Basic Tennis Error Over-Correction
First published on 9-09-2009. Bookmark & share
by Randy Lynn Rutledge - a previously certified USPTA Tennis Teaching Professional
( Note: retired in good standing, but stopped making USPTA dues payments )
( Note: retired in good standing, but stopped making USPTA dues payments )
This article offers specific details to over-correct basic tennis errors.
I use a simple system of over-correction (making opposite errors) to help my tennis students find more consistent and desirable strokes or hits.
Students go through the progressions of each erroneous stroke or hit so they can understand how each error happens.
An explanation details why net clearance is the primary target in tennis.
Next, a secondary target (net clearance being the primary target) is set up; students aim the tennis ball to hit the target by combining a certain amount of net clearance with a matching speed.
Next, a secondary target (net clearance being the primary target) is set up; students aim the tennis ball to hit the target by combining a certain amount of net clearance with a matching speed.
If the student misses the secondary target to the left and short, then, using opposite errors, the next aim point would be to miss the secondary target by the same amount on the opposite side. The opposite side of left and short is right and long.
If the student misses the secondary target to the left and short, then, using opposite errors, the next aim point would be to miss the secondary target by the same amount on the opposite side.
|
An opposite error for left and short of the secondary target would be to aim to the right and long. A proper correction for the initial error will be found somewhere between the opposite mistakes.
|
The process of making opposite errors is repeated until the student begins to hit within an acceptable distance of both the primary target (height of net clearance) and secondary target (angle and depth of ball landing). The basic variables of each attempt are net clearance (bevel selection), distance (speed control), and shoulder turn/contact point (angle).
I use over-correction with tennis students in two different ways:
1. One way is strictly for lessons, drills, and practice sessions.
2. I use Over-Correction a little differently for match play.
1. One way is strictly for lessons, drills, and practice sessions.
2. I use Over-Correction a little differently for match play.
Lessons, Drills, & Practice Sessions
The system of Over-Correction I use with my tennis students during many of our drills and practice sessions is a three part process:
1. Identify the primary cause of a tennis error.
2. Learn to make an opposite error (rather than the desired stroke).
3. Find your desired stroke somewhere between the two opposite errors.
Match Play
The system of Over-Correction I teach my tennis students to use during match play is to risk making an opposite error.
There are three parts:
1. Identify the primary cause of a tennis error.
2. Learn to risk making an opposite error (rather than repeating the same error).
3. Find your desired stroke somewhere closer to the opposite error.
Here is a tennis lesson example:
A tennis player needs to fix a ground-stroke error.
THE ERROR: The student consistently hits the forehand ground-stroke from his or her own baseline to a location well beyond the opponent's baseline (long).
Applying Over-correction
Step 1. Identify the main cause of a tennis error:
The face (forward facing strings) of the players tennis racquet is opened too much (beveled too far up) at ball contact for the amount of force being applied to a relatively flat (without spin) forehand ground-stroke.
Step 2. Learn to purposely make an opposite error (rather than trying to make the desired stroke)
The tennis player was hitting the ball long (error), so he or she needs to hit the ball short (opposite error). During a practice session, I ask the player to change the tennis racquet bevel until it becomes closed too much (beveled too far down at ball contact) for the stroke they are trying to make. The player has to purposely miss the tennis ground-stroke short (into the net or hitting their own court surface) by about the same amount that his or her previous stroke had been long.
The tennis player was hitting the ball long (error), so he or she needs to hit the ball short (opposite error). During a practice session, I ask the player to change the tennis racquet bevel until it becomes closed too much (beveled too far down at ball contact) for the stroke they are trying to make. The player has to purposely miss the tennis ground-stroke short (into the net or hitting their own court surface) by about the same amount that his or her previous stroke had been long.
Step 3. Find your desired stroke somewhere between the opposite errors
The tennis player finds a desired tennis racquet string bevel that provides his or her forehand ground-stroke with a net clearance height somewhere between the two mistakes. This results in a proper vertical height over the net for the amount of force being applied to the tennis ball.
The tennis player finds a desired tennis racquet string bevel that provides his or her forehand ground-stroke with a net clearance height somewhere between the two mistakes. This results in a proper vertical height over the net for the amount of force being applied to the tennis ball.
Note
I ask the tennis player to keep the force he or she was applying to the tennis ball about the same; however, I could ask them to keep the bevel the same and reduce the amount of force applied to the tennis ball. That would reduce the error, but it would be exchanging a hard forehand ground-stroke for a medium-hard forehand ground-stroke. That is another lesson.
I ask the tennis player to keep the force he or she was applying to the tennis ball about the same; however, I could ask them to keep the bevel the same and reduce the amount of force applied to the tennis ball. That would reduce the error, but it would be exchanging a hard forehand ground-stroke for a medium-hard forehand ground-stroke. That is another lesson.
Attitude About Errors
During practice sessions, as long as the same error is not repeated two times in a row, I teach my students to have a positive attitude about their mistakes. As long as their last mistake is not the same as their previous mistake, I encourage my students by saying for them, "Oh boy, there's a new mistake. The more mistakes I fix the sooner I'm a better tennis player."
Purposely Making Opposite Errors
During lessons and drills, we purposely make opposite errors; Therefore, we are making muscle memory on either side of a desired stroke, so as not to be only making muscle memory for a single error. I have found that a student finds a desired stroke much faster when going back and forth between opposite errors than he or she would by simply trying to work away from the error and towards the desired stroke. Over-correction gets us to the desired stroke very fast. During matches we risk making an opposite error for each error made.
Progressive Order for Over-Correcting an Error
There will usually be multiple contributing factors to consider when over-correcting for any tennis error. I suggest that my students begin their over-correcting by following the same progressive order I use for teaching any stroke. We analyze by breaking down each hit or stroke into progressive parts. I begin the process by considering footwork & shoulder turn first, and then three simple consecutive parts of every stroke or hit.
Footwork & Shoulder Turn
1) Tennis Racquet Start Position
2) String-to-ball Contact Point
3) Length of the Follow Through