Home Tennis - Tennis at Home: Six Ways to Improve Your Tennis Game from Home (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown)

Six Ways to Improve Your Tennis Game from Home
1. Practice Shadow Swings
2. Get Creative with Tools You Have Around You
3. Practice Visualization Techniques
4. Get in Tennis Shape thru Home Exercises, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates
5. Learn from the Best Players thru Online Videos
6. Improve Your Tennis IQ thru Articles, Books, Websites, Podcasts, Videos

For more on this topic, see: How to Improve Your Tennis Game at Home, by TennisGate Online Academy

The Virus and Tennis: Poignant Photos in the Age of the Virus (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown)

Competition and Tennis - What Players Should Know (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown: Knowledge from Home)

Competition in Tennis: Here's a few unvarnished pointers from experienced coaches that players should know:

1. Competitive tennis is hard work.  Stop looking for short cuts. 

2. There is no such thing as an indirect win.  Peter beat Tony and I beat Peter so I beat Tony.  Sorry! You have to beat Tony on the court.

3. No one cares if you lost because you played badly.  Stop annoying us and keep it to yourself.

4. Before you beat anyone, you have to win the battle against yourself. Conquering your fears and emotions is step one during competition.

5. Thinking you are better than someone else is not quite the same as beating him/her on the court.

6. I am sorry to shock you but tennis is a running game.  Shut up and run!

7. If you want to win, there is one rule you cannot ignore: The ball has to land inside the lines and clear the net.  There are no points for style.

8. The most important element of a clean winner is the “in” factor not the “hard” factor.

9. You get a point for a winner and you lose a point for an unforced error.  They both count the same. Make sure it balances in you favor at the end of the match.

10. You cannot always practice with better players because better players want to practice with better players.

For many more pointers, see: What Every Coach of Competitive Players Hopes His or Her Players Will Eventually Understand, by TennisGate Online Academy

Pilates and Tennis (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown: Knowledge from Home)

Pilates is a physical fitness exercise system developed in the early 20th century by German physio-trainer Joseph Pilates. It's methodology is called "Contrology", and aims to elevate optimum health by improving the human mind and body. Pilates seeks to strengthen the core or "powerhouse", enhance lower-body stability, and improve overall flexibility through controlled movements. 

Qualities of Pilates applicable to tennis include: 

*Core strength and stability

*Balance and coordination

*Flow, alignment and centering

*Breathing and relaxation 

For more reading on Pilates: 

1. Improve Your Tennis Game with Pilates (Boston Magazine) 

2. Andy Murray Turns to Pilates to Ease the Soreness and Stiffness (Independent)

3. The Effect of Pilates Reformer Exercises to Tennis Skills on Tennis Players (Study by Mine Gul, Kocaeli University, Turkey on 14 Elite Female Tennis Players Age 16 to 18 Finding Positive Effect on Ability to Reach Ball and Recover for Next Shot - July 2019) 

Watch Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash Demonstrate PilatesCourtesy: Firefly Entertainment

Yoga and Tennis (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown: Knowledge from Home)

Yoga consists of a collection of physical, mental and spiritual practices originating from ancient India. It constitutes a school of Hindu philosophy about the body, mind and the Universe. In the West, it has developed into physical fitness exercises offering stress relief and relaxation. Yoga has cross-training benefits with other sports such as, of course, tennis. 

Qualities of Yoga applicable to tennis include:

*Balance
*Flexibility

*Core and Lower Body Strength and Stability
*Mindfulness of "the Present" and Breath Control

For more reading on Yoga:

1. Yoga is the Perfect Workout for Tennis Players (Tennis Life Magazine)

2. 5 Yoga Moves for Tennis Players (ESPN.com)

Watch ATP Player Sam Querrey Demonstrate Yoga

Courtesy: ATP Tour

Tai Chi and Tennis (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown: Knowledge from Home)

Tai Chi is the Chinese marital art and exercise regime from the 16th Century practiced for self-defense, health benefits and meditation. It utilizes the Chinese cosmological concept of yin and yang (the opposing forces of balance in mind and body). Tai Chi also offers to enhance the body's natural biological and spiritual "flow" called Qi.

Qualities of Tai Chi applicable to tennis include: 

*Core and Lower Body Strength and Stability
*Balance and body awareness
*Weight-shifting
*Projecting internal energy
*Focus and stillness 

For more reading on Tai Chi: 

1. Cross-training with Tai Chi (and tennis and other sports)

2. Health Benefits of Tai Chi (Harvard Health Publishing)

Observe Tai Chi Moves of Roger Federer and Serena Williams

("Upper Half Body Turn" and "Upper Quarter Body Turn")

Courtesy: Classical Tai Chi

Confidence and Tennis: Tennis Quote of the Day - "Confidence" (Tennis and the Coronavirus Lockdown)

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

"Confidence comes from disciplined hard work. A supremely confident player has lost the fear of losing and the fear of winning." Paul Annacone, Former Coach to Roger Federer and Pete Sampras