Three heights, two shots
Ready when: Count the rally (b5) self-check met.
What you are learning
Matching the swing to the ball's height: the under stroke at knee height swings up, the side stroke at waist height swings level (the most used), and the top stroke above the shoulder attacks. Then two kinds of shot: the low, fast shoot ball and the high, deep lob, sent cross, reverse cross or straight.
Words on this card Forehand, Lob, Shoot ball, Under stroke, Cross, Rally, Spin
- Forehand
- Hitting the ball on your racket-hand side, or on the other side.
- Lob
- A high, deep shot over the other player.
- Shoot ball
- A low, fast shot.
- Under stroke
- A swing at knee height, waist height or above the shoulder.
- Cross
- Hitting diagonally, diagonally the other way across the body, or down the line.
- Rally
- Hitting the ball back and forth.
- Spin
- The ball turning in the air, which changes how it flies and bounces.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Feed at knee height and swing up from low to high: the under stroke.
- Feed at waist height and swing level: the side stroke.
- Feed above the shoulder and swing down and through: the top stroke.
Your part while they practise
Feed at knee, waist and shoulder height.
Step by step
- Under stroke at knee height (swing up).
- Side stroke at waist height (swing level).
- Top stroke above the shoulder (attack).
- Rally with shoot balls (low and fast) and lobs (high and long).
- Then cross, reverse cross, straight.
How much: 15 balls, 3 sets 20 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Call the shot
Before the partner hits, call "shoot" or "lob" and a direction; score if they play it.
Who plays: 2 players, taking turns to call; you judge.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Rally gently
- As the ball crosses to the partner, call a shot: "shoot, cross" or "lob, straight"
- The partner tries to play that shot
- 10 calls each
- Fair play
- A grown-up must play the shot in the backhand side.
- Points
- 1 point for the right shot; 1 more point for the right direction.
- Fouls
- No points
- Every ball hit with the same swing
- The ball lands out
- Calling after the partner has started to swing
- Winning
- More points after 10 calls each.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 13 points for 2 stars
- 18 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Heights in order.
Random heights; play with and against the wind.
What you will see, and what to say
- every ball the same
Match the swing to the height
Low, middle, high. - lobs short
Under it, swing up
Up and long.
Self-check
5 of each height returned in a set of 15.
Stop and get a coach when
Adding spin.
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 stroke heights, placement.
awiseathlete.com/sports/soft-tennis/soft-tennis-i3