Off Court Practice Tips

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

With January being a slow and chilly month, players are in the process of transitioning to winter sports, or are in between seasons in their league. In order to keep your game moving along at home, use these easy but prudent tips, so when you're back on the court it'll feel like you never left!

Practice your toss while on the phone

aummagazine.com

If you’re struggling to get your toss just right, practice it while talking on the phone! It’s the perfect opportunity to use your free hand to get the toss motion down to a science. Stand up and use your non dominant arm to toss and really emphasize letting the ball come off of your fingertips. Safety Tip: Use a ball of rolled up socks so you don’t break anything.

Split step while cooking dinner

Split stepping is one of the most important parts of your game. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to transition from shot to shot. Take advantage of the standing time and try practicing split stepping while you’re cooking dinner!

Watch instructional videos

Figure out the part of your game that you’d like to work on the most and watch instructional videos on it. Sometimes observing someone else do the motion you are trying to achieve will help you get better at it yourself! Even listening to a podcast to improve mental strategy can do wonders on your game. Best of all, you can do all of this while getting chores done at home!

Watch professional tennis and shadow stroke

With the Australian Open on its way, this is the perfect time to sit down and watch all of your favorite pros compete! It’s also a great opportunity to observe their strokes and try to shadow them yourselves. Tip: If your TV has slow motion settings try recording the matches and watching the close up shots in slow motion. That will help you get a better view of their strokes step by step and will make it much easier to shadow and learn. And take special note in how they set up their feet!

Plank everyday

Most people underestimate the importance of core strength. A strong core is not only good for our overall health but it’s critical for tennis players. Think about how often you are turning, reaching and twisting during your matches. A simple 30-60 second plank everyday will help tone and strengthen those muscles that aid in generating more power with your groundstrokes. Plus, you’ll find yourself recovering quicker to set up for your next shot. It’s a win-win!

Stay active!

Whether you’re getting back into the gym after the holiday break or just going for a simple walk, staying active off-court is vital to improving your tennis game and your health! Yoga is a great option because not only does it help to increase our flexibility and strength, but it also helps to improve our respiration and energy (and you can do it almost anywhere). Anything you can do to maintain your stamina will be beneficial to your game so whatever it is-keep moving!

*Follow us on Facebook to get a first look at new posts, pictures and on-going events or visit us at towpathtennisshop.com and check out the latest arrivals in the shop!