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What was once a lowly game that people thought of only as a leisure activity in the basement is now one of the major events in the world of sports. Thanks to the hordes of aficionados for table tennis, the indoor sport has become more popular than ever attracting millions of players and spectators. It may be surprising, but table tennis has become a great game in its own right and more people are being able to witness its excitement through table tennis DVDs.
The notable popularity of table tennis stems from the sports' easy game and its very affordable equipment. Practically anyone with normal limbs can play table tennis and have fun paddling for hours. It is a good form of exercise that does not really require players to tire their bodies out. It is also very fun to watch as the ball bounces from one side to the other in a very speedy succession of movements. Ping Pong is a good spectator sport whether with a live game or through table tennis DVDs.
The game also requires not much of a setting and it indeed the ideal indoor sport. The limited space upon which it can be held also makes it ideal to be filmed on DVD or other video formats. You would not need to go to a large space or buy expensive materials to play table tennis. All you need is a table, a net, some paddles and balls. Capturing this setting in a video camera is also quite easy as the all the movements that are happening can be confined in a smaller space as compared to basketball, baseball, or football. The camera can practically just stand still and capture every action at every moment.
But do not underestimate the excitement that table tennis can bring to its spectators and players. True that it is practically just a game where in a ball is being bounced from one side of the court to another. But, it is also quite game of complicated moves, of exciting turns, jumps and maneuvers that are incomparable to other sports. Simply hitting the ball is not enough in table tennis. Professional players make each hit as artistically as possible. Watching good table tennis players is like seeing professional performers in a unique kind of performing arts. Table tennis combines the excitement of racquet sports and the flair or finesse of dance and gymnastics. And this is something that can be magnificently captured on DVDs.
Learning table tennis is also now quite easy with the help of table tennis DVDs. Not all people can afford to hire a professional trainer, and most people would think that table tennis is too easy a game to hire a trainer. But if you really want to have an edge over your friends when the ping pong game is set up, it really pays to be armed with moves that most people cannot even imagine. This is something that a table tennis DVD can give you. Affordable lessons that are as convenient as the game of table tennis itself.
There is a wide array of table tennis DVDs that are out in the market. There are DVDs of the greatest games you would ever watch. And of course there are DVDs of great table tennis lessons that can bring out the professional ping pong player in you. What is good about these DVDs is that they are filmed by the world's greatest table tennis athletes. You can watch both current and previous champions reveal the secrets that made them exceptional with their paddles. You can learn, step-by-step, how to do those daring moves from the top spins to the back spins, from the deadly smash to other good defenses. You can learn all these right in your own home.
Table tennis DVDs are now widely available through the internet. You can choose from the vast collection of table tennis videos all over the world at very affordable prices. The DVDs can even be delivered to your house for minimal costs.
Table tennis DVDs are indeed valuable for table tennis aficionados like you. So go ahead and order your video and see how soon you turn into the table tennis player you have long wanted to be.
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on table tennis, also called ping pong, checkout his recommended websites.
There are so many millions of people who play tennis everyday throughout the world. They play in public parks, country clubs, private tennis courts, and anything in between (i.e. against a wall).
Tennis is the only sport I know that begins with love and is a sport for a lifetime. I remember the great Sugar Daddy, Bobby Riggs who said in one of the many tennis clinics he taught, "Tennis is a sport you can play from cradle to grave."
Why do people enjoy playing tennis? I believe because it is a classy sport. It is a sport you can play for as short as 15 minutes or as long as 3 to 5 hours, it all depends on your ability level and motivation. I was fortunate enough to play professional tennis. I had a world ranking in the ATP Tennis of 662 in singles and 457 in doubles. I had wins over players ranked in the top 200 in singles in the world and wins over players ranked in the top 50 in doubles.
In this article, I want to provide you with the three secrets to playing your best tennis. Of course, there are more than three secrets, but three secrets are enough to help you play better tennis.
First, there is no substitute to practicing, practicing, over and over and over again. Practice is the seed to building confidence! When you practice in addition to playing tennis regularly, you will feel a sense of accomplishment, you will feel that you deserve to win because you know for yourself that you have been investing the time to improve your game. So, practice at least two to three hours extra a week if you are a club tennis player. If you are a tournament player you should practice at least 15 hours a week, which equals to 3 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Second, visualize yourself hitting the tennis ball perfectly. Imagine yourself in the movie screen of your mind that you are moving side to side, running forward and backward, hitting each ball with perfect accuracy. Visualize your forehand, backhand ground strokes being hit over the net with 3 to 5 feet clearance. Picture every stroke you hit with perfect ball control. See each of your tennis strokes, feel each tennis stroke, and experience each and every tennis stroke you hit with confidence. Repeat this each time pre and post tennis game or match. By so doing, you are training your mind or inner game to manifest itself in your outer game or physical game. Tennis is a mind game once you have learned all the fundamentals of each tennis stroke.
Third, watch the big players or your favorite tennis pro on the ATP or WTA tour and copy their tennis style. Watch YouTube videos or television footage of your favorite player over and over again until you emulate their movements. One of my favorite players to watch when I was playing competitive tennis was John McEnroe (USA) and Guillermo Villas (Argentina). I use to watch McEnroe's serve and literally copy his serve. I would watch Villas hit his ground strokes over and over again until I was mirroring Guillermo Villas' ground strokes. It was usually after watching these great tennis players in a grand slam event that I mirrored their mannerisms. After all, why event the wheel, copy what the big players do and do the same. Of course, as your tennis game matures, you will begin to develop your own style and preferences.
So, there you are the three secrets you want to know to playing your best tennis! Remember, there is no substitute to practicing each and every day in addition to playing regularly tennis matches. Begin today if you do not already do so; visualize yourself hitting the tennis ball with each and every tennis stroke perfectly until you are confident in your mind and in your heart that you can execute it with ease and confidence. And, finally, do not reinvent the wheel, copy the tennis players on the tennis tour by watching their tennis until can have someone say on the side line, "Hey, that person hits the ball like Roger Federer or Maria Sharapova." Before you know it you will be winning your club tournaments and filling your shelves with trophies.
To learn more about me: Dr. Macavinta.
Want to learn how to play tennis better? Go visit my FREE Online Tennis Lessons and become a member of my Online Tennis Club. Tell others if you like what you find. Go to: Join DMACTennis.com it's FREE [http://DMACTennis.com].
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This article goes into the basics of tennis for beginners. What are the first things you have to do when starting to play tennis? At what age should you begin? And what's the best tennis racquet to begin with?
To start, one of the best ways of learning to play tennis is to use your body's natural abilities. If you do this the right way, you will build up thousands of natural muscle connections. It will ensure that you can keep on developing and never run into a dead end along the way.
First Steps to Take
Three things are crucial to me when it comes to tennis for beginners:
Step 1 - In case you have never had previous tennis coaching, then find yourself a tennis coach who can teach you the fundamentals. Only when you have learned the basics of tennis, you can move on to more advanced stuff.
Step 2 - This is about really delving into tennis through reading, watching tennis games, and practicing tennis as much as you possibly can. My favorite motto is "sleep, drink, eat tennis".
Step 3 - Now it's time to learn specific baseline tactics and other tennis drills for beginners. The goal should be to develop as quickly as you possibly can. Your focus should be to win - playing tennis is not the same as hitting balls!
When to Start?
What is the best age to start playing tennis? The answer to this question really depends on your goals. If you really want to become part of the top 100 tennis players in the world, then you should start as young as possible. Remember that a famous tennis player like Andre Agassi picked up a tennis racquet before he could even walk. Boris Becker won Wimbledon at the age of 17, and Rafael Nadal was winning professional tournaments at age 16. One exception is Vince Spadea, but even he started playing tennis at the grand old age of 14.
The reason for this, is that young children can effortlessly develop their coordination just like young children can learn any language without effort.
However, don't let these sobering facts stop you from starting to play tennis. Even if you don't become a top 100 tennis player, tennis is still an excellent way to develop mental strength and fitness. And don't forget that for talented amateurs, Europe has leagues that pay you to represent their club. Also, many tennis players who don't make it to the top, still get good paying jobs as tennis coaches.
Your First Tennis Racquet
When you buy your first tennis racquet, it doesn't have to be a professional racquet. But unless you are particularly light or young, it should be an adult racquet. If you weigh under 80 pounds, you should go for a junior racquet, meaning any racquet under 27 inches.
Particularly, you should try to avoid the following:
Racquets with a head size under 100 square inches. Racquets with a larger head size make it easier to hit the ball and such racquets also give the player more power as they have a larger sweet spot.
"Head light racquets" that have their weight based in the handle, as they are particularly meant for advanced players and not for beginners.
Racquets that start to weigh in at under 280 pounds. Very light racquets are meant for players who are very light themselves. However, once you start off with a very light racquet, it is typically hard to change to a proper one later. So it's better never to start with a light racquet in the first place.
Aluminium racquets for beginners are the cheapest and can already be bought for $30 to $70. As you advance, you can switch to a graphite racquet which are available in the $80 to $330 price range.
Max Gregor is the editor of How-2-Tennis.com, a complete information resource for beginning and advanced tennis players. Find more about tennis terminology at his site.
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Just one year ago, Beth McCaskill, a Gainesville, Georgia competitive tennis player
began brainstorming ideas on how to grow the businesses that keep Georgia tennis
topping the charts nationally. With so many national companies advertising and selling
tennis essentials online, Georgia businesses fight for their share of the retail market.
Georgia has more competitive tennis players than ANY other state in the U.S. The
tennis clubs in Georgia have the best pros and facilities in the U.S. and need to reap
some reward. There had to be a way to connect the Georgia tennis community with all
the tennis-related businesses and facilities in Georgia. There was also a need to assist
the tennis clubs in bringing these tennis players to their courts.
The web site features monthly newsletters and informative articles including audio from
Luke Jensen (Georgia resident French Open Doubles Title Holder) and 'Juniors Corner'
by collegiate player Brooke Nord. Other key features include maps to all Georgia tennis
clubs and stores (over 2400), weather, featured events and tournaments, tennis club
web-page links, tennis club event calendars and international professional tennis news.
Photographs taken at statewide junior tournaments will also be highlighted.
"Why should Georgia tennis players be purchasing online when Georgia tennis stores
have everything the internet offers and more right here in our own backyards?" says
McCaskill. "Now our players can easily know everything that's available at ALL the
facilities in Georgia." One Atlanta tennis store owner phoned McCaskill saying "Your
web site is just what we needed, let's go!"
Tennis Players Network, which started as a twinkle in a tennis lover's eye, has now
grown over 123% in a short period of time. In a message to McCaskill, one University
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growing tennis, and giving us this opportunity."
"No, I am not an internet mogul," jokes McCaskill, "but I am delighted and proud to have
created a way to connect Georgia businesses to the tennis community. Tennis in
Georgia is tremendous compared to the other states with over 121,000 players, and
people work hard to make it that way. NO dollars should be leaving our state and going
to national or international companies. When Georgia businesses tap into the Georgia
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The rules for tennis are basic and simple. Before you begin playing tennis, make sure you understand the rules and the equipment that's required. Now that we have that out of the way, let's go over the basic rules for playing tennis.
Rules of Tennis
The basic rules for playing tennis are really simple. One of the players serve, or hits, the ball from one corner of an area that's marked, also known as a court, that's divided in half by a net that is three feet tall (about 1 meter). The goal of the opposite player is to return the tennis ball.
It should bounce only once, aiming for the other player not to be able to return it. When this is done correctly, you have scored, which means if the other player isn't able to return the ball without bouncing it once, you'll get a point.
Official tennis rules
The overall goal in tennis is to gain enough points to win games, sets, and matches. The highest score out of 3 tennis games are known as sets for women. And in men games, it's out of 5. A player only wins a set if he or she leads by at least two games.
Officials
Officials are only needed during professional tournaments. The official keeps an eye on the lines to call where or not the ball is in. The senior empire calls score, can overrule other judges, and is in a very high chair on one end of the tennis court.
There's a match referee, who sits in the stands, and is consulted if there's a major conflict during the match. If you dispute with any of the judges, you could lose a point and possibly be disqualified from the tournament
Scoring
Score keeping is part of the basic rules for playing tennis. When a player hasn't scored, it's called love. And when a player does score, it doesn't increase by single digits, it begins at 15, then go up to 30, and then 40. I'll give you an example. Let's say player 1 scores. And player 2 hasn't scored yet. Well, the score now is 15-love.
Whenever the score climbs to 40-40, it's known as a deuce. And the next person to score 2 more points wins. But let's say a player scores one point after a deuce, which is known as an advantage server or receiver, and they end up losing the next point, the score goes back to deuce. From time to time, some players agree to do away with that rule.
Equipment
A regulation size tennis court is part of the basic rules for tennis. A regulation size tennis court is 78 feet long (23.78 m). It also has a net dividing the middle of the court in half. The line where you serve is marked at 21 feet.
Next is the tennis rackets. The usual size for tennis rackets used in tournaments are 11 1/2 inches wide and 32 inches long. After that is the tennis balls. They come in different colors, however the official tennis ball for tournaments must be white or yellow.
Singles
Another basic rule for playing tennis includes playing one on one. The server, or first person to hit the tennis ball, is chosen by spinning a racket or tossing a coin. The person who wins can elect to give the other player the choice of whether or not they want to serve, choose which end they want to serve, or they can pass their option to the other player. And from there, the other player can choose which end they want to play and if they prefer to serve. The person who is able to serve is changed each game, making it a fair match.
Doubles
Serving is alternated from player to player and from team to team. It's done this way so that each of the players can serve every 4th game. It's traditional for partners to stand beside each, however, they can stand anywhere, regardless if they're serving or receiving.
Penalties
Here are some penalties that are also in the basic rules for playing tennis. They can result in points being lost. The penalties are:
1. Catching the tennis ball or carrying it in your tennis racket is against the rules.
2. Throwing your racket or any other kind of abuse.
3. If the tennis ball is carried by a person, with the exception of the racket, or if it hits a player's clothing, then it's against the rules.
4. If you touch the net, posts, your opponent, or any official, it's against the rules.
5. Hitting the tennis ball more than once before it has crossed the net.
These are the basic rules for playing tennis. Now that you know the rules, go out there and have fun.
For more information on how to play tennis, go to my blog http://www.how-to-play-tennis-like-a-pro.blogspot.com This information has helped many people like you, so if you want to really elevate your game and learn how to play like the pros, go to my blog now.
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There are many female tennis stars around the world who have won the hearts of millions of people. The list is simply never ending, but still you can spot few female tennis players that have left special mark on the game. The history of tennis is not clear but the major grand slam events gave birth to famous female tennis stars.
The female players were included in prestigious Wimbledon in 1884. But the start of 20th century was the real period when female tennis stars began to leave their impact on the game. The four grand slam tournaments Australian open, French open, Wimbledon, and U.S. open allowed many women to prove their talent in tennis. American female tennis stars Elisabeth Moore and Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman won many U.S. championship titles in early part of 20th century. Molla Mallory created history by winning eight titles from 1915. Suzanne Lenglen of France and Helen Wills Moody of the United States were the rising female tennis stars, and Moody created records by winning eight Wimbledon titles, seven U.S. championship titles, and four French championship titles.
The dominant female tennis stars in 1940s included Pauline Betz who won four U.S. championships and Louise Brough who won four Wimbledon titles. Maureen Connolly dominated tennis by winning the grand slam in 1953. Althea Gibson won both U.S. and Wimbledon titles in 1957 to become the first black woman player in history of tennis. The female tennis stars in 1960s included Maria Bueno from Brazil, Margaret Smith Court from England, and Billie Jean King from the United States.
The start of 1970 gave birth to one of the real legend in female tennis stars. Martina Navratilova from Czech Republic ruled the tennis world from 1970-1990. The only player to compete with Martina was the American Chris Evert who managed to won seven French opens and six U.S. opens in her entire career. The games between these two female tennis stars were the most intense games in history of women tennis. Martina Navratilova, a left-handed player was declared as the greatest tennis player of all times. She won 18 grand slam single titles, 31 grand slam womens doubles titles, and 10 grand slam mixed doubles titles.
Martina was unstoppable until the arrival of another legend Steffi Graf. Steffi, from West Germany is still considered to be the one of the hottest female tennis stars of all time. Steffi Graf ruled hearts of millions of people around the world by winning 22 grand slam titles. She also won a gold medal in 1988 Olympics and became the first tennis player to hold No.1 spot for a record of 377 weeks. Many other great female tennis stars such as Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain, were over-shadowed by this great legend, Steffi Graf. The injury in 1992 allowed Monica Seles to enter the exciting world of tennis. Monica Seles from America also managed to won nine grand slam titles in her entire career.
The 21st century was regarded as a new beginning in female tennis stars. The quality of play was raised and many hot tennis beauties entered the world of tennis. You can now easily enjoy the true combination of beautiful game and beautiful girls. The competition became tough and not a single player was allowed to stay on the No.1 spot for long time. Martina Hingis from Switzerland, Maria Sharapova from Russia, Daniela Hantuchova from Slovakia, Elena Dementieva from Russia, Anna Kournikova, Jelena Dokic, Jennifer Capriati, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Sania Mirza from India, Maria Kirilenko, Anastasia Myskina, etc. and above all the black beauties William sisters Serena and Venus are the most beautiful and eligible female tennis stars in history of tennis.
Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Female Tennis Stars [http://mytennisnow.info/female-tennis-stars/], please visit My Tennis Now [http://mytennisnow.info/] for current articles and discussions.
If you have not been the sporty or athletic type but are keen to take up a sport as part of your goal to adopt a healthier lifestyle, tennis is a wonderful game to pick up.
Tennis can be played according to the players' preference - slow and steady for beginners, or fast and furious for advanced players and professionals.
Tennis is also one of the few sports that uses most of the muscles on your body, which means you get a very good overall workout, and it's great for your cardio.
For these reasons, tennis is ideal as a beginners' sport, even for those who have never been active in sports.
Tennis is also a very sociable game. It takes at least two to play tennis, just like it takes two to tango. You can chit chat with your partner in between sets. Unless you're in a competitive match, you can even trade jokes during the game!
For even more fun, when you're more confident in your game, you can invite an additional two players to make it a "doubles".
What do you need?
A tennis racquet
A pair of tennis shoes (or track shoes)
Some tennis balls
A tennis court
And a partner!
What you need to know?
Here are some of the things you need to know before getting on the court.
1. How to hold the tennis racquet
Assuming you're right handed, hold the tennis racquet on your left hand. Then open up the palm of your right hand, put it against the racquet handle, and slide it down to the grip and grip it.
2. Swings
There are several basic tennis swings that beginners need to learn, but the 2 most basic are the following:
a. forehand (position of your racquet is similar to an open palm on your right hand facing the net)
b. backhand (your right hand will be across your body with the back of your hand facing the net)
You can play a game just using these two swings as a start.
3. The Tennis Court
If you're playing Singles (2 players), the "in" area of the court is demarcated by the two inner vertical lines running from one baseline to the other.
If you're playing Doubles (4 players), then you will be using all the areas within the two outer vertical lines.
The ball is always served from behind the Baseline, the horizontal lines at the back of the court.
First Time on the Court
Now that you have the necessary equipment, some basic knowledge and a partner, you're now ready to get on the court.
When you get to the court, start with some stretching exercises, either alone or together with your partner. As tennis uses the muscles in your legs and arms, be sure to include some stretching exercises that target these muscles.
Once you've completed the stretching exercises, you can warm up effectively by playing "mini-tennis" for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. This means you and your partner will be standing just behind the service boxes, and start hitting the ball to one another slowly and steadily.
After the warm up, you can now move back to the baseline to start playing a game.
As this is your first tennis game, do not get hung up on the rules of the games or the proper swinging techniques. Just hit the ball to one another. Try to keep your ball within the court, so it'll be easier for you and your partner to return the ball to each other.
The main objective for your first game is to have fun, before deciding on whether this is the sport for you. And the more times you hit the ball, the more fun you will have!
Nora Yu is a tennis enthusiast who has been playing the game for more than 5 years. For more tennis tips, visit [http://www.TennisVideoLessons.net]
While you are a talented tennis player and you doing well on any type of court, your tennis shoes might play an equally critical role in winning you crucial matches. Many professional tennis players will tell you that tennis is all about maintaining your balance while you swing.
A good pair of tennis shoes will help you strike a perfect balance between the control of your shots and power. Hence, you should buy tennis footwear that perfectly matches not only with the anatomy of your feet but also with the surface you play on. That is why professional players use different tennis shoes on different tennis court surfaces such as hard, clay, grass and carpet.
Buying the right tennis footwear is crucial to your winning games. Ill-fitting shoes can result in blisters and even ankle & knee pain. Worst of all, they will fail you in your game. Hence, follow these tips on how to buy your tennis footwear which will be in sync of your feet and help you play your best tennis.
Know Your Foot Type:
You can visit a podiatrist to know your feet type or figure it out yourself at home too. For instance, if the impression of wet feet shows a crescent-shaped foot print with little of no footmark made by your arch, you have a supinated foot. Usually, your shoes tend to wear down faster on the lateral side than your big toe. Moreover, supinated feet are wider and require tennis shoes that offer additional room in the forefoot and toe box. Additionally, you should look for tennis footwear that can provide extra cushioning to compensate for the high arches.
You have pronated feet if your foot impression shows that it`s completely filled in. Due to your flat foot, your shoes tend to wear out before the lateral part. You tennis footwear should give you extra support. Find a pair that has additional stability on the medial side or go for shoes with a mid-cut model.
You have neutral feet if your footprint impression shows a moderate amount or arch. This is most versatile and ergonomically efficient toot type. This being the most coveted foot type, you can play tennis in almost any shoes.
Understand The Shoes Anatomy:
After knowing your foot type, try to understand the footwear`s anatomy. Try different pairs to see that you feel comfortable at the upper against the top of your foot. Also, make sure your shoes have a durable toecap especially if you tend to drag your toe while you serve. Moreover, you should put special emphasis on extra material along the medial portion of the upper if you have a habit of hitting your forehand from an open stance.
While checking the insole of your tennis shoes, make sure it provides extra cushioning as it is the part where foot rests on. If you are one of those players who are fiercely aggressive on court and give their shoes a good pounding, the midsole of your tennis shoes will wear down faster and you will soon feel the need chuck out those pair and go for a new pair of tennis shoes.
The outsole affects the traction especially when you play on the clay or hard court. Those who play mostly on the hard court should look for tennis shoes with outsoles with a wide variation in the design to get the best traction.
Weigh You Options:
Ideally, you would like your tennis shoes to be as light as possible. However, tennis footwear is usually heavier than other running shoes for the simple reason that tennis shoes have extra cushions and durable outsoles that add to the weight of tennis footwear. Buy two different pairs - one with a lighter weight and the other with a heaver weight. Practice with the heavier weight so that when you play real matches with the lighter tennis shoes, you will feel more comfortable to zip around the court.
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for PoloMercantil
A tennis shirt is actually what most people are referring to when they say "polo shirt" or "golf shirt." These are a type of t-shirt that has a collar, two or three buttons down the front slit, and two side slits on the bottom. They often come with a chest pocket and made from such fine fabrics as; knitted pique cotton, merino wool, and silk.
Rene Lacoste, a 7-time tennis Grand Slam winner from France, is credited as the first person to create the tennis shirt when he introduced his shirt design in 1929. The idea of creating the shirt came to Lacoste because the tennis apparel up to that time consisted of long-sleeved shirts, trousers and ties. The clothes worn by tennis players on the tennis court during the 19th and early 20th centuries were more appropriate for offices. Besides, the dress shirts worn on the courts were stiff and the ties heavy.
On the other hand, Lacoste's tennis shirt had a thick collar, was loose and non-starched, was made of pique cotton, had side slits at the bottom, and sported a longer shirt-tail. The thick collar, when turned up, provided protection to the neck so that the player didn't get sun burned.
What's interesting about Lacoste's tennis shirt was that polo players were already wearing shirts of the same design since the late 19th century. Back then, they wore long-sleeved shirts that had a button-down collar. These shirts were made of thick Oxford-cloth cotton. Even though the collar of this shirt-style was thick and didn't constantly flap from the wind, these polo shirts were still not comfortable nor were they convenient to wear. Thus, when polo players discovered Lacoste's shirt design during the 1930s, they didn't think twice about adopting his design for their polo shirt.
It didn't take long for tennis shirts and polo shirts to be synonymous. When the 1950s came around, polo shirts were regarded as formal tennis attire in the United States. Even tennis players were calling their attire "polo shirt". In reality, though, the "polo shirt" was actually first worn during a tennis game and not during a polo game.
The polo shirt reached its peak of popularity in 1967 when Ralph Lauren introduced his original clothing line aptly named Polo. Ralph Lauren's shirts weren't made for players to wear during polo games but the association of the polo shirt with the idea of leisure propelled his shirt into an instant hit with non-polo players.
Golf attire used to be formal, but in the 20th century, golf players started to wear less formal and more easygoing golf apparel. It wasn't just polo players who started adopting the tennis shirt as standard sports attire, but golf players as well. Today, you'll see most golf players wearing these shirts at tournaments. However, since golf is very different from tennis, the tennis shirts for golf players has to have a different cut design which differentiates the golf shirt from a tennis shirt.
Tennis shirts are so common today; they are worn by practically anyone whether they play sports or not. Men and women wear them regardless of occasion. Clothing companies typically have their own version of Lacoste's shirt. These shirts are the perfect attire for times when round-collar t-shirts are too informal and formal business wear is too overdressed. You'll find semi-professional people and those in the retail industry often wearing tennis shirts to work. In many workplace environments, these shirts are acceptable work attire as they're smart and casual.
Then in the 1990s, the tennis shirt became the standard attire (business informal/casual) in the high-tech industry. This eventually spread to other industries. Companies eventually started printing their logos on tennis shirts when they became the corporate apparel. This way, the shirts provide the ultimate casual work wear while setting corporate identity and uniformity among employees at the same time.
In sports, tennis shirts are the standard attire. Caddies, umpires, and sports announcers wear tennis shirts. The shirts are also commonly worn in schools both by teachers and students. In many schools, these shirts are actually the required uniform.
Tennis shirts are, above all, associated very closely with sports, so most tennis shirts come in light colors, with white being the most typical color. Aside from the color, the "tennis tail" is another feature of the shirt design. Tennis shirts typically have a back that is a few centimeters longer than the front of the shirt. This is actually an original design by Lacoste. The tennis tail is designed such that when a tennis player leans forward, the back of the shirt remains tucked in his shorts.
Tommy has a collection of Lacoste Polo shirts that he has worn for several years without the fabric looking worn or the colors becoming faded. At a reasonable price, he recommends Lacoste Polo shirts and for outdoor headwear, Lacoste hats. He even keeps the money he saves from buying online, at less expensive prices rather than in his local mall, in his Lacoste wallet.
You mean there's more than one way? Yes, there is; and yes, you really can beat a tennis player who is supposedly a 'better' tennis player than you are. Before I tell you how, though, I want you to imagine this:
Imagine that you could stop time at the exact moment that your opponent hit a tennis ball toward you. Would that be great, or really great? Let's see what we could discover about what our opponent is going to do and exploit if we could magically stop time. First, we could discover the following:
o We could tell where the ball was going; this would allow us to get into position, and once we were in perfect position, we could 'start time' again and hit an awesome shot, because we'd be ready for it.
o We could analyze our opponent's position on the court, and decide where we wanted to hit the ball - obviously, to a spot on the court that would make it difficult for our opponent to return the ball.
o We could see what type of spin was on the ball, and be ready for it.
o We could see where our opponent's body position is relative to the center of the baseline, and perhaps try to 'wrong-foot' our opponent.
There are all kinds of things you could do, and in this 'magical' scenario they would all help us to win a match. There is, however, one thing that this scenario would allow us to do is 'steal time'. What I mean by that is, even when you magically 'started' time again, the same number of seconds would continue to tick off, and we'd still have to properly execute the shots that all the above 'analysis' allowed us to be ready to hit.
There is, however, a way to steal time from you opponent. What I mean by 'stealing' time is giving your opponent less time to react than normal. If you and your opponent are both on the baseline, slugging ground strokes back and forth to each other, hitting the tennis ball at the peak of its bounce, the advantage will always go to the player with:
o More powerful & more accurate ground strokes
o Better movement
o Better physical conditioning
This is a given. Just watch a couple of early round matches on the slow red clay at the French Open and any doubts you may have will be swiftly removed. However, there is a way that the 'better' player can be beaten, if you can learn how to 'steal' the time they need to prepare for their next shot. There is one time-tested, match-proven, Grand Slam Tournament proven way to steal your opponent's time. The way to do it is to...drum roll please....ready?....hit the ball on the rise.
This is a sure-fire way to reduce your opponent's reaction time. Most players, however, back up when a tennis ball is hit deep into their court. Their logic is to get into position to hit the ball after it peaks, while the ball is traveling down, and into their 'wheelhouse' (approximately waist level). They are more comfortable doing this because:
o That's how they've been taught to do it, so they won't 'miss-hit' the tennis ball
o They've been fed thousands of tennis balls this way by their local tennis pro when they were first learning how to hit ground strokes.
o It's easier to hit the tennis ball on the 'way down' from the peak of it's bounce because the ball has slowed down, making it easier for the player to hit with their current level of hand-eye coordination.
o Since they've 'backed up' well behind the baseline to wait for the tennis ball to drop into their wheelhouse, the odds of hitting a ball 'long', past the opponent's baseline, decrease.
You could call all of the above reasons 'logical', but they won't help you beat a 'better' tennis player because of the following:
o Just getting the ball back over the net is not enough to beat a 'better' player.
o While you were 'backing up' behind the baseline waiting for the ball to fall into your wheelhouse to you could hit it, your opponent was recovering from their shot and moving back into position to get ready for your next shot. This will not help you to beat a 'better' player.
o Now that you're well behind the baseline when you hit your shot, it will take you extra time to get back into position for your opponent's next shot - and remember, they're already in position for your next shot (that's one of the reasons they're the 'better player')! This again will not help you to beat a 'better player'.
Fear not, however. If we stand our ground on or just behind the baseline (6-12") during ground stroke rallies and hit the ball on the rise, all of a sudden a world of possibilities opens up for us. If you make sure to stand your ground and don't back up, then what happens is the following: When you receive your opponent's shot, the ball will still be traveling through your wheelhouse, but it's traveling from the ground up, and it's moving faster than it would be if we let it reach its peak and start back down again. Here's how you benefit and your opponent suffers (Doom on them):
o Since you're now hitting the tennis ball as soon as it bounces up off the court, you are giving your opponent less time to react to your shot. (Tennis players are human beings, too; and most humans look for the 'easiest' way to do something, rather than the most 'efficient'. It's human nature; so most players, including so-called 'better' players than you wait for the tennis ball to bounce up and back down again before they hit it. Since this is the case, your opponent will not be used to playing people who hit the ball on the rise. They are not prepared for a tennis ball that comes back at them so quickly. This will help you to beat a 'better' tennis player).
o You are now in better position to react to you opponent's next shot, because your not six feet behind the baseline trying to get back into position; you're already there! Your 'better' opponent is used to hitting winners and forcing errors because again, most of the 'better' player opponents are behind the baseline waiting for the ball to drop into their wheelhouse. By being proactive and hitting the ball on the rise, you make your opponent work harder and harder to pull you out of position. This will help you to beat a 'better' tennis player.
To give you an idea of just how important hitting the ball on the rise is, and the dramatic results you can get by doing so, here's a list for you to look at. While not a complete list, here are some examples of former and current Men's Grand Slam Singles Tournament Winners who could - and did - consistently hit the ball on the rise:
Pete Sampras ( 7 Wimbledons, 5 U.S. Opens, 2 Australian Opens)
Roger Federer ( 5 Wimbledons, 4 U.S. Opens, 3 Australian Opens)
Jimmy Connors ( 5 U.S. Opens, 2 Wimbledons, 1 Australian Open)
Andre Agassi ( 4 Australian Opens, 2 U.S. Opens, 1 Wimbledon, 1 French Open)
In the last 33 years (since 1974), there have been 132 Men's Grand Slam Tournament Singles Winners, and the four men above account for a almost third of them. If you add the 20 combined Grand Slam Singles Runner-Up finishes they had, you're looking at 62 Grand Slam Singles Finals among those four players. That's almost HALF of the four yearly Grand Slam Singles Finals for a period of 33 years, shared by these four players - who all hit the ball on the rise. This statistic should open your eyes.
Why don't more players hit the tennis ball 'on the rise'? Simple answer: It takes practice, and timing, and faith, and persistence; in short, it takes work. But you can do it. Persistence is the key. If you can commit to it, and not rest until you get the results you want, you've won 90% of the battle; and a whole new - and better - game awaits you. There are several techniques I utilize when teaching my students the 'how' of hitting the ball on the rise that I do not have the space to fit into this article. Just remember that you don't have to get it perfect; just get it going. Start hitting the ball on the rise, and practice, practice, practice! Then watch that 'better' player wonder just why you're so hard to beat these days!
To Your Massive Tennis Success,
Coach Kyril
Kyril Popoff is a former NCAA Div1 All-Conference Tennis Player, Instructor, Coach and Author.
His books include THE TEN LAWS OF TENNIS SUCCESS and FOCUS & WIN: WHY YOUR TENNIS GAME ISN'T WHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE, & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT!
You can sign up for Coach Kyril's Tennis Lessons, Tips & Tricks newsletter at: http://www.coachkyriltennis.com
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Do you play tennis? In that case, you must have the necessary tennis equipment with you. However, the most basic tennis equipment is the tennis racquets. Without the racquets, the game cannot be played. Apart from the racquets, necessary tennis equipment are not many though you would need a tennis court to play the game. However, in this article, we will tell you about the tennis racquets.
Purchasing the tennis racquets is a huge investment. Therefore when you purchase, you must make sure that you buy the perfect one so that it can help you to improve in your game.
If you are serious about the purchase of a good racquet, you must consider few factors.
? Make sure that you buy the tennis racquets in accordance with the size of your grip. You should choose the size which goes well from the middle crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger. The grip size should not be either too large or too small in size.
? You should then consider the size of the head of the tennis racquets. This will however, depend on your playing standard. You can go for a larger head which permits more spin on the ball.
? The length of the racquet is also an important factor for enhancing your performance in the game. You should remember that longer the length of the racquet, greater would be the leverage on the swing. Consequently, you would be able to give more power to a shot.
? Then you should consider the weight of the tennis racquets and the materials with which it is made. Try to go for a light weight racquet especially if you are a beginner in this game. The racquets which are made of graphite are generally light in weight and at the same time also provide good power and control. Some light weight tennis racquets are also made of aluminum or titanium. You can also consider those materials because they also serve more or less the same function as that of graphite. You would also find other materials of tennis racquets.
? Consider the beam width. If the beam is wide, you would be able to give a powerful shot because the trampoline effect of the strings would get enhanced.
In a similar way, you should consider several things while purchasing any other tennis equipment. Tennis is a rich game. Therefore the tennis equipment is also quite costly. Therefore you should make investments carefully and properly so that your tennis equipment is really worth the value of your money.
If you want to purchase Tennis raquets or any other kind of tennis equipment, you can blindly log on to thetennisshop.com.au. Here you would get all varieties of materials and sizes at the best prices. This is an authorized dealer which will best look after your needs and you can expect to get immediate delivery as soon as you place the order.
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It is a question that must be in the minds of many coaches and federation leaders around the world. At the French open in 1984 I was approached by the head of the Australian junior development program R.R. at the time and was asked if I would like to join the AIS junior development coach team, the reason being: "we need to develop the "Spanish" clay court game in our juniors". My answer was, "I am honoured with your offer but you must keep in mind that I am a strong believer in the all-round game as well as in the teachings of Mr. Harry Hopman". Needless to say, I never heard from AIS again for years to come.
The Australian Open went on to adopt the slow surfaced rebound Ace tennis courts that totally handicapped their marquee players Patrick Rafter, Mark Phillipoussis and of late a French clay court especially developed for Australia is at Melbourne Park. "Tennis Australia officials like to refer to the particular blends of red dirt as 'Factor X'." (Investment in French clay By Margie McDonald December 16, 2005 "The Australian, Australia's national daily newspaper"). This would be pretty harmless if the likes of Richard Fromberg 6'5'' (195 cm) a baseliner, Lleyton Hewitt 5'11'' (180 cm) defensive baseliner (counter puncher) would not show as by-products of such a grand scheme.
In the USA an identical phenomena happened with the death of Mr. Harry Hopman in 1985, players went looking elsewhere for new training havens. A large sports management group very intelligently bought a tennis academy in 1987, then started and to this day continues to furiously herd present clients and every future tennis star to train there, as well as promoting itself with magazine ads, magazine and TV interviews and various other connections its power within the sport of tennis allows them. With this huge marketing machine and new clients being scouted, signed up and pumped in from around the world, the dawn of baseline robotic tennis and two handed backhands supported by excellent forehands was at hand.
Fortunately, players like John McEnroe, Pat Cash, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Pat Rafter, Pete Sampras and now Roger Federer escaped the onslaught and were privileged to have Coaches/Teachers that offered them the option to fully develop their games with one handed backhands, the serve and volley and the all-round game.
Australia and the USA, as dominant tennis nations for many years, were the standard that others followed to develop their players. Now let us make a small tally of the damage poor development principals can do world wide; false "gurus", teachers conferences, tennis clinics, papers and books, DVD's and VHS, interviews, "expert" magazine articles, tennis camps and sloppy training.
How did poor development affect talented players? Let us take Lleyton Hewitt for an example:
What do you think Lleyton Hewitt would be doing to the elite now, if at a young age, he had developed a good one handed backhand, a decent serve and a serve and volley combination? My forecast would be, that Hewitt with the amazing speed he moves on the tennis court and his aggressive nature, Roger Federer would not be humbling him now with short scores like; Wimbledon 2005, 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) or US Open 05 6-3 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3, or with other even more humiliating defeats!
Another example, Andre Agassi what would he have done, if at an early age, he had developed a good one handed backhand, a decent serve and a serve and volley combination? Agassi with his quick thinking, great anticipation (exceptional eyes), creativity and fantastic foot speed, Andre would have amassed more Grand Slams then anyone that ever played the game! (After all these years of watching him play, in spite of all his talent, I still cringe when he volleys or hits a slice backhand!).
Andy Roddick is another flagrant case, of playing robotic tennis sometimes up to 12 feet behind the baseline or whatever the back of the court allows, out-slugging opponents with little imagination or creativity, at 6'2'' (187 cm) you can imagine the threat this young man would be at the net to his opponents instead! What a waste of energy and raw talent! It is plausible that you all remember his last defeat at Wimbledon, if Andy had a solid backhand volley to speak of and knew that most attacks are down the line instead of cross court, Roger Federer today would now be reflecting about the Wimbledon he lost and not the one he won!
Sérgio Cruz you are writing this article but you were responsible for the further development of Jim Courier in 1988/89/90? Oh, yes I was! I can tell you with all honesty, as much as I liked Jim, I was disgusted at the lack of variation, defensive skills, volleys or serve and volley. As an experienced tournament player myself, I knew that I could not make radical changes in Jim's game (especially since he was already 18 years old), so I gradually made the following additions to his armour:
- Instead of the permanent run of the mill inside out forehand only, I introduced the inside in down the line winner ("non percentage") that he started using after the Stockholm Open 1988 as a surprise factor throughout his career.
- Taught Jim the one handed backhand slice as a variation, as a defensive shot and as an aggressive shot especially in the approach to the net.
- Introduced him to smart serving, all spins and variations plus the serve and volley combination.
- Worked extensively on Jims volleys, foot work included (seeding the premise to his mind that "you end up winning big matches at the net" which he did after the rain delay in Roland Garros final against Andre Agassi.)
- Taught him from scratch the jumped overhead smash, foot work included.
- Influenced him to play doubles with Pete Sampras in an attempt to develop Jims volley and serve and volley skills. (They did not do too bad, won the Italian Open and at some point they were as high as 3 in doubles on the ATP Ranking and made it to the ATP Doubles finals at Royal Albert Hall, England, 1989.)
- Through hard conditioning training, I helped Jim become one of the fittest tennis players on the ATP tour and created the base for his future success! (Andre only achieved that kind of fitness in 1996 with Brad Gilbert!)
Yes, I must admit I did not do everything perfect, if I could go back in time to Rome 1990, I would not have allowed Jim's agent or the ATP to influence him to play the Nations Cup in Düsseldorf, instead of as we had planned resting that very week just before the French Open! Unfortunately I feared to hurt Jim's confidence by saying that playing Düsseldorf would compromise his performance at the French but that was dumb of me! It cost us a years work and a French title for which Jim was then ready!
Going back to, "how does poor development affect talented players?" Parents, teachers and coaches, have to understand that tennis is a very complex process that cannot be alienated by success alone. Sometimes losing at an earlier age in order to develop the right game or strokes is far more important.
For example, I have taken young players to ITF and ETA tournaments where I observed doubles teams playing whole matches at the baseline! This makes me often think that I am in the "Twilight Zone" or in some kind of a nightmare! This kind of attitude from coaches often condoned by shortsighted parents is exactly what produces robot tennis players and stymies development.
Now what did Australia and the USA have in common that made them dominant tennis nations for many years and was ignored from top officials and cognoscenti, I could argue:
- They ignored and denied the greatest asset their players had and that was the extraordinary innate ability their players had to volley from any position on the court unlike any other players from other nations.
- They ignored and denied the extraordinary inborn ability Australians and Americans had to serve and volley with all its nuances perfected to an art through the years, which players from other nations could not rival!
- Finally, they ignored and denied the unequalled perhaps genetic ability their players had to approach and attack the net to set up easy put away volleys from any position on the court, coupled with the athleticism to hit incredible overhead smashes when lobbed!
After so many years of playing the game and observing other players from all over the world, I am lead to believe that even though there is always an exception to the rule some countries have generated a larger share of risk-takers, quality net rushers, serve and volley, all-round players then other countries:
They are Australia, USA, England and México. Germany was a late entry with Becker and Stich.
On the other hand other countries produced great defenders and counter punchers:
Spain, Argentina followed by Italy & Sweden with a dry spell at the moment.
This leads me to believe, barring exceptions, that certain groups of individuals (Nations) have certain genetic characteristics that are more suited to the attacking all-round game then others, in this particular case Australia and USA.
That is why I dare say; that by making baseline robots out of Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and others with fantastic innate athleticism and abilities, myopic officials, leaders and teachers denied them an even higher ground in the tennis world.
Roger Federer has opened the Pandora box by blatantly showing the short comings of his peers and now there is no more place were to hide, officials, teachers and coaches have to come to recon that, slowing down surfaces, introducing bigger and heavier tennis balls to favour baseliners and limiting tennis to hitting the ball mindlessly harder and harder from the baseline is just not enough! It is time for a change to one form or another of "retro tennis" the creative skilful "old" all-round game.
It is never too late but you better learn all skills while you are young, I would say very, very young!
Ok, enough of "status quo" bashing as I am critical of such shoddy tennis development, I am also responsible to present solutions, here it goes:
Five effective "old" ways to develop the all round player in you!
All athletes are influenced by several factors in their development but no other has more relevant position on the scale then training and training methods. I am not going to get in depth nor the details or individual specifics of training, I will rather give you a basic training session.
Presently about 80% to 90% of the tennis training time of most players is spent on the baseline. When designing your training, reverse the trend and schedule 60% to 70% of the training involving the net game and all of it's components:
1- Start the warm-up with all players at the net gently volleying to each other (cross-court or down-line). Transition to a mini-tennis serve & volley in the service box (all touch shots)
2- Switch to all players at the baseline and have them play a 2 x 5 minute control drill cross court to each other, involving all spin and pace variations, the use and development of the slice (forehand and backhand). Play a 7 point a baseline game 1 against one or 2 against 2 all court (2 points awarded for points own at the net).
3- Transition to one player at the net one at baseline, work on consistency and control volleys, after 3 to 5 minutes switch player positions (This can be done cross or up the line). Play a game to 7 or 11 points, where the player at the net is obliged to play a nice deep volley of off the feed from the baseliner (first volleys landing inside the service box are points for the player feeding). Players will keep the net position as long as they win, once they lose a point they have to quickly move to the baseline and the opponent moves to the net.
4- Start a serve and volley exercise preferably up the line emphasis on serve spin variation and solid volleying. The return focuses on bringing the ball back into play low to the opponents feet or with chip shot (returns), on second serves even simultaneously going to the net and force a quick volley battle! :-). After 3 to 5 minutes warm up, play a serve and volley match (no aces allowed!), 7, 11, 15 or 21 points.
5- Finish the training session with a team or individual point play were serve and volley points are worth 3 points, points won at the net (approach shots, chip-charge etc.) are worth 2 points, points won from the baseline are worth 1, exception for clean winners 2 points! Play it to 21 points.
As I said at the beginning this is just a basic training suggestion you can go from here in any direction you may wish to, just keep in mind that the net game is the focus. I estimate this training session to go for 1.30 hour to 2 hours. If you do include variations of this training on your schedule 2 to 3 sessions a week and reverse it to the baseline training the other days, you will soon see a substantial increase in the confidence you (your players) will have at the net as well as a much higher percentage of variety and creative plays that will emerge during match play.
As an instructor and former all court decent player I sincerely believe that, if you do not give your young players the opportunity to develop a well rounded game of tennis that encompasses all facets of it, you are denying that youngster (or adult) the possibility to develop himself into a better, more creative, more curious, more interesting tennis player. Enjoy "The Game".
For comments or ideas about this article please email the author Sergio Cruz
Copyright © 1999-2005 Tenniscruz.com®. All rights reserved.
Sergio Cruz is ex # 1 National Champion, Davis Cup Player from Portugal and former Coach Jim Courier ATP World Ranking # 1
Contact: cruz@tenniscruz.com - http://www.tenniscruz.com - [http://www.forum.tenniscruz.com]
When global bass music matriarch Mary Anne Hobbs recently told The Fader ''Flying Lotus, for me,is like the Hendrix of his generation'', it seemed more than an audacious opinion, and with the arrival of Cosmogramma, it's revealed as a revelation. In the past couple of years since his debut album, Los Angeles, Flying Lotus has grown into the position of being far more than a producer, he has helped materialize a far-reaching strain of musical ideology that has encompassed not only a global family of like-minded artists, but also a nearly infinite palate of planetary (and interplanetary) sonics. No longer simply an outgrowth of Ellisona's machines, the music here is also the product of live instrumentalists from the worlds that Cosmogramma engages. There's the constant bass presence of ''Thundercat'', a cornerstone of Sa-Ra Creative; there's Rebekah Raff's harp connecting the dots between the music of Harry Partch and Ghostface Killah (both of which she's performed); there's an appearance by the tenor sax of Steven's cousin and jazz royalty, Ravi Coltrane, and by the voice of one Thom Yorke, an Oxford bloke taking respite from singing in the most influential rock band of the 21st century.Price: $14.98
Tennis Twist is undoubtedly the best value when looking to purchase tennis ball machines. This product is priced very reasonably at around $230, making it the most affordable tennis ball machine available by far. Despite being the lowest priced tennis machine, the Tennis Twist is also very light and battery operated, making it very transportable and it will fit in the backseat of any SUV. The Tennis Twist also supplies tennis balls at a constant rate providing great repetition that will make a practice session valuable. Whether you want to practice your backhand or just need someone to play with, this tennis machine will make you better at tennis. And because a tennis machine doesn't screw up, you don't have to worry about bad hits while practicing. You get to hit a consistent shot practicing your form for 28 repetitions to help structure your muscles and develop your mental discipline.
Unique Features of the Tennis Twist
Tennis Tutor wanted to design a lightweight machine and they were looking to create a cheap tennis ball machine that would provide basic features that would allow any skill level, basic to intermediate to advanced, to get a excellent and reliable experience. The distinctive spiral design automatically feeds the 28 tennis balls. The ball machine then lobs out a ball every 5 seconds giving you time to take the shot, evaluate it, and recover in time for the next ball. The best way to use the unit is to position it at various spots based on the style of shot you want. Because the tennis system doesn't have any oscillation features, the only means of changing the shot is to change the position. You'll also want to place the Tennis Twist on the same side of the net because it only shoots about 10 feet or so. Although if you want to practice the overhead smash you'll need to put it on the opposite side of the net.
These are just a few examples of what makes this tennis machine different from other tennis machines. To get a better look at how the tennis machine works and some additional benefits (and even some weaknesses) you'll want to check out a Tennis Twist review.
Comparing the Tennis Twist
The Tennis Twist is the best value for the money when it comes to tennis machines, but how does it compare to other, more expensive machines? One popular brand of tennis ball machine is the Lobster Elite line. Just looking at the cheapest lobster tennis ball machine, you would spend $850 which is nearly 4 times as much as the Tennis Twist. Is it worth four times more? The Lobster Elite Freedom, which is the cheap tennis ball machine, has adjustable speeds, a higher ball capacity, and a nice horizontal oscillation feature that will alternate the shots around the court. The speed adjust feature is helpful because it allows you to hit the ball faster;however, the key to a good practice is solid form and hitting more balls doesn't necessarily make you better. As far as the hopper capacity goes, the unit provides a 2 minute rally and unless you are in fantastic physical shape, 2 minutes is a good workout. And with the Lobster's oscillation feature, it can be good practice running to each side of the court, but you can effectively do the same thing with the Tennis Twist with some creativity. For an extra $630 you get some nice features, but not really necessary.
Another popular ball machine is the official Tennis Tutor model. This system costs around $950 and is practically the same as the Lobster Elite Freedom when it comes to features. So when reviewing the Tennis Twist against the Tennis Tutor ball machine, you save close to $700. Don't get me wrong, these expensive tennis ball machines do have their place. If you are a competitive player or a coach, many of these models will have valuable features, but if you need a cheap tennis ball machine to help you get better at tennis, there is no better value.
Where to Get the Best Price on Tennis Twist Tennis Ball Machine
Whether you live in the US, UK, or anywhere else in the world, in order to get the lowest price on a Tennis Twist you'll need to look around online. There are many physical stores that have an online website and frequently will advertise specials. A surefire idea would be to check out a Tennis Twist review as many times they'll give you ideas on how to save money buying a tennis ball machine.
Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world today. Every kid, while growing up, dreamed of becoming a sport personality, and being a tennis star in one of them. Tennis as a fitness could change the lifestyle of any kid. More parents nowadays are considering tennis as a good sport for their kids. Any tennis trainer or coach can testify the long list of benefits the sport of tennis could give to a child. Aside from fitness the obvious, the sport of tennis has much to offer including valuable lessons that can be used in our daily lives.
Developing the mental aspect
A child, who plays tennis at an early age, shows amazing energy levels in their everyday activity. Improved self esteem is mostly associated with young tennis players, the sports might not be team oriented but most of these players have a lot of respect towards each other. Tennis teaches the child how to handle pressure not only in the tennis court, but could also be applied in real life situations. Mental development is enhanced while playing tennis. The sport does not only require physical skills, but also needs mental aspect as well. In tennis, you cannot just beat opponents via skills; kids could develop their mental alertness through tactics and strategies coaches and trainers share to them.
Let's get physical
We all talk about how tennis could improve the fitness of children. So what exactly does the sport of tennis contribute to the physical aspect of the child?
Flexibility is an important physical attribute in playing tennis. At a tender age, the child can develop his or her flexibility. Playing tennis improves many muscles in the body; swinging the racket back and forth is very beneficial to hand muscles; constant movement in the court could develop the child's leg muscles. Fitness experts also believe that while playing tennis, back muscles are strengthened. Tennis could also improve the well being of the heart, and the bones of young children are strengthened lowering the risk of osteoporosis as they get older. Weight loss can be easily be achieved while playing tennis.
Going social and emotional
Tennis demands discipline, a kid must have this trait in order to be good in tennis. Coaches and trainers don't want to see their players practice regularly. The value of hard work is greatly emphasized in the sport of tennis, a player might be as talented as other players but due to hard work he or she can surpass expectations. Tennis sharpens the rational thinking of the child through formulating strategies and tactics against opposing opponents. Sportsmanship is learned by the child at a young age through tennis, in this way the child learn s how to accept defeat, and by doing so he or she is motivated to work harder in order to achieve goals.
The most important aspect of tennis to a kid is that playing the game is fun. Learning the sport of tennis is difficult, but parents should not forget that kids are entitled to have fun. After all tennis is a game.
Sandra Chaser has helped a lot of people over the years with everything from www.kidshelmet.co.uk, to Flip Front Helmets, and other baby, kids and teens topics.
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