This exercise combines lateral jumping movements with more complex ball coordination. Starting with a skater jump, the ball is first bounced on the floor and then played upward with the opposite hand. While the ball is in the air, the player jumps to the other side, where the ball is caught in a controlled manner. The exercise requires timing, rhythm, leg strength, and the coordination of lower body movement and arm action under dynamic conditions.
TRAINING OBJECTIVE
- Improvement of lateral jumping power and single-leg stability
- Training timing and rhythm in complex movement sequences
- Promoting hand-eye coordination under time pressure
- Improvement of inter- and intramuscular coordination
- Preparing for dynamic changes of direction in tennis
LOAD DOSAGE
- 2–4 Series
- 15–25 seconds per set or 6–10 repetitions per side
- Break: 60 seconds
- Intensity: moderate to high, depending on jump height and ball speed
COACHING KEYS
- Land stably and in control on your standing leg
- Bounce the ball actively and clearly upwards, do not throw it
- Perform the jump precisely during the ball’s flight phase
- Upper body upright, gaze steady ahead
- Work evenly and rhythmically on both sides
PROGRESSIVE APPROACH
- Start with a simple skater jump without the ball
- Bounce the ball only on the floor, jump without catching it
- Bounce the ball high and catch it after it lands
- Increase in jump distance or ball height
- Additional stimuli such as speed variations or changes of direction in response to an acoustic signal