TRaining aids for winter in Canada.

[Wheelz]

Hi, I'll probably get 3 months out of playing inside at a club, but I was looking for a training aid for the home.

with researched I found the rackbracket.... and the PracticeHit...

anybody had experience with training aids ? Useless ? Helpful ? I'm looking to see if there's other option then swinging ma racket in front of the mirror hehe.

 

[Seifersquall1]

I haven't had any experience using them. Be careful not to break the mirror with your racquet lol.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

PracticeHit exercise:

If you have a bit of room, start in a ready position some (variable) distance away from the PracticeHit. Perform a split-step and then move to the ball. Focus on the (stationary) ball as you approach it. As you get close to the ball, shift your focus from the ball to your contact zone.

Focusing on the contact, instead of the ball, should you help you make cleaner contacts with the ball. Try looking at the contact the way that Federer does -- from the back of his racket, thru the strings (instead of looking at the area in front of the racket).

Federer vision technique

Vary your ready position with respect to the PracticeHit if you can. This way you can practice your footwork. Adjust your footwork so that you get to a proper position with respect to the ball -- try to keep the contact forward of your front foot (so that you get a proper body rotation & so that you can better see thru your strings).

Your lateral position with respect to the ball should be such that your are hitting with either an open stance or an even (square) stance. Avoid an extreme closed stance unless you are performing a one-handed backhand.

 

[WildVolley]

I have a practice hit. I find that it is a helpful tool for beginners, or when learning a new stroke or hit, but that it has a limited ability to take full speed swings (something that manufacturer notes).

I think the practice hit is best when used to learn something like a high ball. You can set it on a bench and then practice swinging through the ball with the racquet face at the proper angle on a high ball. If you beat on it a lot, it will eventually break.

You can always do a fitness routine involving pushups and rotator cuff exercises with minimal weights. If you have room, shadow swinging and shadow playing can be surprisingly helpful. You also can definitely learn better footwork patterns without being at a tennis court: things like a quicker recovery step and a split step.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

The bad thing about living in canada is the cold. The good thing is the hockey.

If you can get out there and play some hockey during the winter, You will return to tennis a better player in the spring.

 

[Wheelz]

The bad thing about living in canada is the cold. The good thing is the hockey.

If you can get out there and play some hockey during the winter, You will return to tennis a better player in the spring.

I played minor hockey since I was 4 and played some junior hockey....and still play once a week hehe... I'm pretty sure it's good for the legs and balance. I still miss the tennis... I'll wait for the indoor membership.

How much does indoor club charge you ? Here where I live in Hull(near Gatineau) it's pretty expensive. After you get the membership it's between 15-21$ the hour for the court. Split that in two if you're two... and it's mostly 21$ for the good part of the day.

Membership is about :
-22 $, weekends and friday night. (you have to pay for 12 months)
-near 70$/mth to play anytime you want...
-and for only 3 months, you have to pay near 90/mth to play anytime you want.

 

[timokabo]

I played minor hockey since I was 4 and played some junior hockey....and still play once a week hehe... I'm pretty sure it's good for the legs and balance. I still miss the tennis... I'll wait for the indoor membership.

How much does indoor club charge you ? Here where I live in Hull(near Gatineau) it's pretty expensive. After you get the membership it's between 15-21$ the hour for the court. Split that in two if you're two... and it's mostly 21$ for the good part of the day.

Membership is about :
-22 $, weekends and friday night. (you have to pay for 12 months)
-near 70$/mth to play anytime you want...
-and for only 3 months, you have to pay near 90/mth to play anytime you want.

damn thats a rip for memberships. here in detroit you can get a whole year for $100

 

[koopa_troopa]

damn thats a rip for memberships. here in detroit you can get a whole year for $100

How much are the hourly court fees?

I think in general, indoor court fees are a ripoff. I mean I pay about $30/month for membership to the gym. Here we can get courts for about $22/hour at the university (even higher at local clubs). I can do way more things at the gym and there is so much equipment there that has to be replaced and maintained. I'm not sure how much it costs to maintain an indoor court, but the prices just seem too high. Thankfully there are plenty of outdoor courts here, but in winter I am just out of luck.

 

[Tennismastery]

If you have a stroke pattern you want or need to change, the PracticeHit is a very valuable tool. In the off-season, you might want to employ such a device along with taking some video clips of yourself to make sure you're doing what you want yourself to be doing, then compare your strokes to the study of pro's video clips found at the various web sites. (TennisOne.com, Tennisplayer.net, Hi_TechTennis.com, et. al.)

This would be a great time to take notes, read books, (I can think of ONE book in particular!), study lessons at the web sites I've mentioned, and study strategy tips that are available in books, DVD's, and again, the web sites mentioned.

Just like when a player is injured, there is much you can do to improve your understanding of the game when you can't play.

Finally, if you can find partners, work on volley skills inside a garage, rec room, etc. There are a ton of volley drills, (many of which I covered in a series of articles I did for TennisOne called "Rounding Out Drills"), that you can greatly improve your hands, touch, and volley techniques that don't require a court or even a net!