What's all the racket about racquets? Well, you can't
play tennis without one. If you're buying a junior racquet,
choose the longest one that you can comfortably use. If
you weigh more than 85 pounds you should look for an adult
racquet.
When you have a racquet, you'll need to find a court.
Look around at school or at parks in your neighborhood
and don't forget to bring tennis balls!
Tennis is a weight-bearing physical activity that forces
you to turn your body quickly in many different directions,
so make sure you warm up and stretch before playing. Wear
tennis shoes with good support to protect your ankles.
To prevent hand blisters, keep your racquet handle dry
by using sawdust or hand chalk. Always bend your arm when
you swing, or else it might start to hurt—a problem
known as "tennis elbow."
To protect other players, never throw your racquet or
tennis balls, and try to keep loose balls off the courts.
Tennis is a fun way to help build strong bones that two
people (a "singles" match) or four people on two separate
teams ("doubles") can play. When you start playing tennis,
some of the key strokes you should learn are: serve, forehand,
backhand, two-handed backhand, volley, and smash. But
first, check out these basic skills to get you started!
Holding the Racquet. The racquet handle has eight sideszfour
are flat and four are angled. Take the racquet handle
between your thumb and index finger of your dominant hand
(the one you write with) as if you were shaking hands.
The knuckle on your index finger should be on the top
right angle. Then, grip and make sure it feels comfortable.
Separate your third and fourth fingers slightly.
Serving. Hold the ball with the thumb, index finger, and
middle finger of your free hand (hand not holding the
racquet). Extend the arm with the ball just in front of
you and then raise it above your head. Toss the ball gently,
so it goes a few inches higher than the full height of
the racquet extended above your head. Keep your eye on
the ball. Bring the racquet around above your shoulder
and hit the ball while it's in the air. Try to use the
same toss every time.
Receiving and Returning the Ball. Stand in the middle
of the court and hold the racquet gently with both hands
so you can run in either direction when the ball comes
over the net. When the ball is hit to your forehand side
(e.g., right if you're right-handed), step toward the
ball with your opposite leg and swing! If the ball comes
to your backhand side (left if you're right-handed), go
for the ball with your dominant arm in front of your chest
and your other hand holding the racquet as well. Swing
without moving your wrists.
For more information, visit: www.bam.gov/sub_physicalactivity/activitycards_tennis.html
