Tennis is one of the healthiest and most complete sports, offering numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
As with any individual sport, tennis requires excellent physical training and a positive mental approach to cope with all match situations that can change by the second.
However, one disadvantage of tennis is that it’s difficult to practice on your own. You need to practice on a court to develop certain techniques, and you should try to simulate realistic match situations.
However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t improve our skills on our own. And this is why we’re bringing you this article – to explain the benefits of playing tennis alone, how to do it, and some tips to help you become a better player.
The benefits of practicing tennis on your own
Tennis provides numerous physical benefits to those who play it. Every part of your body must be used in a coordinated way in order to play successful shots and defend against your opponent’s shots.
Tennis is also a game that helps to strengthen leg and arm muscles.
In addition, research shows that tennis helps the body’s flexibility and mobility, factors that can prevent bone-related diseases further down the line.
Doctors also claim that playing tennis brings many benefits for mental health.
Tennis helps people develop socially in many ways. If you play doubles, you need to learn to fully trust your partner and understand the importance of relying on others to succeed.
As a result, tennis players are often less selfish and individualistic people. Tennis can make us aware of how we need to work together, and that can have very positive repercussions in society too.
Regarding individual skills, tennis helps players develop a mental toughness to push their limits and give the best of themselves even when things aren’t going well.
Tennis players like Rafael Nadal stand out for having an unbreakable temperament. This allows them to find inner strength in the more difficult moments and turn matches around that most would have given up on.
In general terms, tennis training gives you a mental composure that prepares you for life’s difficulties, as well as reducing stress.
Ways to practice tennis on your own
There are different ways to practice tennis on your own and improve your skills without needing to train with a partner. Here are some of them:
Practicing with a wall
A simple way to practice tennis alone is with a wall. Practicing your shots against a wall will help you improve your reflexes, coordination, and physical condition.
You should find a solid wall (with no windows!) and this will help you improve your speed with high-intensity workouts.
You can practice your forehand, backhand, lobs, drop shots, and more. The good thing is that you can do as many strokes in a row as you want in order to improve your fitness.
It’s recommended to do 30-minute sessions, combining all the variety of shots in your arsenal. Put sufficient effort into each of the shots to ensure the workout is as effective as possible.
Improve your service technique
Many amateur players have major problems with their serving technique. They often have a hard time gauging and coordinating their service toss.
This is something that can be practiced without being on a court. It just depends on your coordination and precise movements.
You must achieve a precise balance between your movements and how fast you throw the ball upwards. Only then will you obtain a refined technique that will not work against you at important times in the match.
To train your service toss, throw the ball upwards and then catch it with the other hand. Repeat this process in sets of ten to improve your technique.
Try to find an open space where the ball can reach the recommended height for an ideal serve.
If you have the means to practice the serves with your racket too, then you can practice your whole service technique.
Limit the sessions to 20 or 30 minutes to ensure you don’t overwork your muscles. Don’t forget to pay attention to the movement and positioning of your feet in each of your serves.
Use a tennis ball machine
Although these sessions can be expensive, training with a tennis ball machine can help you in several different aspects of your game.
You can adjust the speed on the machine to help you improve your reactions to your opponents’ shots.
You can also practice your defensive stances and moves to help you understand how to defend your opponent’s serve.
Focus on strengthening your weaker areas and building up your stronger points. Ensure the difficulty isn’t too high for your current playing level; if it is then you may end up getting frustrated and give up.
The Best Racket to Practice Tennis On Your Own
Many brands have specialized tennis rackets. However, we have chosen the Babolat Aero G as the best racket for playing tennis on your own.
This racket features specialized Woofer technology that gives you a cleaner hit, limiting the vibrations of the racquet when hitting the ball.
It has a surface area of 660 cm² which makes it easier to hit the ball in the center of the racquet and hit the ball more accurately.
In addition, its weight is ideal for beginners who want to progressively increase their level at each training session.
Apps to practice tennis on your own
The My Tennis Coach and Tennis Math apps are two excellent allies to help you practice tennis on your own.
My Tennis Coach calculates your speed, hits, and covered distance in the training sessions. You can also use it to compare your stats with your friends.
You can organize and keep track of your training sessions with this application to ensure you keep improving all your skills and don’t overlook any areas.
Tennis Math is an application with interesting metrics and data about the different types of tennis strokes, their effectiveness, and much more.
How to find someone to practice with you
Even though practicing tennis on your own is an effective way of training, the best option to develop your skills as a player is always to enroll in a professional academy where experienced and trained teachers will be able to help you progress.
Whether you choose summer camps or other types of programs, it’s best to find an academy that can offer you the best possible services at an affordable price.
Conclusions
Practicing tennis on your own is an effective way to improve your skills and maintain a consistent and solid training program. There are three ways to practice tennis on your own:
- Practicing with a wall.
- Practicing your service technique in an open space.
- Using a tennis machine to improve your reactions.
NOTE: Make sure you limit your sessions to 30 minutes.
Maintaining consistent training is crucial if you want to improve every day as a player. Combine physical and mental training, and pay attention to your diet, and in this way you’ll be sure to reach all the goals you set for yourself!
