Tag: tennis tip

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Consistent Setup

Consistent setup = consistent shots

   The key to winning tennis matches at every level is consistency. To consistently hit your shots in, you need to setup the same way when ever possible. Getting into position to hit from your strike zone will allow you to hit more consistent, effective shots.

  •  Quick first step: To get set up early you need to get to where the ball is as soon as possible. The best way to do that is by having a quick first step. Use a split step to accomplish this. Hop lightly on the balls of your feet as your opponent hits the ball. From there you are ready to move in either direction.

  •   Find your strike zone: Notice where the ball is in relation to your body when you are hitting comfortably. How high is it? How far away from your body is it? Once you identify the ideal strike zone for you, make sure you get into position to hit from that spot.

  Try the tips above to set up early and hit from your strike zone, for more consistent shots. Remember to keep your feet moving, taking small adjustment steps whenever possible. Play consistent tennis and watch your winning percentage go up.

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Mental focus for tennis

Mental focus for tennis

Today we’ll discuss mental fitness. Many times, especially when you haven’t played much, your strokes will start to break down in a match. This is usually just due to your own doubts about your abilities. You start to second guess your mechanics, shot selection, etc. When you start doubting your shots and missing, use these tips to refocus your mind

 

  • listen to the sound of the ball hitting your opponents racket
  • try to see the seams on the incoming ball
  • feel the rhythm of the rally (play your favorite song in your head)
  • between points focus on your breathing, deep inhale, long exhale
  • develop a routine to focus on between points (straighten your strings, reposition your hat, etc.

All of these actions help to calm you and also distract your conscious mind, the source of performance anxiety.

Developing habits to refocus your mind will help you move past negative thoughts that prevent your shots from flowing smoothly.

A great book on the subject of mental focus in tennis is “The Inner Game of Tennis”, by Timothy Gallwey

The Inner Game of Tennis
The Inner Game of Tennis
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Hydration on the tennis court

Hydration and recovery

  If you have been following the hot and humid US Open in NYC so far, you know that staying hydrated  has been especially important. But hydration on the court has always been important. Here are some helpful tips for you as we enter the dog days of summer.

Dog days of summer tennis
Dog days of summer tennis require hydrating tips

  • Before the match-drink 16-20 ounces of cold water, then 4-8 ounces of cold beverage during changeovers.

  • During the match-if you’re sweating a lot and going all out, you need to replenish some electrolytes-drink 5 ounces of a sports drink on changeovers. If you are playing strenuously for more than two hours, add 10-15 grams of protein to your beverage or eat an energy bar or gel. (Don’t consume too much protein, however, because it can cause stomach cramps)

  • After the match-your muscles are most receptive to insulin and nutrients for recovery within 30-45 minutes after strenuous exercise, have a recovery drink that contains a target number of carbohydrates and protein (Carbohydrate grams equal to 40% of your body weight in pounds and 1 gram of protein for every 3 grams of carbs) Example: a 135lb women needs 54 grams carbs and 18 grams protein (Chocolate milk actually comes very close to this ratio)

 Keeping your body properly hydrated and giving it what it needs for recovery will help you play your best tennis and recover quicker. Hit courts and have fun!

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Don’t Prejudge Your Opponent

Don’t judge a tennis opponent by his strokes

  How many times have you been warming up with a new opponent and decided whether you should beat them by how well they hit the ball? Maybe they have a goofy forehand or a weak, frying pan backhand, and you think, “I should beat this joker easily”. Or maybe they are crushing the ball in warm up and you say to yourself, “This guy is going to wipe the court with me.”

  Well I can tell you from experience that most of the time you are going to be wrong. Some of the most frustrating losses I’ve had, have come against players with ugly (to me) strokes, no power, and no visible weapons. Conversely, the big hitters in warm up, many times, can’t keep the ball in the court during the match.

 Remember this cardinal rule of tennis…

 “the person that hits the ball in the court the most times wins” 

 It doesn’t say the person that hits the ball the hardest, or with the best looking strokes wins. If you get the ball in the court more times than your opponent, you win, period! It takes some players their whole life to learn this simple truth. Learn it now and you’ll have a happier, more successful tennis game.

Need some tips on how to keep hitting the ball into the court? Check out our previous tennis tips, including last week’s One More Ball.

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Kick ‘Serve’ Some Butt pt.2

Last week we discussed how the kick serve can help you win more points. This week we look at the mechanics of actually hitting the kick serve. This is a tough serve to master if you’ve never tried it, but well worth the effort in terms of winning results. Here are the general mechanics of the shot.

  •  Your feet should be pointed, roughly, at the net post (the more side ways to the court you can stand, the better)
  • Use the continental grip (like holding a hammer)
  • Hit up and forward on the ball (imagine the racket face going from 6 to 12 or 7 to 1 on a clock face)

I know this may be hard to visualize, so here is a good series of videos from YouTube that will help.

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Kick ‘Serve’ Some Butt

Most of us think that the harder we can serve the better. That’s not usually the case. Of course if you can crush the serve every time, place it where you want, and get it in the box, then read no further. Ok, now that the mere mortals are still reading, lets look at a good serve option, the kick serve.

There are a couple of advantages to the kick serve, especially for doubles.

  • It allows the server more time to get to the net in a serve and volley situation. Since the ball is traveling slower from server to returner, the server has more time to move forward for a better volley position.
  • It makes the returner hit from an uncomfortable position (increasing errors or pouch opportunities). The higher bounce of a good kick serve makes the returner more prone to miss-hit the return.

Think about the opportunities that the kick serve can create as mentioned above and next week we will talk about how to hit a kick serve.

Here is some video from YouTube illustrating the flat serve versus the kick serve.

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BeatYourTennisNemesis

 Everyone has an opponent that, somehow, seems to have your number. Even though you may have fairly even skills, they always come out on top. After a while you dread playing them just because of the self doubt and damage that losing does to your confidence. You know the problem is mental but that just makes it harder to fix. Here are some tips to help.

  1.  Narrow your focus. Between points, keep your eyes on your strings, the ball, your feet, anything but him/her. You want to stop thinking about your opponent by focusing on neutral things that won’t trigger negative/distracting thoughts.

  2. Strive to have no emotional reaction to a lost point no matter how bad the error or good their shot.

  3. Lastly, force out any thoughts about the score, who’s winning/going to win, etc. This is very difficult. It’s useful to fill your mind with ways to execute your game plan or rituals/mantras of…watch the ball, stay loose, etc. Remember to keep these thoughts neutral. I have a saying, if your thought has a tone that can be followed with the words “..you idiot!”, then they are not neutral. For example if your tone to yourself conveys, “Watch the ball you idiot!”, then you are adding stress and negativity not calmness and neutrality.

Stay focused and use the tips above to beat your tennis nemesis. You might even realize that the real nemesis is in your own head.

Some great books on mental toughness and strategy for tennis are “The Inner Game of Tennis”, by Timothy Gallwey, and“Winning Ugly” by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison.

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Apply the brake to slide on clay

clay tennis court

On clay courts, to stay balanced while you stop and change directions, it helps to know how to slide. If you play mostly on hard surfaces that grip your feet, you may not have learned this clay-court technique. Let’s take a look at it.

On clay you want to slide into your shots using your front foot as a brake pedal. Just before getting to the ball, lean back slightly and plant your front foot flat on the ground, pointed in the direction you are going. As you “push the brake pedal”, that is, transfer your weight from back foot to front foot as you slide, you will gradually come to a stop. Ideally you should come to a stop just as you reach the ball and execute your stroke. This allows you to recover quicker and be ready to move to the next ball.

Many players dislike clay courts because they feel that they can not get their footing or change directions quickly. This is usually because they are sliding after they hit the ball. This puts them out of position and takes valuable time away from their recovery. Remember to slide into the shot, not after.

It takes some practice to develop the timing for this technique so get out on the courts and improve that slide.

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Maximize your Serve

Last time we talked about perfecting your service toss. This week we focus on maximizing the effectiveness of your serve. Many of us have issues with our serve. Whether it’s trouble with consistency, or a weak second serve, this stroke can start you off shakily.

  • The first priority is to get the first serve in as much as possible, even if you have to hit it softer. Opponents won’t jump on a weak first serve as quickly as they will a weak second serve.

  • Next, try to move the serve around…alternate hitting to their backhand, forehand, and right at them. Pay attention to which position works and go back to it.

  • Lastly, practice, practice, practice. All you need are a bag/basket of balls and a court. Don’t just hit balls without thinking. Play an imaginary game in your head. Are you serving down 15-40, 30 all? Playing a game in your head will help you duplicate and over come the match pressure that makes your serve breakdown.

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Service Toss

For the next two weeks we will focus on the serve. It is the only stroke that you initiate, and as such, it is a source for errors and missed opportunities. Today we will look at the service toss. If your toss is bad it’s hard to get the ball in the box, much less, get the full benefit of this stroke that you have 100% control over.

The service toss yips are very frustrating and hard to cure, mainly because the problem is usually mental. If you toss the ball fine when you’re practicing or playing for fun, but have problems when the pressure is on, you’ve got the yips.

 As far as the mechanics of the toss, keep these points in mind.

  • keep your tossing arm straight

  • hold the ball with your finger tips

  • don’t flick your wrist, the only joint in motion should be your shoulder

 That’s it for the mechanics. Now for the mental issues. Try the following.

  • relax, catch any bad tosses and remember, it’s just tennis

  • visualize tossing the ball straight up a chimney

  • if the toss problems continue resolve not to let it affect the rest of your game

  • lastly, practice, practice, practice-strokes that are ingrained will be more reliable

Above all else, have fun out there and enjoy the process not just the outcome. Next time we work on getting the most benefit from your serve.