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Soft tennis · Basic · b4

Fed forehands

Park or court 15 min 2 players One room, yard or lane, hall or court

Ready when: Grip and ready (b3) self-check met.

Start a session

What you are learning

The forehand, the main stroke: standing side-on, the free hand reaching forward, the racket back, hitting the ball in front of the front foot while the weight moves from the back foot to the front, and finishing with the racket round the neck.

Words on this card Forehand, Groundstroke
Forehand
Hitting the ball on your racket-hand side, or on the other side.
Groundstroke
A shot hit after the ball bounces.

Set up

A basket of soft balls; a feeder.

Weather: dry ground

The base setup for soft tennis

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. Stand side-on to the net, free hand reaching toward the ball, racket back.
  2. Step forward and swing low to high, meeting the ball in front of the front foot.
  3. Finish with the racket over the shoulder, round the neck, then back to ready.

Your part while they practise

Feed one easy ball at a time to the forehand side.

Step by step

  1. Side-on, free hand reaching forward, racket back.
  2. Hit in front of the front foot.
  3. Weight from the back foot to the front.
  4. Finish with the racket round the neck.
  5. Back to ready. Later, step forward as you hit.

How much: 10 balls, 5 sets 15 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: Target zone

Mark a zone over the rope; score each forehand that lands in it.

Who plays: the child against their own best; you feed.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. Mark a zone with 4 cones beyond the rope or net
  2. Feed 10 balls to the forehand
  3. Score where each lands
  4. 3 sets
Fair play
A grown-up hits with the weaker hand.
Points
2 points for a ball in the zone; 1 point for a ball over the rope but outside it.
Fouls
No points
  • The ball goes into the net or rope
  • Hit after two bounces
  • Hit facing the net instead of side-on
Winning
Beat your best set.
Stars
  1. 8 points for 1 star
  2. 13 points for 2 stars
  3. 17 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

Dropped balls, not fed.

Harder

The feeder varies the spot.

What you will see, and what to say

  • the ball goes anywhere Free hand reaches, then swingPoint, then hit.
  • hit late Meet it in frontIn front of the front foot.
  • arm only Back foot to front footStep into it.

Self-check

7of 10

7 of 10 fed balls back over the rope or net.

Stop and get a coach when

The face stays unsteady after a few sessions.

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 forehand groundstroke.

awiseathlete.com/sports/soft-tennis/soft-tennis-b4