Tennis Beginner Planning?

Question

I am going to be a freshman in college next year. I never played sports in HS but managed them (and we didn't have tennis in HS). I not strong at all but definetly DO NOT need to loose any weight.

I want to learn tennis and be able to at least try out for a team at the small college i'm going to next fall. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get ready in a short amount of time and become the best athlete i can be within reason and this timeframe.

I have a tennis court near my house where i can practice and I went to a sporting goods store and bought a decent racket, a bunch of balls, and a ball attached to a base so i can hit it alone. I also have a small book to help understand techniques and am watching YouTube videos.

1. From people who know, what should my daily workout routine be? (running, sit ups, push ups, stuff that doesn't require a lot of equipment) Do i need to get barbells and if so what kind?

2. How long should i practice each day and doing mainly what?

Answer 1

If you are serious about this goal then you need a tennis instructor and a couple years of serious court time to make the team even in small colleges (and I'm being generous).

You will hit a very short plateau by trying to teach yourself through videos and books. Your most effective course of action would be to start lessons immediately. Make friends with someone who has been playing tennis for several years (seriously) and practice with them every day.

When you get to college join intramurals. Continue lessons and assess how realistic your goals are after seeing their actual tennis team. They might even have a B or C team that you could join while you are developing.

Answer 2

First off, congrats on going to college and being serious about playing tennis on the collegiate level. I recently graduated from a division III college where I played #2 singles and doubles and went in with a situation similar to yours. As for your questions:

1. Try and balance your physical training with on and off court excercise. For instance, do a couple of hours worth of hitting with a partner or practicing your serve and then do some off court excercises such as sprints, sit ups, and leg workouts. Your going to want to get your legs and core as strong as possible because in long matches players can run up to two miles during a match. Although working your arms is a given, a strong core is the keystone to hitting hard because your mainly using your core and body weight to transfer power from your racquet to the ball.



2. Try and practice as much as you can whenever you can. Although its important not to practice too hard (to prevent injury), it is important to stay active and get your body used to hitting the many shots you will have to develop. Also remember to mix up practicing your shots such as forehand and backhand, because if you only have a good forehand or backhand players will pick up on what your weakness is and exploit it all day. One other thing many tennis players forget to excerise is their mind! Reading a player and knowing when and where to hit a shot is more important that having a strong forehand. Keep watching as much tennis as you can and try and read "Winning Ugly" by Brad Gilbert, its fantastic and it will give you great advice on how to help develop your mental game.

Other practice advice would be to try and attend local tennis clinics. This is a more affordable way to learn proper hitting technique as well as a good place to meet other players to hit with. Usually these classes run about 2 hours and because there are more people in the class the price is much lower than getting private lessons. Good luck with playing and remember to have fun and don't get discouraged.

Answer 3

hugoboss had a good response.

First thing, join the USTA (United States Tennis Association.)  Not only do they sponsor league play at all player levels, you will also get a subscription to Tennis magazine.

You will need to incorporate a cardio regimen to increase stamina.  Wind sprints are good to increase quickness and running lines helps with lateral movement and footwork.  You want to do some strength training, particularly the upper body and I like yoga, or some good stretching regimen to maintain flexibility.  Tennis magazine also features helpful tips for workouts that help your game.

Do you like tennis?  If you are looking for an easy sport to play in college, tennis is not it.  Even if you could master the technical part of the game, the strategy and psychology are hard to grasp and there is no coaching on the court in tennis.  To be able to make a college team in a year and a half or so you would have to practice, play and workout for a lot of hours each day.  If you do not have a passion for the sport you may well grow to hate it.

If you love the game I say go for it.  Even if you don't make the team, you can play USTA leagues, some of which are quite competitive.  If you don't love it, consider the crew team.