How To Practice Volley And Smash

Step 1: Practice the Shots

A good simple practice drill to start with involves playing each shot in turn.

Start by the net and take three steps back to reach your ideal practice position.

With your coach or training partner playing you the balls, hit a forehand volley, touch the net softly with your racquet and move back for a forehand smash.

Return to your starting position to play a backhand volley, touch the net and then smash the ball again.

Repeat the whole sequence ten times.

Prepare to play the smash with your racquet behind your neck, and racquet, right elbow and left arm all pointing at the ball.

Step 2: Harder Work

When you are ready to up the pace a little, play one forehand volley, one backhand volley, touch the net softly and then hit a smash.

Again, repeat the whole exercise ten times.

Step 3: Very Hard Work

For a still more demanding sequence, play the forehand volley, backhand volley, touch the net, smash, touch the net and hit a second smash, repeating the whole thing ten times.

Step 4: Concentrated Smashing

A final drill is to play runs of only smashes, building up from one to five.

Start by hitting one full-blooded smash, as if trying to win the point.

Next step up to two. In the first shot, emphasise control and accurate technique. In the second, emphasise power and speed.

Then hit two controlled followed by one winning smash, then three controlled smashes and one winner, and finally four with control, topped off with your most devastating smash.

If at any point you miss a shot, go back to one and start the sequence again.

You can use cones to mark the places in the opposite court where it is most difficult for your opponent to reach a smash, and aim for them every time you go for a winner.