Playing Tennis is Not All About Tennis Apparel

Many people believe that playing is all about the tennis apparel—which is stylish and sexy to look at. Little do they know that before a tennis player looks really fit and sexy, it takes a lot of work for the mind, the soul, and the most especially, the body.

The majority of the seasoned tennis players and teachers would agree that apart from providing a fit body, playing tennis is about the seemingly limitless capability of a person to be in control and go beyond what his or her physical limitations can do. If you are one of those who are planning to play tennis because the set of tennis apparel are good to look at, it is best if you think really hard before you do jump into this sport.

With all the benefits of tennis to people that play it all over the world, it is no wonder that the this old and one of the most popular sports aimed at training the body and the mind to endure physical stress—has gathered more and more followers. It is believed that playing tennis is result of the union of the person’s mind and inner self that is why majority of the people who play tennis are those who have great sense of responsibility to themselves and to those around them.

More than just the tennis apparel

Experts say that although choosing the appropriate tennis apparel is a must for those who are just starting with the sport, that is not the “be all” and “end all” of it. Many say that if a person who plans to play tennis because he or she finds the tennis apparel appealing, this is the major indication that he or she is not really meant for the sport.

But to those who do not see it that way, experts and seasoned tennis players agree that to be able to be successful in the sport, possessing the right and quality tennis apparel is a must as well the acquisition and development of skill. Tennis teachers agree that that while it is true that wearing and using the proper tennis apparel would somehow minimize accidents and other untoward events, this is not the only thing that could save the player. Experts say that players—especially those who are just starting—must be knowledgeable enough about the sport and what does it entail.

Choosing the helpful alternative

The best way to acquire knowledge in tennis is by attending tennis lessons in fitness centers or sports clinics. But sometimes, no matter how hard the student tries to attend each lesson, there are always those times that they are caught up with their association with the outside world. Realizing this difficulty in carrying out the lessons due to time constraint, tennis teachers encourage new students or players to watch as many tennis video as possible.

When one takes time to watch as many tennis games as possible in videos, he or she will somehow be trained to observe the moves of the player so you could apply this once you are the one playing already. But before you buy tennis apparel, enroll in a tennis lesson or buy a tennis video, you must know it in your heart how much you would really love the sport not just because of the tennis apparel but because of what it entails.

Here’s how you can learn more about tennis – Improving Your Tennis Technique.

Tennis Forehand Tips

For most players their forehand is their strongest weapon. That’s why you should nurture it and improve on it to the best of your ability. Remember the great women’s tennis player, Steffi Graf? Her forehand was the most formidable in the women’s circuit in her heyday. So it pays to develop your forehand. Here a few tips.

Choose the grip that you’re most comfortable with. Essentially, there are 5 tennis forehand grips – the Eastern, the Semi Western, Western, Continental and Hawaiian. Among them, the Hawaiian is the most unconventional and hardest to master, so it is not advisable for beginners to adopt it. You can see what they grips look like and read more about them at Tennis Grips. Most beginners are taught how to play with the Eastern grip at first. But as you improve your game, it is important to master all the grips because each one has its own advantages and is suitable for playing on different surfaces. For example, the Continental grip is most suitable for courts with low bounces, such as grass courts.

If you have problems keeping your forehand down (the ball always lands outside the opponent’s court), then practice by laying some mats on the court and going on your knees and try to hit the balls across the net. This enables you to get used to getting your shooting angle right.

Once you can get your ground strokes into your opponent’s court, it’s time to add power to your shots without it going astray. How much power goes into your forehand depends a lot on your posture and follow through. When you hit your forehand, your shoulders should be at an angle with the net. This gives you the added ability to turn your upper body and shoulders as you strike the ball thus adding power from your upper body, shoulder and arm. Compare this with your shoulders being parallel to the net. If that is the case, you could only hit the ball with your playing arm, which would reduce the power of your shot.

Regarding your follow through, make sure your playing arm swing is fully utilized in your forehand shot. This means after you have hit the ball, your playing arm should naturally wrap across your neck with your elbow pointing forward and your racket behind your head. That follow through adds power to your forehand.

Get more tips on improving your forehand at Tennis Forehand Technique.

Keys to Success in Tennis

As most people readily realize, the success of everything you do in life is directly determined by how you approach it. This means if you are willing to approach a situation with an open mind and a bit of self-confidence in yourself, you are going to be much more likely to succeed than someone who approaches with a grudge attitude or just lack of self-confidence. At the same time if you are trying to learn a new skill you are naturally not going to be full of self-confidence so you need to learn some things to help you readily adjust to the things that you encounter.

These same principles apply to tennis as well. What may seem overly complicated with a bit of patience and self-confidence can become readily manageable. However, if you do not approach the game with some self-confidence you are likely to fail. This is true of anything that you do, even if it is something other than tennis. The final result of your performance is altered based upon your own personal approach and there are several things that you can do to improve your overall approach and ensure that you are having the best experience possible.

Approach the sport with an open mind and embrace it. If you just half attempt the sport then you will increase the chances of getting hurt, decrease your chances of success and wish you had never picked up a tennis racket. If you approach it with a positive mindset, you are going to put yourself in a much better position to be successful, regardless of how long you have been playing. A player who approaches the court in a good mood and with a positive mindset is going to be much more likely to have a good game than someone who is in a bad mood.

Accept that mistakes will happen. Even those players who are professionals make mistakes, which is part of life in general. Accept this fact and take your mistakes as a chance to learn a lesson. If you discover that you are making a mistake in your timing for swinging the racket, take that as a chance to improve your timing. If you take everything that you do wrong as an opportunity to improve, rather than as a failure you will be able to really improve your overall outlook. To make you feel better, remember that even the best players are going to have days when they play horribly, make mistakes and just do not want to be on the court.

For those who have been playing a lot it is also important to avoid burn out. This can strike any sport, hobby, job, career or activity. If you do nothing but play tennis every waking moment that you are awake, you are going to be running straight into a burn out in no time at all. Rather than do this to yourself ensure that you take a break at times to go shopping, hang out with friends and even just sit around on the couch acting lazy and watching television. This will allow you to come back to the tennis court with a fresh mind and ready to play again. The time that you spend away from the court in these circumstances can be just as valuable as the time you spend on the court.

You should also realize that each player has their own particular style. What works best for your coach may not be what works best for you. While you should take your coach’s advice, you need to ensure that you are doing what is comfortable for you. For example, your racket, shoes and clothing need to be fitted for you and your needs, rather than what your coach can comfortably use. If you take the time to do things your own style, you will be able to really develop your skills. Never just try to completely copy another player, even if it is your coach.
Here’s a great resource to get you started – Tennis Instructional Videos.