In this final phase, the reload, I will cover the motions of the landing leg as it meets the ground and how it loads and transforms into an explode force in another direction. It is the third major transformational zone as Justine rebalances and resets herself for the next move. It leads into smaller interim loads and transformations in both feet and up the chain, as she prepares for the major split step reload. Like the other phases it is a chain reaction as her body reacts to the forces of gravity, ground reaction, and the momentum from these forces driving her mass.
The Landing Leg Load
It is easy to see the loading of the front foot as the muscles in that leg lengthen to decelerate the landing motion bending her knee and hip, and then transforming that loading into an exploding motion in a different direction. Justine lands in different positions each time, and that it is determined by what is happening further up the chain, and what she needs to do next:
I worked with a coach recently, who spent time teaching his group, what he thought the correct landing position for your front foot should be. He was not wrong but it presupposes that there is a correct or optimum landing position for your front foot, and that was what he wanted his students to learn and train. It reminds you of the error that is still pervasive in the fitness industry today, that the knee should always be directly over the foot in a flexed position and that that’s how you should train lunges, for instance. Focus on the range of motion at the knee in all three planes in these six chain reaction lunges.
Observing your own or anyone else’s, particularly in sport, you will see how the knee really operates in human movement in upright function, in all three planes of motion, as demonstrated above. The key words here are ‘in upright function’ because the knee operates differently when lying on your back or on a table. You wont get much lateral or rotational movement at the knee if you try to manipulate it when prone. But when upright and subject to the forces of gravity, ground reaction, mass and momentum, and you have a task you are performing, you can see a range of motion in all three planes. From both a performance gain and injury risk perspective should you train these motions if that is what actually happens in upright function . By extending your end range of motion at the knee in all three planes , you can operate more effectively and safely at mid range. The same is true of all global movements and joint motions and it begs the question, how should you train for your activity whatever your level.
The beauty of training with 3DMAPS , is that you can use the six mobility chains, add the six stability chains, in any or all of the three planes for any of the eight foundational human movements. In addition you can tweak any of the chains for performance gain or to make them more task specific in your sport. Training this way with this built in variety of movements; will inevitably add to performance, and reduce the risk of injury as you are less likely to move in a way your body hasn’t previously experienced and therefore can’t cope without strain, trauma, or the development of chronic conditions. Do recreational players suffer from knee and shoulder problems and a range of other strains and can you teach them how to avoid them?
The Major and Minor Transformational Zones
You can see the major transformational zone as the landing leg muscles lengthen and then contract, and how that elastic recoil in the major zone works in the chain. The load/explode, elastic recoil in the minor zones can also be seen as Justine’s feet motions prepare her for the split step reload.
The split step to reload either backwards or forwards is clear to see as Justine continues to look for the ball and prepare for her next shot.
Conclusion.
The serve is a chain reaction in all three planes of motion; subject to the forces of gravity, ground reaction, mass and momentum which drive the body segments in a coordinated set of connected movements, and which change direction through the elastic recoil mechanism inherent in transformational zones, enabling the delivery of maximal force to the stroke.
I hope you have seen in this vlog series, on the chain reaction biomechanics of the Serve, that understanding and working with the design of the body will produce performance development and a reduced risk of injury whatever your standard. The principles, strategies and techniques of Applied Functional Science create a training resource to live and play in 3DMAPS, which takes you from where you are and looks to build on your successes progressively to reach your goals.
I can say this truthfully as it has and continues to work for me since a chance encounter over 12 year’s ago. It is an intrinsic part of my life and continues to inform and develop my coaching.
Vaughan Ebrahim. LTA accredited Level 4
Gray Institute, CAFS2013, 3DMAPS 2017, FGS 2023.