Im starting high school tennis and im very bad under pressure. I was wonder if you knew any good ways to get relaxed and help me cope with the pressure
123066
OK, i'll make this brief and easy to read.\n\nI used to be in the same situation, I'll hit really well with my friends outside of school and at practice but when it comes time for a tournament I choke, even when my opponent sucks.\n\nHeres what you do:\n\n1) go to your happy place, utopia, no matter where i be\n2) dont rush your serve take your time, and look them in the eye before you serve (stops them from moving)\n3) show NO emotion, and be calm, you wan't to make sure that he knows you have somethin up your sleeve and your not upset you missed the point\n4) STAY CALM, think clear and use your adrenaline as a benefit\n5)Focus on CONSISTENCY and making sure you hit it back to him everytime, and don't hit winners on all your shots...\n\nmost important......\n\nREMAIN CALM
158430
go to www.tennis.com where you can subscribe for tennis magazines that gives you advices for that or you can go to www.atptennis.com or www.usta.com\n. I would suggest the first and the third choices are the best.
595135
ZZTOPSPIN, if you want to serve like a profesional, then you should find yourself a coach because it's really the best way to do it. But with that in mind, I'll try to help you the best that I can.\n\nAs a tennis instructor, we teach the serve in steps. The first things we work on are the toss and the contact. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (and with your non-dominant foot forward) and place your racket on the ground with the strings about six inches from your front-most foot. Toss the ball so that it goes up about a foot and a half from your outstretched hand and lands on the racquet. Keep doing this until you can hit your racquet consistently. You may be thinking, "This is so stupid!" But how often do you see professional players toss the ball, and then have to take steps sideways to get themselves in position to hit their poorly performed toss? NEVER! And how many times do you see recreational players do it? ALWAYS! And so, I repeat, the toss is a key to a professional's serve.\n\nAlso, when you toss the ball, hold the ball with the tips of your fingers. This is because you want to release your toss such that the ball DOES NOT spin in the air. If you hold the ball in your palm, the ball will end up rolling up fingers, will spin in the air, and will respond differently every time. We want consistency here.\n\nNow that you've got your toss down consistently, you're going to want to work on your contact. Before we do that, we want to address your grip. Changing your grip is a good way to change the kind of spin that you put on the ball, but it usually isn't the way that pros do it. Spin comes later. Don't worry about that now. Hold your racquet with the "V" of your thumb and pointer finger on the middle bevel found by following the side edge of your racqued down to your grip. Start with your racquet in "back scratch position", or with the side of your racquet touching the middle of your back. Toss the ball, and extend up to contact and swing through the ball. Keep doing this until you gain comfort with the motion and consistent placement.\n\nCongratulations, you've made it past the first step. There are dozens of different drills that you could do to work on these different aspects of the first step. I've only mentioned two. You should really contact an instructor to help you if you struggle making it through this first step.\n\nStep Two: Now you're going to add the loopy motion that is typical of professional serves. This motion ends up being different for everyone. Pete Sampras, as was mentioned earlier, has a serve that is considered the perfect serve. Theoretically, it maximized momentum and power, however, Andy Roddick badly violates many of the principles of the Sampras serve and still manages to hit his serve harder than anyone ever before. And so, I can't tell you that there is ONE way to do things. All that I can suggest is that you start with your weight on your front foot, and that you transfer that weight to your back foot as you move through to your backscratch position. That way, you can spring out of backscratch and into the ball.\n\nFor you, do whatever you have to do to go from the resting position, to the back scratch position. Some players serve from a pinpoint stance (meaning their feet move together before springing into their serve) while others maintain the shoulder width distance. This is all up to you. The key is to explode up to the ball from the backscratch position. You already mentioned making contact at the highest point, you also want to try to "hit up" on the ball. You may think that you're going to send the ball into the next time zone, but if you tossed the ball at the correct height and make contact at the apex, "hitting up" on the ball will give you the explosion that you need to really power through the ball.\n\nAnother thing, is that you're going to want your serve to lead you i
403223
Remember that the idea of the game is for your team to do well, not  for you to be outstanding.  Try to outthink the other team.  Where are there weaknesses on defense?  Try to find them and tip to those spots.  Do they have trouble defending the line?    Hit  line  instead of going crosscourt to their best defender.  Is there a weak player or a weak spot in the serve receive?  Try to serve there.  Can you read the other team's hits and tips.  Try to position yourself were you think the ball is going to go.  Is  one of your teammates really "on".  Try to involve her as much as possible.\n    Everything I've said above seems obvious, but in the heat of the game players often revert back to hitting the ball as hard as they can and trying to get by on just hustle.\n   To summarize, my tip is "outthink the other team".  Your coach will love you if you do!
607292
As a coach, I recommend doing something competitively away from basketball.  Tennis is also a good sport because it is similar to basketball in athletic movements.  In tennis, you do a lot of shuffling, back pedalling, side to side movements...as in basketball.  It will only improve your footwork and quickness.  Also, sometimes it is good to get away from your 'main' sport for awhile....otherwise you can feel burnout and boredom.  You can still do things with a basketball like ballhandling and shooting during tennis season.  The individual aspect of tennis is also a good builder of mental toughness and learning about yourself, winning and losing.  Playing another sport or two will not hurt your chances of becoming a better basketball player.  Sitting around doing nothing at all during the summer is what will not help your skill level.
297358
First you must practice the ball toss. Before even using your racquet, just throw the ball up at about 1 o'clock in front of you. Make sure the toss is high and accurate and u point to it the whole time, with ur other hand held behind your head. \n    After doing this for a while, now take the hand that was behind your head and try and follow through and catch the ball.  \n    After doing this for a while, now pick up your racquet.\nGo against a high fence or wall and once again begin throwing the ball up while pointing to it. Try and follow through with your racquet and catch the ball againts this high fence or wall.\n    Now you are ready to start serving on the court. Use these same forms that you used practing the ball toss. Make sure you are following through every time and the face of your racquet is pointing at the box you are serving to. Practice serves from each side of the court. Hit them slow and steady for now, just making sure they get in for the next couple months.\n**Grip--- In order to get the correct grip, turn your racquet on its side so that the non-string side is facing up. Put your hand on the racquet so that it is directly in between your thumb and pointer finger. It may feel wierd for the first couple days but eventually you will get used to it, and it is the only effective way to hit a powerful or slice serve later on when you get good at serving.\n\nGOOD LUCK, These things all worked for me and now I'm one of the best servers on my school tennis team.
620071
You definitely can improve, obviously you are not just trying to learn basics skills, you already know that, what you need to do now is give tennis all your time, concentration and discipline.\nYour little brother beats you because he has been spending more time with it, as you keep on practicing, you will improve. Discipline yourself, set goal for yourself. I am sure its only a matter of time, you wil beat even your dad.
543146
In my case the best way to get a powerful serve is workout and get stronger. (it works for me =)\n\nand also the main thing is to get as much Racquet head speed as possible, by swinging fast.\n\nA great way to consentrate is to look at the contact point of the ball and the racquet, try not to look at anything else when you play.\n\nWhen a fast ball comes at you just go for the ball, be agressive!\n\nFinally, if theres nothing you can do with a fast serve just use back spin or a drop shot, ooor just block it if thats all you can do.
421591
ok well i had the same situation, but i also gained from it, because i became really good friends with all the girls on the team, but if your really worried about it last year after school everyday me and a bunch of my friends hung out, and played volleyball together just messing around its a good way to get more practice in but still laugh and play with your friends, but if your still in season, (which im starting up again) just hang out with your volleyball ladies, but im taking a wild guess and your still in school, why dont you talk to them as much as possible while there, it will relieve some stress
19225
I don't know about tennis, but it's a common TEENAGE thing, period.  Make sure to wash, maybe using acne soap - if that doesn't help, go to your doctor and ask for something stronger.
671594
keep your head up.  aim for the corners.  remember your plays.  have fun.  Don't get too nervous.  cut your nails. eat an awesome breakfast .    good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
482323
Aww thats tough..\n\nYou know high school swimming really does go by age or grgade rahter than ability so if you ae just getting  started then it can be tough and sometimes discouraging to keep up with those who have been swimming most of thier lives!\n\nI have a 12 year old with National times and have coached kids ages 4-19 so I have worked with all abilities and  so I know it can be rough..\n\nI guess you have to keep in mind that you just learned to swim 3 years ago... so bein on a team alone is huge.. and  I think its great!\n\nWhy do you want to speed up your pace?? Ask yourself this... If it is because the others are faster and you feel bad then .. dont..\nIf its cause you want to improve your own times for Yourself then good!!!\n\nOf course practice and your form are key to increasing your pace and decreasing your times!\n\nLook at your starts and your turns as well.. Alot of swimmer lose time on sloppy turns and bad starts.. so have coach look at these..  I've never seen a high school swimmer yet no matter how good that could not improve thier turn or Start.\n\nYou say you swim freestyle..  There are many things in  the stroke mechanics that can be changed to increase pace etc... your coach should be able to look at your stroke and see areas to work on... ask him or her to do that.. say\nhey coach will you look at my stroke and tell me what I can do to improve it... \nThen Cross train... use weights, and elliptical trtainers to cross train if your school has them or you belong to a YMCA... \nRemember its not just upper body you want your lower body is important as well.. kicking and form\n\nDrills in the pool.... use those pull bouys\n\nFinally work endurance!!!!! its tough to work technique without endurance!  Get on treadmills and ellipticals and work that cardio out of the water and then as well\n\nRemember you are looking to improve YOUR times... not beat the fastest guy on the team!\n\nStart out small... know your times and work to decrease those .. little by little it will improve and then you will look back and say WOW when I was a Junior my 50 free was.... \n\nDont get discouraged, and dont worry is you hit a wall where you dont improve for a while...it happens to everyone.. Just push through it!\n\nGood Luck,, and Have fun!!!!!!\n\nWismom
18142
THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN TELL YOU TO DO IS PUT IT BEHIND YOU AND FOCUS ON SCHOOL. THERE WILL BE OTHER GUYS AND ALOT HARDER THINGS TO FACE THEN THIS. JUST TAKE EVERYTHING ONE DAY AT A TIME. DEAL WITH SCHOOL FIRST AND THEN THE OTHER STUFF LATER. SO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF AND BE THE BIGGER PERSON IN THE SITUATION. YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO SAY IT'S ENOUGH.
208936
Well I am not a preteen but I was, and I didn't play any sports in middle school. I did however start playing tennis, golf, and cheerleading when I was in high school. What's great about tennis and golf is that no one else is really THAT good, so you're all kind of learning at the same time (exept that one kid thats super good, there's always one, but don't compare yourself). Cheerleading is also great because you can prepare yourself at home. Stretch a lot and practice jumps and the splits and what not so that your ready and limber for try outs. Once you get there you can learn the try out cheers and practice those at home alone too. With figure skating, most girls are pretty good by the time there preteens, but its never ever too late to try something new. I know where you're coming from though. For cheerleading, go to the site below and click on all the different links. It shows you stretches to do and how to get great jumps and cheer stance. Good luck!!!
46841
Heres what you do to get ready for a match.  First you stand in the forehand/deuce corner and jog to the net, sidestep across the net then turn your body sideways and go back to the baseline like your hitting an overhead. Do this about 4 times to get the blood going.  Then grab a partner and hit some mini tennis with a partner and trade topspin shots back and forth from just behind the service line.  after 2 minutes slowly make your way back to the baseline and continue groundstrokes.  After 10 minutes come to net and hit volleys.  Do this for 10 minutes, then hit 10 serves into every box on the court - all 4.  After that finish with 10 more minutes of hitting groundstrokes.  You should now be in perfect form to start your match.  If you have trouble playing points, play some simulated points with a friend at least 1 hour before your match to get in the right frame of mind.  Hope this helps.
50270
I am also a 7th grader and I know what you mean when you say that we have presure and stress. People think that were to young to have stress and all that! If you don't understand the questions in algebra than you should get help from your parents or (even though you dont want to) your teachers. I am in accelerated classes so none of my teachers expect me to ask a lot of questions but I found that asking questions is better than not passing tests and homework assignments! So, dont let the pressure get to you and when you dont understand get help. Just because you ask questions does not mean that you need extra help! Remember that and you will feel the pressure let off a bit! GOOD LUCK!! I hope that can help you get rid of some of your pressure!
538474
I am not trying to be a wise apple by saying there must be a ton of them out there, but honestly there are a ton of books written on any area you may need help with, from drills, to how to make a stroke.  Tennis will not be on television until January the season is pretty much over til then, but you can gain a tremendous amount in watching.  Go to your local Borders and have a look in the tennis section I bet you find what you are looking for.  I am sure you will get some posts that will be more helpful then this on where to look on the web.  If you do not just google it as I am sure you have exp. forehand/drills