The Importance of the Split Step

Cross & Pollard found that high-level tennis players performing a simulated split-step had shorter reaction & movement times than beginners 1. A split-step is a small vertical jump or hop commonly used as a preparatory motion for a lateral step when receiving the ball 2.

In tennis, players use a split-step before executing a movement in order to improve the efficiency & quickness of that movement 3.

In short, elite tennis players tap into the stretch-shorten cycle, which allows elastic energy to be stored in muscle during the eccentric pre-stretch phase & partially recovered, such that the concentric phase is enhanced. It has been found that greater than 75 % increase in concentric force, acceleration phase, is due to the stretch-shortening cycle 4.

Research has shown benefit in performance from these two factors, particularly the muscle eccentric pre-stretch & is critical to success in sports such as tennis 5,6.

The split-step, an integral part of preparing for a volley, return of the serve or groundstroke, places the quadriceps muscle into a stretch, permitting the storage & subsequent release of energy to enhance quick movement in advance of the subsequent stroke 3.

In a simulated tennis response situation, Smekal et al examined the benefit of a split-step. High- level tennis players performing a split-step that benefitted from the stretch-shortening type of muscle action used different ankle joint movement strategies & were able to start the movement faster 7.

The key to the recovery of the elastic energy is the timing b/w the stretch & shorten phases of the motion. The benefit of this stored energy is reduced if a delay occurs b/w these phases of the movement 3.

For example, in the bench press, after a period of about 1 sec, 55% of the stored energy was lost 8.

Furthermore, Elliott et al showed that speed of internal rotation of the upper arm was increased by approx. 20% for a no-pause compared with a 1.5 second pause condition during serve 9.

In tennis it is therefore essential that only a short pause occurs between the backswing & forward swing phases of stroke production or at maximum knee flexion during the serve, & relative to today’s topic…THE SPLIT STEP 3!


1) Cross, R., & Pollard, G. 2011. Gr& Slam men’s singles tennis 1995-2009 Part 2: Points, games & sets. CSSR, 53, 3-6.
2) Torres-Luque, G., Cabello-Manrique, D., Hern&ez-Garcia, R., & Garatachea, N. 2011. An analysis of competition in young tennis players. European Journal of Sport Science, 11 1, 39-43.
3) Elliott, B. 2006. Biomechanics & tennis. British journal of sports medicine, 40 5, 392-396.
4) Albert, M. 1995. Eccentric muscle training in sports & orthopaedics. Churchill Livingstone.
5) Walshe, A. D., Wilson, G. J., & Ettema, G. J. 1998. Stretch-shorten cycle compared with isometric preload: contributions to enhanced muscular performance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 84 1, 97-106.
6) Davies, G., Riemann, B. L., & Manske, R. 2015. Current concepts of plyometric exercise. International journal of sports physical therapy, 10(6), 760.
7) Smekal, G., Von Duvillard, S. P., Rihacek, C., Pokan, R., Hofmann, P., Baron, R., ... & Bachl, N. 2001. A physiological profile of tennis match play. Medicine & science in sports & exercise, 33 6, 999-1005.
8) Wilson, G. J., Elliott, B. C., & Wood, G. A. 1991. The effect on performance of imposing a delay during a stretch-shorten. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 23 3, 364.
9) Elliott, B. C., Baxter, K. G., & Besier, T. F. 1999. Internal rotation of the upper-arm segment during a stretch-shorten cycle movement. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 15 4, 381-395.

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#Tennis #tennis_drills #tennis_performance_drills #Tennis_coach #Tennis_physical_therapy #Sports_performance_drills #biomechanics

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