There are lots of adjustments and new schedules.

DON’T FORGET TENNIS in your schedule for your junior player!!!

5 Reasons to do tennis NOW!

1. Physical release from all the mental stress (Not a bad idea for parents as well-join our adult drop in drill clinic.)
2. Proven results - Kids do better in school with sports or activity part of their schedule.
3. Compete in Jr team tennis matches on weekends – This makes lessons more meaningful. Bring a friend with you to lessons.
4. Great activity for parents to do with their kids - It creates a common area to talk about challenges, school and friends.
5. It is a sport you can play your whole life and with all ages, gender and skill levels.

Jr Stars:

Ages 4-8 with no tennis experience

• Tues and Thurs 3:40-4:30 & Sat 2-2:50
• $120 members, $130 fitness members, $136 non members

Jr Aces:

Ages 7-10 with some tennis experience

• Tues and Thurs 4-5 & Sat 1-2
• $130 member, $144 fitness member, $150 non-member

Jr Challengers:

Ages 8-15 with some tennis experience

• Tues and Thurs 4-6 & Sat 11:30-1:30
• $230 member, $240 fitness member, $250 non-member

Jr Excellence:

Ages 12-18 experienced players Jr High or High School

• Mon and Wed 4-6 & Sat 3-5
• $230 member, $240 fitness member, $250 non-member

Check us out on line at www.kendeharttennis.com for rates and Adult Drop In Clinic times.

• Job Description for Director of Tennis Member Relations: 1. Maintain accurate and updated profiles of all members, contact all new members and get them involved within the first 30 days of membership. 2. Solicit appropriate member feedback about programs, the club and staff for member retention, program and staff evaluation. 3. Promote and market the brand......
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• Tennis Glossary pt2 Net Cord - This is the cable that is responsible for supporting the net. Net Cord Judge - This is an official that is responsible for calling a let on service. This judge will sit up in front of the chair of the umpire on one end of the net,......
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See below and respond to AJC0m@aol.com – Al Juodikis

PREMIERE “Father’s Day Event”

A RED BALL Dads vs Kids
Tennis Tournament
Sunday – June 19
Time: 1-4 pm.
“Avengers vs Revengers”

A “Red Ball” Team Tennis Event Dads vs Kids. An excellent way to celebrate fathers day and share the tennis experience with your child!

KIDS “Revengers” Ages 5-14

DADS “Avengers” Ages – no limit

FORMAT:

Round robin – each kid plays each dad.

Dad’s team: 18 players, more or less.

(For parents with more than one child, 2nd parent, family member or appointee are acceptable!)

Kid’s team: 18 players, more or less, boys and girls

Play is on 36 foot court with with 23 inch racquets.

Spectators welcome to pull for your favorite team. B-BQ to follow, snacks, refreshments and beverages. Moms bring your favorite dish if you wish.

Entry Fee: $10 per team.

Register on the bulletin board or by email to ajcom@aol.com

• 3.0 Nationals Ladies Team Party Here is the link to pictures from our 3.0 Nationals Ladies Team Party on Sat October 29th at the club: 3.0 Nationals Ladies Team Party We had about 40 plus members who were able to make it and another 20 plus who sent their "best wishes". What a fun......
• San Jose Swim & Racquet Club: February 2011 Calendar of Events Verdasco, Sampras,Hewitt, Monfils at the SAP *I have special employee priced tickets for the SAP. Contact me at kendehart@aol.com to get tickets for Mon night for the Sampras exhibition vs Monfils and Tues & Wed night with all the major players. Feb 14th Valentine's Day – Play with your Sweetheart......
• 3 Secrets to Winning Doubles, pt 2 [/caption] This is the second post of three consecutive posts on the secrets to winning doubles in tennis. Secret #2 "Tennis Dance" Where to move & when to move there! Dance of the server's partner: Find the middle of the service box, half way between the net and the service......
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• June Tennis Camp 20-24 & Summer Tennis Programs June 20-24 will be tennis camp week at SJSRC with Al, Reno and Ken. Each player will be video taped. We will do player performance reports and get you ready for our Junior Summer Jr Aces/Jr Challenger Camp 11-3 Mon thru Friday. You may do all or part of the......

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• Tennis Racquet String Considerations Just as important as your racquet itself is the tennis racquet strings that you use. Unfortunately, it is all too common for people to spend too little time researching what types of tennis racquet strings they should be using. Many players who are just getting into the game of tennis......

Lessons and Clinics as a Boomer Tennis Player

1. Find a certified tennis professional – Trust your investment and game improvement to a tennis professional who has been tested and demonstrated the basics of quality tennis instruction. Try a lesson or clinic to see if you connect with the pro’s teaching style.
2. Take instruction with a friend – That way you have two people remembering what the pro suggested to improve your game. You also have a built-in practice partner with whom you can share experiences, learn drills and practice techniques that can work specifically on your game.
3. Begin your “success journal” – Take notes about what you learned in your lessons or clinics. Write ideas down in your own words reviewing the key ideas to help retain what you learned. When you go to practice, look at your notes so you can approach practice with a game plan. Write what you learned from your practice in your success journal so you are constantly building upon your base of tennis knowledge.
4. Build a 3 tiered approach to practice – Develop a base of tennis friends that allows you to practice and play against players who are weaker than you (to try out your new skills), the same level as you (to measure your improvement), and players of higher skills (to see what you need to add to your game). It is important to play against all 3 tiers if you are to become a complete player.
5. Join a league or team – Doing so will give you a wider base of practice partners and competitive opponents. A league will give you weekly matches against players you do not know. A team provides a base of players with a variety of skills to practice against as well a support system for your ups and downs of your tennis game-improvement.
6. Make a commitment – You did not get successful in your pre-boomer years without continuing education and a commitment to excellence in your career. Take weekly lessons or clinics and practice. Invest time and money in learning TENNIS – a game for a lifetime.

Photo Credits: Pat Groves

• Winning in Practice, pt 1 "Practicing to win requires rehearsing the tactical situations you will encounter and selecting the correct appropriate response for that situation until you can execute these responses in the heat of match play" ...Ken DeHart Playing the Score Practice your singles and doubles match with altered scoring situations: Start all games......
• Defeating “The Two Opponents” before you defeat; “The Player on the Other Side of the Net” [/caption]You have seen the draw, met your opponent and walked to the court to begin the battle.  However, when you warm up to begin the match, you must first defeat two opponents before you can even begin to win the match against - the player on the other side of......
• Present Yourself for the Win - Posture and Attitude Whenever we enter into a competition, our greatest opponent can be ourselves. We will misguide ourselves into thinking we are doing something we aren't. For many, when faced with the realization that this is happening, will bridge the gap and improve greatly as an athlete and player. The one thing......
• The Psychology of a Winner: Improving Your Practice They say practice makes perfect. I say "perfect practice makes perfect.” Practice is just the first thing you have to keep in mind when you're aiming for that win on the court. This begs the question then on how do you improve your practice? Look to the four tips below......
• Grips for Volleys Choose the Correct Grip for Your Volley [/caption] Here are 7 questions you might consider before you start: Is there 1 best grip? What is the experience status of the player – beginner, intermediate or advanced? What is the age of the player? What is the physical strength of the......

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• 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......

At the Net

Thanks again for the great tips in this video together with Jorge Capestany.

Now on the 2 tip you mentioned to change to bh grip with the hand holding the frame of the racket and that it is a mistake to change grip with the hand holding the grip.

Why is that? I saw you pulling your shoulders upwards in the video.

In other resources I read that you can do what you suggested or change grip with your dominant hand and just holding the frame with your support hand.

Many thanks for your comments on this.

How to Change Grips Quickly at the Net

The non-dominate hand is the key to a grip change. When moving to the the left, the left foot moves first toward the ball on balls that are close to the player. As that happens, the left hand places the racquet behind or above the in-coming ball. That allows the dominate hand to move to a new grip position based upon the height of the in-coming ball and your intention for the shot.

My racquet should rise above the incoming ball to create a downward and forward movement into the ball for more spin and speed (action) on the ball I am volleying.

Ken DeHart
SJSRC Director of Tennis
PTR & USPTA Master Professional

Photo Credits: ataelw

• The Psychology of a Winner: Improving Your Practice They say practice makes perfect. I say "perfect practice makes perfect.” Practice is just the first thing you have to keep in mind when you're aiming for that win on the court. This begs the question then on how do you improve your practice? Look to the four tips below......
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• Grips for Volleys Choose the Correct Grip for Your Volley [/caption] Here are 7 questions you might consider before you start: Is there 1 best grip? What is the experience status of the player – beginner, intermediate or advanced? What is the age of the player? What is the physical strength of the......
• Racquet Mail: Trusting Your Strokes This is the first of hopefully many Racquet Mail posts. I received an email with a question about trusting your strokes, and wrote this article in response. Trusting your strokes is a skill that is obviously quite mental in nature. In my program, called Defeating the Monsters in your Mind,......
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• Tennis Grips 101 The type of grips that you use in the game of tennis are going to have a really huge bearing on what types of strokes you are going to develop as well as a huge impact on your game overall. For example, if you want to develop an aggressive game,......
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• Tips For Improving your Tennis Game Serve - This is the first in a series on improving your serve through different tennis playing tips. Top ranking players tend to exhibit far fewer variations in terms of their style and their form in their serves than any other type of stroke in the game of tennis.......

I have a question regarding how to counter the inside out forehand. I’m a 4.5-5.0 player with an all court game, with a two handed backhand. Lately, I have been having trouble with one high level opponent who grew up on clay courts. Typically, we rally a few strokes and then my opponent starts hitting inside out shots to my backhand from his backhand corner. I typically return the balls cross court trying hit shots to his backhand, but given his position and the fact that I’m hitting while on the move this becomes increasingly difficult and I find myself moving further and further out to my backhand side as he cranks heavier and ever more angled shots. The point usually ends by my hitting a short ball and my opponent hits a winner to the (now) open court.

I have 2 specific questions:

1) If I want to control of the point by hitting a backhand down the line, what key reference points do you suggest for hitting a ball with heavy topspin on the rise with a two-hander?

2) I can change the rhythm of the point and get some more time by hitting a slice. What’s the best way to hit a slice on a ball with heavy topspin?

If you’ve got any other expert tips I’m all ears!

Handing the Inside-Outer

Options:

1. When you get into a situation where your opponent starts going to your backhand and you are still running around to hit your inside out backhand, play the ball “inside in” or down the line to force him to move back to the deuce court so you can get your next shot back into his backhand.

When we work with players and tell them to play an opponent’s backhand, it only means for a few shots.  If they start running around their backhand too far, go to their forehand to open up the backhand again.  They now have to hit their backhand on the run which often produces a weak return that lets you begin to control the point.

When your opponent starts to pull you outside your comfort zone on the backhand side, add height and spin to your recovery shot to buy time and re-establish your position – renegotiate, as he is dictating the deal.

2. If you choose to play a backhand down the line, remember you are changing the direction of the shot (COD – change of direction) and that is best done on a shorter ball not a deeper ball. You need to plan on contacting the back of the ball with lots of upper motion and racquet acceleration to avoid the ball reflecting out into the alley.  A slow or tentative swing will cause the ball to reflect wider off your strings.

It is best to be moving forward into the shot as your hit it on the rise.

3. Slice is king to neutralize the ball and buy time. Just got back from the US Open and watched how often the pros slice on heavy deep balls (Nadal, Federer and Roddick etc).  They force the opponent to wait on the ball to arrive and the underspin makes them really have to pay attention to be able to execute another aggressive topspin (most end up hitting it in the net).

You will make a few errors as you add new shots to your game but remember the idea is to have “Weapons of Mass Confusion” for your opponent.

Ken DeHart
SJSRC Director of Tennis
PTR & USPTA Master Professional

Photo Credits: CORE-Materials

• The 3 Parts of a Ground Stroke - "TTF" What are the basic parts of a forehand or a backhand ground stroke?  Many factors may go into the essentials of successfully beginning and completing either ground stroke. Footwork & positioning of the feet and the body for the stroke Grip tension Tracking of the ball Intended target and direction......
• What to do when things go bad? My forehand/backhand keeps missing wide? Select a target rather than just cross court. Select a safer target 2-3 feet inside the lines. Keep you eyes still until you see the blur of your racquet go past your eyes - looking up re-directs your shot. Align your feet to get......
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• Tennis Glossary pt3 Ace - This is a serve that the opponent is incapable of returning, to serve an ace. Ad - This is a shortened version of Advantage. Advantage - The player that scores the very first point after deuce is said to have had the advantage, because winning the next point......
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Tennis Lesson

Make your tennis lessons “likeable” by avoiding these 4 undesirables.

1. Lines – avoid having your students stand in lines and waiting for their next turn to play.  Make it a “moving experience” by using cones, donuts and games so the players are purposefully moving.
2. Yelling – don’t yell from across the net.  Learn to coach from the same side of the net they are on by using ball machines, other feeders and games.
3. Picking up balls – don’t make them pick up balls.  Use that time to teach them how to exercise their hamstrings, quads, glutes, groin and learning how to do a split step.  These are the 2 exercises a personal trainer would use to get them in shape: lunges and squats.  We don’t even charge extra for the personal training during our lessons.
4. Shadowing – they hate to “shadow” – it’s not real tennis.  It’s not shadowing, its free practice time.  It takes 10,000 to 12,000 hours to become a high level player.  The more swings you get in during this hour the closer you are to being good.  Besides, if you can’t do  the skill without the ball – how can you do it when the ball coming to you?

A masterful tennis professional will make learning fun by using these  “4 Undesirables” in a positive way so students will learn tennis in a fun environment. They will make lesson time “likeable” by doing the following “4 Desirable” things with their students:

1. Be organized – so time passes quickly and is used efficiently so they get true value.
2. Teamwork – use games and competitions where students learn to cooperate to improve.
3. Play – give them a game situation so they can see the progress of their skills they have worked on in the lessons.  They take lessons so they can become better players not lesson-takers.
4. Learning – they want to improve.  Remind them of what they worked on during the lesson and how much they have improved. Also point out how to practice so they will improve faster for the next lesson or their next big match.

Photo Credits: Joe Shlabotnik

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• 7 Habits of Highly Successful Tennis Professionals 1. Be "Pro" Active Sure you have been teaching for years and may not need a lesson plan. But just as you would prepare to play a match, you still would need to review.  So, have a game plan for your student or opponent and think about your last......
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• More Tennis Tips pt 2 ... Continued from More Tennis Tips pt 1. This is part two in our weekly tennis tips series. Here are some more invaluable tips that will help you improve all aspects of your tennis game. Now you should draw your racquet back and away from the net and make......
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• 5 Tips for Getting Started in Tennis Beginners who are just learning how to play tennis are most definitely going to face quite a large amount of frustration because it takes a lot of time, patience and practice to really get the hang of the sport. The most important thing that you can do to make this......

Tennis Practice

Cindy Lopper sung a song “Girls Just Wanta Have Fun”.  The same is true for adults.  They play tennis because they “Just Wanta Have Fun”.  They take lessons for the same reason.  As a tennis professional you have to know how adults learn so they can have fun.  Lets take a look at some of these key elements:

1. Experience is how they learn best. They want to know how but mostly they want to do it.  Get them involve in doing quickly.
2. They learn when they see a need. Determine what their goals are and capitalize on their desire to meet that goal. Be positive with them and encourage them to step outside the box.
3. Self directed learning is the best. Don’t tell them what you know, help them learn how they best learn and how they can direct their own learning about the game. Provide feedback so they can adjust their actions.
4. Age and experience are key factors in how, when and why they learn. Adjust your teaching to where they are in their life and learning style.
5. “Just like” - because of their experiences they can pick up on things that are just like other things they already do in life and work.  Help them see how they already know how to.

Not everyone learns the same way and adults often learn different from children.  Be aware of teaching to the needs and level of your students not just how you like to teach.

Photo Credits: yonghokim

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• Racquet Mail: How to Change Grips Quickly at the Net [/caption] Racquet Mail: Now on the 2 tip you mentioned to change to bh grip with the hand holding the frame of the racket and that it is a mistake to change grip with the hand holding the grip. Why is that? I saw you pulling your shoulders upwards in......

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• More Tips for Your Tennis Serve Here are some helpful tennis tips that will give you some perspective on improving your serve. Remember that different tennis tips are going to help different players in unique ways. The true key is going to lie in your ability to try out different tips and techniques until you......

Tennis Doubles

Great teams like the Bryan brothers talk between points, keep each other pumped up and focused on what they are planning to do to play the next point. They also have to know what their job description is as a teammate to help their partner play effectively.

Do you know your job description?

Here are 7 simple descriptions for each of the 4 positions on the court in a match:

Server:

1. Talk to your partner and tell them where you intend to serve – to the opponent’s forehand, backhand or body.
2. Decide where you will stand to serve to create an advantage for your team – near the center service line, near the alley or neutral between the two.
3. Decide if you plan to – serve and stay back, serve and volley or serve and attack the first short ball.
4. Know what your partner at the net intends to do – stay, fake or poach.
5. Get your first serve in play 80% of the time with a specific – direction, spin or speed.
6. When you miss your first serve – you create a “must” situation for your second serve, your partner goes into more of a defensive mode and your opponent plans more aggressive returns.
7. Get ready for another ball to be returned as the point is seldom over with the first shot.

Server’s Partner:

1. Know where your partner intends to serve and – will they stay back, serve and volley or attack the first short ball.
2. Decide and communicate what you plan to do on the return of serve – stay, fake or poach.
3. Your job – D.A.D. – distract the returner (legally) by getting your feet in motion, attack the return or once the ball passes you – move back to play defense.
4. If you poach – aim for 1 of the 3 valleys with your volley – the 3 Service line “T’s” on the court and not at the player where they might defend themselves and accidentally get the ball back in play.
5. Avoid the 2 mountains – the two players aim to the outside of either player or up the middle in the 3 valleys.
6. If you do not poach, move back on a diagonal when the ball passes you to face the opposing net player or the net rushing team and play defense.
7. Get ready for another ball to be returned to you as the point is seldom over with the first shot.

Receiver:

1. Tell your partner which part of the court you plan to direct your return – 1 of the 4 squares on the opposite court is a good start.
2. Decide if you will – chip, drive, loop or lob the return.
3. Use the D.A.D principle – distract with your positioning, attack the return or defend by getting the ball back in play.
4. Position yourself to be able to move forward into your return of serve.
5. Decide if you will – return and go in, return and stay back or fake a move in after the return
6. Use your return to set up your partner at the net so they can finish the point.
7. Get ready for another ball to be returned as the point is seldom over with the first shot.

Receiver’s Partner:

1. Know where your partner plans to return the serve – one of the 4 squares.
2. Know if your partner plans to – chip, drive, loop or lob the return.
3. Call the service line for your partner so they can focus on the return.
4. Once the serve is determined to be good – look at the opposing net player and prepare to defend your position in the event they poach or your returner hits to them with the return.
5. If the return is past the net player move over and up to defend your net position against the ball to be hit by the server.
6. Prepare to D.A.D – distract the server who is now returning your partners shot, attack the return by the server or defend your net position if they attempt to hit at you.
7. Move back on a diagonal to defend if the ball goes back to your partner by facing the opposing net player or both opponents if they both come into the net.

These are a few key concepts that can help you and your partner become a more effective team by knowing what your Job Description is for each of the 4 positions on the court.  You can do your job well and help your partner do theirs.

Communication is vital, movement is critical and execution necessary for success as a doubles team.

Check out my website at www.kendeharttennis.com for UDF’s or Unusual Doubles Formations that can greatly enhance your teams positioning and ability to change momentum in a match.

Ken DeHart

Director of Tennis-SJSRC
USA High Performance Coach
PTR & USPTA Master Professional
2 Time PTR International Pro of the Year

Photo Credits: yingtak

• Winning in Practice, pt 2 This is part two in a two part set. Doubles Situations The receiving team must lob the return of serve and try to take the net at least twice in each game. This is especially effective when the serving team is serving into the sun. The serving team must play......
• “I” Serving 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 Formation puts the server in the center of the court to serve like a singles player.  Their partner is standing directly behind them.  The......
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• Winning in Practice, pt 1 "Practicing to win requires rehearsing the tactical situations you will encounter and selecting the correct appropriate response for that situation until you can execute these responses in the heat of match play" ...Ken DeHart Playing the Score Practice your singles and doubles match with altered scoring situations: Start all games......

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• Even More Tips for Serving Here are some more useful tennis tips for improving your serving game. If you want to make improvements in your ability to serve, these tips will prove useful. Tip #1: Serve well enough that you can control the rally. One of the more popular axioms that has to do......
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Getting in Shape

So when I planned to play in the USPTA Nationals on Marco Island, Florida this September I had a plan in my head to “get in shape” and take this tournament serious. That meant I would play against some of the club members – not too much better than me so I could still experience the “thrill of victory” without too much “agony of defeat”.

Thanks to Reno, NT, Ted, John, James and a few of my lessons that I got to hit with during the week. I was ready, ha ha. Surprisingly, I was playing pretty well and with the help of Dr. Omara and the guys at the score clinic, I was able to rid my body of knee, hip and a few other pains. I was suddenly experiencing the ability to move decently on the court and get to balls again.

To be honest, I was playing the best I had played in about the last 3-4 years on a consistent basis – until Tuesday morning when I felt especially fast and decided to go get a shot that I would have in the past not been able to even think about running after. After the 5th step at a speed that was blinding – for me at this time in my life, I felt it – the right hamstring. I hit the ball, grabbed the hamstring and kept running into the next court – only because I couldn’t stop.

Oh well, the best laid plans of mice and Ken. Off to the score clinic to see what kind of damage I had done. It actually felt more like a big time cramp in a specific area than a tear. I had torn the left hamstring earlier in 2009, so I had a reference point.

Poor Dr “O”, he knows when I come in he is in for another – guess what I have. Like most of my members at the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club I wait until I have a big problem to seek help. I get more for my money that way??? And I usually like to wait until I have several aches so I can get them all treated at the same time. Only problem, the doctor doesn’t have all day to treat just me. Why not, am I not important? I mean after all I think I am – it’s broke can’t you fix it – NOW?

In his best doctor voice he says, “Ken, what did you do now?” I tell him my sob story and tell him how well I have been playing, I leave in 3 days to go play, can you fix me, now and sorry I haven’t been in to see you in months. First it is E-Stim, another treatment, some investigative research on the area, some Graston Technique treatment, some stretching and ice. Good news, it is a strain and not a complete tear.

Ice – ice baby is the recommendation, no rapid acceleration or deceleration and how many times can you get in to see me before you leave on Thursday? I have a day and a half to work that in plus: get out the newsletter, string 8 racquets, get my presentation ready to speak on Hilton Head, pack my suitcase, answer 47 emails, do the draw for the Ace Cancer Tournament and teach 12 hour Tuesday and Wednesday.

Whey, got most of it done, saw the Dr. 2 times and got to the airport a by 6:30 Thursday morning – thanks to my wife, Karen. The leg feels good, even after 9 hours going from San Jose to Atlanta. I am waiting in the Atlanta airport for my last leg of the flight – Atlanta to Hilton Head. I should arrive about 10 pm, get a rental car, find my condo I am staying at and get ready to attend workshops all day Friday and Saturday with a 3 hour presentation I will make on “59 Best Drills and 25 Corrective Techniques”. I hope to practice on Sunday and have the hamstring feel great, fly to Ft Meyers, Florida, drive an hour to Marco Island, get to the hotel at 1 am, I get some sleep and be ready to play my match sometime on Monday as well as attend an 8 hour High Performance Training Course and meet Kameron and Karen who will be arriving from Disney World around noon.

Ah… the life of a tennis pro! Wouldn’t trade if for any other job in the world.

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• “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......
• One Up and One Back Formations When teams play this formation, they can be the easiest to beat – if you play smart. This formation leaves lots of holes in their defense and can make their net player a target for the other team. Don’t be afraid of the net. Reasons for the serving team to......
• “I” Serving 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 Formation puts the server in the center of the court to serve like a singles player.  Their partner is standing directly behind them.  The......

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The goal is to place one’s body in a position that is relaxing, yet permits the greatest yield in performance. For the game of tennis, one can find the posture as the professionals all know it by heart, whether they are aware of fact or not. Look at a professional match, and note the players posture before serving, returning the ball and setting up their shots. Try to memorize the posture, without picking it apart. The idea is you want to subconsciously memorize the posture, so that the next time you are in a game, focusing your thoughts there will allow the body to fall into the posture.

What will happen is that the back will straighten, breathing will be easier, the head will be better supported, and your confidence will boost greatly. With greater confidence, comes greater game play, and you will relax even more. The benefit to assuming good posture results in quicker and more accurate serves, faster response times and more powerful returns on tennis serves. It is mostly about not tensing up, since to do so will end up putting extra strain and fatigue on you while you play.

It is somewhat difficult to put so much value into something as simple as posture, but watching the pros, they all have it. It is the secret that can help people improve their game, so long as they put the work in. Failure will come often as the newer player will lose their posture easily. Getting it back is just as easy, but it will result in the chance for an error to occur. Practice in employing the posture, and maintaining it, even as you are running back and forth on the court trying to keep up.

Being able to maintain posture is a great way to improve one’s tennis game. It not only builds the confidence that a tennis player can need, but also their technique in placing themselves for a return, adding power to their serve, and other skill boosts. That is the first key to your better tennis game. Make sure that you practice, and that you don’t forget to keep you posture while playing. In the early stages, you body will tend to revert, but once you have made it a part of your game, it can do nothing but help.

Photo Credits: 1

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