Volley-smash combination drill

This is a straightforward partner drill, but it is a physical one. The net player alternates between volleys and smashes, bringing together the two-step volley footwork and the explosive hip turn needed for the overhead.

How it works

One player feeds from the baseline, alternating between a ball that demands a volley and one that goes up for a smash. The net player recovers and resets between each shot. The feeding player's timing matters: the pause between feeds should be long enough for the working player to practise proper footwork on each shot, but short enough to keep the intensity high.

Tailoring the drill

The volume can be adjusted to suit the player's level and fitness. At any standard, twenty to twenty-five shots is a solid working set. The emphasis should be on maintaining the quality of each movement pattern throughout the set, even as fatigue builds. If the footwork starts to break down, shorten the set rather than grinding through with poor technique.

This drill is particularly effective because it forces the transition between two very different movement patterns in quick succession, which is exactly what happens in a real match when the net player faces a drive followed by a lob.