First Private Coaching Lesson
Training and Drills
Jim PingPalHal Asked 7 years ago
Hi coaches,
I'm 35 and haven't had any formal training. I think i've applied everything i've learned online to the best of my ability, but I'm not exactly sure what to expect from my first private coaching session.
I scheduled it in a few weeks and I'm basically wondering what I should expect. This is a chinese coach so I'm having visions of not even using a paddle but instead painting and waxing cars ala karate kid for the entire hour.
Every coach is most likely different, but what do you do on first session? Practice a bit? Critique form? Do some basic drill work?
It's expensive and i'm going to be doing this maybe once a month or so if I find it a valuable use of my time for my goals (which is basically just to learn how to play correctly and with some sort of progression in skill level)
Thanks
Alois Rosario Answered 7 years ago
Hi Jim,
Usually a coach will hit with you and go through some of the basic skills of the game with the strokes. Perhaps some footwork drills and some work on serving and receiving serve.
How fast or slow that progresses will depend on the coach and your ability as well I guess. I think it is a good idea to give this a try. If you are not finding it beneficial then you can alway go back to your other training.
Let us know how you get on.
Thoughts on this question
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Fesih TOPDEMİR Posted 7 years ago
hi Jim
I wonder result... Let us know how you get on.
Jean Balthazar Posted 7 years ago
I'm wondering too... Which color did he choose for his fence? :o)
Jim PingPalHal Posted 7 years ago
It was really fun hearing my question on the podcast. Thanks guys!
Well I just got back from my first private lesson over my lunch break. That was a fantastic experience.
It started like Alois suggested, where we just hit the ball back and forth for a bit, then she made some corrections on my stance and strokes, then we did a full selection of drills. Forehand counterhits in one spot, then two spots with footwork, then backhand to backhand, backhand to forehand, backhand to forehand to forehand to backhand, forehand short push to backhand to forehand.
I was drained by the end, but I really had fun. I tried to take instruction the best I could but I also sometimes don't really understand what I'm doing with my body so that was a little bit of a learning curve. I think the coach was impressed enough to try the more difficult footwork drills and shot drills. Even looked at forehand loop for a little bit.
I'm happy I went. I have some drills I can do for at home practice. I think without my obsession of PingSkills content I would have made much more of a fool of myself. Thanks again guys!
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Well done. Glad you had a good experience. Keep up the training.
Glad you liked the feature on the show as well.
Rohan Keogh Posted 7 years ago
Hey Jim. You cannot make a fool of yourself with a coach. They begin with no preconceived notions of your skill level or expectations, assess where your skills are at then go from there. Right Alois?
Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
Right...