Every Tuesday, this site looks at a training or technology concept that shapes how tennis is played. This week’s topic comes from the recent intersection of Wimbledon and the World Cup. Watching both sporting events sent me on a side quest to explore whether training with a soccer ball might help improve my tennis footwork.
I have previously candidly shared my ineptitude with the soccer training device known as a “hacky sack” and my inability to perform “keepy-uppy” drills. That is mildly embarrassing, given that I played soccer as a kid and spent several years coaching it for one of my kids’ teams. In my defense, I was primarily a goalkeeper. However, that is no excuse for my lack of soccer dribbling skills.
During Wimbledon, the player warm-up area included several soccer balls, and both the training-area live feeds and Wimbledon’s official social media posts showed the players using them. Clearly, at least some professional tennis players see value in mixing a little soccer into their preparation.
All of that also coincided with the World Cup, which got underway during the fortnight. Both inspired me to pursue the improvement of juggling skills I have never possessed. However, I quickly discovered that I needed to master other fundamentals first. Consequently, I have spent the last few weeks doing a few intervals with one of the most basic soccer ball-handling exercises of all: toe taps.
The drill is about as straightforward as it gets. A soccer ball is placed on the ground. You then lightly touch the top of it with the sole of one foot and then return that foot to the ground while bringing the opposite foot up to touch the ball. The idea is to alternate the feet while maintaining a quick rhythm. Once the movement becomes more comfortable, the supporting foot develops a small hop between touches and the exercise begins to resemble running in place above a stationary ball. The objective is to make light, controlled contact without actually moving the ball.
I have started incorporating toe taps into my conditioning by interposing this exercise between some of my jump-rope intervals. That provides a useful basis for comparison because I jump rope frequently enough that my body has become quite efficient at it. Toe taps elevate my heart rate more than jumping rope at this stage of my development.
Part of that difference probably comes from the movement itself. Toe taps force me to raise each foot higher than I ordinarily would when jumping rope. I can feel the exercise working my legs differently, particularly as fatigue sets in. It also introduces a balance component because my weight is repeatedly transferred onto one leg while the opposite foot interacts with the ball.
A jump rope imposes strict boundaries on movement. With the rope in motion, the feet must remain within a small and predictable area. Otherwise, movement is rewarded with a “miss” and possibly a red welt across the ankles. A soccer ball introduces another variable. Ideally, good toe taps should keep the ball mostly stationary. Mine… do not. A slightly misplaced touch sends the ball rolling away. That forces me to move to recover the ball and reestablish the rhythm.
My lack of soccer skill may actually make the drill more useful for tennis. Tennis players are constantly required to make small adjustments to spacing and balance to play the incoming ball. Toe taps require similarly continuous corrections, particularly when the person performing them is not very good at controlling a soccer ball.
There is also something useful about asking the feet to do more than move quickly. The foot has to rise to the correct height, contact the ball with enough precision to control it, return to the ground, and immediately accept body weight while the other foot repeats the process. That combination adds coordination to what would otherwise be a basic conditioning exercise.
I am still experimenting with soccer-ball training, so I am not prepared to declare toe taps superior to jumping rope or more traditional tennis footwork drills. They are simply different. For me, that difference has been productive. The drill raises my heart rate, challenges muscles accustomed to my usual training, and adds balance and coordination to a conditioning interval. The only required equipment is a soccer ball.
For now, toe taps have earned a place in my training rotation. I intend to gradually progress toward more complicated soccer ball-handling exercises as my feet become more agile. With enough practice, perhaps I will eventually work my way back to the dreaded hacky sack.
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