Reasons I take Tennis Lessons and You Should Too
Should I take tennis lessons? Are Tennis Lessons Worth it? When I first started playing tennis as an adult, I started at my local tennis club. As a new player, I participated in drills, league match play, and round robins. However, my game did not rise to a higher level without investing in tennis lessons with a tennis pro.
Tennis is a sport that combines physical fitness and mental agility, making it an ideal activity for people of all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re an experienced player looking to improve your game or a beginning tennis player just starting out, taking tennis lessons can be a great way to enhance your skills and enjoyment of the sport.
A tennis player should take tennis lessons from a tennis pro for several reasons.
#1: a tennis pro has the expertise and experience to identify and correct any technical faults in the player’s game. Even in the best of times, athletes struggle with injuries, so learning good technique can help to avoid injury, in addition to strategy and skill.
#2: a tennis pro can provide personalized training and practice sessions that cater to the player’s specific needs and goals.
#3: especially when I was a new tennis player, but still true today–a tennis pro can offer mental and strategic guidance when competing in a match. Helping a player to develop a winning mindset and strong game plan is one of the subtle but important parts of playing the game of tennis.
#4: It is very challenging to advance on your own at tennis and it is very easy for bad habits that will be harder to fix later on. Spending time with a tennis pro can provide corrections of bad habits and give valuable insights plus fine tuning to help you achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.
Overall, hiring a tennis pro can significantly enhance a competitive player’s game and increase their chances of success on and off the court.
In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of taking tennis lessons and help you determine if it’s the right choice for you.
My Journey With Lessons
When I first felt the tug to start playing tennis as an adult, I had very little prior education with regards to tennis. While a lifelong fan of the sport, I had very little instruction to know the proper way to play the game.
I found a club that was somewhat close to my house that offered open drills and started with open hitting time in a beginning level. At the drills, I started to make friends, and also noticed that some of the ladies took lessons.
In the beginning I was invited to sub for a player that couldn’t make the lesson, and then eventually I was invited to share in a group lesson. It was clear to me that the ladies at the tennis club that were striving to get better, took lessons.
I approached the pros at my club and asked if they had time for me to take a private lesson. This is where I started to see the biggest improvement in my game. In one lesson that I took with a pro, I would work on serving for 30 minutes and 30 minutes of either groundstrokes or volleys.
To this day, I am grateful for the time that I spent taking tennis lessons with a pro as a new player. I am confident in my serve and feel like my strokes have developed better, thanks to the guidance provided by a handful of pros. Even as a player that has played for several years, I still see value in lessons from a pro. Laura, an advanced club player and friend agrees and says,
“I was just telling someone today how important tennis lessons are. There are so many variables to tennis (grip, footwork, strokes, strategy, court positioning, smart targets, assessing opponents, etc.) that it would be nearly impossible to figure it all out on your own. I love getting some of this information from pros and then trying to make it part of my game.” – Katri Koehle
I’ve taken lessons from multiple pros. They don’t all have the same approach (or even agree on certain points) but I’ve taken bits (sometimes bunches) of tennis wisdom from each of them. Sometimes a pro will give you the same tip as a different instructor but using an analogy that clicks in your brain better. And then some pros are better at teaching skills, while others are better at teaching game sense.”
Who Should Take Tennis Lessons?
Players of any skill level can benefit from taking tennis lessons. However, it is especially beneficial for new players of tennis or people that are looking to improve their technique and strategy.
For me, tennis was a sport that I always admired and enjoyed watching but when it came to playing, I was lost. I didn’t know anything about how to hold a racket, what the bevels on the grip were for, I was such a beginner, I didn’t even know how to hit the ball properly.
Working with a coach helped me develop as a player, and as a result, my game saw significant improvement. A knowledgeable tennis coach can provide instruction that is personalized, keeping in line the goals that you have as a player, plus a good coach should be able to identify areas that are needed for improvement.
When I am in a tennis lesson, it is common to run drills and run exercises that help to develop the skills that are needed to play well in a match. A player who is interested in competing at a higher level can benefit from working with a tennis pro to refine their on-court strategy and fine tune their game.
That said, if you are a casual player that enjoys occasionally hitting the ball with friends or family, regular lessons might be a bit much of an investment of time and money. Ultimately, anyone who is looking to be more competitive and serious about improving their tennis game should consider taking lessons from a tennis pro.
What Others Had to Say
My teammate and friend Michelle says, “I do not progress on my own.. All my bad habits keep sneaking back in without lessons. I want to be corrected when I am using improper technique. I like to keep moving in lessons because it helps me keep my fitness level up, which helps me play better in my matches. I also like to work on new things and learn better strategy in my lessons. Basically, I want more than just a ball feeder if I’m going to pay for the lesson.
And I love a coach that will push me and make me work hard.”
Finding the right coach is very important to Mandy. When asked about what she looks for in a good pro she said, “Lessons are very important to me! I want someone to solidify a strong foundation of technique and footwork! I also like a coach that will help me with strategy and at what point to use certain shot selection” Mandy is a great player and her hard work with a pro is reflected in her game.
My friend, Shoeleh, made a great point of saying, ““I take lessons because I want to learn to play properly and efficiently and not get injured.” Injuries are something that anyone that plays a sport should be mindful about and take every effort to avoid. By learning correct technique, it will help you stay safe and have better matches.
Improve Mindset
When I first started taking tennis lessons, I had a coach that helped me with my mindset while playing. In the beginning, I struggled with confidence and such extreme nerves that when traveling to my match, I thought I was going to be sick. It was really frustrating!
This coach took time to help me develop both my physical game and some mental resilience. I was taught insight as to how to prepare for my match, where to keep my mental focus while on the court and even received reading assignments and clips from YouTube to deepen my tennis journey. Because of the time I have spent with amazing coaches, I have learned how to play better tennis, but also how to have a winning mindset to carry over into other areas of my life as well.
What you can expect
When taking tennis lessons from a tennis pro, you can expect to receive personalized guidance tailored to your skill level and goals. The pro at my club likes to ask us before we start each lesson, “What are you wanting to work on today?” before each lesson.
During the week leading up to my lesson, it gives me the chance to reflect on the good parts of my matches and the frustrating parts. During our lesson, I get to report on the parts of my game that are working and then drill the parts of my game that still need polishing.
For example, it is common to discuss and receive instruction on technique, footwork, and my favorite court strategy. When I spend time on the court with a pro taking tennis lessons, I appreciate feedback on what strengths they see and where I need to spend time working to improve.
Most importantly, a good coach is able to make the line between “workout” and “fun” blend so that your time and money feels well spent.
As my tennis friend and fellow player, Nikki says, “I choose Pros that take their job seriously and are prepared, but like to have fun and joke around. This is “old ladies tennis” so they need to have a sense of humor! If they don’t have an inviting personality, I am less inclined to stay with them.”
I agree with Nikki. It is a good idea to find a coach that you enjoy spending time with, and that your learning styles match well. Not all tennis pros are the same, and everyone will respond to different instructions.
This is what my friend, Chanda, has to say about tennis lessons and tennis classes, “Once I had a basic foundation, I feel like drills and game play benefit me more than lessons. When I do have a lesson, I want one or maybe two key things to work on. More than that I can’t focus on improving and it gets lost in the shuffle. Also, I want to WORK. Nothing more annoying than a chatty coach who wants to talk too much during my paid lesson time.”
Benefits of Private Tennis Lessons
Both private lessons and group lessons are valuable, but for different reasons. When you take private tennis lessons you get a lot of one on one instruction, helping you to narrow in on the parts of your stroke, or game that are needing fine tuning. Plus, when I was talking with a coach in a private lesson about ways to help my mental game, I appreciated the chance to talk with my pro in a more one on one fashion and felt safe to share and learn.
In a group tennis lesson, there are more opportunities to play out match points and work on strategy and building points.
Before taking tennis lessons, know what you want from your tennis experience
Taking tennis lessons with a tennis pro can offer a myriad of benefits beyond improving your physical health and athleticism. Through developing your tennis game, you can cultivate mental toughness, increase your social circle, and gain a new perspective on life.
It is not imperative to engage a tennis coach to simply enjoy the game of tennis. But, if you are interested in advancing as a player or have lofty goals that pertain to your tennis game, consider looking into some tennis lessons.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, there’s always something new to learn and ways to improve. So why not take the leap and sign up for tennis lessons today? Your mind and body will thank you.
When it comes to what tennis lessons cost, there is a wide range. It is not uncommon in my area to pay approximately $100 an hour. However, this is a moving target, so the best thing to do is to check with your club or local center to see what they cost. Usually for a group lesson, I share a 90 minute lesson and each player pays approximately $35 depending on if the courts are inside or outside, or if the pro has to split profit with a club.
How Long Should You Take Lessons
How long you continue to take tennis lessons depends on how much you want to continue to improve. If you are a casual player that does not consider competing, then private lessons might feel like overkill.
However, if you are looking to compete and develop your game, then my recommendation is you take tennis lessons perpetually. There is rarely going to come a time where a serious minded club player won’t benefit from working with a tennis pro to improve their game.
Sometimes cost is a consideration, sometimes life gets in the way. I know people who take lessons as often as once a week and then take a month off. Whatever you can manage, find the right pro and then match your time with a coach to the goals that you have set. Share your goals with your tennis coach and take the opportunity to review those goals. The lessons that you invest time and money into should match your goals.
Summary –
Should I take tennis lessons is a question that most competitive tennis players find themselves asking. For me, taking tennis to the next level was closely intertwined with my experience working with a tennis pro.
Each player should take some time to evaluate what your goals are as a player and how would a professional tennis coach be able to help you with that? For me, once I found that great coach and took time to communicate what I was looking to accomplish, I saw amazing results. I hope that you take time to see if getting a tennis coach is right for you.
About The Authors
Katri is a passionate club player and avid tennis fan. When she isn’t playing tennis she is working tennis, reading about tennis or traveling with tennis. Katri enjoys working for USTA as a site director for tournaments or as a Roving Umpire. Katri is born and raised a Texan, living in the mountains of Utah.
