So yesterday I figured I’d finally tackle those tennis drills people keep raving about. Grabbed my racket, headed to the local courts right after work. Started with the forehand crosscourt thing – thought it’d be easy-peasy. Boy, was I wrong.
The Warm-Up Disaster
First drill was this rally consistency exercise. Dropped a ball, tried hitting forehands crosscourt. Whacked three straight into the net. Muttered “crap” under my breath. Partner just laughed at me. Switched to backhands – same mess. Felt like my wrist was made of jelly. Took five minutes just to land five in a row. Sweat pouring before we even started properly.
Six Drills, Six Facepalms
Next was the approach shot drill. Ran forward like a bulldozer chasing a tennis ball. Nearly tripped over my own feet trying to hit while moving. Missed eight outta ten. Partner yelled “watch your footwork!” Yeah, no kidding. Then came volley practice at the net. Held my racket too tight, kept popping balls straight up like fireworks. Wanted to chuck my racket into the bushes. Instead, drank water and cussed silently.
Service box target drills broke my brain. Tried placing serves in specific corners. First eight went everywhere but where I aimed – one almost hit a pigeon. Adjusting grip felt like solving trigonometry drunk. Finally landed one decent serve after fifteen tries. Did a pathetic victory dance that looked more like a seizure.
Small Wins & Reality Checks
Footwork patterns were torture. Shuffling sideways? Felt like a newborn giraffe. Cross-stepped toward the net, stumbled over the service line. Partner’s eyes screamed “you hopeless fool.” Return-of-serve practice got interesting though. Started reading his serve better after he aced me nine times. Finally returned one with actual power – surprised us both.
The point simulation drill exposed everything:
- Forgot to reset after shots
- Breathed like I’d run a marathon
- Positioning? Nonexistent
But weirdly, on the last round, something clicked. Executed a semi-decent forehand-volley combo. Partner actually said “not bad.” Wanted to frame that moment.
Why Bother With This Pain?
Two hours later, sweat-drenched and limping, I realized:
- These drills show every crack in your game
- They suck until they suddenly don’t
- No shortcuts – only reps
Made peace with being a hot mess temporarily. Felt good though, like actually earned my shower beer later.
