I’ve been reading this excellent book on tennis called The Inner Game of Tennis and I think it could apply to many things and not only different sports. It’s about reaching what many sports enthusiast call “the zone” through finding a term that author Timothy Galway call relaxed concentration. So how do you reach that stage where every stroke or movement comes natural to you? A lot of the book deals with being less judgmental of yourself, you know how you want to scream “Idiot” or something even worse every time you mishit a shot or do something stupid on …
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The best way to improve your tennis game is undoubtedly to play a lot and train a lot and get a good coach or playing partner that can keep you on your toes. This is an active approach. But you can also improve your game in a passive, comfortable way, by studying the greats playing or practicing. The key is not to just watch them hit the shots but study them. There are plenty of great close-up, court-view videos that can get you an idea of the technique of the top players. Just go on Youtube and search for them. …
Here’s my list of tennis booksyou have to read. I love reading about tennis, but a lot of the writing is dry and uninteresting. Since I’ve read a lot of the stuff on the tennis book market, I hope I can give you some valuable recommendations on tennis books you might’ve missed out on. Just click on the link to get to Amazon where you can buy the book, read excerpts (for some) or read some more reviews. The Inner Game Of Tennis is about becoming a better playing by focus on your mental skills and technique. Timothy Gallwey talks …
Do you have  smartphone or a notepad you can put in your tennis bag?  If you do you can keep a checklist of things to remember when you’re having one of those days when something or everything isn’t working. Take a look at it during the break and it might help you concentrate on the right things and not get too negative. This is my back-on-track list. Serving: Aim and concentrate Throw the ball high Watch it like a hawk Look at the ball throughout Hit it at its highest point Balance and footwork Breathe in and breathe out during …
One of the keys for a good tennis stroke is balance. If you’re not in balance you will put a lot of focus on your upper body, especially the arms, doing all the work and control will suffer. The way to be balanced for a shot is good footwork, trying to keep the feet moving through small steps and preparing as early as possible for your shots. Just look at the way Rafael Nadal runs around his backhand to hit a forehand, he takes so many small steps that you would think he’s a flamenco dancer. Just search for Nadal …
So here it is, the Top Tennis Tip of the Day! Take the ball early. I’ll say it again. Take the ball early. That’s it. Stand at the baseline, be focused and try to shorten the time your opponent has for his shots. It’s super effective even on a high level (just look at Agassi who is the master of this). This is not advanced tennis strategy, but it’s something that I’ve noticed helps most recreational tennis players reach better results. Far too many players stand way back and they don’t have the power to win points from there unless …
So your friend or spouse is trying to get you to join them in their favorite sport, but you don’t have a tennis racquet. What racquets are there? Which one should you get? What are the differences? There is a jungle of information out there about tennis racquets, but hopefully Tennisnerd can help you navigate. If you’re thinking about a tennis racket for a kid, I suggest you read this post or if you’re a bit more advanced I would read the post called The Best Tennis Racket For Intermediate Players. This is to get you a proper starting point …
Who You Are On The Tennis Court
Every tennis player has a playing style and personality on the court. We have weaknesses, strengths and patterns in our play. But sometimes we don’t know who we are, we know who we want to be and it’s not doing us many  favors on the tennis court. Let me explain. I have always pictured myself as an aggressive baseliner. I have a weaker backhand (but a decent backhand slice)  and a pretty big forehand and I try to get myself into hitting it as often as I can. This often leads me into over-hitting when I have the opportunity. I …