Improve Your Palm Tennis Leagues Skills? Try These 3 Easy Drills!

So last Sunday I completely bombed my palm tennis league match, couldn’t even return simple shots. Got fed up and decided to finally try those three basic drills everyone keeps talking about at the club.

Improve Your Palm Tennis Leagues Skills? Try These 3 Easy Drills!

Setting Up My Garage Practice Spot

Grabbed my old racket and cleared out empty soda cans near the washing machine. Marked X’s on the concrete floor with sidewalk chalk – one near the back wall, one by the bike rack, and one stupidly close to my water heater. Didn’t measure anything, just eyeballed it.

Drill 1: The Stupid Shadow Swinging

Stood barefoot on that clammy garage floor pretending to hit invisible balls. Felt like a total idiot for five minutes. Then actually focused on keeping my elbow bent like Coach Dave always screams about. Turns out my backhand swing was all stiff like a robot – no wonder I kept missing! Did twenty pretend forehands then twenty backhands, sweating more than during actual matches.

Drill 2: Wall Whacking Marathon

Started whacking real balls against that stained drywall. First tries were embarassing – balls flying over my head or smacking the garage door. Moved closer to the wall than felt natural. Discovered if I plant my left foot forward like it’s glued down, the returns actually come back waist-high instead of near the ceiling. Went through two sleeves of worn-out balls before I stopped needing to chase them every third shot.

Drill 3: The Target Disaster

Placed three paint buckets where I’d drawn those chalk marks. Aimed for the near one – missed twelve times. Hit the damn water heater pipe twice (don’t tell my landlord). Finally figured out I was swinging too hard. Started tapping the ball gently like it’s a hot potato. Suddenly started actually hitting the middle bucket more often than not. Still can’t reliably hit the far target though – that bucket only got smacked three times in twenty tries.

What Actually Changed

Did this garbage for three evenings straight. Tonight’s league game? Still lost but held my own until the fifth set. My backhand didn’t feel like I’m swatting flies anymore, and those wall drills? Suddenly I’m anticipating returns better. But screw those bucket targets – going back to just trying to hit against the garage door until I stop denting it.

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