Technique-less motion vs more motion-tennis

Technique-less motion vs more motion-tennis

Less motion in learning technique in tennis means learning quicker and extending your enjoyment of tennis into later years by putting less stress on your body. More motion puts more stress on your body parts and takes away enjoyment of the game as you grow older unless you adapt to less motion.

Less Motion

Less motion simply means focusing more on the basics of the stroke. Racket back early, turning sidewise and combining weight shift with leverage produces a compact, precise motion putting minimum stress on ligaments, muscles and joints. As we grow older our ligaments, muscles and joints become stiffer and less flexible. A simple technique of racket back, turning sideways and contacting the ball off the side of the front foot in ground strokes produces this.

More Motion

More motion such as an open stance, western grip, and looping the back swing puts much more stress on the ligaments, muscles and joints. As we grow into our later years, with all these body parts becoming stiffer, less muscle mass and less flexible joints and movement, we can’t produce the power necessary to make this type of technique effective. This kind of technique, with  more motion generating more power take much more time to develop in timing the ball to good contact.

Very few players will rise to the ranks of professional. All players can play the game into their 80’s and 90’s. As we get older and our bodies become stiffer and less flexible our movement is compromised as well. Learning simpler techniques and combining our weight shift with proper applied leverage can allow us to continue to enjoy tennis, lessening the risk of body injury.

Don’t be distracted by how the pros hit their shots. Enjoy the athleticism of the pros as they play, but don’t try to play like the pros unless you have 10 years, start when you are 6 or 7, and have put in about 10,000 hours of practice culminating in winning the NCAA D1 tennis title. Then give yourself two years on the professional tour spending an average of $150,ooo each year. At the end of that time either hang it up or move up in the rankings where your competitive earnings are paying your way.

Less is more. Don’t put time into more which produces less enjoyment. Tennis is a lifetime sport.

About wdkealy

I retired from a career as a tennis professional to move to Portland with my wife to care for my in-laws and my mother in Abbotsford, BC. Not wanting to retire I took a vocational test and at the top was 'writer'. I have been researching and writing for about five years now and am looking to take more steps forward in pursuing this as a career. Time will tell whether I have the 'passion' to stay the course. My wife and I have three grown children with whom we are close. I had the privilege of coaching a high school team to a state championship in 2010. The team won by 1/2 point which was a credit to all team players. Looking to attend another writer's conference this year and grow. In the meantime I look forward to improving my social networking skills in order to have more meaningful contact with others who share a passion for life.
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