John Yandell: Visual Tennis – An Alternative Approach

"Ok, I want you to prepare early, swing low to high, keep a firm wrist, rotate your hips, make contact in front, bend your knees, and keep your eyes on the ball, and while you're at it remember to stay relaxed!" Does this sound like your last tennis lesson? You hit one ball, the pro says, "OK, not bad." Then the litany of information begins again. And that's just on your forehand. Tennis is perceived as being a difficult game to learn. Any veteran student can reel off a half dozen or more "tips" about what he thinks he should be doing on each of his strokes--but probably isn't. But to what extent are these tips that every player hold so dear accurate or productive? What Pete says about his forehand: "It's just a natural feeling." A brutally honest observer who watches enough traditional tennis lessons will conclude that despite hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars, and heroic efforts on the part of both teaching pros and students, significant improvement is extremely rare . In fact the more ardent the student, the greater the likelihood that he will become frustrated by his inability to assimilate and execute what appears to...