How To Hit Better Groundstrokes In Tennis: Improve Your Base - Heel To Toe Step

In tennis, a groundstroke is a forehand or backhand shot made after the ball has bounced once on the court. On the search for better groundstrokes, a lot of players focus solely on developing a good technique, but forget that good strokes start from the ground up. It is so important to create the right distance between you and the ball and have a solid base before you hit the shot. There’s a reason they are called Tennis "groundstrokes".
In this lesson we will show you a simple way to improve your tennis by focusing on your feet and toes. In tennis, the simplest solutions are often the most effective.
Thank you Moush for a great explanation on this subject.
We hope you guys enjoy it, let us know in the comments below what do you want to learn about!
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MyTennisHQ.com is an online tennis academy created by Guilherme Hadlich and Karue Sell. We played junior, college and professional tennis and we love to learn about tennis. We are privileged to be able to work and be around amazing professionals, from players to coaches and everyone else who makes our sport so incredible. We want to share our knowledge and experience with you. We want My Tennis HQ to be the go-to place for all things related to tennis. From lessons to racket recommendations, we want to give you only the best of the best content. We want to make tennis more accessible to all players and fans, and to help every player reach his or her full potential.
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[@KaruesellHQ]

If you want to support our channel by buying something from these websites (no extra cost to you), you can use these links - anything you purchase will help us! - Tennis Warehouse: www.tennis-warehouse.com/?from=tenhq - Amazon: www.amazon.com/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll2&tag=mytennishq-20&linkId=778d2dbdf2fdbb7ac1a7dc91f182c6e9&language=en_US

[@jacksonlar]

This tip ranks side by side with "breathe out on contact" for having the greatest return on investment of time/effort to commit the technique to muscle memory. I was somewhat skeptical when I first saw it, but when I tried it out....miraculously, it's as if you were adding an extra cylinder to your car's engine!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Two good tips that would go together

[@lonevoyager6026]

Could u explain more of the “breathe out on contact”?

[@jonathannguyen6264]

@@lonevoyager6026 so what you're gonna wanna do is breathe out when you make contact with the ball

[@funnyduck4568]

@@jonathannguyen6264 why?

[@josephduchene5849]

@@funnyduck4568 One reason is that breathing is a variable. Another is is aides in the use of your core muscles. You'll see boxers do the same thing, and it's where the "grunt" or now scream comes from. It's also an additional action you are tying to your stroke. Benefits consistency, muscle memory.

[@LetsBuildThatApp]

Always wondered about heel toe myself. On my backhand I noticed a tremendous weight transfer difference where it's much easier to load from the heel. Gotta give this a few solid sessions to have it sink in.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Perfect!

[@yourbedroompunk7601]

@@KaruesellHQ I have always wondered if you could show us your racket specs. That would be a very interesting video!

[@bonzwah1]

Interesting. Definitely something that's awkward to do in my living room shadow swinging barefoot, since coming down on the heel doesn't have the cushion you would have with tennis shoes. If nothing else, I'm realizing that I should probably put on shoes to shadow swing, because socks or barefeet seem to affect footwork and might build bad habits.

[@sergiosimbula]

Yes definitely agree. This has been one of my favourite video's of yours. It sets itself apart from other tennis channels for the more advanced players. As a guy that has been playing since 5 years old, this is actually a tip that I've not heard before. Unintentionally have been doing it right sometimes probably, but to put emphasis on it and be more aware of it has improved my groundstrokes a lot I feel.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Appreciate the support

[@hatairatjirajariyavech1482]

I watched this same vdo you posted previously and it worked. My ground strokes were much more effortless. Thank you so much for sharing these great techniques ❤️❤️❤️

[@KaruesellHQ]

That's great to hear

[@roddickfan90]

One of my favourites from your "old" videos, made a big difference to my groundstrokes. Looking forward to being able to try this out again soon! 🎾🇬🇧🤞🏻

[@roksonist]

Wish I had seen this video before my knee got done 9 months ago :S, I always played from my toetips

[@rawtennis5902]

Never heard of heel to toe before I saw this earlier, but makes a big difference. I love the channel, especially the commentary on your practice with Naomi Osaka. It's great to hear how to make practice more purposeful and beneficial.

[@halicplanlamaanaliz2173]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eV62qHd3dsyNjMU

[@kevingilhooley2064]

Brilliant vid Karue and Mosh....gonna check this out tomorrow to see where I'm at with these moves....greetings from Brisbane.

[@YouThanakorn]

I never noticed this until I saw this video! Luckily I have footage of me hitting with the practice wall, and to nobody's surprise, I never thought of how I step in. THAT'S why I've been inconsistent with my groundstrokes. Thanks Karue for re-uploading the video! I love you❤️

[@KaruesellHQ]

Mission accomplished!

[@kellygraves8146]

I'd also like to add that this technique improves vision. Heel-toe results in much less overall body shock on steps, resulting in less head shock, resulting in more stable eyes.... Not fair this guy can cover half the court in two steps!!!

[@patrickmpalanyi5070]

Hey guys could you do a video on developing a low center of gravity (wide base) I see all the pros are low and wide but most dont tend to talk about it on KZbin. Also when learning it could you give a few tips for strengthening legs as that will help maintain the low center of gravity

[@tannerbrinton9808]

Indeed. Plz make a video on this

[@alexabney7913]

I never even considered that people try to hit on thier toes lol.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Bad spacing typically does it

[@johnnyc686]

It feels like all the tennis topics have been covered to death in the tennis instructional youtube world but havent heard anyone tackle this one. Could you do a video on how to identify your opponents grip (continental, eastern, semiwestern and western) from across the court. I cant seem to figure out what my opponents grip is from so far away - so maybe some tips or tricks to quickly identify the grips they are using on say on groundstrokes, volleys, overheads and serve. Then relate it to what the inherent advantages/disadvantages of that grip is so you can come up with a gameplan as to how to better attack them based on that information. Love the channel. Thanks!

[@pwash474]

This shows how difficult tennis footwork really is to master when even a high level semi-pro has difficulty repeating it, even while being coached! Lol

[@CountyWheat]

I literally can’t tell you how much this helped my tennis, I instantly subbed and showed this vid to all my tennis friends!

[@theintentionalist]

Right after I watched this the explanation was good then I watched Nadal practice for 10 minutes and he was always on his toes. Maybe that's why he has foot problems?

[@madbadtrad7746]

Absolutely superb presentation and discussion. Many, many thanks! Can't believe the level of instruction here. The idea of heel to toe transition into stroke/contact followed by a float/cross step makes sense - but only in a defensive shot, right? I mean we otherwise want to load up on that leg to unwind properly, no?

[@ximofni]

Great video. I'm tall and injured my knees many times for this issue. I must try today. Thanks a lot.

[@tannerbrinton9808]

Something I didn't know. Love this video! Thank you!

[@jeanchalaby980]

Great video, super important. What's the dog's name?

[@KaruesellHQ]

River!

[@jeanchalaby980]

River is super cute. Thanks for the channel, great content and great videos.

[@Daniel-rk3vf]

Great great video... made even better by the dog at the end!

[@11Garrett11]

Dogs make everything better

[@dg2973]

Hmmm...never thought of that before...good detail to implement in the game...

[@atwntennisclub]

This might be the best tennis technique video I've ever seen. Such a simple technique yet so fundamental and so effective. Love it!

[@KaruesellHQ]

That's awesome to hear!

[@honkeyness9427]

Man - I used to hit much more grounded - maybe that’s why I’m so bad nowadays

[@rajvishy007]

But you watch even Novak or all the top players practice they are toe 1st on almost all the balls and use heel just on a few balls

[@yakzivz1104]

WOW this is so insightful!! I was never taught this when I was younger. I can't wait to practice this on the courts.

[@LL-kz1qe]

Awsome struff i knew something was something was not quite right and now i know why

[@CrabNoodleSoupp]

That is a beautiful neighborhood

[@israelaguilera8733]

Damn! Mosh is a great coach. Does he have a KZbin channel?

[@arnaldosimisschver523]

very interesting, never heard, thanks

[@ReallyOldDog]

Nice vid. Wish I had a sweet stache like yours.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Lol

[@3Slippers]

this video was why I subscribed, more please just like this!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Absolutely

[@warehouse13-motorsports]

I mentioned your channel to the teaching pro I hit with and now he is teaching this technique to his top juniors.

[@KaruesellHQ]

That is awesome!!

[@orlandorivera6802]

excellent video bro

[@jonathanp639]

Where can we find Mosh?

[@lazarossouvlakis5168]

My guy, underrated

[@YSMiracle]

I think this is a little technically unnecessary, though not wrong. What I find is if you have the proper technique and enough time to prepare, your body will naturally do the "heel to toe" step. If you look at the top pros including the big3, given enough time for the footwork, they will all do the "heel to toe" step. But many times they are not able to do so, because there's not enough time to start from heel to toe, rather they have to land on the toe and hit. But I appreciate your effort to teach us amateurs, because like the others say, the "heel to toe" step is very helpful. So thank you very much!

[@craigmclauchlan9155]

I’ve seen one of the top UK coach junior development coaches talk a lot about heel to toe moments. Therefore, when Junior coaches are using phrases like “on your toes” to keep them moving, it can corrupt their efficiency.

[@madscientist664]

I just watched some slow-mo footage of Tsitsipas forehand. You also have an old analysis of his forehand in this channel btw. I noticed that Tsitsipas almost always is on his toes. Heels seldom even touches ground. He often jumps up as part of the stroke. Could you comment on that within the context of the "heel to toe step" advice ?

[@CharlesTang-sp5en]

Great idea!❤

[@ommpaloomplak53]

Taylor swift in the background haha, great video!

[@goncalooliveira5409]

whatsupeveryone

[@markmap4677]

At 60 years old, and having taken up tennis during the Federer era ( from 2002 forward ), I am finding that having "strong legs" ( via weightlifting , drills, etc. ) has been of great help in providing a solid foundation on top of which all of these stroke development tips can evolve.

[@tv.shariefsk]

I guess this is an old video during the Head PT 2.0 review on this channel. Been a fan of the channel from the beginning. Great tips and content overall 👍🏻

[@svlagonda7417]

This is an excellent video. Very very good explanations on technique. More please!

[@felixwalpole8206]

its insane how good value these videos are -- people could save thousands of dollars taking awful private lessons and just watch these videos

[@davidhawkins6305]

Honestly a sick tip. So small a lot of people would never realize this.

[@hooha1692]

Excellent

[@assihassan]

thank you for sharing again. will be paying attention to this next time i'm on court

[@MyekalBenham]

Can we get a Cross Step Tutorial? The Coach in this post moves so well. I would love more footwork content.

[@bcellable]

Thanks karue. Love the informative vids

[@senorzed6483]

I will try it out but when I watched Djokovic's forehand slow motion it's like Djokovic is effectively trying to deny the claim "You should be grounded" :))) He keeps jumping on his forehand; I see heel to toe less from him and he only does it when stepping into the shot not when the ball is at his strike zone; Federer does the same thing; he has no "Heel to Toe" movement. Regardless I'll give it a try and see what happens

[@KaruesellHQ]

Guys like Federer and Djokovic are not the audience for this video. I guarantee that when they were developing they were told to be grounded, to be stable through the shot. Stability is key for good tennis.

[@senorzed6483]

@@KaruesellHQ Okay thanks! It's still interesting for me so I'll definitely try it next time I hit the court! Keep up the good content

[@DFUTGI]

Muito bom o canal!passa várias coisas diferentes do conteúdo que costuma ter na net.parabens pelo trabalho.

[@lonevoyager6026]

8:17

[@repsycled1605]

Gr8 content and very well explained ..

[@applesforakbar]

Would love more of this kind of stuff, thanks for sharing!

[@byatop]

great vid could you give me moosh's instagram?

[@fabriziomassicci660]

Great video! I was looking for this one!

[@robocop6573]

put some music in intro. that would be nice

[@rossbennett2744]

Better without it.

[@aaronrichey7801]

Karue for prez!

[@JuanPablo-og8wl]

Never heard of this concept before but it makes a lot of sense, just from shadowing I can feel the difference in power👍🏻👍🏻

[@KaruesellHQ]

Awesome!

[@superlysandre9387]

Hey! Stumbled across your channel through your video about hitting with Osaka... been watching a bunch of your videos since. I noticed you have done a lot of racket reviews on this channel, mainly Yonex and Head. I enjoy the way you explain your experience with the rackets and would like to see more of it. I have a request... can you potentially review some of the Wilson racket lines (prostaff, blade, ultra, etc.). I use Wilson so it would be nice if there was some content I could relate to a little more. Anyways, thanks for the good content and keep it up!

[@superlysandre9387]

I just read my comment and realized I may have come off demanding XD. If you can't do the wilson reviews due to things like contracts and sponsorships with Yonex or Head then I understand.

[@JazzyBlackSanta]

Really wanna practice this except I’m also in socal

[@strobos4215]

Tennis and puppies are the best things in the world 😍 BTW, as an old guy I enjoy those Pro Tour 2.0. Thank you for its great review!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Hahah more puppies then

[@jankrawczyk2664]

Not only am I 6’4”, but I also play one handed backhand, so your video is a very big help for me. Thanks a lot.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Awesome!!

[@emmanuelcordoba1502]

Thanks a lot for this advice. Lately, I'm more conscious about it and I've seen immediate improvements (in terms of power)

[@KaruesellHQ]

That’s awesome to hear

[@joaojoseguimaraes9163]

From 6:48 to 7:30, that tip about the cross over step on the forehand and two handed backhand, both when hitting open stance on the run, is really interesting. I'm gonna start implement it, because I tend to jump after I hit the open stance groundstroke on the run. Such a brillian content, keep up the good work, Tennishq.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Thank you!c

[@baccarani1507]

it makes sense, thanks Moush

[@Sladovsky1]

How can you go toe first? It's so awkard to do!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Bad spacing between you and the ball typically makes it happen

[@Sladovsky1]

@@KaruesellHQ The is the only reason I can think of to go toe first. It really seems very natural to go from heel to toe when you put your foot.

[@Sladovsky1]

@@KaruesellHQ Anyway, very good video about footwork. I find your stuff very informative and useful.

[@tobiaslejnerborn2238]

this is a gem! never heard about it. i have tried this at 2 training sessions. makes a noticeable difference. stability of course but also ensures i bend the knees and get under the ball, helps weight transfer and swinging properly. i like that your channel focus on quality rather than quantity!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Yep! We focus on the right things here at mytennishq 💪🏻

[@craigmclauchlan9155]

It’s was stated in video better to play open as can produce more power. Do you agree with this? I’ve seen some testing to show when players are able to step in, they can generate more power. I guess it’s very similar and a lot depends on timing.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Tennis is difficult because of time pressure. Your opponent is trying to make you uncomfortable. Yes, ideally we would love to hit all shots stepping in but that is unrealistically so you have to play open stance to hit solid shots when there’s time pressure. Also, look at the biggest forehands of all time (delpo, Gonzales, Blake), they mostly unload open stance. At the end, tennis is nuanced, don’t take everything so black and white. Some people can hit bigger one way, some people another. Hope this helps

[@joel4ng]

Very very informative video!! Thank you tennisHQ

[@KaruesellHQ]

You are welcome

[@guidodelgiudice5]

Another great advantage of this technique is that you don't have to buy new shoes every 2 months.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Lol true

[@JS-ng1jz]

with this video you have one more subscriber. I loved the video and the others that I have seen on the channel, and when the dog appears it is very sweet😍 💪👏

[@KaruesellHQ]

Awesome!! River will be in videos more often

[@warehouse13-motorsports]

Great video! Working hard with my pro to make this automatic in my game.

[@KaruesellHQ]

Thank you! Good luck!

[@Peter-wp5vb]

This is only true for when you have to run for the ball. Watch any pro tennis match and about 40% of the shots hit don't involve this "heel to toe" step - the balance remains on the toes when minimal movement is needed. With these instructional videos, you really get what you pay for!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Funny how you are the only person who disagrees with it. You must be quite the player

[@Peter-wp5vb]

@@KaruesellHQ nah I’m just good at observing, critical thinking, all the good stuff. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnqZgWqrhLh0hpo

[@KaruesellHQ]

Clearly has taken you far. To start shit on the KZbin comment section. Keep it up, pal!

[@yourbedroompunk7601]

@@KaruesellHQ I still agree with you, Sell

[@tennis47]

Great video again!

[@mlee9049]

Awesome video.

[@qwest1979]

Can't wait to try this! Also end every video with some positive dog vibes 🐶

[@KaruesellHQ]

Hahah I'll bring him more often

[@LambertLam]

Awesome insights! Thanks for sharing.

[@KaruesellHQ]

You are welcome

[@deepseadiver8191]

Hey Karue! Awesome channel, I'm a subscriber! I love everything about it but wish the audio quality was a bit better. All the best in 2021!

[@KaruesellHQ]

I think my mic broke. I'm with you! Last two videos I was like wtf is up with my audio? Will fix it

[@deepseadiver8191]

@@KaruesellHQ Lol. Thanks!

[@albertozabeo77]

super helpful

[@dammitol25mg19]

Helpful indeed

[@bryannguyen7388]

Great tip! I'm going to try this next time i play tennis!

[@KaruesellHQ]

Let us know how it goes

[@AlexanderGr8]

You guys are great! Thank you I’m subscribing as I write to you. 👍👏👏

[@KaruesellHQ]

Thank you for the support!

[@AlexanderGr8]

@@KaruesellHQ your welcome my friend. You deserve it 👊

[@kinhian]

the older video bring me to your channel

[@KaruesellHQ]

Yes! I wanted more people to see it

[@zacharywan2004]

This video takes me back😬

[@KaruesellHQ]

Back when we were tiny!

[@K4R3N]

First?

[@Javi_C]

👍

[@yourbedroompunk7601]

Review Head lynx tour!

[@nikol7951]

Excellent, thank you; looking forward to trying it out tomorrow, and will let you know!

[@jasonlee6777]

The original video on the heal to toe was how I subscribed to your channel in the first place. Former Japanese pro takao Suzuki of star tennis academy KZbin channel also mentioned this technique briefly on their video today. Very insightful and very helpful for closed stance approach shots . Thanks karue!

[@KaruesellHQ]

👊🏻

[@franc1smurray]

love the new intro! did u get a haircut?

[@KaruesellHQ]

I did and yes! We got some Co stuff cooking