T. A.'s Tips

The brief tips below are merely to give you simple activities to improve your play. Remember, it is tough to determine whether or not you are implementing the tips correctly without the experienced eyes of a professional, but give them a try; you might be surprised. You can find more in-depth articles on improving your game at my tennis page at suite101.com.

FOCUS ON BREATHING

Few players who are not at the high performance level think much about their breathing as they play matches. To maximize energy and relaxation during match play, exhale as you hit a shot and inhale deeply as you recover for the next shot. The exhalation enhances relaxation while the inhalation provides maximun oxygen to energize your muscles.

OUT FRONT FOR VOLLEYS

Even a majority of professional players struggle with one of the simplest shots in the game: the volley. For instant volley improvement, in ready position, hold your racquet as far out in front as you can comfortably, and move the racquet from that position directly to a position on the same plane as the oncoming ball is traveling, and move the racquet (along with your body) to meet the oncoming ball without swinging. Squeeze the racquet upon impact and prepare to enjoy the winners!

POINT YOUR SHOULDER

A full upper body turn in preparation to strike the ball and after you have struck the ball is essential if you are to generate power on your groundstrokes. One way to ensure that you do turn fully is to try to turn your nondominant shoulder (the one attached to non-racquet hand) toward the net as you take the racquet back, and point the dominant shoulder at the net on your follow-through. Even if you aren't able to turn all the way, making the attempt will improve your upper body turn and help you generate more power and spin.