Tag: 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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One More Ball

You don’t always have to win the point, you just have to stay in the point.

A good habit/strategy to win more matches is to adopt the mindset that your opponent is going to have to hit an outright winner to win the point. Resolve to get any ball that you can reach back in play.

Most players, especially at the recreational level, have trouble hitting two great shots in a row. If you get the first one back, many times they will make an error trying to hit a better shot.

To help you with this strategy, think about these pointers:

  1. Don’t try to hit a winner when you are stretched out or on the run
  2. Hit the ball back high, crosscourt and deep, to give yourself time to recover

Watch your opponent’s frustration, and errors, build as you continue to make them play 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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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.

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Poaching

Poaching

   Now that we’ve worked on your volley the last few weeks, lets put it to use in doubles. Poaching may be one of the scariest moves you’ll make on the tennis court, but to be a good doubles player, it’s essential that you learn to do it well. There are four critical elements to poaching: positioning, stance, timing, and direction. Let’s take a look at each of them.

  1.  Positioning-most players stand too close to both the net and the alley to poach successfully. For best results, stand right in the middle of the service box. In this position you are right in front of the returner, who will immediately consider you more of a threat. You are also in position to intercept any return not hit perfectly crosscourt.

  2.  Stance–lower your center of gravity by widening your feet and bending your knees. In this stance you will be more balanced and able to push off to go in either direction, right or left.

  3. Timing–take off for your poach either just before or right as the returner is hitting the ball. This way you are making your move when the returner is concentrating on hitting the ball so they won’t notice you (or even better, notice you and make an error on the return).

  4. Direction–always move diagonally toward the net. Players often just move sideways(usually because they are already too close to the net). By moving forward as well, your momentum helps you punch the volley, helping to resist the urge to take the racket back for power.

 I hope these tips help you develop good poaching technique. Remember, practice, practice, practice. That goes especially for the timing part of the poach. Developing good timing on the poach will yield big results in points won.

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Backhand Reflex Volley

How to volley bodyshots

Have you ever had a shot hit right at your body when you were at the net? They are tough to handle.

The best way to hit a reflex volley on a ball hit right at your body is with a backhand grip. With a backhand you can hit balls from your chest to your right hip (for righties), and, of course, anything to your left. In contrast, the forehand volley has a much more limited range and can only handle shots on your right side.

Remember, we are talking about a reflex volley, one where you don’t have much time to react. To execute the backhand reflex volley:

  1. Make sure you always have your racket up in the ready position (chest high and pointed in front of you).
  2. Raise your elbow so that you can move the racket face in front of your body to block the ball.

Check out our previous tip, Punch the volley, for pointers for when you do have time on the volley.

The reflex backhand volley can keep you in the point, and possibly save you a bruise or two. Remember to keep that racket up and in front of you to give yourself more time on the volleys.

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Punch the volley

Some players avoid the net for fear of getting passed or they just lack confidence in their volleys. We’ll deal with fear of failure later, for now lets work on your volley.

The key to the volley is making the stroke compact.

  • keep your racket up and in a ready position, pointed straight ahead slightly above waist height, racket head higher than handle (this is very important)
  • split step(bounce lightly on the balls of both feet with body facing forward) as your opponent hits the ball
  • turn your shoulders as you read the incoming ball, keeping your racket within your shoulders 
  • step diagonally/forward in the direction of the incoming ball with the opposite foot  (example..ball is coming toward your left side, step that way with your right foot)
  • punch the ball by using a short forward swing(with little or no back swing) with a firm grip and wrist
  •  let you body’s forward momentum provide the power
  • volley the ball away (choices-between opponents, at net man’s feet, or angled away from both opponents)

Instructions are great but nothing beats video to show you how to do it right.

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Bunt the short ball

Last time we talked about hitting an aggressive approach shot off of a short ball. This week we examine what to do when you can’t quite reach the short ball while it is at a good height for an aggressive shot. Why can’t you hit an aggressive shot on a low, short ball? Because your forward momentum,  close proximity to the net, and the low height of the ball make it very difficult to swing slow enough to control the ball and keep in the court.

The solution is to bunt the ball. The bunt is basically a volley while running forward. Let’s look at the bunt.

  • As you run forward, your momentum provides all the power you need (no swing needed)

  • Run with your racket out front and push through the ball at contact (like a volley)

  • Aim the ball deep if your opponent is coming in or drop shot them if they stay back

The bunt will help you control the ball when you are at a full forward run, stay in the point, and up your winning percentage.