Tennis is a game that takes years of dedicated practice and study for before you can reach mastery. But the good news is that there are some shortcuts that you can take that will cut your learning curve in half.
Although these tips are not guaranteed to work for everyone no matter what, you’ll still be able to get a handle on your tennis game quicker than ever before – but only if you put these ideas into practice.
Top Ten Tweaks To Sharpen Your Tennis Game
Start With Your Goals
Like anything, if you don’t have a clearly defined goal with your tennis game, then it will be very hard to produce the changes that you’d like to see in terms of results.
A good start to getting better at tennis is to write down three big goals you’d like to achieve. Post your goals on your bathroom mirror, or somewhere else you’ll see every day.
Watch Instructional Videos and Tutorials on YouTube
Watching videos on YouTube can be a great way to sharpen your tennis game, especially if you are a visual learner. Watching someone hit a tennis ball with the correct form can go a long way to help you understand how to play better tennis.
There is no shortage of content that can be watched for free on the YouTube platform, so we’re sure you’ll find at least one channel that you like and can relate to.
Get Fit, and Focus on Your Cardio
Any amount of extra fitness activity will make your tennis game better. The sad truth is that tennis by itself is unlikely to get you into incredible physical shape, as it usually burns only a handful of calories compared to more intensive sports and workouts.
The other reason why you should focus on getting into shape is that you can acclimatize your body to working out in the great outdoors. The last thing you want is to be exhausted and too fatigued to continue playing, which is why your physical condition is so important when playing tennis.
Defeat Tennis Elbow with Stretches
Tennis elbow is a nasty condition, and can put a speed bump in the way of your progress. Fortunately, tennis elbow is easy to avoid by doing some simple forearm stretches. You can find a bunch of ideas on how to stretch properly on YouTube.
Draft a Simple Mantra or Saying For Calm and Focus on the Court
Having a mantra is an easy way for you to put your focus in the game. You could say to yourself, “I’ve got this,” “Calm and clear,” and “Just like practice.”
Master the Art of Split-Stepping
Just like the serve, the split-step is a vital part of your game that you should be constantly working on. You can do this in the comfort of your own home, preferably with your racquet for the added immersion and realism.
Eat Fresh Fruit and Vegetables for Nutritious Snacks
Like exercise, what you put into your body in the form of snacks and food will also determine the quality of your tennis game. Eating better will also benefit your health in other ways, helping you keep focused and healthy inside and outside of the court.
Start Squatting
You should be eating healthy and exercising, even if you’re not a tennis player. But if optimal performance is your goal, then squats are by the far the best body weight exercise to strengthen your legs and core muscles.
A great thing about squats is that they can be performed in the privacy of your own home, and without the need to use extra equipment. Try googling some variations of the classic squat, such as sitting against a wall with your back straight, as well as narrow and wide squats.
Reduce Foot and Heel Tightness by Rolling your Foot Over a Tennis Ball While Standing
This may come as surprising news, but using a tennis ball for a foot massage feels fantastic and is easy to use. You should start with one foot at a time, ensuring that you are rolling the ball all around the foot where you experience stiffness and pain.
If tennis balls aren’t your thing, then a foam roller works equally as well for the hard to reach places of your feet.
Buy or Rent a Tennis Ball Machine
In tennis, repetition is the key to mastery, and nothing will make you quicker on your feet than buying a tennis ball machine. These machines are now quite affordable, and you will be able to train yourself to respond to the game in real time.
But if you’re a casual player that doesn’t have room for a tennis ball machine, then visting your nearest tennis court to practice with one is the next best thing.
Conclusion
Tennis is a sport that very few people can say that they have mastered. Even professional players require years of disciplined practice before they can enter the most competitive of tournaments, so don’t feel too bad that you maybe aren’t progressing as quickly as others.
The above tips were chosen as some of the easiest shortcuts for you to take to improve your tennis game in leaps and bounds. However, you’ll still be required to put the hard work in, as well as sacrifice a lot of your time and energy to be a truly competent tennis player.
If you are still struggling to reach the level finness that you deserve, then you try paying for some lessons from a professional tennis tutor. Tutors can give you real-time feedback on how you can improve your tennis game, and they are now an affordable option.