Grip and ready
Ready when: Bounce, juggle, catch (b2) is comfortable.
What you are learning
The Western grip, the usual soft tennis grip, where the same face of the racket hits on both sides, and the ready position with a small hop (a split step) just as the other player hits.
Words on this card Western grip, Ready position
- Western grip
- Holding the racket as if picking it up flat from the ground; the same face hits forehands and backhands.
- Ready position
- Standing with feet wide, knees soft and racket in front; a small hop as the other player hits.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Lay the racket flat on the ground and pick it up from above by the handle: that is the grip.
- Stand with feet a little wider than the shoulders, knees soft, racket in front: the ready position.
- On a clap, do a small hop, then 3 quick steps to one side and back.
Your part while they practise
Clap as the "hit"; check the grip.
Step by step
- Lay the racket flat on the ground and pick it up from above (the Western grip).
- The same face hits both sides.
- Ready stance: feet a little wider than the shoulders, knees soft, racket in front.
- On the clap, a small hop, then 3 quick steps and back.
- Then 20 slow shadow swings.
How much: 20 hops and 20 swings 8 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Point and go
On the clap the partner points left or right; the child hops and moves that way.
Who plays: the child against their own best; you clap and point.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The child stands ready
- Clap, then point left or right
- The child hops, takes 3 steps that way and comes back to ready
- 10 claps
- Fair play
- Clap slowly for a younger child.
- Points
- 1 point for each right direction; 1 more point for being back in ready before the next clap.
- Fouls
- No points
- Moving before the clap
- Flat feet on the hop
- The grip slips round
- Winning
- Beat your best from 10 claps.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 14 points for 2 stars
- 20 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
No hop, just steps.
Random claps.
What you will see, and what to say
- the grip slips round
Racket flat, grip from above
Pick it up again. - flat feet
Weight on the front of feet
Light on the toes.
Self-check
10 of 10 pick-ups in the same grip.
Stop and get a coach when
A club checks the grip once.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains grip, ready position, split step.
awiseathlete.com/sports/soft-tennis/soft-tennis-b3