Share a tennis lesson, with your kids!

Many people ask me if it's Ok to share a tennis lesson with there kids whether they are young children or adults, I also suggest it to my clients. For adult Children the answer is a very simple: yes. Sharing a session with adult child or even a another un-related adult gives the combination of advantages of sharing the cost, for my clients at Fitness with Jeff can save more the 40% on the cost of a regular session per person. Secondly and more importantly builds a level of support for yourself and the other person, on days where I’m not coming and where your not thrilled about playing tennis and might just say I won’t do it today the other person will hopefully step up and say lets hit the gym or the tennis court etc. The more support a person has in there tennis or workout routine, diet or life style efforts the better. For tennis instruction I recommend at least once per week, now you should hit at least 3-5 times per week, especially when your first starting to play tennis.
Now getting back to whether to do tennis instruction with your children under the age of 18 really depends on the relationship. Is there any tension in the relationship, this can usually manifest itself in the teen years and can be difficult to work though, but baring those kinds of issues, it can really be a win-win, for related family members living under the same roof, I usually will charge only a nominal amount more, maybe a couple of dollars more and if they purchase a package, I usually won’t charge any more, most personal trainers and tennis instructors won’t either, so your kind of getting 2 for the price of 1, your learning the same things which hopefully will build a better foundation for doing the exercises or sport movements correctly and hopefully doing them more. Again you’re also building your self a level of support both for you and your child. For Sports like tennis, if your child takes lessons and you don’t, there getting better and you’re not, so if you go to play with them, you might play them once and they will be much better then you and never do it again. Some of the happiest times I watch families together is out on the tennis court or basketball court, ball field etc. Good athletic fun builds good health habits and I feel stronger families. Also if you have the knowledge and can share it with your child that truly is a win-win, Remember you are the best coach, instructor, teacher your child can have. Have a great tennis Match!

Group tennis lessons for Kids

Group tennis lessons for Kids
In my last article I discussed the pleasure I get from working with young tennis players, and things to think about as far as what to think about before you sign your child up for Tennis instruction. In this Article I would like to talk about group tennis and fitness for kids. In the last article I spoke about the right age for private sessions, and I think the age that seems to me to be the most appropriate is 7-8 is about as early as I recommend for the average child from the terms of maturity and physical and psychological development for private tennis instruction. That being said there are kids that will benefit and grasp the techniques at a very early age, even as young as 3 or 4. I have seen a lot of parents through away there money, having there 6 year old taking privates lesson. It turns into a very expensive baby sitting. For kids 4 and over group tennis and fitness classes makes the most sense to me. For real young children (3-5 yrs of age) a lot of the group tennis sessions are spent doing non tennis skills, doing exercises like jumping jacks, lunges, arm circles, stretching, throwing balls etc to work on motor skills. I then would move on to mock tennis swings and only then move onto hitting tennis balls to the kids, I also tend to use soft foam tennis balls, they come in slower and if they get hit or stepped on don’t cause any harm. For the groups I like to keep the kids separated by no more then 2 years within the same group, just too much variation based on age of the players. The smaller the group the better, I like to have groups of around 3-5 kids, allows me to give each player the attention they deserve. This keeps the cost reasonable for the parent and gives the child the good degree of attention. From there is the child seems to enjoy the group lessons, and hopefully shows promise, Private tennis sessions along with group classes make a lot of sense. Have fun!

Tennis lessons for Kids

Tennis lessons for Kids.
I teach all kinds of people, all of which I love of course, but for pure enjoy and a sense of accomplishment there is nothing like teaching tennis to young people. Young people come to the game with a thirst for knowledge and tend not to bring in as many bad habits as adults. If you learn something correctly if not the first time but with in a short period of time of having learned, those habits aren’t as in grained as they are with adults or even older teens. Kids tend not to be so invested in there game and are more willing to make drastic changes. Adults by contrast have much more time and effort invested in there tennis swing and are much less likely to make those changes. There is a tremendous sense of accomplishment and getting a kid started and see them catch on to what I’m telling them and then finally demonstrating the proper Tennis technique. All ways good to start playing as early as possible. For formal tennis lessons I recommend and of course this depands on the child, Andre Agassi started at 4, probably to young for most kids to be a able to grasp the consepts and motor skills necessary. I would ususally recomment around 8-9 for privates, please check out my article on group tennis classes for kids.

Atlanta Tennis Matches, Atlanta Round Robbins, Co-ed Tennis

Atlanta Round Robin Doubles tennis matches
Atlanta tennis centers offer Round robin co-ed double tennis matches
Bitsy grant tennis center Friday 7:00-9:00pm at the tennis center, mention www.fitnesswithjeff.com and she will take $2 off the regular price of $8, Mary Craven770.662.6162, Tennis center 404.609.7193
Chastain Tennis Center, off of Roswell road 404.255.3210, Friday’s 7:00-9:00pm

BlackBurn Tennis CenterTennis Coaching and instruction, Round Robins 770.451.1061, Friday’s 7:00-9:00, Sunday’s 6:00-8:00

Peidmont Tennis Center Midtown Atlanta 404.853.3461Tennis instruction and Alta Leagues, not sure if there doing a round robin right now.

All a person has to do is call the numbers above and check and see if the round robin doubles matches are happening and they will take your reservation. They will ask for your level of play, if not sure just tell the person what you can do and they will plug you into the appropriate slot in the latter. Generally a expert player is a double AA player and a player just starting out would be a C level player.

Tennis serve technique

Tennis Serve: Tips and tricks of the proper serve
Stand side on to the court, hold the ball between thumb and first two finger tips and toss the ball a little higher then the high point that you can hold your racquet up to. On the toss I tell my clients to picture the your self as the Statue on Liberty and toss the ball at the highest point that you can hold up your toss hand up to and release the ball like you might let go of a small bird.
One thing to watch out for is not to stretch to far and simply toss the ball about 8-10 inches in front of your front foot. For the Right handed tennis player picture a giant clock in the sky and toss the ball at 1:00 or off the right post for both the Duce or the AD side of the court. For the lefty tennis player just the opposite, toss the ball at left post or at a giant clock, this time 11:00. I like to finish my tennis server like a Football quarterback where again for the Righty the right foot should follow the right arm over finishing into the tennis court.

Fore hand tennis Ground stroke swing tip and things to think about

Groundstroke tip, Forehand tennis swing
Don’t wait to long to get your tennis racquet back, you want the racquet back by the time the ball crosses the net, I prefer a setback swing rather then a loop swing, the above tip works for both tennis swings.

Don’t snap the wrist over; topspin is not created from here but rather by the hitting the ball out in front of the front foot in a low to high tennis swing.

On the finish I like to complete my tennis swing looking much like a golfer with my racquet resting on my opposite shoulder, for the right handed tennis player, finishing on the left shoulder and depending on how much time a player has to hold the finish remain there for a second or two. In practice I like to have my players hold this for several seconds to exaggerate the proper finish.

Workout program for Cardio Tennis clinic

Cardio Tennis Check list:
This program was developed for my Cardio tennis program
****4 to 5 minutes of stretching and limbering start slowly and build up.******
Hitting stations hit 4 balls across to courts pickup 6-8 balls quick time and then jump back in line, on other side 2 people returning shots—volleys hitting away from players (Volliers would stay there for 5 minutes then return to the line) in line waiting to hit, run in place lunges also fine. This station 15 minutes

*50 lunges, can be done in 2 sets _____
*Arm circles, 20 forewords, 20 backwards_____
*50 Jumping Jacks,can be done in 2 sets total = 100_____
*20 close grip tricep wall/fence or regular pushups_____
*Leg lifts 30 reps, can be done in 2 sets______
*Jump rope, 100, advanced person 200 reps____
*20 wide grip wall/fence pushups or regular pushups____
*50 good low to high forehand swings, for 1 minute____
*Crunches 50 reps, can be done in to sets____
*Calf raises 40 reps, 2 sets, and 20-second break_____
*Reverse Kicks, 25 reps_____
*Volley station with foam balls, partner up anywhere there is space, no net required, 5 minutes_______
*Regular volleys again with partner______
*50 good low to high backhand swings, 1 minute_____
*50 overhead swings, about 1 minute_____
*Squats, squat is done by pretending to sit in a chair and looking at the sky 25 reps____
*50 basketball pass and catch with partner (partners stand 5 feet facing each other and while moving side to side keep the ball moving at all times) quickness and agility can either bounce ball or pass in the air______
*Juggling station, hand eye coordination_____
*Tricep dips on bench 10-20 reps______

Please keep this program and use for your workouts and find other info on my web site at www.fitnesswithjeff.com, 404.451.8872, thanks Jeff! Group Tennis Schedule: Sat’s 11:00, Sun’s noon, Tues’s 5:15 & 6:15pm

Atlanta Cardio Tennis info, schedule and dirctions to tennis Court

Atlanta Cardio Tennis info and dirctions -->
By Jeff Michaud
Cardio tennis is a blend of a boot camp style and fast paced hitting session w/instructoin, with a USPTA, GPTA and AMFPT certified tennis instructor and personal trainer. http://fwj1.com
Schedule:Saturday's 11am and Sunday's 11:00am Monday's and tuesday's 6pm
For right now all sessons held at Frankie Allen park on Pharr rd in Buckhead.
Directions to Frankie Allen Park. As a land Mark, it is just outside the bar district in Buck Head, on the same side and street as Atlanta Fish Market, on Pharr Road. From peidmont if your coming the city take a Left on Pharr Road, The park is on the left about a mile down, there should be a red Sign for Baseball and a Sign for Frankie Allen Park.Please let me know if this works for you
The park is behind a building at 485 Pharr Road. just go beyond that building the entrence is right ther.
Cost is $15 for the hour, 5 for $60.
For more info about cardio tennis please go out to www.cardiotennis.com
Jeff Michaud is a member of the www.uspta.com, www.gpta.com, please contact me at 404.451.8872 or www.fitnesswithjeff.com, or jeff@fitnessiwithjeff.com

Atlanta Cardio Tennis info and dirctions to tennis Court

Double forehand, aka 2 handed fore-hand, tennis stroke

For tennis players that love there two handed backhand and or seem to have problems with the one handed forehand: power and accuracy would be the 2 biggest problems. I think I have solution for you and it is called the 2 handed fore-hand aka The double forehand, two-handed forehand grip puts both hands in an Eastern forehand grip (Eastern forehand is the hammer or handshake grip) grip position. The left hand's position is strong and on the bottom for the right hander, but the right's is weak and on top much like a baseball player or golfer, The biggest disadvantage: changing from forehand to backhand, this requires the player to change there hand position completely, turning the hands over in mid-play, otherwise creating a very awkward swing if they do not change hand position. On the back hand side the right handed player should shift there grip to a continental, (I call it knuckles top or big knuckle on small top edge of the grip) with the two-hander it is not as important to change the grip as it is for the one-hander and can allow the player to use the easier to master eastern grip aka hand shake grip, one advantage of this is additional lift. Now the hands most completely flip over with the right hand now on the bottom and strong with the left hand on top in a weaker position to complete the backhand stroke.
For the left hander the hand positions would be reversed.

I would normally only suggest this radical approach to new players, perhaps someone who lost strength or became injured and needs to make a radical change to there game. Example: a great candidate would be a lady, young girl with not much tennis playing experience and maybe limited arm strength, also very good for young children of both sexes.
Having said that, I’ve heard lately about very strong young men using the double handed forehand, the two handed back hand started out being only used by ladies and young girls 30-40 years ago, today the two handed backhand is the standard for both men and woman, within a generation it could be as normal for both men and women to use 2 hands on both sides.

Advantages more power and greater accuracy, more control.
contact slightly farther back, allows more time for player to react and make adjustments.

Disadvantage, very big one: having to flip hands over during the point, to much reliance on using two hands, could lead to problems on net game, volley’s are best when done with one hand, just quicker.

For the right player this could be a great stroke to improve and master your game. Have a great game. www.fitnesswithjeff.com Atlanta Tennis Coach, Personal Trainer.