LESSONS OR TOURNAMENTS?

If you want to win more tennis matches, is it better to have a lot of lessons or to participate in as many tennis tournaments as possible?

Unfortunately, these players are mistaken, because:

• when they lose, it’s most often because of poor shot selection and bad tactics, not poor technique,
• performing well in a lesson does not necessarily mean they’ll play well in a match,
  • when the pressure kicks in, the mind will be too occupied to rely on the new technique.
• there are certain things that are best learned in a real match like:
  • mental toughness, self-initiative, self-responsibility, ingenuity, perseverance, etc.

On the other hand, there are players who only play matches. These players think tennis lessons are a waste of time. They don’t care that their shots are technically deficient. There is only one thing for them; get the point. They believe that they will get better if they only play matches, because it will teach them how to play the ball under pressure and adapt to a game that depends on the opponent. On this point, I agree with them; their strokes and technique are only as good as they are in a match.

But one fact is true; if they only play matches, then they will never take steps forward in their tennis game (be it technique, tactics, mental, physical ability). They will continue to win against opponents they have defeated before, and lose to the ones who beat them now. Their technical skill set will always remain the same. The fact is, that a player will reach his/her sporting (tennis) maximum if he/she takes lessons and plays matches.

But what if you are a complete beginner? My advice is to start with one package of individual lessons with a tennis coach and only later start with matches. Why? Beginners have that feeling that they are not ready for individual lessons. Because they don’t have any knowledge, they think the coach won’t be able to teach them, which in turn means a waste of time and money. That’s why they decide to get at least somewhat “good” on their own, because they think that’s the only way the coach will have something to work with.

Lessons are expensive, and if you invest your money and time, you naturally expect to get something in return. If there was no “muscle memory” then waiting until you are “ready” makes sense, but muscle memory exists and is extremely important in the development of tennis strokes. As soon as you start hitting the ball against the wall, you start developing habits. That’s why I spend a lot of time helping students to unlearn habits that have been ingrained wrongly. Only then do I start with teaching new habits, and even then, I put a lot of effort into awareness, because it happens quite quickly that the player switches to old habits. It’s the same as if you wanted to learn a new language. The grammar and vocabulary of the new language would constantly get in the way with your mother tongue.

Now when I teach a complete beginner, the process of developing tennis strokes becomes much easier and faster, because the player has no habits to slow him down. Therefore, I advise beginners and players who are returning to the tennis courts after a long time, to invest in solid instructions from a tennis coach and only then participate in a match.

I understand that individual lessons with a coach are expensive and not everyone can afford them. The good thing is that there are many recordings and video clips on the Internet. This is a good cue to watch slow motion videos of top players and learn the basics. This is also one of the reasons why I started blogging and creating videos for all tennis fans, but I am by no means the only tennis coach doing this.

If you cannot afford a package of one-on-one lessons with a coach who uses a methodical process to develop strokes and instill new habits, then I advise you to look at the technique and strategy yourself with the help of free online instructions. My only advice here is to follow and stick with one tennis coach so that there is no confusion when learning, as each coach has their own philosophical approach. A very good tool to use, where you can monitor your process yourself is with a slow motion camera. Try it out, it helps.