To be good at any sport, you’ve got to work at it. You’ve got to want it, and you’ve got to build a solid foundation to base all of your progress on. This is just as true- and easy- for tennis as it is for any other sport.

What Does A ‘Strong Foundation’ Mean?

It’s not the cement under your house, and it’s not the building blocks of understanding the game- no, to build an athletic foundation for your skills to improve upon, you’re actually working on how you hold yourself and move throughout a match. In the case of tennis, your athletic foundation should be built based on your stance, your center of gravity, and your posture.

Posture For A Good Foundation

Posture is one of the most important things in tennis. You’ve got to hold yourself up, you’ve got to be in the right position to have the right amount of power behind your swing- and building a good foundation can do exactly that. While playing, keep your shoulders level and focus on improving your posture.

Centering Your Gravity

Your center of gravity is crucial to staying balanced- the last thing you want to do is wipe out in the middle of a match. While everyone’s center of gravity is in a different spot, it’s usually the place where you instinctively balance. But to build a good foundation in tennis, you need to lower your center of gravity- bend your knees and lower your hips, all while keeping your back straight, to do this. Having a lower center of gravity can help your movements become more fluid, and decrease the risk of injury due to overtrained muscles.

Building Your Stance

The final thing you should watch out for while playing is your stance- the wrong stance can lose a match, and that’s certainly not the option you’re looking for. Spread your feet about one and a half shoulder lengths apart for maximum power, and balance your weight on the balls of your feet. It might feel strange at first, but you’ll quickly become adapted to it- and see the great results it brings!