Are you a recreational player trying to get better? Tennis lessons can be expensive and hard to come by. It’s hard for coaches to assess your game, your coach-ability and goals, then try to work on them within an hour. Communication is key, especially if you don’t have a usual pro.
Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your tennis lesson.
1. Tell your pro what your tennis goals are. “I want to make it on the High School team,” ”I want my backhand to be more consistent.” or “I want to beat Amy at the tennis club.” This way your pro can structure your lesson to be technique or play specific. If you want to use tennis to “get fitter” the pro can push your endurance with challenging drills.
2. Be specific with your goal for the lesson. Tell the pro what you want to work on. Do you want more control? Power on your serve? A better slice? Tell them so they can help you with specific drills and instructions such as target practice or learning a deadly kick serve.
3. Know if you are a better audio or visual learner. Do you like it when you coach is describing to you what you should do or would you rather she just show you by example? This saves on talking time so you can hit more balls.
4. Communicate! If you don’t understand the instruction or feel uncomfortable, say something. Does the new grip feel funny? Say something!
5. Stay positive. Improving your game takes work and can be frustrating if you don’t see results right away. If you get angry and upset at yourself no one can help you. A coach can only do her job if your eyes and ears are receptive to information.
6. At the end of the lesson go over what you learned as a recap. If it was a new technique you were learning, shadow stroke it for your coach to see. Or if you learned some tips like keeping your head down or staying more turned on you forehand, repeat them back to your pro. This way, it is fresh in your memory for the next time you get out on the courts.
7. Have fun out there. Tennis is played best with a smile and good etiquette.
