| Learning basic tennis strokes is essential to setting the | | | | 4: Try lengthening your backswing at a slow pace. |
| stage for better play in the future. Fail to learn these | | | | 5: Slide the grip toward the handle. |
| basics early on and you will struggle with overcoming | | | | 6: Remember, in basic tennis for beginners, you will |
| bad playing habits for years to come. | | | | drop feed first! Second, doing your short drop feed is |
| While there are a variety of strokes that new and | | | | fine, and lastly, following the short drop feed, you will |
| advanced players can use in tennis, the novice should | | | | feed from your racquet. |
| concentrate on the two main strokes first, before | | | | 7: Begin slowly and usually try to end with a run. |
| moving on to the more advanced techniques and | | | | When practicing overheads, be sure to: |
| movements used in more advanced play. | | | | 1: Begin your swing at point of contact, slowly |
| There are two basic tennis strokes that every player | | | | presenting a bigger swing can |
| must master in order to be competent on the court: | | | | 2: Stand close to the net, followed by slowly moving |
| the groundstroke and the overhead. These are | | | | backward. |
| necessary in order to compete on any level, and | | | | 3: Begin with an incredibly soft-feed right to the |
| should be mastered first. | | | | racquet. |
| The best way to learn proper stroke technique is to | | | | 4: Practice for short periods of time (less than 30 |
| find a trained coach to get you started on a lifelong | | | | minutes) in order to not tire your arm and stay fresh |
| enjoyment of the game. Most newcomers to tennis | | | | and alert. Some players, however, many find that they |
| spend a few months perfecting their technique and | | | | get so lost in the game that they can practice for |
| game with a trainer before hitting the courts on their | | | | hours. If this is the case, and you aren't experiencing |
| own. If this is not an option, these simple tips should | | | | any negative side effects (swollen tendons and |
| help get you started learning the two basic strokes | | | | muscles or overall arm soreness), than by all means |
| listed above. | | | | practice away! No matter how long your practice |
| When learning the groundstroke, remember these | | | | session, be sure to have them frequently. Several |
| important guidelines: | | | | times a week is most commonly recommended, |
| 1: Always begin your groundstroke with a slight, short | | | | especially for beginners. |
| backswing. | | | | 5: Begin advanced drills as soon as you've mastered |
| 2: Use a shortened grip on the club until mastering this | | | | this basic swing Whatever swing you're working on, |
| all-important tennis stroke | | | | always be sure to practice precise technique, featuring |
| 3: Use a regular type of follow-through. Don't try to be | | | | the exact form and bodylines needed, and proper |
| fancy here. The important thing is to learn the stroke | | | | movements! |
| first. | | | | |