TENNIS TIPS FROM THE PROS

By Mike Van Zutphen

Did you know?

Tennis is the production of strokes and mechanics that allow you to utilize the strategies during the match. “As a child I was at the mercy of my impulses. As an adult I am a slave to my habits”.

(Og mandino) The formation of habits- is the key to success. There is a formula for the development of a good tennis player and the coaches today have followed this formula to develop the great champions of today. The formula starts with the breaking of bad habits and forming good new habits. It follows these steps:

1. Thought plus action

2. Repetition with consistency

3. Follow–up and review

4. Testing of the skills

The great players of today develop this pattern of practice and habits to gain the best advantage possible for success. The skills need to be done over and over to enhance the motor learn program. This program is the software in the brain that helps us feel the same thing over and over to gain success. I see the best players practice at least a 3 –1 ratio to match play to have the limited success they have in tournaments. So the goal is to develop two key characteristics for success:

1. Good habits,

2. Good repetition with consistency, this will give you the formula the pro’s use to win. How do I concentrate better?

Dealing with the human condition the four specific area of concentration are:

1. Watch the ball a. Leave the opponent’s racquet b. Leave the ground c. Point of contact (keep head down)

2. Exaggerate the follow-through a. Stroke smoothly (as opposed to “hit “ hard) b. Wide stance c. Knees bent d. Keep head down at point of impact

3. Height over net- primary target a. Visualize target bulls-eye 3 feet over net

4. Target inside lines –secondary target

Tennis requires all these areas of focus to enhance the performance of the player during the match. So I ask you to follow these steps for the best results in day-today matches that decide the bragging rights.