Lateral Fast Feet I–IV For Tennis | 7.30–7.33
Book family 7.30–7.33 from Advanced Concepts of Strength & Conditioning for Tennis. Watch the footwork before reviewing the coaching cues below.
Exercise Video
Technique Photos
Starting Position
Face sideways at one end of the ladder. Keep the knees lightly flexed and look toward the foot placements.
How To Perform The Exercise
Move laterally along the ladder, placing both feet into each square in a quick rhythm. Stay light on the balls of the feet.
Book Setup And Video Note
The clip shows variation I in both travel directions without a racquet and with downward gaze. The II–IV progressions retain the lateral contact order while adding racquet use and the stated visual tasks.
Equipment: Speed ladder
Book Difficulty Level: 1 — Introductory
Book Family: 7.30–7.33
Keep a sideways orientation to the ladder. For travel to the right, step right–left into each square; for travel to the left, step left–right. Each square receives two separate contacts. Look toward the feet in I.
7.31 Lateral Fast Feet II
Retain the lateral route and downward gaze while holding a racquet in both hands in the ready position.
7.32 Lateral Fast Feet III
Keep the racquet and contact order while looking forward across the ladder, rather than turning to face along the direction of travel.
7.33 Lateral Fast Feet IV
Retain lateral stepping and racquet use while visually tracking an opponent ahead of the athlete’s facing direction. Practise both travel directions.
Increase cadence only while the selected contact order remains repeatable. Reduce speed when the racquet or visual task causes missed squares. The embedded base or modified demonstration supports the shared footwork; the later visual tasks are specified in writing.
Progressions And Related Exercises
Browse Stride Length & Frequency exercises or explore tennis workouts for a complete training session.
For the canonical sequence and progression, consult Advanced Concepts of Strength & Conditioning for Tennis, exercise 7.30.