5 Handy Tips

When you are involved in a match and need help deciding what to do, look to your hand for the answer.  Make a fist and then follow these simple directions:

P = In Play Stick up the thumb – the most important part of the hand which stands for “Get the ball in Play.

D = Direction With the thumb still up, extend the index finger and point which stands for “Direction” which has 3 options: down the line, cross court or down the center.

D = Depth With the Thumb and first finger still extended, the next and middle finger stands for “Depth” and there are 3 depths: near the baseline, near the service line and near the net. With depth you will add a special ingredient to help you – Height. Height stands for the clearance of  your shot above the net to assist the depth of your shot.

S = Spin The last two fingers are the controlling fingers.  The ring finger stands for “Spin” and spin helps to control the depth of the shot and there are 3 spins: topspin, underspin and sidespin.

S = Speed The last finger is really important.  The little finger has huge importance, it stands for “Speed” and there are 3 speeds: level 3 = as hard as you can hit – without missing, level 2 = a rally speed that enables you to keep a 10-20 ball rally going and level 1 = a loopy-spinny shot that everyone hates to play against.

While coaching may not be allowed on court, you can put the letters P, D, D, S & S on the tips of each of your 5 digits and in the palm of your hand write the word, “coach”.

The coach says, “If you need help, the answer will be in your hand.  There are 5 ways to control a match.  The first 3; in play, direction and depth are managed by the last 2; spin and speed.  Together that provide you with 13 options to solve the problem you are facing in the match.

Play = 1 option – over the net and in the court

Direction = 3 directions to aim the ball

Depth = 3 depths to play

Spin = 3 kinds of spins to impart to the ball

Speed = 3 kinds of speeds to use

You do not need to try all of these at one time. Individually or together they give you options and a focus point in defining a purpose or plan for the defeat of your opponent.

So the next time you are facing a challenging situation in a match, look to your hand for a “Handful of Answers.”

These 5 options make a great lesson plan if you are teaching others the strategy of the game or working on your own game.  If you or your students are unable to perform these 5 options, you now have a great “technical” lesson plan.  Teach and learn “how” to execute the strokes necessary to achieve the 5 strategies in the hand.

For other innovate approaches to playing and teaching “The Game”, go to www.kendeharttennis.com.

Send me questions about your game, training techniques or drills and I will give you weapons to develop a competitive game – regardless of your level.

Photo Credits: 1

• The Hour Glass of Momentum in Tennis Imagine you have an hour glass in front of you. The top half of the hour glass represents the momentum in your tennis match when you are winning. The bottom half represents the player who is losing. The person who is winning has a wealth of information available to them......
• Ken DeHart Presents "Strategy and Tactics of Tennis" at Missouri Valley USPTA USPTA Master Professional, Ken DeHart was the kick-off speaker at the 2009 Missouri Valley USPTA Conference at the Homestead Country Club in Kansas City, Missouri. Ken presented a 4 hour continuing education course on Strategy and Tactics to more than 80 tennis teaching professionals and high school coaches attending......
• Begin with the End in Mind /caption]When you begin a point, you need to start with the end in mind.... where do you want the ball to go? You have to select a target. Once you have selected a target...down the line, down the center, cross court or an angle, you can begin to choose the......
• Ball Machines – Using them for Singles Practice Ball machines are great for practicing your singles shots – if positioned correctly. 5 things NOT to do when using a ball machine: Do not place the ball machine only on the baseline in the center of the court Do not have the ball machine oscillate only from deuce court......
• “I” Receiving Formation – Both Back /caption]**This UDF works well at club level play, USTA league play, junior and high school matches as well as college matches. This (UDF) Unusual Doubles Receiving Formation puts the receiver and partner on the same side of the court.  The receiver (let’s say – deuce court) is in regular receiving......

• More Tennis Tips pt 1 This is another installment of tennis tips that will improve all aspects of your game. Armed with the right tennis playing tips, you really can improve all aspects of game play from serves to returns and back again. 1 - When Hitting Forehand, Lay Wrist Back Where the ball......
• A Little Bit of Tennis 101 pt 2 Serving - When you are standing with both of your feet just behind the baseline, you are going to want to take up a sideways type of stance. You should be keeping the left foot pointing in the direction of the net post on the right hand side. The left......
• Book Review: 100 Tips For Acoustic Guitar by David Mead If you have been playing acoustic guitar for awhile but still feel like you are missing some key information, 100 Tips For Acoustic Guitar, by David Mead may be for you. It does a great job of covering subjects like purchasing an acoustic guitar, getting ready to play, tweaking your......
• 101 Gambling Tips for the Avid Gambler - Part 1 While many of the gambling facts you may have picked up in Las Vegas can be useful in online gambling it's important that you realize there are some critical differences. But with a knowledge of the facts surrounding your chosen game, and armed with some gambling tips from experienced......
• More Tips for Your Tennis Game These tips should help you improve your tennis game in various ways. Combine them, or try different tips one at a time until you're happy with the results. 1 - Learn how to vary the length when you make a backswing. You need o learn how to tailor the......