How to Learn to Play Top Tennis Videos

Tennis is a good fit for a fitness-conscious and fast-paced lifestyle, and online videos offer a speedy way to get convenient and high quality instruction. YouTube alone has a healthy assortment of direct lessons of tennis skills from instructors, as well as highlights of professional players where you can see how the best apply those skills. For a match, you'll need a fellow player of course, but many of the skills you see in these videos can be practiced against a backboard.

Instructions

  1. Tennis videos

    • 1

      Watch Jimmy Connors' instructional series, "Tennis Fundamentals." It features professionals like James Blake, Justine Henin, the Bryan brothers, Chris Evert and Pancho Segura demonstrating basic tennis strokes and providing instruction and tips. This series is available on DVD and for download.

    • 2

      Watch videos that illustrate good technique for serves. There are numerous videos online at YouTube that teach basic techniques for the beginning player such as "Tennis Academy - How to serve" by introsport.com. Tennis coach Nick Bollettieri's "Stroke Instruction" series offers some of the best instruction to be had on tennis basics. For a top pro example, see the video "Andy Roddick: Serve Analysis." In 2004, Roddick recorded the fastest serve in tennis history. This video is accompanied by instruction on racquet head speed, extension, and pronation (arm movement).

    • 3

      Practice your forehand (and other shots) as you view videos. For most players, the forehand is the shot that develops first. For solid instruction view the tennis forehand series of YouTube videos available under these titles: Step 1: "Pivot and Shoulder Turn"; Step 2: "Take Your Racquet Back"; Step 3: "Swing to Contact." These videos give critical instruction on racquet grip, contact point, positioning, and stroke.

    • 4

      View videos with emphasis on the backhand. Some beginners feel awkward learning to adjust the grip for the backhand shot. "Tennis Backhand Lesson For Beginners" on YouTube specifically addresses the one-handed backhand, the two-handed backhand, and how to decide which backhand is right for you.

    • 5

      Watch videos that teach the volley. Basic volleying is the subject of "Tennis Volley Lesson For Beginners" and "Tennis Tip by Brent Abel - The Tennis Volley 1st Reaction." These YouTube videos focus on reaction time and foot positioning as well as stroke mechanics. You could also seek out the video (VHS) version of the USTA book "Tennis Tactics: Winning Patterns of Play." It offers solid instruction on selecting and timing the volley and other shots.

    • 6

      Watch the Tennis Channel website's collection of instructional tennis videos for beginners and advanced players. "One Minute Clinics" offer superb resources for watching and learning the fundamental shots of tennis. Insightful drills and practice tips are included in many of these clips.