Tip of the Week (Coach James): Timing of the groundstrokes – Easy as 1, 2, 3! March 27 2017, 12 Comments

Do you have the feeling of having no time? Do you feel rushed on your strokes?

You have so much more time to hit your strokes than you think. Follow the easy steps of 1, 2, 3.

3 things to consider:
1. The Racket - Is the racket ready to be used?
2. The Bounce - Is the racket ready before the ball bounces?
3. The Hit - Is the racket ready with enough time to swing to contact?

A lot of players I encounter in their first few lessons make the mistake of trying to get to the ball and then think about getting ready to hit it, therefore having no time to swing creating a PUSH!

Try this the next time you are on the court:

1) Before the ball bounces on your side of the net, get the racket ready by turning the shoulders and SAY 1! Note: The take back can be high or low depending on the speed of the ball.

2) Use the time you have left to move the feet into position. When the ball bounces, SAY 2!

3) Last but not least, swing to contact and SAY 3!

When you have hit the ball, get ready and start the process again! Watch the short clip below.

The first few shots that you play will feel strange but with repetition of this very simple exercise during your tennis lessons and tennis practices, you will be finding your timing in no time at all.

Cheers and have fun!