Hitting Isn't Practicing: Why 4 Hits a Week Isn't Working
Quick answer
Hitting for two hours is not practicing. Rallying keeps the ball in play but rarely targets a weakness or gives you feedback, so you just rehearse what you already do. Deliberate practice has four parts: a clear focus, specific targets, enough repetition, and feedback. Add those and the same court time finally turns into improvement.
On this page
The difference between hitting and practicing
Most players confuse activity with progress. You hit four times a week, so you feel like you are putting in the work. But if those sessions are cooperative rallies with no focus and no feedback, you are maintaining your level, not raising it. You are getting more reps at being exactly who you already are.
The four parts of deliberate practice
- 1Focus: pick one specific thing to improve this session, not your whole game.
- 2Targets: give every rep a clear pass or fail, like landing 8 of 10 in a zone.
- 3Repetition: do enough reps to start changing the habit, not three and move on.
- 4Feedback: know whether you did it right, from a coach, a target, or video.
How to turn your next session into practice
Spend the first 20 minutes on a focus with targets before you free rally. For example, 50 crosscourt forehands to a deep zone, counting makes. Then play points that reward the thing you drilled. The structure is what separates a player who improves from one who just logs hours, and it is the engine behind breaking the 3.5 plateau.
Feedback is the part most players skip, because they cannot see themselves. That is why filming a set of reps, using the 3-angle setup, changes solo and group practice alike.
The short version
Rallying maintains. Practicing improves. Add a focus, targets, repetition, and feedback, and your existing court time starts paying off.
Frequently asked
Why am I not improving even though I play a lot?
Playing and rallying maintain your current level. Improvement requires deliberate practice: a clear focus, specific targets, enough repetition, and feedback. Add those to your sessions and the same hours start to pay off.
What is deliberate practice in tennis?
Practice with a single focus, measurable targets, enough reps to change a habit, and feedback on whether you did it right. It is the opposite of unfocused cooperative rallying.
How much should I practice versus play matches?
Both matter, but unstructured hitting is the weakest use of time. Spend part of each session on focused drills with targets, then play points that reward what you drilled.
Sources and further reading
Written by
Bolor Enkhbayar
Tennis coach and founder of CoachesNote
Bolor coaches serious juniors and adult competitors. She builds every weekly plan, reviews the video and match notes, and decides the next job, in person and remotely through CoachesNote.
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