We’ve all heard the instruction “punch” your volleys thousands of times. Since tennis demands more and more precision as players improve, it only makes sense that the quality of play will follow the quality of the instruction that players receive. So, what is a “punch” anyway?  Take a quick look at this YouTube clip and you’ll see just how different a punch looks when compared to a tennis volley. In boxing, the punch starts with the arm bent and finishes with the arm straight. In tennis, on the forehand volley, the hitting arm starts bent and finishes bent. It should never straighten to full extension. Here’s a clip that demonstrates the volley. Totally different than boxing. To get a feel for this motion and improve your volley, the Angle Doctor is really a great training aid.

Considering all of this, why do tennis coaches continue to tell thousands of students a day to “punch” their volleys? In the United States there is no mandatory continuing education program for certified teaching pros. It should be noted that in every other developed country in Europe and around the world coach’s continuing education is mandatory. While the USPTA and PTR offer an abundance of excellent continuing educational opportunities, both online and through live workshops, it is not required to maintain membership.

My own two cents is that tennis would be better off with some basic standards that most would accept as both sensible and scientific. Just one example would be to identify some of the myths such as telling students to “punch” their volleys and listing these as “no-no’s” to instructors, in advertising, or even on the Tennis Channel.