So you don’t know whether individual private tennis lessons are best for your game or whether group tennis coaching might be more valuable?

I read a post on a popular tennis forum today and it made me rush back and write this article. The people on this forum were giving advice on which of the two coaching methods would be most beneficial for a beginner, albeit one with a significant athletic background. Here is my take on the debate, and I do hope you find it valuable.

It is of vital importance in tennis that one has a good grounding in the basics of technique. Without this a player will, more often than not, develop ineffectual movement patterns which will eventually lead to soreness and injury.

Tennis is an extremely technical sport and consequently it is essential that a player gets the appropriate attention from a professional who can spot any flaws and correct them early on. If poor technique is allowed to continue for a lengthy period ‘muscle memory’ takes hold and the habit can be very difficult to fix.

If you are serious about your game then in my eyes private 1-on-1 tuition is a must. This kind of tennis coaching allows the coach to focus solely on your game, whereas in a group environment this isn’t possible and attention must be spread equally among participants. Often an inexperienced coach will tend to work with the lesser players in a group environment, this means more value for them and less for the better players!

In general, if a coach knows what they are doing, group lessons should be less technical with only short pointers every now and then to ensure that everyone is participating fully and the lesson flows nicely. They are used more for practicing what has been learnt in a private lesson and putting these skills into tactics, rallying, drills and match-play.

They are also great from a social perspective and measuring yourself against others of a similar standard. One other nice point regarding group sessions is that you get to learn from others mistakes.

Having said all this; make sure the pro who delivers your coaching has a sound knowledge of the game and a personality that makes learning fun. Private lessons can be boring but if you find a coach who mixes attention to detail with humour and excitement then that can make the difference between improving slowly and steadily and improving vastly and quickly.

Tennis is supposed to be fun so ensure that your coach breathes his enthusiasm into your game. You’d be surprised how many coaches lack this essential ingredient so choose wisely.

So when all is said and done it is my opinion that both private and group lessons should be taking by all who seek to improve their game. Privates for working on technical shot making in general and group lessons to constructively practice what your coach has worked on in a friendly and sociable environment.

It is also advisable to blend these tennis lessons with your own practice without the input of a coach. This will lead you to make your own insights and understandings and will lead you to develop your own style and individuality which is one thing that makes tennis so much fun!

Structure your week’s tennis with these things in mind.

If you have any comments on this I’d love to hear from you. I’m also available for coaching sessions and I will be shortly adding a page on how to go about arranging one! Drop me a line about anything at all via my contact page, and sign up for my exclusive newsletter via the email opt in on the home page.

Thank-you and good-night! ;o)