Hints for Tennis Fixes
(By Randy Lynn Rutledge - a former USPTA tennis teaching professional)
My ideal tennis student is honest, respectful, can spend the time necessary to become a good tennis player or a tennis teacher, understands english, is willing to become a better listener, and is a self motivator or is willing to be motivated.
(by Randy Lynn Rutledge)
Functionally adjust the speed of your tennis strokes to match the success of your preparation.
The three basic tennis errors are long (not adequately matching racket speed with racket-face bevel), wide (too much or not enough shoulder turn, along with too much racket speed or too much racket-face bevel), and into the net (not enough racket bevel or insufficient speed).
Strengthen all tennis variables, any rituals, and positive habits during practice sessions.
Use proper footwork to allow adequate shoulder turn during your tennis stroke preparation.
Vision is where the most improvement in tennis can happen. Pay better visual attention during the process presenting your tennis racket to the tennis ball.
Tennis accuracy requires the feet and all parts of the body to work together to position the shoulders so that the arm(s) can properly present the tennis racket to the tennis ball at a vertical contact point to send it on a flight path with a controlled amount of net clearance (the primary target), a horizontal contact point which will allow for a precise angle of ball flight, and a functional racket-head speed which matches with the racket-face bevel to allow for a precise landing distance (the secondary target).
Begin recovery footwork as soon as the ball has left the racket strings. This allows time for preparation and execution footwork.
Use functional variations of foot speed while shifting from recovery footwork to preparation footwork and on to execution footwork. The footwork must always happen on-time so that the racket string-to-ball contact can happen on-time.
Late or early racket string-to-ball contact is usually a symptom of late or early footwork and shoulder turn.
Late or early racket string-to-ball contact is usually a symptom of late or early footwork and shoulder turn.
To the degree that time allows, use functional variations of directional preparation footwork to set up for each tennis stroke at a place on the tennis court where an ideal striking height for the string-to-ball contact can happen.
Use your knees to adjust the height of your stroke to the height of the desired ball contact point.
Use your knees to adjust the height of your stroke to the height of the desired ball contact point.
Functional footwork variations will lessen the need to use excessive variations of arm and hand manipulation while presenting the tennis racket strings to the tennis ball. Avoid unwanted arm and hand stroke variation by using better preparation footwork and functional knee bend variations. Count your steps during some of your practice sessions. Increase your number of functional steps between tennis strokes, with a reason for each step.
Reach for every ball using functional footwork and foot-speed variations instead of with stroke variations, if time allows.
Reach for every ball using functional footwork and foot-speed variations instead of with stroke variations, if time allows.
Use functional variations of the knees to "use the elevator" to get down for low balls and up for high balls.
Strive for arrival into the hitting zone late enough so that it becomes necessary to continue directional movement until the ball is no longer on the strings of the tennis racket. The extra step(s) through the ball will set up an anchor step to push off with to set up faster recovery footwork.
Use functional footwork variations to properly align the shoulders according to the needs of an intended ball-flight path.
Hold the tennis racket with both hands while in the ready position. If any stroke requires the tennis racket to leave the non-dominant hand, then, return the throat of the tennis racket back to the non-dominant hand as soon as each stroke is complete.
NOTE: The positioning of the tennis racket, during all phases of tennis play, must be thought of as a functional variable.
- Groundstroke: A good ready position while at or near the baseline positions the head of the tennis racket at about belly button height.
- Volley: A good ready position while inside the service box areas positions the upper edge of the tennis racket at about nose height, you are looking over the top of the racket.
NOTE: The positioning of the tennis racket, during all phases of tennis play, must be thought of as a functional variable.
There are tasks for the non-dominate hand to be performing while preparing to strike the ball, while striking the ball, and when recovering from striking the ball. If the ball is in play, then the non-dominant hand is never idle.
The non-dominant hand aids balance, and it is used to enable or to limit shoulder-turn.
The non-dominant hand aids balance, and it is used to enable or to limit shoulder-turn.
The racket take-back (away from the target) is a functional variable. Functionally adjust the height of the racket according to the height of the approaching tennis ball and the type of stroke to be executed.
Note: A typical low-to-high ground stroke requires the tennis racket to be lowered during the take-back to a height which is below the height of the tennis ball.
Note: A typical low-to-high ground stroke requires the tennis racket to be lowered during the take-back to a height which is below the height of the tennis ball.
The height of the follow through of a low-to-high ground stroke can be functionally varied to create a variety of stroke heights and ball-spin variations.
Drink water before you feel thirsty to stay hydrated during all phases of tennis activity.
Develop a healthy attitude about making tennis mistakes. Stay positive and be a tennis problem solver.
Combine thought with action to make new habits or change old habits. A time should come when the thinking is no longer necessary. Make new habits during lessons and practice sessions.
Trust your existing tennis skills and enhance your vision, breathing, and footwork habits when no effort is being made to improve other tennis skills.
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