7 Most Destructive Tennis Myths - EXPOSED... And what to do about them...

I was working with a student a few days ago when she abruptly questioned me: "Now why would I do it the way you're telling when 50 other guys are saying do it the opposite way?"

I answered, "That's the reason I wrote by book; because they are obvious not teaching you the truth about this technique. So who are you going to listen to: the guy who is showing you the better way that works or the guys who are obviously teaching the same cookie-cutter instruction that continues to fail you?

So here is the third excerpt from my book:

Myth #3: Hit the ball early, out in front of your body

Truth: Wait on the ball, as though you're going to catch it, and then accelerate

the racquet at contact. Nothing destroyed the natural feel and timing for me

more than having a coach or a tennis instructor tell me to make contact out in

front of my body when hitting a forehand. First, it is nearly impossible to time

the ball correctly each time when hitting the ball in front of your left hip (a

forehand for right-handers; left handers reverse this technique); and second,

trying to contact the ball in front of the body causes tension and panic in the

stroke...because you're afraid of hitting the ball later. Instead wait on the ball to

come more to the side of your body—like you would if you were going to merely

catch it—and perform your swing.