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Thread: Self tennis???

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    20

    Self tennis???

    Hey guys, my brother is a beginner just starting out. Unfortunately, we don't have the money at the moment to afford a private coach. he is holding out for a tennis class at the local recreation centre.
    I know that self learning tennis is pretty tough but I realise plenty of people on this board taught themselves how to learn tennis. I'm just wondering if you guys have any tips to offer on the self learning tennis front?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Flagstaff, AZ
    Posts
    15
    If you have a library near you, there would be a lot of books to look at. You obviously have access to the internet. Tons and tons of sites with free advice. http://www.TennisTeacher.com
    http://www.FuzzyYellowBalls.com
    http://www.OperationDoubles.com singles info too
    Go to YouTube and watch the pros play.
    You can download a bunch of free tennis pod casts to your iTunes as well.
    ~ "In tennis the addict moves about a hard rectangle and seeks to ambush a fuzzy ball with a modified snow-shoe." ~ Elliot Chaze

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    25
    Shaunx do you play yourself?How old are you and yu brother?To self teach go on sites and read books on techiniques.Theres a good site with plenty of teaching videos with bolleterri in it.The site is www.tennistorrents.com and also www.tennischannel.com.Theres also for footwork www.thebailymethod.com.
    Good Luck!

  4. #4
    Alot of people I talk to refuse to learn with out a coach or a program. I really dont understand it, they are surprised that I taught myself and am a pretty decent player for only playing two summers. I am a 3.5 player right now with a little bit of an inconstancy on serves. It seems like the more tired I am, the higher percent my first serve is.

  5. #5

    Re: Self Tennis

    Hi Shunx;
    It all depends on what your brother wants to do with his tennis. If he is trying to play tennis for fun or high school tennis, reading tennis books and watching tennis videos can help him accomplish his goal. But if he is planning to take his tennis to a higher level it’s very important that he learns every thing properly from the beginning, since kicking a bad habit and fixing a bad technique will be more costly later on. I know how costly this sport is and my heart goes for struggling and unprivileged kids. Tennis like golf is the sport of rich and wealthy.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    703
    Quote Originally Posted by Tennisteen View Post
    Hi Shunx;
    It all depends on what your brother wants to do with his tennis. If he is trying to play tennis for fun or high school tennis, reading tennis books and watching tennis videos can help him accomplish his goal. But if he is planning to take his tennis to a higher level it’s very important that he learns every thing properly from the beginning, since kicking a bad habit and fixing a bad technique will be more costly later on. I know how costly this sport is and my heart goes for struggling and unprivileged kids. Tennis like golf is the sport of rich and wealthy.
    We have 6 more to go TT, and btw, I'm impressed that you were able to secure that great User Name. It seems so obvious that most would have guessed it couldn't possibly be available. I suppose you proved everything is worth a try right ???

    Cheers,
    Coach
    The only acceptable loss is when your opponent was better than you on that given day.
    It is never acceptable to lose when your opponent was not.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    703
    There are literally hundreds of thousands of very highly qualified tennis players even here in the US that achieved great levels without formal training. When you break down what a Coach provides, you begin to realize much of their assistance can be obtained in many forms.

    What I generally do during practice sessions is pay strict attention to the 3Fs
    Form Footwork & Focus. Of course, it's not really that simple because if someone lacks in those areas, they aspect you to correct them. Many Professional Player on the Tour today, started with their parents training them until they were able to gain a ITP Ranking. The Road is as long or short as one makes it. If you have a parent that understands the game, they can be a very good partner for you.

    I can not stress this any better than to mention Mr. Williams who taught his daughters and Jennifer Capriati, who's father was her first Coach. Steffi Graf's father played a huge part in her early development. The list goes on & on and partly due to the high cost of Professional trainers. But it is also important to understand that you can get your feet in the door by entering National Tournaments which have Open Formats and should you do well, the USTA will then assist you with grants that will get you into an Academy such as the IMG Academy run by my friend Nick Bollettieri.

    Yes when you factor the cost of travel, accommodations, food, court time, gear i.e racquets, strings, shoes, etc. It adds up rather quickly. But you don't have to be a millionaire to achieve this.

    There are (13) Tier IV & (18) Tier III Tournaments played each year. Problem is, of the 13 Tier IV Tournaments, only one is played in the USA and of the 18 Tier III Events, only two are played in the USA. So Travel therefore becomes a serious issue especially if you can't travel alone or wish not to. This is when only one parent makes the decision to travel and you are always looking at the possibility of losing in the early rounds.

    In the US, we also have Challenger Events that one can qualify for. You can obtain a listing of these events to get your name in early and when I say early, I mean early. You must realize that there are many others bidding for the few qualifying stops they have available. Should you be lucky enough to grab one of the few qualifying spots, do your best to get through to the main draw. Should you get into the main draw and if you are a good player, you could easily find yourself making it to at least the 2nd Rd providing the Tournament allows Byes for the Top Seeds, meaning you won't have to play the top seeds in the opening rounds.

    Then you have Pro by route of NCAA Sanctioned Tournaments but I'm gathering we're talking about those of you who aren't in College. Yes, Tennis is expensive but it's not out of reach as one of my good friends here believes. You have to have certain amounts of luck fall in your favor. Once you've proven yourself worthy by obtaining a ITP Ranking, getting a financial sponsor is extremely easy from that point. But beware of those bearing gifts. Or as they say, "The Devil's in the details"
    DO NOT ACCEPT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM A SPONSOR WITHOUT A CONTRACT AND AN ATTORNEY.
    Unless you wish to chance getting burnt.
    The only acceptable loss is when your opponent was better than you on that given day.
    It is never acceptable to lose when your opponent was not.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    The Noog, TN
    Posts
    28
    Shaunx, I grew up playing tennis without formal lessons. I don't think I achieved nearly the heights I might had I been given the opportunity to train with a professional. That said, I'm a pretty good player and I now teach tennis as a career. Here's my advice for your brother:

    1. Watch as much professional tennis as possible. It is amazing how much you can learn, simply by watching the world's best.

    2. Read up on the sport: Use the internet, the library, get a subscription to Tennis magazine, etc. You cannot get enough information.

    3. Hang out at the public courts. Make friends and play anyone and everyone who will give you some time on the court. Also, be on the lookout for any free (or practically free) clinics given at these public courts. The USTA does this every so often, so you need to jump on them.

    4. Find a local club and find out if they have any affordable clinics available. While you're there, find out if they have any opportunities for families of meager incomes-- you never know. One of the things that I want to do for our club is establish something like this.

    5. The Wall is your friend. I spent countless hours downstairs in our unfinished basement banging tennis balls off the wall. Now, almost all the public courts feature one of these. While it is a bit boring, it can work wonders on your technique.

  9. #9

    Talking Starting out

    All i can say is i played for 10 yr without instruction and, wish i had had coaching.
    As others have said youtube,books, other free internet sites provide free help.
    Group lessons are usually provided by most coaches and are cheap.
    I just received Oscar Wegners dvds for $100.00 and, after only watching the first dvd woud be happy to recomend them to anyone

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    703
    Quote Originally Posted by haretrigger View Post
    All i can say is i played for 10 yr without instruction and, wish i had had coaching.
    As others have said youtube,books, other free internet sites provide free help.
    Group lessons are usually provided by most coaches and are cheap.
    I just received Oscar Wegners dvds for $100.00 and, after only watching the first dvd woud be happy to recomend them to anyone
    I would just like to add that taping yourself can do wonders for your form. To sit back and see what you're doing good or not so good.

    I was in a band that played Nationally. We had a manager and the works. We regularly played in front of a wall length mirror to see how we appeared to the audience. It's all about the show, our manager would constantly say to us. Well seeing ourselves, how we stood, what our bodies were doing while we played was tremendously helpful. I personally noticed something I did while playing that I corrected immediately but wouldn't have, had I not watched myself.
    The only acceptable loss is when your opponent was better than you on that given day.
    It is never acceptable to lose when your opponent was not.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Naples, Florida
    Posts
    12

    Self Help

    No matter what you have to suppliment professional help in your brother's game. It is much easier to learn the proper techniques the first time then have to change bad habits later.

    I suggest you should check out your parks and recreation program. I know that here in Naples, Florida our Parks Program is run by a long time certified USPTA Professional and the cost for the classes are next to nothing. The other great thing about P&R Programsis that the instructors are motivated to make you a better player and they do it for the passion and not the money.

    Make sure you ask your instructor for homework to help improve your skills. Despite some of the comments earlier, tennis is an inexpensive game. You get a racquet from Wal-Mart and a couple of bucks for balls and your off to the public park or local high school where courts are usually plentiful and free. Use this to practice your serve ... use the wall to work on consistency but remember to practice smart by getting a bit of professional instruction to point you on your way to start.

    Mike Burge
    USPTA Master Professional
    www.dynamicdoubles.com

  12. #12

    training technology is on the net!

    if you cannot afford coaching but are serious about becoming a great player you need know how in high performance technique (nothing to do with beginners technique), fitness development, mental, tactical development;

    have a look at:

    http://tennistrainingsystems.net

    it's all there and has been used successfully to develop top professionals

  13. #13

    Online Tennis Teacher

    Quote Originally Posted by shaunx View Post
    Hey guys, my brother is a beginner just starting out. Unfortunately, we don't have the money at the moment to afford a private coach. he is holding out for a tennis class at the local recreation centre.
    I know that self learning tennis is pretty tough but I realise plenty of people on this board taught themselves how to learn tennis. I'm just wondering if you guys have any tips to offer on the self learning tennis front?
    Please do yourself a favor and go to www.tennisteacher.com and click on "online lessons", read through and view the tips and Intro video, and sign up for Oscar Wegner's free newsletter BEFORE you buy any other books, DVDs or sign up for tennis lessons. Thousands and thousands of people have started out in tennis, taught their kids or made improvements in their own game with Oscar's method. If you can afford it I recommend buying his DVDs to study for years to come. For the price of 2 private lessons you can get his entire set of DVDs and book. I know people who have original VHS copies of his videos that they still use as reference. If you PM me I will explain how to get into his Online Academy. Although Oscar's method works for pro players as well, it is by far the simplest, most effective way for beginners to learn to play well immediately and love the game right from the start! I was taught the conventional way, paid lots of money for lessons and didn't progress. Once I discovered Oscar's DVDs and book I was able to quickly "unlearn" faulty techniques and my game improved vastly, increasing my enjoyment of the sport tremendously. Plus, Oscar is very accessible and if you have a question about his method you can simply call him and talk to him personally - he'll be glad to answer your questions and offer his assistance.
    How good can your game get? You too can play like the Pros with The Wegner Method.
    Discuss The Wegner Method here at TW in the MTM forum or visit www.tennisteacher.com for more info.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    26
    Today, there are far more ways to learn tennis correctly without a coach. The internet has several sites that offer a wealth of information, from high speed video clips to instructional articles, to equipment info and fitness.

    However, as mentioned by another, if you try to learn the game without any feedback or clear understanding, you will certainly learn to get the ball over the net, but I guarantee that you will stagnate at the 3.0 or 3.5 levels for life.

    It is interesting to see people say that they did it themselves and are playing at the 3.5 level now after several years. While this might be construed as success, see where they are in five years. Usually it doesn't take a reasonable person with adaquate skills to get to the 3.5 level in as little as 6 to 8 months with ample hitting opportunities. However, in two or three years, a player, an adult especially, should be able to get to the 4.0 level with proper training.

    The problem is, those methods that lead to higher skill levels don't feel comfortable or familiar to most starting out...thus, they avoid them and take on easier methods that feel "right" or "Natural" and, unfortunately, gain rudementary success with such methods thus ingraining the method as feeling like the right way to go. Yet, this is the very receipe for failure in reaching any player's potential.

    Read my book TENNIS MASTERY or my newest one, COACHING MASTERY for details on these issues.

    Also, take a look at TennisOne.com for a more objective look at learning tennis. It will give you the insights to more than a dozen top-rated teaching pros who have trained thousands of top level players.
    Dave Smith
    Senior Editor, TennisOne.com
    Dunlop Master Professional
    USPTA P-1
    Former Board Member USPTA Intermountain
    Owner, St. George Tennis Academy
    Author, TENNIS MASTERY, COACHING MASTERY
    Co-Author, HIDDEN MICKEY (A Walt Disney Mystery)
    www.tennismastery.net
    www.tennisone.com
    www.coaching-mastery.com
    www.hiddenmickeybook.com
    www.synergy-books.com

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    NJ/Maine
    Posts
    11
    I still doing self tennis. I taught myself how to play tennis from videos on youtube and a book called Tennis for dummies so just keep practicing and you will be good. I still working on my serve but practice make perfect

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