Using your Goals to Develop the Proper Practice Plan

Dave Smith TennisOne Senior Editor

Last month I outlined many of the elements that can determine a player’s potential (see article) - that which will have a direct influence in how far a player can improve and what levels they could expect.

Obviously, if a player used ineffective tennis strokes or mechanics, the use of such techniques will seriously limit that player’s ability to advance to more skilled levels of competitive play. Usually, such players manipulate their strategy to accommodate their limited strokes. Often these players resort to a pushing or dinking style of play since flawed strokes tend to inhibit the amount of spin, pace, and control they can impart on the ball and those are precisely the elements that contribute to effective shot-making.

Players may recognize (or be told) that their current stroke technique will limit their development, however, anyone who has tried to change an existing stroke pattern quickly becomes aware that it is much more difficult than it appears. For example, most players think that learning a new grip for the volley is just that, master a new grip. However, most strokes in tennis are grip-dependent. Meaning, that not only does the new grip need to be mastered, but elements such as contact point, relative body position, swing path, and footwork usually need to be re-engineered also! (It is never just a grip change!)

In this light, it is important that a player identify his or her goals as they relate to how good they would like to be. For example, if I were approached by a person with a terminal illness who had only weeks to live and this person wanted to play tennis reasonably well before they died, I would teach them a different style of play than a person who has a normal life expectancy. This is because, if I wanted to simply play tennis and not concern myself with advancing past mediocre levels, I would want to learn methods that quickly satisfy my need for simply ‘hitting a ball in a general desired direction!’ Unfortunately, many players believe that this acquisition of mediocre strokes is the pathway to more advanced play.
It is not.

In fact, such a progression usually leads a player to stagnating far below their potential. Perhaps for some, this limited progression is sufficient. However, I suspect that most players who pick up a tennis racquet, even those who are attempting it for the first time, have a desire to see how good they could be. Most players have seen tennis on television or played relatively well. The ambition to hit a ball with fluid, effective strokes and with a high level of control, as demonstrated by those who have mastered the game, is enviable.

In my experience, few players lacked the ability to reach high levels of tennis mastery. In fact, the vast majority of players who stagnate at low levels of tennis skill learned the game in such a way that prevented them from reaching their potential rather their lack of progress being blamed on ability, desire or opportunity. So, with that said, it will be assumed that you now know that, regardless of age, sex, size or previous tennis experience, you can achieve very high levels of tennis skill.

Yet, even though I may have convinced you that you can play tennis skillfully, you may be one that says, "Hey, I don’t have the time or energy to do all that might be necessary to reach such potential.” And, you might very well be right. Or, you are older and feel that you don’t have the desire to reach really high levels of play but want to play better within your circle of tennis friends.

Thus, because of these variations in goals, your practice plan can be developed accordingly. Within this article I will offer some varied ‘practice plans’ based on the desired level of play one would initially like to reach. I say, ‘initially’ because if a player learns the methods of the Advanced Foundation, every player can, and usually does, exceed initial expectations!

Types of Practice

There are a few ways to create a practice plan. Clinics, private lessons, ball machine, practice partners, etc., are all part of a player’s optimal practice plan. Many players, and especially parents, often come to me and ask, ‘What is the most productive way to learn tennis.” Here is what I reply:

Because you (or your kids) are wanting to learn the game to play it well, especially since tennis is a game you can play for the rest of your life, you will want to know the methods in which you will want to practice. If this is indeed your goal, then a set of private lessons are ideal for starting out. Most pros will introduce you to the proper grips, swing patterns, and footwork required in order to succeed. However, be careful of pros who offer methods that require change later on. Ask your pro, “Is this a method I will have to change if I want to reach higher levels of play.” If the answer is “yes,” then you will probably want to find another pro. Because learning simple methods that may provide some level of instant gratification will limit your development. You do NOT want to spend time learning such methods if you will have to change them at some later point.

Some parents get their kids in tennis just for them to have fun. And this is great. But as I have addressed the idea of fun in other articles, it is interesting that few kids stay in programs that focus on the fun aspect over real skill development. Yet, even in the foundation of skilled tennis, great pros develop what I call real fun - the fun that comes from improvement and from the satisfaction that comes when kids actually are playing tennis and not simply playing at tennis.

After several private lessons, the player should have a good grasp of what they will want to be working on. How many private lessons will be needed? This answer is based on a player’s ability to recognize his movements and control such patterns consciously. There is great diversity in a player’s ability to do this. For some, three lessons may be enough. For others, five or ten lessons may be necessary.

Once the understanding and the ability to reproduce desired stroke elements are accomplished, players should move on to clinics and drill sessions. Clinics provide continued support in stroke production, but emphasis will be more on strategic application of such strokes in pattern play. Having a hitting partner at this point is extremely helpful. Feeding balls to each other, playing points using desired strokes, all contribute to the progression of players taking learned stroke patterns into the ‘live ball’ arena. (Rally and playing points.)

It should be noted here, that I don’t recommend playing competitive tennis for a while, usually a month or more during this initial process. Because competitive tennis encourages players to revert back to comfortable or familiar techniques, (because winning is such a powerful motivator), I tell beginning players to avoid competitive play. While it is always fun to start playing tennis quickly, if the goal is to master advanced stroke patterns, it is important to give such practice ample time to develop a comfortable, familiarity with new techniques without falling back to less sophisticated stroke elements to perceive a sense of confidence that more simple patterns tend to provide.

When competition does come, it is of the utmost importance to use that which you are trying to master as opposed to using familiar—yet inadequate—techniques. Once you are using the grips and strokes you want to master in competition, you are well on your way to reaching the high levels I have mentioned.

Included in this practice routine is hitting on a wall or ball machine, and working on serving with a serving basket. However, like starting competitive play, a player must focus on hitting using the form they want to master versus simply hitting the ball to keep it going against a wall or return a ball off a ball machine. It is amazing to watch a player disciplined in this concept improve so much faster than his or her peers.

Competitive player (All ages)

This player will want to develop not only the strokes and grip aspects of advanced levels, but the focus should move to footwork patterns as soon as swing patterns are mastered. Many pros will focus too soon on footwork (their students will get to the ball but swing awkwardly). However, correct footwork, as it applies to correct strokes, should be addressed very early and practiced within the development of correct strokes.

Footwork as it applies to quickness and balance should also be practiced. There are excellent drills related to footwork here at TennisOne. Apply all of them as you continue to seek advanced play.

Any age can become competitive. I teach an 80-plus year old lady and a former nationally ranked player in her 70’s who still competes locally.

Social player

I doubt many people who subscribe to TennisOne are strictly social or recreational players. While many players may only play tennis ‘socially’ or for exercise, I have found few that still would not mind playing better tennis.

However, there are many players who have developed very unique games and, as such, don’t feel it is worth the time or energy to change their game. These players need to learn a little differently. I teach these players strategic tennis, both as it applies to ‘where to hit the ball’ as well as where to position themselves’ during a point, especially in doubles.

I have seen many of these unique players, players who don’t necessarily hit shots with the pace, spin, or control I mentioned earlier, play very smart tennis. That is, they know what shots won’t get them in trouble, and where they need to position themselves to again, not get themselves in trouble! I have several newsletters that address the strategies of doubles for this very player. There are doubles secrets that, when mastered, help players who may have less prolific strokes literally dominate those who do. These are the players who sometimes tear up players who may have far better strokes, but not the smarts. So make sure you study strategic tennis as well as stroke production.

These players should develop such shots as lobs and drop shots. Taking the pace off balls can greatly disrupt more skilled players - up to a point. Very skilled players will toy with these players as well as make many of these players literally eat the ball. A good lob against a typical 3.5 player can become a fuzz sandwich against a 4.5.

Beginners

This is usually the most fun group to teach for me because beginners, at any age, don’t usually have bad habits developed from years of playing tennis questionably. Secondly, first-time beginners offer a sense of mystery for teaching pros. Where some pick up on aspects of the game quickly, others offer a challenge to find the right combination of advice, drills, and learning patterns which will open their eyes. And yes, everyone can have their eyes opened!

Beginners can save a great deal of time and money by using such resources as TennisOne before they step onto the court. Study the strokes and strategies before you take some of those lessons. It can make. the on-court practice far more effective.

Conclusion

All players can become advanced players, both within their peer group, as well as within the national NTRP ratings system. Knowing this can help everyone set goals and carryout the proper practice plans to reach those goals.

You can do it.

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Dave Smith's article by emailing us here at TennisOne .

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