| You must relax to play better tennis. Experts explain the
secret lies in the way we breathe; therefore, learn how to breathe and perform at a
higher level. Holding one's breath causes our muscles to tighten and prevents
the best performance; therefore, never hold your breath. Breathe in through your
nose and exhale through your month. This is much more efficient.
The reason to breath in this manner is:
- the nose heats up the air and prepares it for the body
- the nose hairs filter the air of pollution and create a turbine effect
causing the air to circulate and go deeper into the lungs.
- By exhaling
through your mouth, you empty the lungs more completely which allows more
oxygen to enter.
So relax, have fun, play better, and blow away the
competition with good breathing habits.
Have you ever noticed how swimmers will "shake out" their arms and legs
before they compete? These athletes know the importance of being relaxed
when they perform.
Good tennis players relax by holding the racquet in their non-hitting hand
between points and "shake out" their hitting arm.
Also, trainers tell us another way to relax prior serving is to
relax your wrist and hand by resting your racquet on your tossing arm before
you start your motion. Finally, in between shots, relax your grip, letting
the
opposite hand support the racquet.
Having developed your ground strokes, it is now time to
begin stroking the ball with purpose. You should be able to direct all of
your shots so that you can exploit the weaknesses of your opponent.
By getting your racquet back early, finding an ideal point
of contact, and using your follow through to direct the ball, you apply
pressure to your opponent. Try slowing down a bit.
Develop consistency by trying to hit more than one or two
shots in a row. In practice, rally with you partner for four or five shots
before you are allowed to go for a winner. Try to always be one shot better
than your opponent.
Depth is the name of the game. By hitting higher over the
net, you will minimize your net errors. You will apply a lot of pressure to
your opponent who will be faced with a high forehand or a high backhand. We
all know how difficult these shots are. |
