The Most Difficult Stroke to Learn

Which stroke do you think is the hardest for people to learn? A lot of club players will say their backhand is their weakest stroke and that it is the hardest for them to learn. Then their are club players and juniors who say the serve is the most difficult stroke to master. Rarely do you ever hear the forehand is the hardest stroke to learn. One reason is that it is using your dominant hand and there is a level of comfort.

The truth is the forehand is the hardest stroke for a person to learn. The serve is next. I have heard it said the forehand is the hardest for adults to learn and the serve is the hardest for children to learn. That means, biomechanically, the backhand is the easiest stroke to learn. Most beginning children will have a better backhand than their forehand. One reason many people complain about their backhand is they do not practice it enough.

Why is the forehand so hard for people to learn? The reason is that you must learn how to control your wrist and forearm. If you watch most children who start to hit a forehand they will often try to hit down on the ball by bending the wrist or they will try to hit it too hard by winding up and opening the racket face.  Instead, the student should be taught to lift the ball from low to high by starting with the racket at the thigh. To teach the student to control the wrist have the student start with the racket face closed or having the right palm to the ground and keeping that position all through the swing. Believe it or not, the racket face will turn flat all by itself. 

I believe that if you learn to master control of your wrist you will see a more solid hit on your forehand. 

Free Lessons!

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A Pro Serving Like We Teach

This player turns his racket the way we teach our students to hit a serve.He also follows through with his left arm the way we teach our students.

What a Success

Our tennis program at Encanto Park is amazing even me. I never thought we would have such few spots available after just a year and half in existence. I am blessed beyond belief and grateful for the opportunity to help build a program at such a historic place as Encanto Park. It is a real privilege to be able to bless the City Of Phoenix Parks and Recreation.

My first lesson is the forehand volley.

Every teacher, from tennis to school to another activity, always has a particular way they like to start their students to introduce and progress.  I was originally taught to introduce the serve as the first lesson and for adults, I would still do that. However, the younger I started to teach, I began introducing the forehand and the backhand in order that the student would be able to do what they want to do, hit balls, and hit them like a pro. 

Now I have taken it one step smaller. My first lesson is the forehand volley. In this lesson the student can have immediate success with technique. They can also learn to keep one ball in play in a mini-rally, and they can learn tactics. I usually introduce them to the art of poaching which is an advanced tactic in doubles. The kids love to learn a miniature version of doubles. They are the net person and they learn how to go make the winning shot. I took the winning shot quote from Dennis Van Der Meer of the Professional Tennis Registry. I like that and so do the kids. They all look forward to making the winning shot!  

Rockin' Refuel

Thanks Rockin' Refuel for the promotional coupons. It was a great welcome gift to all the children at last nights opener.

Update

Amazing start to our Encanto tennis lessons last night. We had eleven students in between two classes. While I always expect good things, last night had an energy that was beyond my expectations. Anyway, thanks to all who came out and want to continue to grow.