Almost everyone has ever hit a ball with a racket. And many also try their hand with a tennis racket for fun. But usually it remains with the freestyle game. The better way to a cultivated tennis match: first a beginner’s course or trainer lessons – and then also stay on the ball.
Tennis for beginners
The Association of German Tennis Teachers (VDT) recommends that beginners take tennis lessons. The reason: the stroke movements in tennis are simple, but hitting the ball with them is very difficult. This requires good hand-eye coordination. Therefore, an expert should give tips and pass the ball so accurately that you can calculate and hit it optimally. Which is just not the case with two beginners who are hitting the balls crosswise around each other’s ears.
Special forms of practice help beginners to have fun playing tennis. When you try to play on your own, however, you usually end up using unfavorable hitting techniques and the fun quickly falls by the wayside. In the worst case, there is a risk of injuries due to incorrect loading. And later, without solid basic training, you very quickly reach your limits.
Tennis schools and clubs
Good tennis schools and clubs can be recognized by the number of employed trainers with a license. The German Tennis Federation (DTB) and the VDT have jointly introduced a seal of quality: “DTB / VDT recognized tennis school”. To date, 50 facilities in Germany bear this distinction. Only trained personnel are in a position to select exactly those forms of exercise that are optimally adapted to the respective skills of the learners.
A good tennis player can certainly hit balls just as well, but that is not enough for qualified instruction. For a single lesson you have to reckon with 25 to 30 Euros including court fee, for four in a group training it is 10 to 15 Euros for each participant.
Tennis schools usually offer courses for beginners, advanced players and children. After a few hours of training, you can start to put into practice the skills you have already learned with another partner. It is advisable to look for playing partners who play at a similar level to yourself.
What you should know: If the opponent is weaker, you can set yourself special tasks, try new strokes and tactics. In any case, the playful confrontation should be more important than pinched point counting. Otherwise the balancing function of this sport is quickly lost and can turn into leisure time stress.
Taster courses are often offered for children in the clubs. There they can find out whether they like tennis at all and whether they are also suitable for it.
Tennis in a nutshell
- Fitness Factor: Great. The running game is a good whole body workout. Training effects for cardiovascular system, coordination and almost all muscles. Good mix of quick strength and strength endurance. Tennis can be learned at almost any age. The earlier it is started, the further you get forward.
- Safety factor: medium. One-sided load on the side of the hitting arm, which should definitely be balanced by gymnastics. From the so-called “tennis elbow” laymen are more often affected than professional athletes. This is an overload of the extensor muscle insertions of the hand, which are located at the elbow. Important: Good warm-up and stretching exercises also protect against muscle injuries caused by abrupt stops and changes of direction. Special gymnastics strengthen the joints and prevent twisting. The right sole profile for each surface is important. Playing on ash courts is particularly easy on the joints. People who have cardiovascular problems or suffer from high blood pressure should interrupt training as soon as discomfort occurs.
- Fun factor: High. Technically demanding duel game without direct physical contact with a lot of commitment and fair play. Ideal sport for all ages. Anyone who has ever placed a tennis ball with force exactly on the line, knows how good it feels.
