your voice, you’re teaching them to respond to something that won’t be there during a match.

In short:
The more we shout, the less they learn to read.

Lesson 2: Don’t Coach the Feet—Coach the Focus

You can’t micromanage footwork.

Not every player will split step the same way.
Not every situation requires one.

For example, mini red players often don’t need it.
The court is small. The ball is slow. They can recover without it.

Instead of forcing split steps, I coach focus:

• Where is the opponent?
• When are they about to strike?
• How do I prepare to move?

This shifts attention to the right information.
From there, the movement follows—organically, not mechanically.

And if I do want to create the conditions for a split step?
I don’t shout it. I design for it.

For example:
Start the returner out of position.
They can only move when the server tosses the ball.

That tiny tweak forces explosive movement—without a single command.

Lesson 3: Movement Emerges Through Constraints, Not Drills

Still running players through ladders and cones?

They’ll get better at running ladders.
Not better at tennis.

That’s because the information is different.

In agility drills, movement is pre-planned.
In tennis, it’s reactive. Based on intention. Based on perception.

Instead of footwork drills, I manipulate the task.

Want players to cover more court and develop balance out wide?
Make the court wider.

A simple constraint like “tramlines are in” changes everything:

• First step speed increases
• Balance under pressure improves
• Players explore real solutions, not scripted movements

This is the heart of the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA).
You don’t drill movement—you invite it.

And when it’s tied to intention (like reaching a wide ball or neutralizing pressure), it sticks.

Final Thought

Tennis footwork isn’t about repeating patterns.
It’s about recognizing situations and responding well.

Effort is useless without the right focus.
And drills are empty if they don’t connect to the game.

If we want players to move better, we have to stop yelling.
We have to start designing.

Give them tasks that challenge spacing, timing, and intention.
Let them fail, figure it out, and adjust in real time.

Because that’s what they’ll need in a match.
Not foot ladders. Not perfect split steps.
Just the ability to move—when and how the game demands.

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