Beginner training plan
Your first lessonAfter laying out the ground rules such as safety and encouraging them to ask questions, I look at their coordination - both physical and hand-eye - balance and mobility.
For the next 30 minutes I begin to teach them the forehand by first demonstrating it several times so they can see what it looks like. I then move to the process of teaching them the correct body mechanics, swing path and contact point.
We end the lesson by teaching them how to toss, in order to prepare them for learning to serve, emphasizing the need to practice enough so they can begin to gain control over the toss.
We end with going over the key takeaways from the lesson and showing them how to practice.
Lesson 2-3We continue working on their forehand technique, emphasizing important aspects of the stroke, such as relaxation, watching the ball, swinging with full extension by rotating their body rather than just with their arm. I then move on drop-hits and then short feeding.
I'll also check in on their toss and if acceptable, I'll begin to teach them how to coordinate tossing the ball and hitting it.
Lesson 4-10Subsequent lessons involve continuing the process of teaching strokes (backhand, serve return, volley and overhead, with a particular emphasis on serving. At the same time, I will teach them how to develop a strategy and the tactics, shot selection and court positioning required to execute the strategy. This involves helping them to develop their "Tennis IQ" and creating patterns of shots they can use to implement their tactics.
Lesson 11+We'll begin to play points, going over what they did well and what they needed to correct, in terms of shot selection and execution. As we continue to refine our techniques and tactics, we'll begin to move from a baseline style of play to moving forward to the midcourt and forecourt to enable them to finish points more quickly. This involves implementing new kinds of tactics such as heading approach shots and coming into the net, establishing a volley position and finishing the point. Later lessons become less involved in technique and more involved in problem-solving, creating and executing winning patterns of play and the important mental aspects of the game to make them into a complete player.
