Interactive Forum October 2015: Andy Murray Footwork Patterns

[johnyandell]

Interactive Forum October 2015: Andy Murray Footwork Patterns

Andy Murray Footwork Patterns

How complex and varied are the patterns of footwork in world class movement? Let's watch Andy Murray hit three balls side to side in gorgeous high speed video. How many different elements can you identify? I count 10:

Wide base split step, pivot step, crossover first step, recovery crossover step, shuffle step, air first step, extreme closed stance, running crossstep, outside foot breaking slide step, gravity recovery step.

How about you?

[johnyandell]

Quicktime version

Andy Murray Footwork Patterns

[captnemo]

I notice the pounding. The heal to toe slam step looks brutal. Also the way the shoe deforms in the slide. Is the shape or the integrity of the shoe just giving way? This also has a different feel that a lot of the clips. Was it somehow shot differently?

[bdole]

Agreed, looks like a pounding. Murray appears to be more airborne than others during his split-steps, especially on serve return. Still, I see beautiful, deliberate, and efficient movement.

I notice in this clip and after a brief 20-minute archive search that Murray seems to have a preference for the recovery crossover step with his outside foot crossing in front of the inside foot on the first step. I see Federer willing to occasionally allow his outside foot behind the inside foot, and Djokovic appears to prefer the hard shuffle instead of crossover steps in all but the most extreme out-of-position situations. Just a brief anecdotal observation.

I need to experiment with these options next time out.

[ClassicStrokes]

I am curious to know what you found. Do you think you can do the behind the front foot crossover consciously or does it just happen?

[tntenniswhiz]

I think we should have a monthly discussion on this subject. We can't hit those pretty strokes if our footwork doesn't get us into position. Needless to say, I loved looking at this clip.

[ClassicStrokes]

Yeah it's amazing when you look at the lower half and see what is going on. But how does this apply to me??

[johnyandell]

I think you film yourself at your level in a similar way and find out. This is high speed advanced stuff.