The Science Behind Easy Power
Easy Power: Unlocking Effortless Force
The Science: Power Without Effort
Advanced tennis isn’t about swinging harder — it’s about swinging smarter. That’s the essence of Easy Power, as illustrated in Ian Westermann’s YouTube video at Wimbledon 2025, when Marin Čilić faced rising star Jack Draper. Čilić didn’t try to outmuscle Draper. Instead, he managed his swing tempo — hovering around 80% of max speed — and emphasized timing, balance, and core engagement. His strokes were deep, heavy, and unforced, not because he swung harder, but because he swung with precision and complete body integration.
That’s Easy Power: efficient, composed, and devastatingly effective.
What Is Easy Power?
Easy Power is not about swinging softly — it’s about swinging in control. It’s a refined tempo that:
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Engages your legs, hips, and core
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Maintains balance and stability throughout the motion
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Sequences your movement fluidly from the ground up
The ideal tempo? 80% of your full effort. This allows for faster recovery, cleaner contact, and more sustainable power.
From Control Comes Force
Performance coach Gavin MacMillan has long emphasized this core principle:
“True force production starts with controlled movement patterns — not brute strength.”
His training focuses on proprioception, balance, and joint sequencing. Athletes generate more speed and power after reducing tension and improving control. This aligns perfectly with Easy Power — smoother movements yield cleaner force.
Proprioception — a fancy word for your body’s ability to sense its position and movement in space — is what allows you to stay balanced, adjust mid-motion, and strike with precision without consciously thinking about it.
Balance: The Bedrock of Easy Power
Power leaks when balance is lost. To unlock Easy Power, you must start with a stable base. Every effective groundstroke begins from the ground up — through your legs, hips, and torso — and balance is what holds that kinetic chain together.
To build functional balance:
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Prep & Transition Steps – Position you in a balanced, athletic posture before each swing
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Cross-Over Steps – Develop lateral control and hip mobility for rotational force
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Stable Contact Stance – Neutral or open, your stance must ground you to transfer energy efficiently
Balance isn’t just part of the swing — it’s the platform that makes power possible.
Getting into “The Zone”
One of the greatest advantages of Easy Power is its ability to put you in the Zone — that state of optimal performance where focus is sharp, effort feels light, and execution becomes automatic. As Tim Gallwey described in The Inner Game of Tennis, this is when the conscious mind steps aside and the body performs with natural rhythm and instinct.
Why the 80% tempo helps:
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You’re less rushed — movement and timing feel unforced
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You’re more rhythmic — swing flow improves consistency
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You trust your training — your body takes over, without second-guessing.
The Hidden Bonus: No More Tennis Elbow
The most overlooked benefit of Easy Power? Injury prevention.
Overhitting puts excessive strain on your arm, especially the elbow and wrist. Most cases of tennis elbow stem from poor body mechanics and muscling the ball.
By managing your swing and shifting the workload to your core and lower body, you minimize stress on vulnerable joints. Easy Power doesn’t just boost performance — it preserves your longevity on court.
Wrap
Easy Power is not less power — it’s smarter, safer, and more effective power.
By managing your swing tempo, grounding your balance, and engaging your core, you tap into your body’s natural strength — without overexertion or injury. You swing with intention. You move with flow. You compete with calm authority.
