Ramblings

We are growing!  400 subscribers, and we are in 8 different countries. Thank you all for sending friends and tennis buddies to my web site.

Send all new tennis friends to www.tenniswarrior.com to sign for my free email lessons!

I have two specials for you this month.

First, since many of you have asked me about training information for tennis I have included with this months newsletter an interesting article written by Sam Hirschberg on core fitness training in tennis.  Sam is a certified USPTA tennis professional, and ISSA certified fitness trainer.  Click here to read his informative article.

Second, for my readers only, I have a special 30 percent off on one of my most effective audio tapes, "Three Mental Techniques to Increase Your Speed in Tennis."  When I first did this tape it surprised me how many people said it was their favorite.   How would you like to add speed to your game just by changing your thinking?   Details below.

This months lesson on speed in tennis is special to me.  Mainly because as a player that was my forte.  I was short, but fast.  Come to think of it, I still am short! :)  The technique in this months lesson is one of the reasons why I seemed to possess extra speed.  It served me well in my tennis career.  I would like to give this technique to you, so that you will have an opportunity to understand one of the secrets to speed on the tennis court.

Enjoy!

Welcome to Tom's Online Tennis Lesson, sponsored by TennisWarrior.com, "your link to professional thinking."

If you would like to get a jump on the ball the Direction Reaction Technique will do wonders for your game.  The Direction Reaction Technique is your ability to react to the direction of the ball from your opponents racket.  Keep in mind you do not know exactly where the ball is going you just see a direction and go! The ball could be going upward, to the left, to the right, etc.  Here are two things that may come as a shock to you.

1. Even the pros do not know the exact destination of the ball.

2. However, most people can quickly read the direction of the ball from their opponents racket.

That's right the pros do not know the exact destination of the ball, they only have a general idea of the direction and they are off running.  They analyze the exact destination of the ball while on the run.  From practice this is all done quickly and instinctively.

Unfortunately most players have conditioned themselves to stand still and analyze exactly where the ball is going first, then decide to run. They have unknowingly reversed the process!  You must practice reading and reacting to the direction of the ball from your opponents racket immediately.  Not sure you can do this?  I disagree!  As stated above most people can quickly read the direction of the ball from their opponents racket.  The problem is, you read the ball fast, but you have not conditioned the body to react to that information.  You have the DIRECTION part of the Direction Reaction Technique, but there is a breakdown in the REACTION part of the Direction Reaction Technique.

How do I know you read the direction fast?  Simple, every time your opponent hits the ball watch what your eyes and  head do.  Your eyes and head will immediately follow the path of the ball.  I have seen this phenomenon over and over again when watching my students cover a lob.  I will usually yell, go, go after the ball!  They look at me and say, "I never knew that it was going to be a lob!"  I look at them and say, "then why did your head immediately follow the ball upward right over your head?  Think about that, they are looking up at a ball saying, " I don't know where the ball is going."

Yes, you definitely read the ball from your opponents racket much faster than you think.  The key to improving your speed is to practice following your head like the pros.  If the ball is hit to the right and your head moves that way, make sure your body is moving with your head. If the ball is hit to the left and your head moves that way, make sure your body is moving with your head.  Whatever way your head moves make sure your body moves with your head.  If while moving after the ball, you see the ball going out, then you can stop.  The Direction Reaction is designed to make you react to the direction of the ball exactly the way your head and eyes do.  Test yourself the next time you play to see if your head is moving, but your body is staying in one spot.  If you are, get off your dear derriere and get moving!!!

Your email tennis pro,

Tom

Copyright © 2001 Tom Veneziano. All rights reserved.

"Tom deals with the thinking end of tennis like no one else. It's almost too difficult to explain, you have to experience it. He has an uncanny knack for getting right to the heart of the matter. You come away thinking, that's right: it makes sense!"

Colleen Cremer, Houston, TX.

"It's interesting to note that everyone can use these tapes from beginner to championship level. You can apply the information to whatever level you play on."

Dan Hanusa, Houston, TX.

" Tom's audio cassettes have changed my thinking, aligning it with the correct information needed to improve my game. He's right there with you, inside your head, challenging you to make those changes. It's like having your own personal coach! I highly recommend his tapes for everyone."

Linda Zimmerman, Houston, TX.

"On the way to my HLTA match I listened to Tom's tape, "Some Before Match Pointers." Call it a coincidence, but I won my first HLTA match ever! I just seemed to be in a better frame of mind. Thanks, Tom."

Mary Ogden, Houston, TX.

"Tom and I have been friends for over twenty years. It's not surprising to me players talk so positively about his tapes. He's always possessed exceptional athletic ability along with an unusual analytical mind. Tom simply likes to think! At times he would drive me crazy, but he was the driving force behind my journey into tennis. I'm 6'1" and Tom is 5'6" but I could never beat the little imp! All joking aside, if Tom's thinking is on audio cassettes, you should listen! You'll never view tennis the same way again!"

Sam Lacava, Tennis Professional, Stewartsville, N.J.

Thank you all for the testimonials! I appreciate it!

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