Player practice guide
Moving Power Volleys
15 min PartnerIntermediateMatch play
Move forward into a strong volley while maintaining balance and control.
Best for: players who can control a stationary volley and need more stability while closing forward.
Goal
Move through the volley with a firm racket face, controlled body weight and a balanced recovery.
Success today
Land 12 of 16 moving volleys beyond the service line while finishing inside the marked balance zone.
Watch before court
Technique reference
Simple Guide to Fantastic Volley Footwork · 3:03
Technique reference—not the full drill. Watch the split-step, forward movement and balanced recovery around each volley.
Open video on YouTubeArrive ready
Before you go
- One hitting partner who can feed from the baseline
- 16+ tennis balls
- 4 flat cones
- Approximately 15 minutes of court time
Court blueprint
Set up the court
Start behind the service line, move through the incoming partner ball and send the volley deep before recovering near the centre of the net position.
- Ball direction
- Player movement
- Recovery
- Target zone
- 01Mark a starting line just behind the service line and a balance zone two steps forward.
- 02Place a deep target beyond the opposite service line.
- 03Ask your partner to feed alternating forehand and backhand volleys.
Step by step
Your 15-minute practice
0–3 min
Own the forward stop
- Shadow two steps forward and freeze in balance.
- Keep the racket in front throughout.
8 feeds · 4 min
Volley through the target
- Ask for eight comfortable feeds.
- Direct each volley beyond the service line.
8 feeds · 4 min
Alternate both sides
- Ask for eight alternating forehand and backhand feeds.
- Recover to the centre marker after every volley.
11–15 min
Complete the accuracy set
- Count volleys that land deep and finish balanced.
- Aim for twelve successes from sixteen.
Remember
Three player cues
- Racket head stays in front.
- Step through, do not swing through.
- Finish still enough to recover.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Taking a large backswing while moving
- Letting the feet cross at contact
- Closing too close to the net after the volley
Keep the same purpose
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Use slower feeds, begin closer to the service line and count 10 deep volleys from 16.
Make it harder
Reduce the deep target and alternate a firm volley with a controlled touch volley while still moving forward.
Keep it safe
Keep the feeding partner behind the baseline and stop the sequence if a loose ball enters the approach lane.
Continue later