"If you play any doubles at all then you need to be familiar with the I formation! In today's episode of the podcast my guest is friend and former teammate Jason Cole. Together we go over a full overview of how to use the I formation, when it's typically most successful, how to manage signals, what parts of the court both players should be covering, and more! Start using these tactics right away so confuse and intimidate your opponents, it's really a lot of fun!"
Jul 26, 2011•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast "In today's episode of the podcast I'm joined by certified personal trainer Steve Beck! Together we have a great discussion about three areas of tennis fitness that you need to be working on if you'd like to reach your full potential on the court: speed, strength, and flexibility. We also talk about a free course that we just released which will show you exactly how to work on those three areas for your tennis game! It's only available to view until July 27th so click on the link below to sign u...
Jul 19, 2011•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Having a once confident tennis stroke completely leave you and turn into a liability has got to be one of the all time biggest frustrations to a player! I've personally experienced this several times in my own game and in today's show I give advice on how to avoid it, and also a three step process that you should use to bring a lost stroke back from the grave. I also discuss the technique of hitting a more penetrating backhand slice so that you can avoid hitting high floaters to your opponent!"
Jul 12, 2011•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Brent Abel runs the excellent tennis instruction website www.webtennis.com . In this week's episode of the podcast he's my guest as we discuss several topics that are vital to the improvement of tennis players everywhere: singles strategy, doubles strategy, trying to copy the pros, and what to do when you find yourself stuck in a rut with your tennis game. Brent has some great insights that I know you'll find helpful!"
Jul 05, 2011•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast "In today's show my guest is Will Hamilton from Fuzzy Yellow Balls! Together we talk about some super important topics having to do with improving your tennis game. Did you know that the biggest difference between players isn't actually natural skill and ability? Will explains how what he read in a book by Geoff Colvin (really good read!) can teach us about getting better at tennis, specifically what you should be focusing on and not focusing on as you try to improve."
Jun 28, 2011•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Dr. Cohn is back for another great discussion about mental toughness in your tennis game! Together we discuss three different listener topics about avoiding disappointment on the tennis court. The first question has to do with the infamous "choke", how can we avoid giving up a big lead? Second we talk about getting angry or upset after missing shots during a match and thirdly we talk about being too nice and feeling sorry for your opponent!"
Jun 21, 2011•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast "So many recreational tennis players walk out onto the practice court, rally a couple balls from the baseline without any purpose at all and then just go right into set play or baseline games. Don't do that! You can make such better use of your time on the court and on today's podcast Andy Zodin and I discuss exactly how that's possible. Cooperative tennis drills don't have to be boring!"
Jun 14, 2011•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast "We've all dealt with this type of opponent at least once in our tennis careers. This is the player that has a lot of experience, unconventional technique, and imparts huge amounts of spin on the ball over and over again. In trying to deal with these shots you feel confused, off balance, and sometimes just plain dumb as the ball curves and bounces all over the place. Talk about frustrating! In today's episode of the podcast I will tell you exactly what to look for against these players, how thei...
Jun 07, 2011•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Being able to hit a soft, delicate drop volley can often be extremely useful both in singles and in doubles. Unfortunately most recreational players complicate this shot by trying to chop at it and add a ton of spin, don't make that mistake! In today's episode of the podcast I talk about exactly how to execute this shot correctly, and how to best use it in a singles match against an opponent that loves hitting passing shots."
May 31, 2011•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast "If you're really serious about being a better tennis player then training your body for peak performance is definitely something you should be doing! In today's episode of the podcast I have a special guest join me who is not only passionate about tennis but is a certified personal trainer as well. We talk about topics such as warming up correctly, whether or not a "cool down" is necessary for tennis players, and also how to best fit your workout into a busy schedule. Also, keep an eye out for ...
May 24, 2011•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast "So you've decided that it's time to get some help from your local tennis professional. That's great, but now what? Should you tell them what you want to improve or just go with whatever they say? How often should you take lessons and how much time should you spend practicing what they teach you? How long should you expect for it to take to see improvements? All of these questions and more are answered in today's podcast focusing on getting the most from your lessons!"
May 17, 2011•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Today's show is completely dedicated to the two handed backhand! I discuss all of the most important technical elements related to grip, the backswing, contact point, and follow through. I also throw in some other really important factors including how energy transfers from your right side to left side during a good swing, the use of the kinetic chain, and whether or not using an open stance is a good idea when hitting a two hander. In today's wrap up I also talk about my attempts at joining a ...
May 10, 2011•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast "This episode of the podcast is completely dedicated to an extremely important shot in tennis: the return of serve! Listen in as I talk about the most important elements of a good singles and doubles return of serve. When should you try to beat a poaching player down the alley? Where should you aim your singles return of serve with so much court to work with? I give a full overview of what to keep in mind, what to forget about, and how aggressively you should be hitting this important shot!"
May 03, 2011•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Today's podcast episode is on an awesome topic: at what point in your tennis development should you stop being so focused on being steady and start developing some big weapons? Is there a certain level that you should transition over? Are their specific cues in your game that you should be looking for? I talk about the "sliding scale" of tennis players on this episode and give advice on what to develop and when based on your current level of play!"
Apr 27, 2011•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Serve and volley players can be extremely tough to beat, they really make you come up with great shots in order to win! In today's episode of the podcast I will tell you exactly what you need to do in order to defeat these tricky opponents. Topics include how best to handle the return of serve, two main tactical options to use once the point has begun, and also some mental toughness advice as well. Don't get bullied around by these types of players anymore!"
Apr 20, 2011•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast "In today's episode of the podcast I answer some great listener questions about adding more weight to your favorite frame by using lead tape. Will adding weight really slow your swing down and decrease power? Where should you put the lead exactly and how much? I also talk about the correct times to NOT use the directionals! I list four specific times in which using the directionals would actually be a bad idea and how to implement those shots selections into your game!"
Apr 12, 2011•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast "On today's episode of the podcast I have a big announcement that will has huge implications on the future of Essential Tennis! I also have a question to ask of all of you, one that you should answer in the comments on the podcast page at Essential Tennis. Thank you all so much for your support over the years, I can't thank you enough!"
Apr 05, 2011•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast "On today's show Ian talks about the three essential technique elements to hitting an effective drop shot. Make sure you're doing all three! He also discusses managing a partnership within a doubles match. What should you do when your partner is missing easy shots and getting upset? How about when it actually starts affecting your own concentration and play? Find out!"
Mar 29, 2011•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast "So exactly how hard and fast should you be accelerating the racket on a consistent basis? On one hand you don't want to swing tentative and scared, but on the other going full out all the time will lead to a lot of mistakes, right? Listen to Ian talk about exactly where you acceleration level should be. He also talks about the main essential elements to hitting a topspin forehand, even if you've been hitting "old school" for over 30 years!"
Mar 15, 2011•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast "When your opponent comes to the net in singles you have so many different options: cross court, down the line, drive, heavy topspin, lob, etc. What is the best type of shot to chose and why? Find out on today's show! Ian also gives advice on how to hit effective forehands and backhands on the run. How are the pros able to hit such amazing shots when in trouble and running off the court?"
Mar 08, 2011•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast "On today's show Ian answers a great question about developing the skills needed to win. We're not talking about forehand or backhand technique but rather the intangibles that really make up a player that just seems to pull out wins even against "better" players. Ian also discusses a question about what parts of your technique you should be thinking about and which should just be "automatic"!"
Mar 01, 2011•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast "In today's show Ian talks about how to better handle the most feared type of player in tennis: the PUSHER! What parts of your game need to be improved and what tactics should you employ to be more successful against this dreaded opponent? Find out by listening! Ian also talks about handling low, short shots in the court."
Feb 22, 2011•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Two great singles tactics questions occupy today's episode of the podcast! First off I discuss what tactics patterns, and strategies are most essential when it comes to being successful in singles competition. Secondly I talk about how to approach a match tactically against a player who is obviously much stronger and you. What can you do to increase your chances of coming out on top? Find out!"
Feb 15, 2011•29 min•Ep 243•Transcript available on Metacast In today's episode I talk about three big ways that you can win more matches in your singles game: improving your singles practice, singles strategy, and mental game specifically for singles play. Improving even one of these areas will absolutely earn you more points, just image what would happen if you spend the time and effort to become better at all three!
Feb 07, 2011•34 min•Ep 246•Transcript available on Metacast Did you know that you can make more power and more spin without actually trying any harder? If that sounds impossible to you then you definitely need to listen to today's podcast! Ian talks about the power of relaxation and exactly how much you should be relaxing your arm and grip during a ground stroke. He also discusses the benefit of playing people who are weaker than you and how to deal with losing concentration during such matches.
Jan 31, 2011•33 min•Ep 247•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Cohn is back for another great discussion about mental toughness in your tennis game! Together we discuss three different listener topics about avoiding disappointment on the tennis court. The first question has to do with the infamous "choke", how can we avoid giving up a big lead? Second we talk about getting angry or upset after missing shots during a match and thirdly we talk about being too nice and feeling sorry for your opponent!
Jan 24, 2011•38 min•Ep 249•Transcript available on Metacast On today's show Ian talks about three misconceptions relating to forehand improvement: one having to do with weight transfer, the second about taking the ball early, and the third about "staying low". He talks about all three, what plays should actually be doing in regards to each technical topic, and also delivers three different drills to work on your forehand!
Jan 17, 2011•33 min•Ep 250•Transcript available on Metacast If you want more topspin you should switch to a more extreme grip, right? Wrong! If you want to hit with more power you should "step in" and transfer your body weight through the shot, correct? Not necessarily. These are two misconceptions that are incredibly common but very often not the technical element that should be focused on to create great results in your forehand ground strokes. Listen to Ian describe exactly what is essential!
Jan 10, 2011•37 min•Ep 251•Transcript available on Metacast On today's show I talk about the top two reasons why people choke during a tennis match. More importantly than that I go over what you need to develop in order to avoid letting it happen to you and exactly how to do it! I also discuss the best way to catch your balance and prepare for a point immediately after hitting your serve. Find out how to earn a completely free set of string as well!
Jan 03, 2011•31 min•Ep 252•Transcript available on Metacast The mental game is such a make or break topic when it comes to your competitive tennis. Today I’m joined by Dr. Patick Cohn who helps me answer several listener questions about their mental game. Topics include: getting angry on court, playing in front of a crowd, and repeated double faulting.
Dec 27, 2010•38 min•Ep 253•Transcript available on Metacast 
