KS4 · Physical education · Year 10
Sprints, smashes and side steps
Health and wellbeing: cardio tennis
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/10
Your learning goal
I can hit shots with power and adjust court position quickly to capitalise on opportunities.
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Sprints, smashes and side steps: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
What you’ll learn
I can hit shots with power and adjust court position quickly to capitalise on opportunities.
Key learning points
- Move: powerful shots combine levers in the legs, trunk and arms, along with transferring body weight forwards.
- Move: fast acceleration enables movement to the net at pace.
- Think: moving your body weight forwards as you contact the ball adds significant force to the ball.
- Feel: connecting cleanly and forcefully with the ball is a satisfying feeling.
- Connect: being mindful of where others are on the court as you move and strike the ball is important for safety.
Words to know
- smash
- a powerful overhead shot typically hit when the opponent returns a high ball
- lob
- a shot that sends the ball high into the air, typically over the opponent's head, with the goal of pushing them back or winning the point outright
- power
- the ability to generate force quickly by combining strength and speed
Common mistakes
Pupils think power comes from just the size and strength of muscles.
Strength is important to generate power but so are speed, timing, coordination and the combination of levers to transfer power up from the ground.
For parents, carers and teachers
- 8-12 pupils per court works well for a balance of intensity, atmosphere and time between hitting the ball or sideline tasks.