Hitting Rhythm

“Everyone has their own hitting rhythm.”

What does rhythm refer to here? Imagine this: we hit the ball from the other side of the net, watch it land, bounce, and then just before it lands again. During this process, we need to move, turn sideways, position the racket, take the backswing, and hit the ball. We need to perform these actions at different stages of the ball’s flight, which is the hitting rhythm. When we can make familiar movements at relatively fixed stages of the ball’s flight, we have mastered our own hitting rhythm.

For example, a common rhythm might be:

1. Ball just crossed the net: Determine whether to use a forehand or backhand—move and position the racket.
2. Ball before it lands after crossing the net: Continue moving or fine-tuning the hitting position, and slowly take the backswing as the ball is about to land.
3. Ball bounces up after landing: Complete the final backswing and swing forward to hit the ball.

Practice Methods:

Self-tossing practice: Toss the ball to yourself and practice hitting it.