How do you explain a tennis match to a kid?

Recent, I was teaching a student who is 8 years old and just starting to compete at the game of tennis. She asked me, "what is the purpose of tennis". I pondered about the answer. Obviously if you are playing a match, the purpose is to win the match. And to win a match, you must string together enough points to win two sets. And to win points,mother best way is to hit the ball away from your opponent or force your opponents to make errors.

But then I wondered. Are there other purpose to tennis? What about mastering strokes? What about getting fitter to play it well? And how we decide what the purpose of tennis is and which purposes to prioritize? Readers, I would love your thoughts.

Why start with a two handed forehand

I've been coaching young children tennis for over 15 years and have seen many children begin tennis by using the two handed forehand. Many will eventually switch to a traditional one handed forehand. I believe that starting out with a two handed forehand is beneficial for many reasons. Many students, when they begin tennis, aren't strong enough to use only one hand when executing the forehand and that will inevitably lead to technical errors like opening up the racquet too much, starting too high and hitting the stroke downwards. Adding one's second, non dominant hand, allows one to be fully balanced and properly learn the unit turn while hitting a forehand. Rotation of the hips and the shoulders is essential to producing a powerful forehand. Using two hands allows a player to fully acclimate to the rotation of the body. When hitting with one hand a child will be unbalanced (due to not being strong enough)  and unable to properly implement the rotation needed. In addition, while using two hands for a forehand one can fully develop the proper rotation of their hand. In addition, using two hands takes the pressure and strain off of your arms and your hands. 

Now that we have established the benefits of the the two handed forehand the question is when should one switch over to a one handed forehand. About half of all players will stay with a two handed forehand while others will convert to a one handed forehand. One should attempt the switch when one has developed a reliable two handed forehand where they are able make contact with the ball when it is two feet in front with a closed face. 

Stay tuned for my next post about children starting tennis with an open stance. 

For more Information on my coaching, check out www.elftennis.com or email info@elftennis.com 

Working with young kids

Blog post on flexibility with kids 

Some of you have reading this post may have read through my website and are wondering, " what is it really like to teach 3 year olds and what do you actually do during the lesson? How could children as young as three possibly participate in a tennis lessons?" In this blog post, I will discuss some of the approaches used to help make lessons more amenable for young children. Rather than give you a list of activities, I would like to suggest an embodying philosophy. One of the key factors to success in engaging young children is flexibility. Flexibility means being open to ideas presented by the children in the class and picking up on cues from the children. If children state that they are interested in a specific activity, sometimes it's hitting the ball back and fourth on the ground other times it's having a sword fight with the racquets while in some instances its pretending that the racquets are guitars. While some of these ideas may sound outlandish most ideas can be adapted into workable drills and activities that actually build tennis skills. The key to feeding off of kids is to ascertain what element of the suggested activity that they actually like (for example movement, fantasy, the ability to hit the ball in their own) and then create activities that involve those elements. 

In addition, changing activities mid stream is sometimes essential. If an activity doesn't seem like a big hit, then it's best to try a different activity even if you intended to continue with the activity for a longer period of time. 

Here is an example of how to amend activities to a child's needs. Today, I taught a child who has been difficult in the past. And when I say difficult, I mean difficult. He would throw the racquet after he hit every shot and run away from me. I was feeding him balls from the other side of the net and giving him feedback. First we established that he needed to be on a certain side of the net . Then, he communicated that he liked racing and finally, he told me that he wanted to hit the ball back and fourth on the ground make me run for the ball. While agreeing to him making me run for the ball makes it sound like I was a pushover for a sadistic child the activities really did build skills essential for tennis. The racing builds speed while hitting the ball away from me helps him gain comfort with stroke mechanics and learn targeting. 

I strongly suggest that when offering tennis lessons to kids you work with there suggestions while always being mindful of the skills learned and always offering instructional tips throughout the activity. For more information on how I teach email info@elftennis.com. 

Why you shouldn't avoid playing practice sets

Why you shouldn’t avoid playing sets in your practices.

What do you do for your tennis practices? Some people say that they don’t like to play tennis matches. There are people out there who avoid matches just like some of you avoid taxes and dental visits. And I have to admit-I am one of those people. Or I was one of those people. Until, I realized that the only way I am going to improve my match play skills and combat match anxiety is by actually playing sets.

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This week, I went to hit with my friend. I was having a blast playing singles. I was hitting the crap out of the ball (sorry, I couldn’t find a better word for it) and relishing my brilliant shots. Then my friend said, “lets play a set, I need to practice for playoffs”  And I thought, ok, why not. And boy did I learn a lot from playing the set. I’ve been reading a book on mental toughness by Frank Giampaolo called the Tennis Parents’ Bible and it talks about different messages to tell yourself between points regarding strategy. So, I figured playing this practice set would be a great opportunity to practice implementing these mental patterns. I started out roughly. I wasn’t hitting the ball the way I did in the practice session. My balls were landing short and they were just plain weak. Of course, she started out by hitting sharp shots and moving me around the court. I was down 0-2 and I started going back to my usual patterns of scolding myself for being down to a person I felt I should beat. Then, I told myself about how maybe I’m just not the kind of person who wins matches. And then I realized that I had to replace these thoughts with other thoughts. Like, “how the heck am I going to beat her? What do I need to do? What patterns do I need to execute in order to win?” I need to hit to her backhand to start with, then I need to hit to the other side of the court to get her on the run and then I need to go for  a winner when the opportunity is right. Between every point, I kept asking myself, “where is her backhand” While this sounds rudimentary and I’m sure there are more sophisticated patterns, I felt that a simple message like that could sooth me and stop me from self destructing and either allowing her to continue being aggressive and teeing off of my short balls or over hitting shots to compensate for het winners. So, I kept asking myself “where’s her backhand”. Suddenly, I was able to produce deeper shots and even muster the gumption to attempt aggressive shots when the opportunity presented itself. I eventually, was able to come back and win the set, 6-3, after having been down 2-0. I continually assessed what patterns were pertinent and appropriate for that stage in the game. I would obviously risk more if I was up 40-15 and play more safely and allow her to make the errors if it was deuce. At the end of the set, I felt that I had learned to switch from the scolding/ bashing mode to the thoughtful tennis mode well. In addition, I felt that I exhibited more endurance than my friend. However, I wasn’t the tennis goddess I am making myself out to be. I did fail to approach the net and volley’s are my greatest asset.  What will happen next set? Will I improve at my ability to approach the net? Do you think people should play the same way regardless of the score? Email your thoughts to info@elftennis.com. Stay tuned for more tennis tips in the coming days.

Work as a formidable team at net!

Work as a fearsome twosome at net 

Everyone knows that the game of doubles is all about rushing and crushing the net. Rushing and crushing the net is the only way to finish points quickly.  In a game of doubles, when you are either the returner or the server you want to move in as soon as possible.  In a previous post, I discussed how to move into the net. In this post, I will cover how you and your partner can work as a team to be as ferocious and effective as possible.  When you are moving into net, it is essential that your partner know you are  coming up to the net. It is important for your partner to know you are on the move  as a shot could be hit to your side of the court that you can't reach if you are too far back. If that's the case your partner may want to cross over to cover it for you.  While at the net, you need to assess and utilize each other's strengths when determining who will cover which shots. When both of you are at net and a shot goes down the middle between you, this is often referred to as the husband and wife zone. No one is sure who is going to take balls hit in that area and more often than not those shots end up as winners for your opponents. Always make a plan for who will take it. In general, whosever forehand it is should be the one who poaches and pounds that volley. In addition, once both of you are at the net, you are vulnerable and suspect to lobs. As a team, you need to determine  who is going to cover the lobs. As a rule of thumb, it should be the person who is in the best position to hit either a forehand overhead or a forehand, defensive, on the run  shot. Alternatively, the person who is further back may want to be the one who covers lobs as they don't have as far to run.  A fourth concern when both of you are at the net is what to do when your partner is pulled out wide.  I usually say that you should cover the middle but cheat towards the opposite end of the court that your partner was pulled towards. Essentially, you need to be prepared to cover three quarters of the court ( sorry about that but it is a workout, right) 

Try it these suggestions and let me know how it works out for you. Did you feel you were more effective in winning points at the net when accounting for coverage? Email me at info@elftennis.com with your thoughts. 

Cross training through rollerblading

Cross training through rollerblading

Alas, we can't always play tennis every single day . However, there are other physical activities that can partake in that will help us build up some of the skills essential for tennis.  In this post, I will discuss another sport that can help you build up tennis skills: rollerblading. I love roller blading; it's exhilarating rapid spurts of uncertainty. I love gliding and turning and such. Rollerblading does a number on the quads  When making turns on sharp hare pin curves, rollerblading forces you to really bend your knees and shift your body weight closer to the ground. This skill is transferable to tennis. Often in tennis, we are required to bend our knees and get down low for certain kinds of balls such as sliced shots. In addition, we need to always be shifting our weight lower to the ground instead of pulling up our body weight and thus making the balls sail long.

In addition, roller blading involves the turning and twisting of our bodies when we change directions and turn around sharp corners. In tennis, we utilize a similar motion when we are preparing to hit our shots. Prior to hitting a ball, we must turn our body to be able to see the incoming ball.

Furthermore, rollerblading allows you to work on your balance and weight transfer. These skills are essential  to the development of your tennis game. Balance and weight transfer our essential for the serve ( moving into) and for potent ground strokes.

By doing cross training activities, one can develop the muscle memory needed for certain skills in tennis. We can train our muscles to acclimate to certain tasks.

For more information on my tennis instruction, email info@elftennis.com.

Move more often during the day to improve your fitness

How to be mobile throughout the day 

A NY Times article postulated that one can be labeled as sedentary even if they do 5,000 steps a day  if your movement is limited to only that one hour of exercise. Essentially, if you workout for an hour but then spend the rest of the day lounging on your ass you won't feel the benefits of exercise ( rocking a hot body, getting stronger and being able to last more than half an hour without being short of breath) 

In this blog post, I will discuss different ways you can become more mobile throughout the day even if you work a job that requires you to be sedentary. 

Here are 10 ways all you sluggers you can make yourself more mobile throughout the day. Please don't laugh at my suggestions and feel free to implement your own ideas into the day. 

(1) Walk while you talk on the phone. Hmm for the gibber gabbers of the world is could add a while lot of steps into your daily output, 

(2) If cooking or doing another task while standing up, move your feet up and down and back and fourth. 

(3) While sitting hold in your stomach and your butt for intervals of 10-20 seconds for one full hour . This will help sculpt your muscles and is great for people with jobs that require them to sit for extended periods of times ( kudos t you guys, I don't know how I could manage that). 

(4) Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Should be obvious why! 

(5) Park far away from your destination, don't take the closest space available. This way you get to get some walking into your day. If your in a city with scant parking spaces this should be easy to implement. 

(6) Walk quickly to increase your hear rate and challenge yourself. 

(7) Spread out workouts throughout the day even if you can only fit in short intervals. Have that ten minutes that your waiting for your co workers to arrive at the meeting.- do some sit-ups. 

(8) Wear outfits that are too small to force yourself to suck your stomach in. Just be careful not to rip your pants! Wearing loose clothing allows us to relax our stomach muscles. 

(9) Volunteer for any chores like bringing in the mail, taking out the garbage, or walking the dogs. Extend your walks. 

(10) Don't go to the nearest bathroom and walk to a colleague's office to talk to them instead of texting or emailing them. 

Stay tuned for my next blog post on cross training workouts for tennis. 

Communication in doubles

Here is a dosage of tennis instruction from the funky tennis chic (aka me). Communication is essential in the tennis game of doubles. And yes, communication is more than just telling your partner cliched phrases like ,"stay with it" or "next point".  Solid communication amongst two members of a doubles team leads to a synergistic pair of players; each one knows the other one's exact game plan and is able to adjust their actions accordingly. Communication occurs between points, on changeovers, and sometimes during points. This blog post addresses what topics needed to be discussed so that synchronization can occur. Poor communication will result in poor court coverage and thus points unnecessarily lost. So, listen carefully.

The intention of switching sides is an absolute essential that needs to always be conveyed. If, during a point you are moving sides ( I.e. you are returning on the deuce court but move over to the ad court or are the net player on the ad court and poach over to the deuce side) you must tell your partner to switch. If, the command of switch is not called out then both players will be positioned on one side of the court and leave the other side of the court completely open. A shot that otherwise may have been returnable could zoom past both players, leaving both of you stunned. So, an easy switch is beneficial. Of course, the command to switch and the switch itself must occur as soon as the player knows that they are going to move sides.

Mine or yours.  Sometimes, a shot comes your way that is retrievable by both players. In this instance, it is vital to call out "mine" or "yours". Yes, someone must claim the shot quickly, the shot is not like the last piece of cake. As a general rule, the player who is in the position to hit a forehand should take the shot. If the shot in question is both people's forehands,then the player who is feeling more confident and has been playing better should step up to the plate. 

Leave it (it's going out). Sometimes players can anticipate that a ball is going to sail out. If this is the case, it's important to yell out "leave it" or "let it go". Why extend the point if you don't need to do so? 

These are basic ideas and tenets to convey to your partner. Here are some more complex strategic moves that also need to be communicated in order for your partner to adjust their positioning. 

Where you may place serves.  Obviously, we aren't pros and can't always accurately predict our serve placement. However we can try. Serve placement has a large impact on where your partner will position themselves at the net. In general your partner should align themselves with your serve as the serve is likely to be returned on a straight path. If your partner serves down the tee, then you as the volleyer should position yourself closer to the middle. Knowing your partner's service target makes the difference between being able to put away that oh so easy sitter and getting passed and forcing your partner to scramble at the baseline. 

In addition, it is crucial,as the volleyer, to let your partner know if you plan on poaching over to the side of the net. If you unsuccessfully poach, your partner then will be able to anticipate that and cover the court accordingly. 

Where you plan on moving after you serve.  Sometimes, players vary their positioning in order to give the opponents a different look and force the opponents to change their tactics, return differently and thus break up their rhythm. The most common variation of formations is when the server stands close to the middle of the baseline and the net player squats  close to the tee. After the serve is in play, each of the players moves accordingly. The returner and net player may reverse sides ( so the server who has been in the deuce court may now be in the ad court and vice versa). Obviously, you need to communicate with your partner which side you are going to move or you will leave an obvious hole and target for your opponents. 

Do you plan on putting up a lob on the return of serve? Sometimes players decide to lob over the net man on a return. This is a counter intuitive yet potent move. Lobbing over the net player forces the returner to move to the opposite end of the court and hit their weaker shot. It also pushes the returner backs and prevents the returner from rushing the net. However, you must let your partner know of your intention. There is the possibility that the net player may make the overhead and your partner must be prepared for this possibility ( who wants a bruise after the match from a crushing overhead). 

When you plan on targeting a net player. This is an underutilized but sometimes effective tactic. Often, the net player may be the weaker player. In addition, lengthy baseline rallies may be prevalent and the net player may not be fully alert and more likely to make an error that the baseline. However, the baseline must tell his partner partner of his intention to do this so that the net player can be prepared for a crushing volley to blasted at him. The net player can then prepare to retreat backwards if needed. 

Your intention to serve and volley. Yes, I know this sounds intimidating for some. If you plan on rushing the net, it is essential to alert your partner. If both of you are going to be at the net, it is essential to be positioned slightly further back in order to cover lobs. 

Encouragement, encouragement, encouragement. This is a delicate matter. It is very difficult to tap into someone's emotional aura. Unless you know your partner well, it is risky to tell them to "calm down" or "focus" or "we can do this" as you don't rally know how these statements will be received. Instead, if you see your partner struggling or rattled ask them, "how can I help you" or " what can we do better" to alter the focus away from their emotional troubles and back to the game without making a judgement. 

Hope this post will help you in your next doubles game . Good luck. Stay tuned for my next blog post on cross training workouts. For more information on my tennis instruction email info@elftennis.com or check out www.elftennis.com. 

Serve and volley with success

Blog post on serve and volleying


Ever see players who rush and crush and think, gee whiz that game looks intimidating but how could a mortal like me possibly execute that kind of game? Won't I just get passed every time? Will I even arrive at the net on time to execute my volley? In this blog post, I'll give you the lowdown on how to successfully rush and crush the net.

The magic behind the rush and crush strategy lies in selecting which of your opponent's shots shot to approach the net on and what shot to hit as your approach shot. The shot that you hit your approach shot off of should be shallow ( landing around the service line or slightly deeper) and must land comfortably in your strike zone (waist to shoulder height). In addition, the shot should be hit to your stronger side. It is important that you are able to produce a punishing, well placed shot when approaching the net so that you can put your opponent on the defensive and force your opponent to hit a weak shot. Two factors to consider when selecting your approach shot are  (1) what is your stronger side , (2) what is your opponents weakness. Also, consider the speed of your approach shot. It is critical not to hit too speedy a shot as that won't allow you sufficient time to get into the net. After you hit an approach shot it's time to approach the net. One of the most commonly made mistakes is where we position ourselves when we come to the net. Most players think that the correct place to station one self is in the center on the service tee. That is a misconception, the correct positioning tactic is to follow your shot so that you are positioned on the same side as your shot. If you hit a ball to the deuce side position yourself in the deuce side and vice versa. Once you are positioned correctly, you must hit a set up volley. Expect to have to hit more than one volley before you win the point. There are a few sequences that will likely lead you to emerge victorious. Here are two possible patterns.First is short volley, long volley. First hit a short volley diagonally from your opponent then if they reach that volley, hit a long volley to the other corner of the court.  The reverse is also possible- hit a long volley, moving your opponent to the opposite end of the baseline, then hit a short volley to the other corner. The common theme of each of these plays is that you move your opponent in opposite directions. Well then, what if your opponent is returning your shots? How can you avoid getting passed. In my personal opinion, the answer lies in your anticipation. Reading where your opponent will play a huge role in your ability to defend against passes. Look at your opponents stance for anticipation. If they are leaning backwards, it's likely they will throw up a lob. If this is the case, move backwards. Look at how your opponents feet are pointed, chances are the ball will travel in the direction that the feet are pointed. Adjust your positioning accordingly. Furthermore, notice how open the racquet is. The more open the racquet, the higher the balls will float. In addition, to looking at an opponents positioning, it's important to use the opponents history and patterns to adjust. What has your  opponent done in past points? Have they lobbed?  Gone cross court? Down the line? Make educated guesses based on your opponents history of shots. Lastly, don't give up! It may take many attempts at the net before you begin winning points there. Once you have learned to serve and volley properly you will be able to win points more quickly and decisively. For more tips email info@elftennis.com or check out http://www.elftennis.com. Stay tuned for our next post on communication in doubles.

Screen your racquet like you would your nanny!

Screen your racquet like you would your nanny

A proverbial question in the game of tennis is how much does your racquet matter? When I was younger I played a pickup game with a guy who was much better player than I was. He beat me 6-1 while playing with a wooden racquet. Since then, my father has always referenced the incident whenever people blame their racquet in a loss. While it may be true that a racquet cannot save you when you are about to be clobbered by a superior player, a racquet can make a difference in your overall playing experience. It seems like there are so many choices of racquets and a myriad of technical terms that describe a racquet. How do you know which racquet to select? The  best advice that I can offer you is to sample, sample, and sample.  Many websites like Tennis Warehouse offer programs where you can try out different racquets for a couple of days for a low cost. Go on to these websites and scan for racquets that are recommended for a player of your level and playing style.  See NTRP ratings at https://www.usta.com/Adult-Tennis/USTA-League/ntrp/ for a list of levels. Don't agonize over every technical term describing a racquet, just try the racquets. When you sample a racquet, make sure that you test it out fully. The paragraph below tells you how to do that.

Assess how the racquet hits ground strokes,volleys, overheads. Make sure that you hit all the shots cross court and down the line. Play points with your demo racquets. Hit every type of serve in your repertoire. When you are on a test drive of a car you take it on country roads, highways,and city streets, when you demo a racquet you need to see how the racquet works in every kind of situation. Base the evaluation of your racquet on how comfortable you feel while using it. Do you feel that the racquet affords you the ability to hit with a lot of power? Does the racquet give you the consistency needed? Can you hit the way you are accustomed to hitting without experiencing discomfort? Does the racquet seem to swing smoothly when you attempt to maneuver the racquet with your usual swing? Does the racquet offer you quick reaction time while at the net? Does the racquet have any advantages over your current racquet?

The only way you can find out the answers to these questions is by playing. Aim to play for 1-3 hours with each racquet. Keep a check off list while you are demoing the racquets. It is important to take notes immediately while the effect of hitting is still fresh in your mind and body. If the racquet does something exceptional make  a note of it. If you find the racquet particularly difficult to maneuver make a note of it. Tally the pros and cons of all of the racquets you demoed and then pick two finalists. Play with the two finalists again and compare them.

In addition, as you are testing the different racquets, you can objectively measure the quality of the racquet by measuring and recording different aspects of your workout session. Measure the length of rallies for each of the racquets that you use, count how many unforced errors and winners you produce. If possible, measure the speed of shots (some places like the National Tennis Center have a device called the smart court that affords you the ability to do this). Record these numbers for each of the racquets and then make comparisons. After you have selected a winner purchase one  of that racquet, if you like the racquet after playing for a few weeks then buy another one.

Remember that the racquet is an extension of you and can only reflect how you play.

combatting the oh-so- tough lobbers

I was working with a senior, intermediate player. He regaled me with stories about how he gets lobbed all the time. He, of course, sought me out for help on how to hit a ball that is lobbed behind him, after it bounces. He admits he’s not the quickest guy (actually he berates himself by calling himself grandpa). I gave him the following pointers to make it more likely that he will make it to the ball before it bounces twice (gulp). First, I instructed him to move on the balls of his feet and not move flat-footed, he shouldn’t let his feet touch each other. I also told him to move sideways so that he can see the ball better. In addition, I told him to take the racquet back as he was running backwards to save himself time. What do you all think?  We’ll see if it helps him combat those ever-so irritating lobbers.

Serving practice basics

Tip of the day: how to practice serving

Ever have one of those days when you wanted to hit some balls but no one's schedule seemed to fit yours?  Instead of jumping on the treadmill or worse yet inducing a Doritos coma how about practicing serves? Serves are a neglected aspect of our game. Usually, in a typical practice we save serves for the last ten minutes. In those last ten minutes our brain is are already focused on our next activity . So serving doesn't always get the attention that it warrants. Hence, a practice solely devoted to serving is beneficial. Here are some pointers to maximize your serving practice. (1) make sure that you add cardio activity into the mix. Place the hopper against the fence and sprint from the hopper to the baseline every time you serve. (2) Have a definite focus of the practice. For instance you could work on placement. Serve to a different place each time, out wide, then into the body, then down the tee, then repeat the sequence. (3) Always try to mimic reality of games when practicing. If you miss a serve, serve that same serve as a second serve. (4) If you miss the serve, try to ascertain what the nature of your error was and the make the correction before hitting another serve. For example, if you didn't snap your wrist, make a wrist snap before you hit that next serve. If you didn't toss the ball high enough, toss the ball before executing a serve. (5) Conduct a general accounting or your serve percentages and number of double faults. Are you improving on these statistics after each hopper of balls is completed?

If you follow these guidelines when engaging in a service practice, you should be able to acquire a better serve and thus add a smoldering serve to your arsenal.

What can you do when your opponent hits a winner?

Does this situation sound familiar: you are playing a doubles match and express disappointment when your one of opponents launches a winner. Your partner, with all good intentions, attempts to assuage you by saying, “ well they hit a good shot, nothing you could do about it”.

While it is true that your opponent may have hit a shot that was well placed, possessed a tremendous amount of topspin, speed or backspin and was difficult to return, there probably is something you could have done about it. If your opponent continually is able to hit winners that whizz past you, chances are you are setting your opponent up for the winners. It is important to examine if you are constantly hitting to your opponents’ comfort zone. If you find that your opponent is hitting a string of winners, you should ask yourself the following questions. Are you feeding your opponent volleys that are at shoulder height right in front of them? Are you consistently hitting a ball that is perfectly placed into their strike zone on the baseline? Whenever you loose a point a result of a winner try to recall the prior shot that you hit to your opponent. Was that shot your only option? Were there other shots that you could have hit to your opponent or were you simply so much on the defensive that you didn’t have any other options? Was the shot that your opponent hit to you so difficult that you barely were able to return it and lucky to get your racquet onto the ball? If you had other options, start to use them. Always try to direct your mind to these other options when you are playing points.  Essentially, when your opponents keeps trouncing winners on you, stop making it easy for them to hit the winners.