Had my first ever tennis lesson - diary of a total beginner

Tennitus

New User
Hi everyone,

Thanks to your advice in a separate thread, I've taken the plunge, and in my 30s, have taken my very first ever tennis lesson. A number of you will not care to read a diary of my progression, but I'm putting one up in the hope that:

a) you can advise me along the way on if I'm doing the right things;
b) it keeps me accountable;
c) if any other latecomers to the sport come across the thread, they may benefit from the mistakes (financial, and otherwise) that I'm making.

First lesson:

Suprisingly, we were straight into it. I was put on the service line, shown (she didn't name it, but I've come to know as an Eastern Forehand grip, after googling it) and asked to hit a few balls gently down the line. We also looked at what was described as a chopper grip, and a double-handed backhand.

I served, I hit backhands. This lesson was more about getting an idea of my coordination, and it felt very good.

Main takeaway?

From the baseline, I managed to put 5 out of 20 serves in correctly (again, coach explained that this is something we wouldn't regularly be doing until I was more comfortable with the other basics)

From baseline, managed to get 18/20 forehands, and 13/20 2hbs into court.

Didn't pay for the lesson, as it was more about seeing how I was feeling, and getting a measure of me.

Forehand feels like an intuitive shot to hit. 2hb feels like an extremely odd movement to make (not sure how much to bend/straighten arms).

I also learned that the biggest surprise for me was ... how hard it was to toss a ball consistently!

I'll post a video so you can see how a complete first-timer progresses (in a few months time, if the interest materialises).

Loved it, going back for more one-to-ones. Coach very complimentary and feels that I'll learn quickly. But also warned that there are many many hard and humbling surprises ahead.

MODS: if this thread shouldn't be here, go nuts.
 

Tennitus

New User
Do you like the one handed backhand?
We didn't even try it. What I can say is that from other sports I play (cricket, though there are a number of biomechanical differences) the movement felt more natural than the 2hbs when I was messing around previously ... Also I felt a much larger strain in my back with the 2hb than I though, guessing because you have to get closer/lower to the ball, especially the ones where the bounce died a bit, but I may be wrong.
 
D

Deleted member 23235

Guest
Hi everyone,

Thanks to your advice in a separate thread, I've taken the plunge, and in my 30s, have taken my very first ever tennis lesson. A number of you will not care to read a diary of my progression, but I'm putting one up in the hope that:

a) you can advise me along the way on if I'm doing the right things;
b) it keeps me accountable;
c) if any other latecomers to the sport come across the thread, they may benefit from the mistakes (financial, and otherwise) that I'm making.

First lesson:

Suprisingly, we were straight into it. I was put on the service line, shown (she didn't name it, but I've come to know as an Eastern Forehand grip, after googling it) and asked to hit a few balls gently down the line. We also looked at what was described as a chopper grip, and a double-handed backhand.

I served, I hit backhands. This lesson was more about getting an idea of my coordination, and it felt very good.

Main takeaway?

From the baseline, I managed to put 5 out of 20 serves in correctly (again, coach explained that this is something we wouldn't regularly be doing until I was more comfortable with the other basics)

From baseline, managed to get 18/20 forehands, and 13/20 2hbs into court.

Didn't pay for the lesson, as it was more about seeing how I was feeling, and getting a measure of me.

Forehand feels like an intuitive shot to hit. 2hb feels like an extremely odd movement to make (not sure how much to bend/straighten arms).

I also learned that the biggest surprise for me was ... how hard it was to toss a ball consistently!

I'll post a video so you can see how a complete first-timer progresses (in a few months time, if the interest materialises).

Loved it, going back for more one-to-ones. Coach very complimentary and feels that I'll learn quickly. But also warned that there are many many hard and humbling surprises ahead.

MODS: if this thread shouldn't be here, go nuts.
my $0.02... if you're tracking how many times you got the ball in, in practice, you're focusing on the wrong thing(s)
if i were a beginner again,
i'd be focusing on the shape of my shots, waaay more than if it went in or not.
depending on where you're at in your development, consistently hitting the back fence might actually be progress (ie. consistently getting under the ball)
i'd be focusing on creating the right mental model of how to execute a proper stroke(s).
every tip that was given to me, needed to have purpose, and needs to fit into the mental model (vs. blindly taking the tip, not understanding why/when/etc...)

i agree toss consistency is very difficult... even for me, and i've been playing for decades. my main goal this season is my serve, so i've been tinkering with my motion, to be more conducive to a consistent toss (ie. it's a fine motor skill that tends to break down for me under pressure).

where does one these mythical free lessons? :p
 

Tennitus

New User
my $0.02... if you're tracking how many times you got the ball in, in practice, you're focusing on the wrong thing(s)
if i were a beginner again,
i'd be focusing on the shape of my shots, waaay more than if it went in or not.
depending on where you're at in your development, consistently hitting the back fence might actually be progress (ie. consistently getting under the ball)
i'd be focusing on creating the right mental model of how to execute a proper stroke(s).
every tip that was given to me, needed to have purpose, and needs to fit into the mental model (vs. blindly taking the tip, not understanding why/when/etc...)

i agree toss consistency is very difficult... even for me, and i've been playing for decades. my main goal this season is my serve, so i've been tinkering with my motion, to be more conducive to a consistent toss (ie. it's a fine motor skill that tends to break down for me under pressure).

where does one these mythical free lessons? :p
Fair point. I should have said that when I hit the same shots previously (you know, just hiring a court with a friend and hitting balls for no reason) I could not get it over the net. In this instance, we wanted to focus on getting me watching the ball. You're right, once you start focusing purely on the thing you're measuring, you start losing the big picture.

I guess I'll find out in my next (first paid) lesson more around the reasoning for why I'm to do the things I'm to do. I thought first lessons were generally free! At least that's how this coach had it.

In terms of how much I've played, I could tell you that it totals to around 20hrs of completely unsupervised tennis. And in this latest hour, I've improved a ton, but that's primarily because I actually didn't even know how to hold a racket before the lesson.
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
Bravo @Tennitus on getting proper training to get you on the right path.

I did not take my first private lesson until I was 47.;) Though I've paid for classes and private lessons for my kids for 5yrs now...:eek::confused:o_O

I've always wondered if I was using a good grip for FH, BH, serves. Foot placement. Body position. All basic stuff, that I just developed (probably incorrectly) over decades of casual play plus two years of HS tennis.

I think a healthy combination of group training, private lessons, match play and free play will take your tennis quite far.
 
And in this latest hour, I've improved a ton, but that's primarily because I actually didn't even know how to hold a racket before the lesson.

Most of my life, I used the same grip for every stroke.
Like most people who have never taken a lesson, I used the FH grip for FH, BH, net, overhead, and serve.
Then I took lessons and learned what the Conti grip was.
I would not have discovered this in 10000 years of unsupervised play.

But, careful what you say about lessons around here.
Around here, paying for lessons is a yuppie way of trying to buy talent.
You will be mocked for not being a super athlete who simply picks up a racket and becomes a 5.0+ within a few hours.
Around here, only base athletecism matters, and nothing can be learned from a coach.
More thoughts are here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...of-control-why-people-dont-get-better.592265/

Isn't Eastern FH grip for hitting flat balls. Why not the Semi-W ?
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
Isn't Eastern FH grip for hitting flat balls. Why not the Semi-W ?
I play with an Eastern FH grip. I find it to be very versatile. I grew up with continental being the flat stroke grip. Eastern provided easier access to spin. I do give up a bit of power with the spin with this grip. But I think I'll take that to maintain control.
I've tried Western grip, but just felt like it was too much of a commitment for that style of play. I've used SW depending on racquet/string combination. I think I may have used Western on a Prince O3 racquet strung with Kirsch Proline2 rough. That had such an extremely high launch angle.

I have to agree with TTPS about not know what grips to use at net and at serves unless someone pointed it out to you. I only started playing net with Conti grip this year. Well, I only started playing net this year... Also, using Eastern BH grip for spin serves. And something in between an Eastern and SW for flat serves...
 

Tennitus

New User
Most of my life, I used the same grip for every stroke.
Like most people who have never taken a lesson, I used the FH grip for FH, BH, net, overhead, and serve.
Then I took lessons and learned what the Conti grip was.
I would not have discovered this in 10000 years of unsupervised play.

But, careful what you say about lessons around here.
Around here, paying for lessons is a yuppie way of trying to buy talent.
You will be mocked for not being a super athlete who simply picks up a racket and becomes a 5.0+ within a few hours.
Around here, only base athletecism matters, and nothing can be learned from a coach.
More thoughts are here: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...of-control-why-people-dont-get-better.592265/

Isn't Eastern FH grip for hitting flat balls. Why not the Semi-W ?
Interesting. I'll look into the grip more, as I can't now be sure exactly how we had it. Still getting used to the names, but I'll take pictures the next time I'm there so I'm double-sure.

Starting at 31, and with the limited time I have, I feel that paying for a few lessons is the only option I have. Interesting if the opinion you mentioned is prevalent. Why do you think it is the case?
 

Tennitus

New User
I'm not sure I'm on board with this no matter whether you're talking about forehand or backhand, here.
I was told to use a chopper grip for my initial intro to serving in that lesson ... is that terminology used here? Pretty much looks like the grip the pros use when they get pissed off and smash their racket hehe. Guessing it is a relatively common grip for service? Feels like you'll just brush the ball with the strings, until the last moment, when you're expected to pronate so that you seem to be hitting the ball pretty much from behind (directly).
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
Starting at 31, and with the limited time I have, I feel that paying for a few lessons is the only option I have. Interesting if the opinion you mentioned is prevalent. Why do you think it is the case?
Excuse me?? 31? So that means you have 16years of aging and body degradation to go before you're where I'm at... There is a loooong road ahead.

But having lessons; regular lessons will help accelerate your progress and help avoid bad habits earlier.
 

Tennitus

New User
Excuse me?? 31? So that means you have 16years of aging and body degradation to go before you're where I'm at... There is a loooong road ahead.

But having lessons; regular lessons will help accelerate your progress and help avoid bad habits earlier.
I've had to take 7/8 seasons off in the last 15 years due to injuries. That's why I always feel like I have limited time! Hopefully this time I'll take better care of myself. Next lesson next week. Will update as I'm keen to understand what's next.

Quick question. The club I'm thinking about has a hitting wall apparently. No ball machine. Are ball machines considered a nice-to-have or a staple for most people's practice routines?
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
I've had to take 7/8 seasons off in the last 15 years due to injuries. That's why I always feel like I have limited time! Hopefully this time I'll take better care of myself. Next lesson next week. Will update as I'm keen to understand what's next.

Quick question. The club I'm thinking about has a hitting wall apparently. No ball machine. Are ball machines considered a nice-to-have or a staple for most people's practice routines?
I'm fortunate to have a skilled hitting partner, my son, to hit with for practice. If I didn't, a ball machine would be nice. A wall would be fine to just work on swing motion. Unfortunately for my son, I'm not much competition for him. I'm more like a ball returner for him as he works on his serves.

About 2/3 of my son's lesson involves the Coach hitting with him and playing out points and discussing what's happening and critiquing his footwork, body motion, swing path, etc. I can't hit well enough to provide anything resembling competition for him.

Yeah, injury prevention is very important. I started playing with a stiff racquet/stiff string setup without realizing it (Pure Drive/Hurricane). I started having elbow issues because I didn't change my string. Even things like moving from ASICS Gel Resolution shoes to Costco shoes to tone down the response and add comfort and forgiveness.
 

Tennitus

New User
Have another session tomorrow with the coach. Fairly sure there will be a lot of emphasis on getting into the right positions (e.g. footwork to get close to the ball so that the technique that follows isn't strained).

I do have a question however. Is there a generally accepted height (lets say, for a forehand) after which a ball is considered to be in a less-than-ideal position to hit easily? For example, does the quality of shot drop drastically if the ball has bounced and you're hitting it at chest height? Curious to know if there is a commonly agreed height, if that makes sense.

In the last session, some balls popped up a bit higher, and I didn't have the chance to take the required steps back (or forward), and had to return them around chest height. This was, to say the least, an awkward feeling.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
Have another session tomorrow with the coach. Fairly sure there will be a lot of emphasis on getting into the right positions (e.g. footwork to get close to the ball so that the technique that follows isn't strained).

I do have a question however. Is there a generally accepted height (lets say, for a forehand) after which a ball is considered to be in a less-than-ideal position to hit easily? For example, does the quality of shot drop drastically if the ball has bounced and you're hitting it at chest height? Curious to know if there is a commonly agreed height, if that makes sense.

In the last session, some balls popped up a bit higher, and I didn't have the chance to take the required steps back (or forward), and had to return them around chest height. This was, to say the least, an awkward feeling.

Everyone's comfort zone varies but you should be able to hit reasonably well from chest- to knee-height without too drastic changes in your stroke.

That said, footwork is critical and something very few do very well.

Also, I'd amend what you wrote from "footwork to get close" to "footwork to achieve proper spacing", because getting too close is probably the bigger problem, at least, according to Brent Abel.
 

Tennitus

New User
Everyone's comfort zone varies but you should be able to hit reasonably well from chest- to knee-height without too drastic changes in your stroke.

That said, footwork is critical and something very few do very well.

Also, I'd amend what you wrote from "footwork to get close" to "footwork to achieve proper spacing", because getting too close is probably the bigger problem, at least, according to Brent Abel.

Thanks S&V - yep, fair point regarding spacing. My instinct is to play with "conservative" arms, due to the other sports I played, and to get my head over the ball as much as possible, and generally be in a position with bent arms. Doesn't apply in the same way here, it would seem. It'll take some re-wiring.
 

Tennitus

New User
Played - not with the coach - some rallies, and some games with another relative beginner recently. I realised just how different it is when the coach is feeding you the ball at a nice height and a nice pace, to when someone hits the ball at you. I found that that because of our level, the shots were quite loopy. This naturally meant that the angle after it bounced was very steep. So I'd step back and try to hit it when it came back down to a nice height. Only, I found that the angle on the way down was so steep that I could never get it nicely over the net.

Hit almost everything back very loopy, or straight at the bottom of the net.

For the days when it is just me practising on my own, what is the best way to get some basic shot practice? We have a rebound wall. Any tips on this?
 

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
I feel that paying for a few lessons is the only option I have. Interesting if the opinion you mentioned is prevalent. Why do you think it is the case?

Actually, everyone agrees that being able to go to a coach is a great option. What is argued is the option part and to what degree, if any, a coach is needed. To the extreme, a few here say players cannot progress without a coach. Fact is, somewhere between your goals/needs and what works best for you and your financial means will be a plan that moves you along. Except a few extremes you will be able to pick out, no one says you can only progress with coaching, or that coaching is useless.

Good luck on your tennis. All the best.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
Played - not with the coach - some rallies, and some games with another relative beginner recently. I realised just how different it is when the coach is feeding you the ball at a nice height and a nice pace, to when someone hits the ball at you. I found that that because of our level, the shots were quite loopy. This naturally meant that the angle after it bounced was very steep. So I'd step back and try to hit it when it came back down to a nice height. Only, I found that the angle on the way down was so steep that I could never get it nicely over the net.

Hit almost everything back very loopy, or straight at the bottom of the net.

For the days when it is just me practising on my own, what is the best way to get some basic shot practice? We have a rebound wall. Any tips on this?

Just remember that if you put topspin on the ball, on the rebound it will drop very short.

Also remember that roughly speaking the ball will follow the law of reflection (incident angle = reflected angle), both vertically and horizontally, but gravity will cause some deviation.

Don't lob over the wall - the wall is not going to move back and get to it.

Don't stand too close to the wall and hit hard or you will be injured.
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
Have another session tomorrow with the coach. Fairly sure there will be a lot of emphasis on getting into the right positions (e.g. footwork to get close to the ball so that the technique that follows isn't strained).

I do have a question however. Is there a generally accepted height (lets say, for a forehand) after which a ball is considered to be in a less-than-ideal position to hit easily? For example, does the quality of shot drop drastically if the ball has bounced and you're hitting it at chest height? Curious to know if there is a commonly agreed height, if that makes sense.

In the last session, some balls popped up a bit higher, and I didn't have the chance to take the required steps back (or forward), and had to return them around chest height. This was, to say the least, an awkward feeling.
You want the ball to be in your "strike zone" That varies from person to person. But generally striking the ball somewhere between knees and hips will allow for a good low to high swing path. So you move yourself around the court to keep the ball in your strike zone.

Yes. It's very different when you have someone feeding the ball to you like a ball machine vs hitting with a lower level player that hits unpredictable balls if you are just working on strokes.
 

Tennitus

New User
Short update ... didn't have the opportunity to do much training (knee played up). I have a question ...

Was hitting forehands, and it felt super uncomfortable, when trying to immitate what looks to me like a locked out arm (judging by the pros and their forehands). Shot is weak etc etc

When I attempt it with a slightly bent elbow, the shot is much much better ... I feel like I'm doing something that in the short term is better, but will be limited in the long term.

Or am I misunderstanding what a proper forehand should feel and look like, altogether?
 

rkelley

Hall of Fame
Still have that coach? She'd be the best person to ask about he fh question. Sometimes when it feels good it is, and other times you are in fact doing something that will be limiting in the long term.

My guess, based just on what you said, is that the bent arm fh is fine. I'm guessing that you're probably hitting through the ball with good pace but not much spin. It works. The straight arm fh can be very powerful (Fed, Rafa, Delpo, others), but it really relies on getting good layback at the wrist and then allowing the racquet to whip into the ball. You're not swing a straight arm into the ball. The human arm is really weak that way, which sounds like what you're feeling.
 

Slicerman

Professional
Have another session tomorrow with the coach. Fairly sure there will be a lot of emphasis on getting into the right positions (e.g. footwork to get close to the ball so that the technique that follows isn't strained).

I do have a question however. Is there a generally accepted height (lets say, for a forehand) after which a ball is considered to be in a less-than-ideal position to hit easily? For example, does the quality of shot drop drastically if the ball has bounced and you're hitting it at chest height? Curious to know if there is a commonly agreed height, if that makes sense.

In the last session, some balls popped up a bit higher, and I didn't have the chance to take the required steps back (or forward), and had to return them around chest height. This was, to say the least, an awkward feeling.

Ideal contact height for forehand varies from person to person. Generally hip to chest height is the best for majority of people. For me, chest height is probably my preferred height to hit a good forehand because it gives me more angles to hit. I think its possible to increase your tolerance to hitting at different heights if you hit them enough. I occasionally can decently hit forehands that are 2 feet over my head.. lol, so anything is possible. Also don't underestimate the value of an inconsistent hitting partner, they force you to learn and adapt to hitting different balls. That's actually how I learned to handle varying heights.
 

Tennitus

New User
Still have that coach? She'd be the best person to ask about he fh question. Sometimes when it feels good it is, and other times you are in fact doing something that will be limiting in the long term.

My guess, based just on what you said, is that the bent arm fh is fine. I'm guessing that you're probably hitting through the ball with good pace but not much spin. It works. The straight arm fh can be very powerful (Fed, Rafa, Delpo, others), but it really relies on getting good layback at the wrist and then allowing the racquet to whip into the ball. You're not swing a straight arm into the ball. The human arm is really weak that way, which sounds like what you're feeling.

Thanks rkelley - will be going to the coach next week, so will check with her too. Wanted to check if one or the other was considered a no-no (straight arm vs bent arm at contact). When the arm is straight, I have noticed a definite lack of power (though every now and then I do get a more powerful one) and as you said, the bent arm ones I've been hitting have been more powerful, but most definitely not as spinny.

Lots to think about.
 

Tennitus

New User
Ideal contact height for forehand varies from person to person. Generally hip to chest height is the best for majority of people. For me, chest height is probably my preferred height to hit a good forehand because it gives me more angles to hit. I think its possible to increase your tolerance to hitting at different heights if you hit them enough. I occasionally can decently hit forehands that are 2 feet over my head.. lol, so anything is possible. Also don't underestimate the value of an inconsistent hitting partner, they force you to learn and adapt to hitting different balls. That's actually how I learned to handle varying heights.

Interesting. If I'm hitting thigh-hip height, the shot is drastically better than if it is around chest height. Unless I bend my arm when it is a bit higher. At the club, I find most people either lobbing the ball back, or slicing it hard when the ball approaches them at that height.

It seems to work in that context, but I can see that it just isn't a way to improve long term.
 

StringSnapper

Hall of Fame
Short update ... didn't have the opportunity to do much training (knee played up). I have a question ...

Was hitting forehands, and it felt super uncomfortable, when trying to immitate what looks to me like a locked out arm (judging by the pros and their forehands). Shot is weak etc etc

When I attempt it with a slightly bent elbow, the shot is much much better ... I feel like I'm doing something that in the short term is better, but will be limited in the long term.

Or am I misunderstanding what a proper forehand should feel and look like, altogether?
A lot of pros hit with a bent arm forehand, i dont think that matters much. But yeah id ask your coaches opinion too
 

StringSnapper

Hall of Fame
Interesting. If I'm hitting thigh-hip height, the shot is drastically better than if it is around chest height. Unless I bend my arm when it is a bit higher. At the club, I find most people either lobbing the ball back, or slicing it hard when the ball approaches them at that height.

It seems to work in that context, but I can see that it just isn't a way to improve long term.
For a really high ball i like to run around and hit a forehand. I adjust my grip to be more western or semi-western (more like holding a fry pan). It really helps! Lots of topspin and swing haard! Its hard to miss almost. I use an eastern forehand usually, and for most 'ideal' strikezone balls between my hip and shoulder. But i also struggle with high balls using this grip.

Do you play on grass or hard? I find grass is generally more eastern grip friendly. To do nasty short wide shots a semi western grip can help you spin it over and down into the court, while an eastern helps hit flatter and deeper balls.


Same on the backhand, i use a more extreme grip to hit a high topspin shot off that wing. It is a hard shot though, much easier ob the forehabd side.
 

Semidios

Semi-Pro
Hi everyone,

Thanks to your advice in a separate thread, I've taken the plunge, and in my 30s, have taken my very first ever tennis lesson. A number of you will not care to read a diary of my progression, but I'm putting one up in the hope that:

a) you can advise me along the way on if I'm doing the right things;
b) it keeps me accountable;
c) if any other latecomers to the sport come across the thread, they may benefit from the mistakes (financial, and otherwise) that I'm making.

First lesson:

Suprisingly, we were straight into it. I was put on the service line, shown (she didn't name it, but I've come to know as an Eastern Forehand grip, after googling it) and asked to hit a few balls gently down the line. We also looked at what was described as a chopper grip, and a double-handed backhand.

I served, I hit backhands. This lesson was more about getting an idea of my coordination, and it felt very good.

Main takeaway?

From the baseline, I managed to put 5 out of 20 serves in correctly (again, coach explained that this is something we wouldn't regularly be doing until I was more comfortable with the other basics)

From baseline, managed to get 18/20 forehands, and 13/20 2hbs into court.

Didn't pay for the lesson, as it was more about seeing how I was feeling, and getting a measure of me.

Forehand feels like an intuitive shot to hit. 2hb feels like an extremely odd movement to make (not sure how much to bend/straighten arms).

I also learned that the biggest surprise for me was ... how hard it was to toss a ball consistently!

I'll post a video so you can see how a complete first-timer progresses (in a few months time, if the interest materialises).

Loved it, going back for more one-to-ones. Coach very complimentary and feels that I'll learn quickly. But also warned that there are many many hard and humbling surprises ahead.

MODS: if this thread shouldn't be here, go nuts.

Make sure you are using a correct grip size !!!
 

Tennitus

New User
Make sure you are using a correct grip size !!!
Wait,what? As you can tell, I'm completely new to tennis, so have been using one particular racket at the club (they have a bunch of them in the locker room for people to use). Are you talking about grip thickness? I haven't even considered equipment yet. Have had no time to look into it!
 

Turbo-87

G.O.A.T.
I think it is great you are getting into tennis in your 30's. Stick with it and you can play for years and years. I didn't play regularly until I was 39 (5 summers ago) and wish I would have way earlier in life. Oh well.
 

Semidios

Semi-Pro
Wait,what? As you can tell, I'm completely new to tennis, so have been using one particular racket at the club (they have a bunch of them in the locker room for people to use). Are you talking about grip thickness? I haven't even considered equipment yet. Have had no time to look into it!

Yes.I am talking about thickness.If it is too small you will need to squeeze the handle too tight in order to avoid twisting and if it is too big your grips changes will be slow and difficult.
 
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golden chicken

Hall of Fame
For fun last summer, my wife and I hit around for the first time. I also hit with her cousins and some of her nephews. I'm 34 and have been playing off and on since 12ish. She has essentially never played before and she's 32.

To my surprise, she became interested in playing tennis! So, we hit around a few times afterwards before I asked her if she wanted me to coach her so she could improve.

She said yes, and I warned her that whatever natural tendencies she had that was allowing her to get the ball back I was about to try to change and she would get worse before she got better. I knew this would frustrate her because she was a gifted swimmer and overall athlete when she was younger.

I'm happy to report that she now has a fairly decent forehand and she is working on improving her 2 handed backhand. She understands that she is trying to impart topspin and can feel when her stroke is off. She can now move me around the court if she wants, especially on her forehand side, and she is learning to identify and deal with all spins. She doesn't get too rattled when I come to net, either.

We recently bought her her own racket so she isn't using my ncode 6.1 95 any more, and she is very happy with her burn 100 countervail--a choice I happily approve of. We got her the right grip size (a 2, I play with 4s) and she is much, much happier.

I think we'll keep working on her backhand for the rest of this summer/fall and next year I'll start introducing her to volleys and serves.

So, my takeaway advice is to be okay with frustration and feeling unnatural at first, because it'll be worth it in the end if your base instruction is sound. Hopefully your coach can identify your idiosyncrasies quickly and help you change them before they become too much habit.

Good luck, and enjoy the process!
 

Tennitus

New User
For fun last summer, my wife and I hit around for the first time. I also hit with her cousins and some of her nephews. I'm 34 and have been playing off and on since 12ish. She has essentially never played before and she's 32.

To my surprise, she became interested in playing tennis! So, we hit around a few times afterwards before I asked her if she wanted me to coach her so she could improve.

She said yes, and I warned her that whatever natural tendencies she had that was allowing her to get the ball back I was about to try to change and she would get worse before she got better. I knew this would frustrate her because she was a gifted swimmer and overall athlete when she was younger.

I'm happy to report that she now has a fairly decent forehand and she is working on improving her 2 handed backhand. She understands that she is trying to impart topspin and can feel when her stroke is off. She can now move me around the court if she wants, especially on her forehand side, and she is learning to identify and deal with all spins. She doesn't get too rattled when I come to net, either.

We recently bought her her own racket so she isn't using my ncode 6.1 95 any more, and she is very happy with her burn 100 countervail--a choice I happily approve of. We got her the right grip size (a 2, I play with 4s) and she is much, much happier.

I think we'll keep working on her backhand for the rest of this summer/fall and next year I'll start introducing her to volleys and serves.

So, my takeaway advice is to be okay with frustration and feeling unnatural at first, because it'll be worth it in the end if your base instruction is sound. Hopefully your coach can identify your idiosyncrasies quickly and help you change them before they become too much habit.

Good luck, and enjoy the process!

Great to hear this. It is your last paragraph that is really apt here. For example, certain things feel very unnatural (especially given the other sports I played) and so I find myself wondering if they feel unnatural because they are indeed wrong in tennis, or if it is simply that I'm not doing them correctly. Forehand (Straight arm) would be a good example. For some reason I had it in my head that forehands were always to be hit the way that Federer and Nadal hit them (and why not?). I'd forgotten the obvious, which was that many more people hit them with a bent arm. Bent arm works better for me right now, but perhaps straight-arm would be more suited to me? I can't tell yet, and honestly I'm over-analysing. I suppose this is where the next coaching session will really help, because up until now I'd been watching tennis purely for the sport, and not for its technical aspects. Now I have all of this new info to contend with.

Anyway, great to hear about your wife taking it up and improving, as an adult. Perhaps one day soon I'll post a video which allows you to see how I progress.
 

Slicerman

Professional
Don't worry so much about things like bent vs straight arm. I just use what is more comfortable for you at the moment. Sometimes taking things too much into the extreme can be bad. Personally I use slight bent arm, because it feels most natural to me, and to me its really an after-effect of hitting a relaxed swing.
 

Wander

Hall of Fame
I think that with some things you just should go with what feels more natural for yourself. Bent arm vs straight is probably one of those things as we know that there are players who hit killer forehands either way. Same goes for platform vs pinpoint stance on serve and also some of the minutae of different grips (eastern forehand vs semi-western). You can apparently even hit great backhand slices with an eastern forehand grip although it doesn't make sense to me to use it.

Oh and as Slicerman eluded to, some general things like having a relaxed arm and using your core for power are far more important to work on. Details can be interchangeable.
 
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Tennitus

New User
Make sure you are using a correct grip size !!!

Will keep this in mind, thanks!

I think that with some things you just should go with what feels more natural for yourself. Bent arm vs straight is probably one of those things as we know that there are players who hit killer forehands either way. Same goes for platform vs pinpoint stance on serve and also some of the minutae of different grips (eastern forehand vs semi-western). You can apparently even hit great backhand slices with an eastern forehand grip although it doesn't make sense to me to use it.

Oh and as Slicerman eluded to, some general things like having a relaxed arm and using your core for power are far more important to work on. Details can be interchangeable.

Glad to hear it. For some reason I had it in my head that a proper stroke was a "straight-arm" stroke. That's the mistake you make when you start youtubing Federer slow-mos exclusively :)

Straight arm should mean straight-er arm, not locked out straight. I think a lot of people make the mistake of locking out in an effort to look like the pros.

Got it. I can stop wrecking my joints then.
 
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