The Best Exercise Equipment Deal Ever - a can of Tennis balls and an old racket.

Find a Tennis Racket either new or used, a can of balls for around $2. and go to a free public court. Enjoy an hour of exercise outdoors and when you're done, the racket and balls will fit snugly in the trunk of your car or in the hall closet for the next use. Sorry, they're not good for hanging clothes on them like the $800 metal contraptions that are sold on TV.

Spend the $800 on lessons or a tennis camp down south this winter and you will have a sport to enjoy for the rest of your life.

NTRP Self - Evaluation

A good way to determine where to place yourself is to use the National Tennis Rating Program regarding tennis classes.

The categories below are based on my own interpretation of how to place players. If you take classes with another Pro you should ask for placement advice.

The beginner class is designed for individuals that have no tennis background or are very limited. 1.0-1.5 NTRP

The advanced beginner class covers similar information but expects that you have obtained certain skills allowing for the ability to maintain drills with other players. 2.0-2.5 NTRP

The intermediate class is designed to take players into the next level of play by developing spin and directional control. Improvements in technique will also be covered. Specialty shots such as the drop shot, topspin lob, and overhead will be included. Strategy will be introduced. 3.0-3.5 NTRP

Here is a link to a description of the NTRP system that I found helpful. It should help you with a self assessment.

Federer Wins

Let me start out with the admission that I really like Federer. His attitude is great for the game of Tennis and doesn't wear on anyone, unlike some champions of the past. His style of play, his technique, and business-like approach to the game are all worthy of emulation. His talent is indisputable as evidenced by his record of success.

I watched the match last Sunday against Nadal. I found few things to criticize on either of the contestants. Here are some observations. Federer used his serve to carry him forward while other areas of his game seemed to flag either from the unrelenting pressure from Nadal or in a few instances, some temporary poor shot selections.

As an example, Nadal attacked Federer's backhand with extreme topspin that regularly caused his opponent to hit the ball at shoulder height. A one handed backhand rarely works well when a player tries to hit drives from that height as Mac, an announcer for the match, also made this observation. Federer was best served by using his slice (chip) backhand to avoid the excessive effort and to limit the bad hits resulting from the attempt to take the high bounder with a drive stroke either as topspin or flat.

Another area of Federer's game that flagged was his forehand low volley. He was letting his wrist drop rather than making the requisite drop of the rear knee. It is likely that he was overconfident or just saving energy. It cost him a number of points and took him to the brink of defeat.

Nadal is a champion as well by any measure. It is hard not to like him with his agressive and physically dominant approach to Tennis.

My main desire after the first set was to see it go to five, which it did. I wanted Federer to gain his position alongside Borg with his 5 consecutive wins at Wimbledon, and now soon enough it will be Nadal's turn.

Tennis Should Go Back To Wood

I have often thought that the best matches in tennis were played with wood racquets, not the super-sized, head light, and high-tech flashy named versions we have today. Why do I still periodically watch re-runs of the Borg vs McEnroe finals; because they have variety that is missing in much of the play found today. I wish Wimbledon had stopped the over-sized racquet barbarians at the gate back in the 70's. Rather than having a sport that is fighting a slow decline, we would have more epic matches than any of us could find the time to watch. I agree with the commentary by Christine Brennan of USA Today that dreary tennis is now the watchword when taped matches of old can hold more interest than whatever else is going on at Wimbledon.

I never thought I would miss Mac.

Brent

Two Handed Backhands and Sore Elbows

This describes a right-hand approach to coping with tennis elbow by eliminating the single handed backhand. Lefties will have to do as usual and think opposite.

If you have somehow developed tennis elbow and use a one handed backhand it is likely that you can reduce your pain and further injury by changing to a two-handed backhand. The best way to make the switch is to start with the idea that your two-handed is actually a one handed forehand with your left hand. For most of us this really will show you the challenge you might be facing except for the benefit of coordination given by your right arm that helps to guide the stroke.

One thing to consider doing is to work on a one arm left handed forehand to give you the idea of the motion necessary off the left side. Once you have this understood it is usually easier to then add the right hand at the base of the racquet as the smart arm, giving you the coordination and control necessary.

Be careful not to trade a sore elbow for a sore back. Too much rotation, especially if you are new to this motion can cause back strain. Work on a short motion that limits trunk rotation and allow your rear foot to come around after completion to catch your balance and to avoid excessive twisting of your spine.

Good luck on your new backhand.

Tennis Elbow Risks

Tennis elbow can be a debilitating injury for anyone that likes to play tennis regularly. There are many reasons for developing this injury but here are a few ways that you might not think would contribute to the problem.

If you regularly do yard work and spray to kill weeds or insects it might be dangerous to your tennis arm. Do you use a squeeze sprayer? This repetitive motion has caused me problems in the past and from experience I now know to use pressure sprayers to avoid the excessive strain this puts on my trigger finger that often translates into muscle and joint inflammation.

Another problem is using your thumb and forefinger to pick up things by squeezing the edges, for example doing this to lift large pots when planting. Many other movements and activities mimic this and can cause injuries that limit you on the tennis court.

Lastly, when attempting to open hard-to-turn lids on glass jars, remember that this kind of strain can cost you your gripping strength on the tennis court long after the snack or spread that you had to have is gone. Pick up some oil filter straps or rubber grippers to make this job easier and less damaging to your hand. Your tennis arm will thank you.

Serving Practice

An effective serve is developed by continuous and disciplined practice. Even an individual with a strong serve must practice regularly to maintain the value of this primary weapon. Two baskets of balls every other day is enough to slowly improve or keep an edge on an existing serve. This amounts to 150 serves per session. Practice directional control within both serve boxes, first down the T, and then to both the forehand and backhand corner. Master these skills with relatively flat serves and then move into the realm of spin control.

Spin is an integral part of deception, control, and consistency within serving. Work on slice and topspin serves within the previously described framework of directional control.

Do these things regularly and you will develop a serve that is not only reliable, but extremely effective as an offensive weapon.

Play Til You're 90

If there is one sport that can be chosen for the possiblity of longevity, it is Tennis. I tell this to my students that intend to play football, basketball, soccer, or lacrosse. Picture yourself trying any of these other sports well past 50 years of age.