Tennis Lessons - What Really Is A Bad Habit?

In my experience as a tennis coach, the more I learngone right! Don't forget the big looping forehand of
about players' own individual styles of playing tennis,Bjiorn Borg with massive topspin...again another 'bad
the more I question what really are bad habits in tennis.habit' gone right! The so-called experts said he could
How do you describe a bad habit? Everyone is sonot win Wimbledon with those big looping tennis
worried about developing bad habits that they run fromstrokes. He won five championships in a row at
teaching pro to teaching pro and stress themselvesWimbledon and the experts were nowhere to be
out attempting to stave off the dreaded 'bad habit'!found. Now everyone has the 'bad habit' of hitting with
They read books and tennis magazines and studya looping forehand.
videos seeking answers to the ultimate tennis strokes.How about the 'bad habit' of tossing the ball high on the
Now do not get me wrong. I'm not telling you that thereserve. I remember watching the great Ivan Lendl toss
are no guidelines to follow when learning to play tennis.the ball so high on his serve it would go off the
What I am telling you is these guidelines are far tootelevision screen. His timing was set for that type of
rigid and in many cases totally incorrect! Do you knowball toss. I say, leave him alone!
how many 'bad habits' there are in tennis history of theNot too long ago hitting with an open stance on ground
past that are now not only accepted as correct, butstrokes was a 'bad habit.' Now it is becoming the
often preferred?standard.
From the 1950's through the 60's and on, tennis prosCan you see why I do not teach tennis lessons with
were teaching that holding two hands on the racketexcessive technical information? First, learning tennis is
for the backhand was a bad habit. They claimed twoan individual process. A bad habit for one player is fine
hands limited the player's reach and had too manyfor another. Second, the tennis profession is constantly
drawbacks. So when pros gave tennis lessons theychanging the idea of what a 'bad habit' is. Third, and this
insisted that players stick with the one-handedis the key, most players' 'bad habits' are just part of
backhand. Onto the professional scene came the likesthe learning process. An example would be taking the
of Chris Evert, Jimmy Connors and Bjiorn Borg. All withracket back late on ground stokes. This is nothing to
the two-handed backhand 'bad habit.' Well now maybeworry about. Taking the racket back late is just part of
it's not all that bad! So the tennis professionals andthe individual learning process. You do NOT have to
amateurs slowly embraced the two-handed backhandforce the racket back. Eventually preparing the racket
to the point where nowadays the majority of playersproperly will resolve itself. This is a timing issue that will
have the two-handed backhand 'bad habit.'be resolved by hitting thousands of balls...no need to
An interesting historical fact to note is that in the 1937overthink this so-called bad habit.
Australian Open between Vivian McGrath and JohnHow about the bad habit of falling off-balance when
Bromwich both played tennis with two-handedhitting a tennis stroke. Not a problem. Just keep
backhands. Was it accepted then? Not even close! Inswinging and in time your balance will improve. Falling
fact it was ridiculed. Below is a searing excerpt fromoff-balance is just a phase of learning that all players
the Time Magazine 1937 archives specificallyMUST go through.
describing the experts' response to Vivian McGrathSTARTLING CONCLUSION
and his backhand. See what you think:There is no way you can monitor every little
Time Magazine, Monday, 10 May 1937: "Whenmovement each minute you play tennis. Practice some
Australia's Vivian McGrath appeared on theof the simple techniques which you have learned in
international tennis scene four years ago, experts couldyour tennis lessons, but do not stress yourself out if
not have been more astonished had he been ayour stroke is not perfect. A 'bad habit' today could be
kangaroo. For all backhand shots McGrath held histhe next great shot of the future. Just like
racket with both hands. For a first-class tennist to doremembering "the next shot is more important then the
such a thing was so unthinkable that tennis experts,last mistake," remember, when it comes to the
instead of trying to explain it, simply regarded McGrathprocess of learning keep moving on. The wisdom of
as an antipodean freak." Lots of "antipodean freaks"the body is smarter than you are! Spontaneous and
are around today. You may even be one!intuitive playing will come to the rescue after you have
And how about the swinging volley that at one timespent hours and hours and hours hitting thousands of
was considered a bad habit. Just another 'bad habit'tennis balls.