Weeks of Jan. 31 - Feb. 13: Get a Grip on Your Volleys! When volleying at the net, it is very important to have a very firm grip on your racquet. Unlike groundstrokes, you don't have the luxury of the "bounce" taking some crucial pace off of the ball, before you hit it. This pace can often times make your racquet face buckle/twist, if not held tightly. In order to hit crisp volleys, ensure that your racquet head stay higher than your hand (as mentioned in previous tips). This natural "fist" position keeps your hand, wrist and forearm firm for the shot. As you are about to make contact with the ball, grip the racquet tightly, but remember to release the tight grip as soon as you complete your volley. This technique will allow you to hit firm volleys, while minimizing fatigue to your hand and arm. Now, watch the ball, move your feet, and get a solid grip on your new volleys!  Weeks of Jan. 17 - Jan. 30: Oh, where to focus during doubles?: When you are playing doubles, there are so many options on where to focus during the rally. Do you look at your partner, your opponent in the back of the court, your opponent at the net? Oh, the options... To make things easier for you, here is a tip that should help when your partner is returning serve. When your partner is returning serve (and you are at the net), it is your job to call the service line, during the serve. Your returning partner should call the sidelines, since he/she will have a better view of those angles. Once determining that the serve is good, immediately focus on the net player on the other side of the court. The net player is your immediate threat, since he/she is much closer than the player who just served. Once you determine that your opponent's net player is not going to get the return, then you can focus your attention on the original server who is more than likely playing the ball back to your team. Remember, always assess who your most direct threat is on the court, and turn your attention to that player. A good doubles match is a constant assessment and reaction to your opponent's positioning. Happy Hitting! Weeks of Jan. 3 - Jan. 16: The Low Down on Volleys: When hitting low volleys at the net, many players tend to just drop their racquet head to the level of the ball, without adjusting their body. For picture-perfect, low volleys, bend your kness and bring your entire body to the level of the ball. By bending your knees, and lowering your body, you maintain the same line-of-site while hitting the ball, rather than having to drop your head to watch your racquet contact the ball. For extremely low volleys, you will have to drop your racquet head as low as the ball, but remember to open up the face of the racquet more, as your point of contact lowers. By using your legs for volleys, you will practice a consistent path of the racquet, while hitting all levels of shots! Shhhh... Now keep this on the "down low" from your opponents and happy volleying! Sorry, but the Tip of the Week took the Holidays off! Weeks of Oct. 25 - Nov. 8: A little turn, a stronger serve! When serving in tennis, a lot of players strictly focus on the movement of their dominant arm during a serve. In order to get more speed and power with your serve, it's not necessarily a matter of swinging your arm with more muscle/strength; it's all in a good shoulder rotation. A serve should feel identical to throwing a ball. You start with your racquet arm facing away from your opponent, and with proper rotation, end your serve with your racquet arm/shoulder facing your opponent. This full shoulder rotation will help increase your serve speed, without adding strain to your arm. Now, it's your "turn!" Weeks of Oct. 4 - Oct. 18: Be Proactive with your Pro! Tennis lessons, whether private or group, are a great source of exercise, a fun way to meet new people, and an awesome way to gain confidence with your game! Do your due diligence when chosing a tennis coach. As we all know, there are many coaches who offer reasonably priced tennis lessons. Make sure your future coach/pro is certified to teach tennis. There are two major associations who certify tennis pros; the USPTA and the PTR. When screening a potential coach, don't be afraid to ask if they are certified to teach, how many regular clients they have, and even ask for a couple of references from current clients of that coach. Tennis is a fantastic sport, that does cost some money to really master. Make sure your lesson dollars make total sense! Weeks of Sept. 13 - Sept. 27: Have a ball with the ball machine! Ball machines are a great way to work on your overall form and consistency. They offer a consistent feed that allows you to duplicate certain strokes over and over, which is great for your muscle memory. Ball machines should not be used to perfect your strategy or reflexes, as they are a bit too predictable. Be sure to learn proper technique and form before renting or purchasing a ball machine. There's no sense in repeating and reinforcing bad habits, so don't use a ball machine as a replacement for a quality tennis lesson. Weeks of Aug. 16 and Aug. 23: A refresher about the geometry of the tennis court: Remember that on a tennis court that is set-up correctly, the net is 6" lower in the middle, than near the doubles alleys. The court is also 4.5' longer, when hitting cross court, than when hitting down the line. Having said that, you have a much higher probability of hitting a good shot cross court (lower net and longer court) than hitting down the line. About 80% of running forehands hit down the line are missed either in the net or long. Weeks of Aug. 2 and Aug. 9: Relax the Grip: Most tennis players don't realize that while they are playing tennis, they are probably gripping their racquets with a very solid grip - for the entire time that they are on the court! It is very important to relax your hand and grip, when you are not actually swinging at the ball. This will reduce fatigue in your hand and arm, and will allow you to play tennis for a longer period of time. When waiting for your opponent to return the ball to you, your dominant hand should be very losely placed on the grip. Your non-dominant hand should be on the neck of the racquet (between the grip and racquet's head), and should twist the racquet to the correct grip that you need for your next shot. Grip the racquet firmly throughout your swing, then relax your hand as soon as your swing is done. Taking a swing at a tennis ball should actually be a relaxing stroke. Let's keep the stress off of the courts! :) Weeks of July 19 and 26:
Rating Racquets: There are hundreds of different tennis racquets out there. How do you know which one is best for you? It is usually not the best idea to choose a tennis racquet, simply because you like the color of it. Although the different colors and graphics are a nice addition to any racquet, do some research before purchasing a racquet.
Racquets are made with different weights (measured in ounces), different string patterns, and different materials. Racquets are also developed to support the various swing types that people have. Do a bit of research online, and read the reviews about the racquets that you may be considering. If you have a very long swing style, then a racquet developed for shorter swings may not be the best fit for you; and vice versa.
If you are currently taking lessons from me or any other tennis coach, then they should be able to recommend a couple of racquets to match your swing style - just ask!
Good luck finding your match!
Week of July 12:
Have you hit a wall? My clients often ask me if it's good for your tennis game, to hit against a wall. My answer is always, "Yes," if you follow a few basics...
Many people start off hitting very well against the wall, however after 5 minutes, all form goes out the window! People tend to really just focus on hitting as hard as they can against the wall, and quickly lose all form, style and control.
If you are going to hit against a wall, use some masking tape to mark a 3' x 3' box on the wall, and aim for that target. This will give you a specific goal while hitting against the wall, and will help to ensure that you are controlling all of your shots. Try to hit 10, 20, 30 in a row, all in the taped-off box!
I hope you find this to be a, well... concrete drill...
Week of July 5:
"Pursue" a good shot!: People always ask me how to get "more power" with their shots. They feel that they are swinging with all of their might, and still don't feel that their shots have enough pace. There is a very easy solution to getting more power, without swinging any harder or faster at the ball; that is to lean into your shots. Whether it's a forehand, backhand, or serve, you want your body weight leaning in the exact same direction as the ball.
When you are serving, it is completely acceptable to step into the court (with your back foot), after you make contact with the ball. You are stepping correctly if your back foot is facing/stepping in the same direction that you just hit your serve. If you find yourself stepping to the side, or even away from the direction of the ball, then you are wasting valuable energy with your shots. Next time you are practicing your serve (which you should be!), take a look at where your back foot ends up, after you hit the shot. If your back foot is pointing toward where your serve ended up, then you're one step close to a solid serve - pun intended...
Site was Under Construction for the remainder of June
Week of June 7:
Forehand, You Take That Back!: Many players do not fully use the path of the racquet to their benefit. Strength for your groundstrokes is developed by a proper backswing, proper path of the racquet during the swing, and proper follow-through.
To ensure that you are taking your racquet back far enough for a forehand shot, it helps to point the "butt" of the racquet (the end/bottom of the grip) toward the ball, prior to swinging at it. Pointing the butt toward the ball will ensure that you are bringing the racquet all the way back for your shot. This may feel a bit odd, and may adjust your timing for the first few dozen that you hit, but once you get in the habit of aiming at the ball, it should feel very natural. You should also notice a bit more power on your forehands, as this new method of aiming is probably taking your racquet back farther than you were before.
As always, happy hitting and I'll see you on the court!
Week of May 31:
String Break 2009! - Is it important to replace your racquet strings? If you're asking yourself this question, the answer is probably, "Yes!"
Strings in your racquet loosen up with time and lose the "trampoline effect" for the ball. Heat and idle time are two major enemies for your racquet strings. Look at a set of new strings like new tires for your car. You can have the best car possible, but if that car is riding on poor tires, it's difficult to enjoy. Strings are very similar for tennis, and your racquet. If it's been years since your racquet has been restrung, and if it's within your budget, spend the money to get new strings in your racquet. Most tennis shops will restring your racquet for around $20, and it can usually be done within the same day.
Remember that the lower you string your racquet, the more power you will get on your shots. The higher you string your racquet, the more control you will get on your shots. Most racquets are suitable for stringing from about 50lbs - 65lbs. If you are unsure of what tension to get, I would recommend a synthetic gut string, at 58lbs. It will give you a good balance of power and control!
Week of May 24:
Aiming for Topspin - Whether hitting a forehand or backhand, most players strive for a heavy amount of topspin. Topspin lowers your margin for error by allowing the ball to pass over the net at a higher level, and also quickly bringing the ball down into your opponent's side of the court.
When swinging and aiming your racquet at the ball, aim the front edge of your racquet (with your racquet in a "closed" position) at the ball, rather than aiming the middle of your strings at the ball. Aiming your racquet's edge, at an angle, will ensure that you are "brushing" the ball with the entire width of your string pattern, rather than simply hitting the ball in one, smaller area of the strings.
It may take some getting used to, and you may hit a few balls with your actual frame when learning this technique. That's OK! After a handful of swings with your new target in sight, you should see more topspin on your groundstrokes in no time!
Week of May 17:
Serving with Spin - Many player's second serves are just slow motion versions of their first serve. Second serves should be swung at just as fast as first serves, but with the addition of slice or topspin.
To effectively hit a slice serve, picture the ball as a clock when you throw it in the air. An effective slice serve should be hit at the 3 o'clock position on a clock. You should use the front edge of your racquet to aim toward the 3 o'clock edge of the ball. This "brushing motion" will create heavy sidespin, so you may need to start by aiming a bit more toward the right (for righties) and left (for leftys), so your slice serve doesn't float wide.
To effectively hit a topspin serve, (again, picturing the ball as a clock in the air), hit the ball from the 7 o'clock position, toward the 1 o'clock position. It is very important to have at least a continental grip for a topspin serve. Some players prefer to have an Eastern Backhand grip, for more "brush" over the ball. (See my "Get a Grip!" tab for pictures of correct grips).
Remember, serving is all about relaxing your arm and grip. Let the weight of the racquet and the momentum of your arm provide the power. You should exhale every time you serve, to relax your muscles when you contact the ball.
Victory is served!
Week of May 10:
Doubles Trouble? Do you always wonder who should play on what side of the court, when playing doubles? Here are a few topics of discussion to have with your partner, before you just jump on your favorite side of the court.
1. Who is a more confident and successful returner of serve? Typically, the stronger returner will play on the "Ad" side of the court, as most of the "Ad In" or "Ad Out" points are very crucial points to return.
2. Who is a more aggressive poacher, at the net? The more aggressive poacher should have his/her forehand shot toward the middle of the court, so he/she can execute solid poaches on the forehand side, throughout the match.
3. If both player are equally matched on the 2 previous topics, then ensure that the player's strongest volleys (whether forehand or backhand side) are covering the middle of the court, as most shots/winners in doubles are down the middle of the court.
Remember to: Communicate, communicate, communicate, while playing doubles!
Week of May 3:
When warming up before a match, make sure that you size up your opponent correctly. Hit your opponent a variety of shots (high, low, faster paced, slower, etc.), and see what shots your opponent seems to enjoy and also dislike. Hit a few balls directly to your opponent (down the middle of the court), to see what direction he/she moves to hit the ball. Most people will move to the side that they are more comfortable with (forehand/backhand). After you learn your opponent's dominant side, make sure you really drill the other side during your match. Happy hitting!
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Tip of the Week |
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