A tennis players resource guide for learning and improving

This site has been developed to provide the resources to get you started in learning how to become a tennis player.

 

If you have never participated or are just a beginner, this page can get you pointed in the right direction. Whether you need lessons or gear we have just what you are looking for.

Did you know that 80% of individuals who start the game quit within the first year?

This has many reasons, one of which is the inability to control the ball. In baseball the individual is trying to hit the ball as hard and as far as they can.

You cannot use that same philosophy in order to achieve success in this sport. This is why many people get frustrated and eventually lose interest.

However, for those that are persistent and seek out the right instruction and practice, the rewards can be great.

I must stress the importance of putting together a consistent playing schedule. It will go far in improving your strokes and ultimately getting to become more proficient.

Preventing Injuries

It has been my experience over the years that long hours of constant practice of strokes that you can sustain injuries such as tennis elbow.

This is why I recommend that in addition to playing that a strength and conditioning program be implemented for most tennis players.

This strength and conditioning program would involve some sort of weight lifting, aerobic conditioning and flexibility regimen.

I say most players because I would not recommend it to players under the age of twelve.

The program would involve light weights with eight to fifteen repetitions and one to two sets to start with.

This would include both the upper and lower body. I would also like to see an aerobic program of some sort to increase overall physical conditioning and flexibility exercises.

I do recommend however, that you reserve your stretching exercises for after playing because many experts agree that you should not stretch cold muscles.
 

Competitive Edge

Just like other sports such as football, basketball and baseball have all implemented a weight training program at every level.

Tennis players have joined this trend to increase their performance on the court.

As a side benefit to this is the prevention of injuries.

No program however, can guarantee that an individual would not sustain injury but, as the court time increases so should what I would call the "preventive maintenance plan" should also increase.

Don't Forget to Rest

This is a part that is probably the hardest for a tennis player to realize or understand.

Along with all the previously explained topics, rest plays a vital importance in performance for tennis players and also for injury prevention.

Good quality sleep and relaxation away from tennis is sometimes more needed that you may know.

I can remember training so hard for tournaments sometimes for six to eight hours a day only to find that by the time I actually played I was exhausted after my first match.

I learned to give myself a day rest before the event in order for my body and mind to recuperate.

This is the advice that I tell my now tell my students so that they can go through a tournament where they may be required to play up to three matches in one day.
 

Proper Diet

I can remember when I was playing competitively, how little I knew about eating right. I would eat just about anything I wanted to and would not gain weight.

I was mistakenly under the assumption that eating a lot of "carbs" would give me the energy that I needed for tournaments.

Little did I know that the standard "meat & potatoes" diet back then was not the best thing for me while competing.

I sometimes would cramp up during long matches and this was not due to not being in condition. It was more about not giving my body the proper nutrients that it needed and not drinking enough water.

My advice to any player when they are thinking about competing is to eat plenty of vegetables and take vitamins everyday. So, mama was right when she said "eat your vegetables".

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Practice Schedule for Tennis Players

This schedule is not recommended for children who do not have the proper hand-eye coordination. This has to be developed over time starting out with drills where they can first learn how to catch a ball and learn how to control the racquet.

With that, I would suggest a good grassroots program for youngsters to help with their development. As parents we can help with their development by first teaching them how to catch and throw a ball.

A good practice schedule is vital for a tennis player if you want to improve your skill level. Here is a six day a week plan to help you.

Some of these drills would require a practice partner. However, if you do not have someone to practice with, I would suggest finding a wall or backboard in order to work on the particular stroke outlined.

 

Day One

Forehand - this is the foundation for your game. Without a good forehand it is going to be difficult to go further.

If you have a practice partner, start out with mini-tennis. mini-tennis is where both people stand on opposite sides of the net and try and keep the balls only in the service boxes.

This not only helps hand-eye coordination, it also helps with directing the balls where you want them to go.

This is a good starting point at the beginning for the first five to ten minutes and the move back to mid-court (area between the service box and the base line).

Finally, move back to where both players are standing behind the base line and work on keeping the ball in play.

If you are alone and don't have a partner, you can use a wall and do the same thing. Realizing that the ball will return faster than if you were hitting against someone.

Therefore, I would start out standing about fifteen to twenty feet from the wall and then as your skills develop, start moving back.

The wall is a great way to improve your strokes. Try and keep the ball going for a specific number of times without letting the ball bounce twice. This is not only a good way to get your strokes better, it is also makes for a great workout!

 

Day Two

Backhand - in order to become a good tennis player, you need to devote at least as much time to your backhand in the early stages of your game as you do your forehand.

The reason being, that you need to develop confidence in it so that when a ball is hit to you won't panic.

Use the same practice pattern as for the forehand and don't get discouraged. The backhand is actually easier to learn than the forehand however, if you want to make it more of a weapon you are going to have to put the time in to its' development.

 

Day Three

Forehand/Backhand - This day is dedicated to putting the two strokes together and developing the placement required for good anticipation of the strokes.

One drill that I like to use with my players is the down the line and cross court drill. This drill involves two players where one players hits only down the line shots and the other player hits only cross court shots.

This drill  not only helps anticipation for shots, it is also a great cardiovascular workout to get you in better shape. Start out with both players as you were in mini tennis and eventually work your way back to the baseline.

 

Day Four

Forehand/Forehand Volley - Focus on the forehand and the forehand volley. The volley is an abbreviated stroke that is usually accomplished from within the service box. The ball is hit or punched before it touches the ground on your side.

 

Day Five

Backhand/Backhand Volley - The same as day four except using the backhand. You should realize however that when volleying that the range of motion for the backhand is much greater than the forehand volley. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the backhand volley to achieve greater proficiency.

 
 

Day Six

Serve - The serve is probably the most complicated of all the strokes for a tennis player to learn and master, due to the timing and various body parts involved.

When first learning the serve, start out with a simple throwing motion and practice but don't over practice as this stroke will develop with consistency over a longer period.

 

• Predicting - Speed, bounce, spin, height, trajectory, where the ball will end up.
• Intercepting - Move to the ball on balance
• Preparation - Loading, weight transfer
• Recovery - Ability to move back into the court for the next shot
• Positioning - Ability to recover to the best court position based on the shot that you hit

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