Many people have trouble learning to play tennis, mostly because the depth of the game. One thing you should think about before learning tennis is how much time do you want to spend on tennis? You might want to start playing tennis as a workout, if you do, do you know how many calories an hour long tennis match will burn? This article will give you all the information you want to know about tennis gear and an explanation of a number of different tennis terms.
In an hour long singles game of tennis, depending of a number of factors like skill level and wait-time, you can burn up to 500 calories if you weigh about 140 pounds (~65kg) or even up to 700 if you weigh 190 pounds (~85kg). An hour long doubles game burns about 530 calories if you weigh 190 pounds (~85kg) or 380 if you weigh about 140 pounds (~65kg), considerably less then a singles game but that's because you only take half the shots and have a much smaller part of the tennis court to cover. Before you start playing tennis you should also consider getting some information about the gear used.
There are a couple of things you should acquire before you start learning to play tennis. Clothing isn't really a problem, as you can play tennis in any kind of t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Women might want to wear a skirt, but unfortunately most of them lack pockets, making you forced to buy a pair of tennis panties with a pocket sewn into them. A nice racquet ($150-300) is a good investment, but not necessary for a beginner, a $30-40 one will do just fine. If you get a little more serious on tennis, or just want to upgrade your racquet you should try to "demo" a few racquets before you decide which one fits you the best. This service is available at most tennis clubs and sporting retailers. For your racquet, you should also get some tennis grips wrapped around the handle that provides absorption, traction and also protection. Make sure you change your grips when they begin to show wear. Tennis is a game where you make a lot of rapid jumps, sprints and lateral movements, thus making it reasonable to invest in a pair of outstanding tennis shoes. Don't forget to make sure your shoes support the ankle in a good way without making them uncomfortable. A good pair of tennis shoes may wear out in a few months of weekly play, especially if you play on hard surfaces. To save some money, only use your tennis shoes for tennis, nothing else.
Have you ever watched tennis on TV? You might here things like "Fault" or "Rally", but what do they mean? Here's a list of different tennis terms:
Footwork: Feet movement to keep the body in position to hit the best possible stroke.
Backhand: A type of shot that starts at the left side of the body for a right-hander or from the right side of the body for a left-hander.
Forehand: Stroking the ball from the right side of the body for a right-hander and from the left side for a left-hander.
Rally: A situation in which both players exchange a series of strokes, usually from their respective baselines.
Backspin: A ball that has been hit in such a way as to keep it spinning backward while in the air, also called "slice.
Topspin: Using a low-to-high stroke to place a forward movement on the ball as it hits your racquet.
Volley: Hitting the ball in mid-air before it bounces on your side of the court.
Double fault: Failing to correctly put two consecutive serves in play.
Fault: A failed attempt to put a serve in play.
Game point: The potentially last point of any game.
Love: Zero points.
Ready position: A preparation stance in which your weight is slightly forward, knees are slightly bent, and you are holding the racket up with both hands out in front of you.
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