Category Archives: Drills and Exercises
How To Serve Deeper
Two on One Drills
A New Practice Drill
Thanks to former tennis coach Gary Roberts (who just moved to Sunapee, New Hampshire), here is a fun game to liven up your practice sessions. Granted, it is a little complicated for scoring; but really emphasizes a variety of key stoke pointers. Continue reading A New Practice Drill
The Storm and a New Game
Greetings from the eye of not-so-strong Hurricane Irene. It doesn’t look like there is much damage up here in the woods of New Hampshire (but we evacuated the lake and are staying in the next town of Newport; so I really don’t know). But yesterday, before the start of the storm, I think we invented a new tennis game. Continue reading The Storm and a New Game
Four Stages of Learning
If you want to learn a new tennis stroke (or any new skill), there are four stages of learning that you need to go through. This concept is not new; but it is wonderfully insightful to the learning process. Continue reading Four Stages of Learning
STRENGTH EXERCISES
These exercises are designed to work the wrists, forearms, shoulders, and legs. I have broken them down into three different groups of six exercises in each session; and I try to do each session on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. It doesn’t always work out that way; but at least that is the goal. Continue reading STRENGTH EXERCISES
Tennis Exercise
A critical phase of getting the body ready for tennis camp, tournaments, or just to excel on the tennis court is building strength — to improve the power in the muscles, but to also strengthen the “housing” around the key tennis joints. Several years ago, I had a physical trainer develop a series of weight training exercises to do specifically for tennis. Continue reading Tennis Exercise
Using Video
Do you have any idea what your strokes LOOK like? For years, a critical component to ALL pro
Aggressive Doubles Baseline
You’re returning serve in doubles and the server comes in behind his first serve and hits a deep volley back to you. Then what do you do? Continue reading Aggressive Doubles Baseline
Using the ball machine
I have not used a ball machine for many years; but when my practice partner cancelled at the last minute, I scheduled one for an hour. It was one of the best one-hour practice sessions I’ve had in a long time! Continue reading Using the ball machine
The Net
While Tom McCune and I were practicing earlier this week (he is now ‘enjoying’ the cold in MN), Pelican Bay pro Mike Lewis was watching and commented: “You and Tom place too much of a premium on missing a shot. I was taught it was OK to miss… as long as you were going for your shots AND you missed long or wide – not in the net.” Continue reading The Net
Hurry up! And Wait.
What is more discouraging than working the point in singles till you finally get that short ball over the middle… and you blow the shot? There are things we can do to correct that problem – and cash in on the opportunity. Continue reading Hurry up! And Wait.
Double Points Drill
Some people will practice. Others need to “keep score.†Here is a great drill that you can have fun with and accomplish several goals. Continue reading Double Points Drill
The Trifecta of Tennis Improvement
Marc VanDam, my good friend and ‘regular Tuesday guy’ in Florida, is a young (39) player with all his tennis potential in his future. He reports that he has been practicing almost daily with a pro and seeing great upside in the quality of his strokes and conditioning; but having some trouble translating it into match play. Continue reading The Trifecta of Tennis Improvement