Tennis is a game of constant coordination in motion. Players need to master movement in various directions, stop and start sprints many times within a point and have the stamina for an entire match -- all while accurately hitting the ball. With so much going into getting to and hitting, there is a lot players can do to improve all strokes on the court.
Step 1
Get in cardiovascular shape. Tennis is physically demanding. If you get tired easily, your strokes will lose power throughout the match and your hitting form might falter as well, creating more errors. Spend time off the court doing aerobic activities to build endurance two to six times a week as your schedule permits.
Step 2
Strengthen more than just your arms. Strong legs will get you to the ball efficiently and help you transfer weight effectively into a shot, generating power in all strokes. When hitting every shot except a volley, the torso rotates into the ball. Building abdominal strength improves rotation and reduces possible back injuries.
Step 3
Spend time improving form. Little things like catching the ball in front of your body with groundstrokes or not swinging with the volley make big differences in your shot production. Reduce extra wrist and elbow movements when hitting shots that require perfect timing of the ball, otherwise the racket face is slightly off, causing the ball to go out. A coach or video camera helps fine tune strokes and review the grips used for each stroke.
Step 4
Practice proper form. The more you practice, the greater muscle memory you have. If you practice the right things, your muscles remember the right thing to do. If you are tired and continue to practice poor form, your muscles will remember the wrong thing to do. It's better to take a break when tired and return to practicing later when you can focus on proper form.
Step 5
Keep your equipment in good condition. Worn strings cause the ball to fly off the racket with less control. Use the right size grip for your hand and replace it when it gets worn so that you don't lose your grip while hitting the ball. Fit the grip by grabbing the racket; there should be one bevel space -- the flat section of the grip -- between the meaty part of your thumb and your middle finger wrapped around the racket.
Tips and Warnings
- There is not one perfect stroke to hit in tennis. There are various ways to hit a forehand, backhand, volley and serve. The commonality in all proper stroke production is that the racket face is open and facing the target at contact with the ball.
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