Should adults be taught like juniors?

[86golf]

If so, then should they use the green ball until they can play like these juniors?
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plcp&v=sTK-gRwaJ5o

This is a serious question btw. On the same note, should middle schoolers and high schoolers stay with the green ball until they have the mechanics to compete at a decent level?

[Ash_Smith]

Low compression balls (ROG) are a great teaching tool and can be/should be used as the coach sees fit to help the player develop (regardless of age).

Cheers

A

[user92626]

One thing I feel most adult beginners would benefit from is an easy, short take back and hitting the ball with relatively slow, perpendicular racket face, aiming at 3ft net clearance. Who couldn't do that?

But no, most beginners I see at court just can't wait to do all the fancy moves, flip, swirl the racket all over the place and hit the ball very violently. That's too hard and discouraging when only 1 or 2 out of 5 balls make it.


Here's a good analogy/exercise that works extremely well for me. Get in a swimming pool at near chest depth, open your palm and sweep slightly below the water surface. Make the biggest waves or move as much water toward the front as you can. You would take back both your arms above the water so you could turn it faster. This is good for several reasons. It's tennis technically correct. Physically you'll experience great resistance, perfectly safe to try as hard as you can and won't injure yourself at all, you'll find a way to pivot better, employ your body for more power, and the water makes your standing a little unstable, kinda like running in the court while being tired so you can learn to stablize your whole posture. Exercising in water is generally great for the joints anyway.

[5263]

Originally Posted by Ash_Smith

Low compression balls (ROG) are a great teaching tool and can be/should be used as the coach sees fit to help the player develop (regardless of age).

Cheers

A

Very good points.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by user92626

One thing I feel most adult beginners would benefit from is an easy, short take back and hitting the ball with relatively slow, perpendicular racket face, aiming at 3ft net clearance. Who couldn't do that?

But no, most beginners I see at court just can't wait to do all the fancy moves, flip, swirl the racket all over the place and hit the ball very violently. That's too hard and discouraging when only 1 or 2 out of 5 balls make it.

Similar thing happens for experienced adults when they land up on the court after a couple of days away from the game. They are better off starting close to the net and slowly moving back, but ego gets in the way. Women are more likely to do it.

[Bergboy123]

Adults are a LOT stronger, more coordinated, and balanced though, and I think that comes into play a lot..

[Ash_Smith]

Originally Posted by Bergboy123

Adults are a LOT stronger, more coordinated, and balanced though, and I think that comes into play a lot..

Stronger yes, more coordinated and balanced - you'd be amazed!!!

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

Honestly, as I'm remaking my game, when in doubt, I pose the question, "what would a nationally top ranked U12 player do?"

He's obviously accomplishing more than me with a far weaker body, so he must be doing almost everything right.

Also, I think you're misinterpreting (or I am). The green ball is the standard ball. You mean "should they be using red and yellow balls until they are as good as these players?"

They should use them until they become solid. Being as good as those kids with an adult or adolescent body is quite a high level of play.

[86golf]

My thought would be to use the green ball exclusively until form is acceptable and points can be constructed. Since adults don't play on 36 or 60 foot courts, I wouldn't think the red or orange ball would be of much value. However, having said that, I'll do mini tennis with a foam ball sometimes for a good warm up. I see a lot of juniors that are hacking away in clinics and I wonder how or why they have graduated to the normal ball. Same for adults, but the flip side is that 3.0 tennis is alive and well. I realize that not every adult rec player can progress to 4.0 or 4.5, I just wonder what is the best method to get them to their maximum play ability in the shortest time?

Originally Posted by xFullCourtTenniSx

Honestly, as I'm remaking my game, when in doubt, I pose the question, "what would a nationally top ranked U12 player do?"

He's obviously accomplishing more than me with a far weaker body, so he must be doing almost everything right.

Also, I think you're misinterpreting (or I am). The green ball is the standard ball. You mean "should they be using red and yellow balls until they are as good as these players?"

They should use them until they become solid. Being as good as those kids with an adult or adolescent body is quite a high level of play.

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

Originally Posted by 86golf

My thought would be to use the green ball exclusively until form is acceptable and points can be constructed. Since adults don't play on 36 or 60 foot courts, I wouldn't think the red or orange ball would be of much value.

Why not? It slows the ball down, and keeps the ball from bouncing so high that players do a overhead snap, bottom pat/slice hybrid. It gives new players time to react as well as teaching them to live the ball over the net. Sure, they may start off scooping the ball up, but it's still better than that disgusting pat that they do. Also, just snapping at the ball with their wrist won't send the ball anywhere. They will need to really use their entire body to send that ball flying anywhere.

[Ash_Smith]

I don't believe anything should be done exclusively - I think (and this is my problem with the age group mandates in mini tennis) that as a coach you use all the tools at your disposal until the desired effect is achieved. If that requires a sponge ball and a service box for an adult then so be it!

[TimothyO]

Originally Posted by xFullCourtTenniSx

Also, I think you're misinterpreting (or I am). The green ball is the standard ball. You mean "should they be using red and yellow balls until they are as good as these players?"

They should use them until they become solid. Being as good as those kids with an adult or adolescent body is quite a high level of play.

There are specially made green training balls too which are one level above the red and orange balls but below regular green balls. They're not simply "practice balls" either. Just slightly lower speed than regular balls. They're two-toned in some manner with lighter and darker green markings.

[86golf]

Originally Posted by TimothyO

There are specially made green training balls too which are one level above the red and orange balls but below regular green balls. They're not simply "practice balls" either. Just slightly lower speed than regular balls. They're two-toned in some manner with lighter and darker green markings.

Thanks for that and yes, I'm referring to the 78 green low compression ball that hardly any teaching pros use. I didn't realize that there may be confusion. Those kids in the vid are playing with a low compression green ball designed for 12u or advanced 10u.

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by Bergboy123

Adults are a LOT stronger, more coordinated, and balanced though, and I think that comes into play a lot..

Adults CAN be those things but many are not. I would use traditional teaching for those who are coordinated and the Junior teaching for those who are not. This, of course assumes that the pupil is actually interested in learning how to play well, which many are not.

[WildVolley]

I haven't played with these low compression balls. How much different are they from playing with a flat ball?

[user92626]

deleted....

[tennis_balla]

I will use a quote I posted in a thread before, and I think it fits this topic perfectly...

Bruce Lee: On adapting to each student

"I believe in having a few pupils at one time as it requires a constant alert observation of each individual in order to establish a direct relationship. A good teacher can never be fixed in a routine... each moment requires a sensitive mind that is constantly changing and constantly adapting.
A teacher must never impose this student to fit his favourite pattern; a good teacher functions as a pointer, exposing his student's vulnerability (and) causing him to explore both internally and finally integrating himself with his being."

[TennisCJC]

I don't think low compression balls are necessary for adults but am not opposed to it. If hitting with a begginer, you can have them move in to about 3/4 court, go to net yourself, and feed flat slow balls to them while they work on a stroke change. The goal is to give them a feed that is medium slow and sits up about waist high while they work on the stroke change.