Tennis Swings Articles | Tennis

By: Joe Dively

Learning basic tennis strokes is essential to setting the stage for better play in the future.  Fail to learn these basics early on and you will struggle with overcoming bad playing habits for years to come.  

While there are a variety of strokes that new and advanced players can use in tennis, the novice should concentrate on the two main strokes first, before moving on to the more advanced techniques and movements used in more advanced play.

There are two basic tennis strokes that every player must master in order to be competent on the court: the groundstroke and the overhead.  These are necessary in order to compete on any level, and should be mastered first.

The best way to learn proper stroke technique is to find a trained coach to get you started on  a lifelong enjoyment of the game.  Most newcomers to tennis spend a few months perfecting their technique and game with a trainer before hitting the courts on their own.
If this is not an option, these simple tips should help get you started learning the two basic strokes listed above.

When learning the groundstroke, remember these important guidelines:
1: Always begin your groundstroke with a slight, short backswing.
2: Use a shortened grip on the club until mastering this all-important tennis stroke
3: Use a regular type of follow-through. Don’t try to be fancy here.  The important thing is to learn the stroke first.
4: Try lengthening your backswing at a slow pace.
5: Slide the grip toward the handle.
6: Remember, in basic tennis for beginners, you will drop feed first! Second, doing your short drop feed is fine, and lastly, following the short drop feed, you will feed from your racquet.
7: Begin slowly and usually try to end with a run.

When practicing overheads, be sure to:
1: Begin your swing at point of contact, slowly presenting a bigger swing can
2: Stand close to the net, followed by slowly moving backward.
3: Begin with an incredibly soft-feed right to the racquet.
4: Practice for short periods of time (less than 30 minutes) in order to not tire your arm and stay fresh and alert. Some players, however, many find that they get so lost in the game that they can practice for hours.  If this is the case, and you aren’t experiencing any negative side effects (swollen tendons and muscles or overall arm soreness), than by all means practice away! No matter how long your practice session, be sure to have them frequently. Several times a week is most commonly recommended, especially for beginners.
5: Begin advanced drills as soon as you’ve mastered this basic swing
Whatever swing you’re working on, always be sure to practice precise technique, featuring the exact form and bodylines needed, and proper movements!